The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson Narrator: Johnny Heller, Karen White, Kathleen Early, Keith Szarabajka
Published by Blackstone Audiobooks on February 10, 2015
Genres: Mystery
Length: 10 hours, 18 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble
On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the stunning and mysterious Lily Kintner. Sharing one too many martinis, the strangers begin to play a game of truth, revealing very intimate details about themselves. Ted talks about his marriage that's going stale and his wife Miranda, who he's sure is cheating on him. Ted and his wife were a mismatch from the start--he the rich businessman, she the artistic free spirit--a contrast that once inflamed their passion, but has now become a cliche.
But their game turns a little darker when Ted jokes that he could kill Miranda for what she's done. Lily, without missing a beat, says calmly, "I'd like to help." After all, some people are the kind worth killing, like a lying, stinking, cheating spouse. . . .
Back in Boston, Ted and Lily's twisted bond grows stronger as they begin to plot Miranda's demise. But there are a few things about Lily's past that she hasn't shared with Ted, namely her experience in the art and craft of murder, a journey that began in her very precocious youth.
Suddenly these co-conspirators are embroiled in a chilling game of cat-and-mouse, one they both cannot survive . . . with a shrewd and very determined detective on their tail.
Read It, Rate It and Record
A short review to update challenges
This was an Audible daily deal, which I went right out to the library to get it. I’ve been enjoying mystery / suspense / thriller kind of books so much lately. I enjoyed the characters and was a little appalled by some of their situational ethics. I also have to say I empathized with some of those viewpoints. This is to say I found the characters rather authentic. Scary.
I won’t spoil the mystery but only say I found it quite suspenseful. I worried about what would happen to some characters, whether they would live or die, or be hurt emotionally or physically. I really liked Ted and I felt badly for him. I felt sorry for Lily as a child / teenager, and I wanted her to succeed all the time. I never liked Miranda / Faith. She wanted everything and only cared about herself not the consequences to others. Detective Kimball was only in the last portion of the book and I never warmed to him.
The pace was fast and there was plenty happening. Lily did a few things which made me shake my head, as I knew they weren’t smart. It was annoying because she was rather brilliant overall. The book ends in a bit of a shock.
Narration:
This was a different kind of narration than usual. There were four narrators for the four point-of-views. These were Ted Severson, Lily Kintner, Miranda Severson / Faith Hobart, and Detective Kimball. I was happy to find I could listen to them all comfortably at 1.5x speed. The only narrator I knew previously was Karen White. I thought they all did well with their voices; the performances added to my enjoyment.
Listen to a clip:
About Karen White
Karen White is a classically trained actress who has been recording audio books since 1999 and has well over 150 books to her credit and is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA. Honored to be included inAudiofile’s Best Voices 2010 and 2011, she’s also an Audie Finalist and Best Audiobook of the Year winner for 2009, 2010 and 2011 (The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon Reed, Too Good to be True by Erin Arvedlund, and Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O’Connor) and she has earned multiple Audiofile Earphones Awards, recently for and You Had Me at Woof by Julie Klam and Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz. Publishers Weekly says of Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick, “Karen White delivers a stunning reading, her character interpretations are confident and well-rounded, and she forges a strong bond with the audience.” Speaking of Audiobooks says of her, “Karen is one of my auto-buy narrators – if I think a book may interest me, her narration will sway me to give it a try.”
KAREN GREY is the pen name for award-winning narrator Karen White. A stage, screen and radio drama actor in Boston, New York and Los Angeles in the late 20th century, she started recording books in 1999. Now back in her home state of North Carolina, she shares a home with her family and (probably) too many pets, where she continues to narrate audiobooks as well as make up stories.
About Kathleen Early
Kathleen Early has performed on Broadway, as well as performing off-Broadway and at a number of regional theaters. She has made forays into the film and television world, winning a Beverly Hills Film Festival Outstanding Female Performance Award for her part in Trip in a Summer Dress. She was most recently seen as Dr. Dasiy Pepman on Grey’s Anatomy, and will be Nurse Kathy on the upcoming series Miami Medical.
About Peter Swanson
Peter Swanson is the author of six novels including The Kind Worth Killing, winner of the New England Society Book Award, and finalist for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, Her Every Fear, an NPR book of the year, and his most recent thriller, Eight Perfect Murders. His books have been translated into 30 languages, and his stories, poetry, and features have appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction, The Atlantic Monthly, Measure, The Guardian, The Strand Magazine, and Yankee Magazine.
A graduate of Trinity College, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Emerson College, he lives in Somerville, Massachusetts with his wife and cat.
| Rating Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Plot |
 |
| Writing |
|
| Characters |
|
| Dialogue |
|
| Narration (Audio) |
|
| Overall: | |
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
Friend or follow me at Goodreads.
- 🎧 Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan @DervlaMcTiernan#AoifeMcMahon @HarperAudio #LoveAudiobooks - January 18, 2025
- Read-along & #Giveaway:On the Edge by Ilona Andrews @ilonaandrews @ilonaandrews.bsky.social @reneeraudman @AceBooksPub @acebookspub.bsky.social @TantorAudio @tantoraudio.bsky.social #Read-along #GIVEAWAY @victoria7401.bsky.social - January 17, 2025
- Thrifty Thursday: Jodi Burnett edition @Jodi_writes #JodiBurnett #ThriftyThursday #KindleUnlimited - January 16, 2025
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2019 Audiobooks
- 2019 Library-Love
- BTB 2019
- COYER WINTER
Neat how you found a winner with the Audible deal. Yikes, this does sound like a darker twisty one. I’ve never listened to one with that many narrators so I’m glad that you enjoyed it.
I didn’t buy it I just got it at the library when I saw it as the daily deal. It was interesting to have so many narrators. I have listened to one other which was a full cast narration with several like 8 or more. It was set up to be like a radio broadcast, with each person speaking their own parts.
I like your rating breakdown! Sadly, I’m not an audiobook person because my mind always starts wandering. I find reading a physical book or e-book a lot more relaxing because I have to focus on the words and nothing else.
Have a wonderful week!
It took me awhile to get used to audiobooks but I loved being able to multitask.
Yay! Glad you enjoyed this one. I certainly did. Excellent review, Anne.
Thanks. Of course, it is good if you read it.
I’ve been reading a lot of mysteries over the holiday break. This sounds like a good one.
It was interesting. I liked it. I never get tired of mystery/suspense books.
I have had this one in my Audible library for a few years. You are so smart by grabbing things at the library instead, Anne! I am really happy to see that you enjoyed this one even though you didn’t like all of the characters. The fact that there are multiple narrators was one of the reasons I bought this audiobook.
I always check the library right away if I want an Audible Daily Deal. Sometimes I don’t get to them very quickly but I try.
I don’t think I’ve ever actually bought a Daily Deal. I always check the library and can usually get them there, too. Sounds like a great read.
Melanie @ Hot Listens & Books of My Heart
I always check the library too. If it’s one I will want to listen and they don’t have it then I buy it. Ok I checked my Goodreads shelf and I have bout 27 Audible daily deals. Yowza. No wonder I have some audios on my backlist.
This one WAS at the library though so I don’t own it. It was good.
Lovely review, Anne! This is one of my favorite thrillers, and I think I’d enjoy going back to listen to the audio of it.
I liked it and the four narrators was interesting as that’s more than usual. Thank you.