Often us booklovers are drawn to compare notes on the kinds of characters we like with broadly speaking divisions, those characters we like, we’d be happy to have them as friends, and those that you actively dislike. I’ve, in my more contemplative moments wondered why I am so happy to read about unlikeable characters, and I’ve decided that the authors who create these to populate their books tend to have other dynamics going on that make the likeableness of the character a bonus rather than a hinderance.
In Before She Knew Him there are unlikeable characters and to make things even harder the author has created a world, like he has in his previous novels, that is unlikely to exist but just likely enough to make the fiction only too believable.
Hen (short for Henrietta) Mazur and her husband Lloyd have recently moved house to a small suburb in Boston. They love their new house, they’ve left behind what appears to have been a few bad memories and Hen is now following her artistic path as an illustrator in the new neighbourhood. Their neighbours Mira and Matthew invite them for a dinner party. Hen, who has suffered with her mental health isn’t keen but Lloyd wants them to get out and mix. So they go and in one of those weird coincidences that occur in real life as well as novels, Hen makes a connection between Matthew and a victim of a murder who lived close to them in their previous home. What are the chances?
The book then takes on what could be a farcical turn, but doesn’t quite. Hen convinced that Matthew is in fact hiding some huge dark secret does what anyone would do in such a situation. Yes, she chooses to stalk her neighbour, whilst of course keeping this a secret from her husband, who is likely to worry far too much that she needs to go back to the doctor and have her medication altered.
In between this we see things from Matthew’s point of view. The only thing he is hiding from his wife is the visits his brother Richard makes to the house when Mira is out of town working. Mira has to travel a great deal for her work and Richard visits in her absence because she actively dislikes him – not surprisingly as we read excerpts from his thoughts, I’m sure most readers would decide to put him on the ‘not a friend pile!’
So all in all, exactly what you’d expect from a book by Peter Swanson. A bunch of weird characters, some less likeable than others followed by a somewhat bizarre scenario which is all rescued by some brash actions putting various people in danger of being discovered, followed and perhaps, given this is crime fiction, killed! And it was brilliantly pulled off. I didn’t want to put the book down, so engaged was I with what in the hands of a lesser writer would easily have been thrown against the ‘don’t be ridiculous’ wall.
I’d like to thank the publishers Faber and Faber who allowed me to read the experience that Before She Knew Him which will be published on 5 March 2019.
First Published UK: 5 March 2019
Publisher: Faber & Faber
No of Pages: 320
Genre: Crime Fiction
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Previous Books by Peter Swanson
The Girl with a Clock for a Heart
The Kind Worth Killing
Her Every Fear
All the Beautiful Lies
I don’t mind unlikeable characters either, so long as there is enough in the novel to make me care what happens. It sounds as if this pulls you along really well!
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I’ve not read Swanson – yet! This one sounds great, and I have it on my pile 🙂
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I can deal with unlovable characters just as long as they are believable.
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Haha, it’s no good throwing your Kindle against the wall, anyway – believe me! 😉 I’m just off now to stalk my neighbour…
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Hmm… watch they aren’t stalking you back!
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Isn’t it interesting how a plot like that wouldn’t be credible in the hands of a less skilled writer can be completely engaging when it’s done well. I’ve had that happen, too, Cleo, and I respect an author who’s talented enough to invite me to ‘buy into’ something I wouldn’t otherwise do. Glad you enjoyed this one.
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I do think it is fascinating especially as I have an intolerance of a lack of credibility and yet I loved this one – as you say hats of to the author that can pull this off.
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Wonderful review Cleo. Like you, I admire this author’s writing skill. Sadly, I’m a few books behind with Peter Swanson, but hope to catch up eventually.
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Don’t tell anyone but I’m also a book behind 😉
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I’m behind on Swanson’s book too, even though I really liked a couple of them and have read those more than once. This one sounds like a winner as well. I’ll get around to it eventually and look forward to that.
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Don’t tell anyone but I’m also a book behind 😉
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I haven’t read any books by Swanson, this one sounds pretty good and it seems like the weird characters were perfect for the narrative.
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They were indeed Diana
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I have been wanting to read Peter Swanson for quite some time. Do you have a favorite?
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I think it has to be A Kind Worth Killing which has echoes of Strangers on a Train in a more modern setting – very clever and sooo good!
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Thank you Cleo! I will add it to the TBR 🙂
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I have only read one Peter Swanson book so far, but I loved it. And yay, this one is coming out tomorrow! Thanks for sharing and piquing my interest.
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I’ve never read a book by this author, but the characterization sounds really strong! I’m not sure there’s a ‘type’ of character than I tend to like or dislike, but I always enjoy reading a character who has a great sense of humour, even if it’s dark.
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Oh I agree about the sense of humour Anne although I’m not sure that this is an overt trait of any of the characters in this particular book.
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New author new book for me. I enjoyed the review.
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I’ve never read Peter Swanson before, but he’s been on my radar the last year or so. I’m adding this one to my TBR list, and appreciate the warnings in your review. I’ll go into it expecting a little weirdness!
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