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A review by justinkhchen
Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh
fast-paced
4.0
Strangers on a Train with a twist, Kill for Me, Kill for You is very on the nose about its Patricia Highsmith inspiration, but still manages to introduce some surprising (at times borderline outlandish) elements into the mix—it is a story that starts out decently average, but gets better and better until it reaches the very last word.
The extremely accessible writing style from Steve Cavanagh helps propelling the slower moments in the narrative—when the novel establishing its character / situation before the main 'gimmick' kicks in. While I understand the need for marketing to spotlight the act of 'murder exchange', it does negatively affect the novel's first 30%, as the reader is already aware what the setup is leading up to. But I'm happy to say after getting over that hurdle, the story is smooth sailing with many intense moments, and the last 30% is particularly clever, in a way I'm surprised no thrillers (as far as I'm aware of) have attempted this trick prior.
A more subjective (less critical) side note: After recently read a couple novels authentically capture New York (and as someone who had lived in Manhattan prior), the representation of the city in Kill for Me, Kill for You feels rather superficial; some of the locations choices feel overly 'touristy', more for name-dropping recognizable landmarks in a story rather than common sense for New York locals. Again, to casual readers this is probably barely noticeable, and shouldn't impact to the overall experience.
Kill for Me, Kill for You is a bingeable, mainstream escapist thriller that manages to be familiar, but still offers some genuine thrills. It reminds me of Stay Awake by Megan Goldin; not necessarily in its plot, but the pacing, as well as the selected POVs. Would be curious to see if this become a series starter down the road!
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
The extremely accessible writing style from Steve Cavanagh helps propelling the slower moments in the narrative—when the novel establishing its character / situation before the main 'gimmick' kicks in. While I understand the need for marketing to spotlight the act of 'murder exchange', it does negatively affect the novel's first 30%, as the reader is already aware what the setup is leading up to. But I'm happy to say after getting over that hurdle, the story is smooth sailing with many intense moments, and the last 30% is particularly clever, in a way I'm surprised no thrillers (as far as I'm aware of) have attempted this trick prior.
A more subjective (less critical) side note: After recently read a couple novels authentically capture New York (and as someone who had lived in Manhattan prior), the representation of the city in Kill for Me, Kill for You feels rather superficial; some of the locations choices feel overly 'touristy', more for name-dropping recognizable landmarks in a story rather than common sense for New York locals. Again, to casual readers this is probably barely noticeable, and shouldn't impact to the overall experience.
Kill for Me, Kill for You is a bingeable, mainstream escapist thriller that manages to be familiar, but still offers some genuine thrills. It reminds me of Stay Awake by Megan Goldin; not necessarily in its plot, but the pacing, as well as the selected POVs. Would be curious to see if this become a series starter down the road!
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**