Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh arrived when I was away for work recently and I allowed it to leap over others on my TBR list because I was about to head to Harrogate (in England) to the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and he was to be there.

I wasn’t planning on taking the book for him to sign as I’m not really into autographs, though do like chatting to authors… but I certainly wanted to have read it beforehand. However… there was an unfortunate bath-related incident in which the book threw itself into my bath (where I was reading) days before my departure.* Not one to be deterred, I dried it out in the winter air and gave it a day to two lest the pages tear as I turn them, before diving back in because though I was only about one-third of the way through, I was engrossed.

Kill For Me Kill For You
by Steve Cavanagh
Published by Headline
on 25/07/2023
Source: Hachette Australia
Genres: Thriller / Suspense
ISBN: 1035408155
Pages: 400

Goodreads

One dark evening in New York City, two strangers meet by chance.Over drinks, Amanda and Wendy realise they have so much in common. And they both desperately want revenge against the two men who destroyed their families.

Together, they have the perfect plan.If you kill for me, I'll kill for you...

The backcover blurb here doesn’t tell readers much and I liked that because we’re quickly introduced to two women who are ‘wronged’ (badly I should add!) and want to seek revenge though realise they’d be obvious suspects.

Hence the Strangers on a Train scenario.** Which sounds as if what-comes-next will be kinda predictable. Until it isn’t. I don’t want to say much more but Cavanagh very cleverly lulls us into a bit of a false sense of focus in relation to the roles the characters play here – a sleight of hand if you like.

I very much liked the plot device Cavanagh employs to trick readers. I contemplated it early but decided against it… his storytelling so tight it offered no obvious hints. But soon we realise that all may not be as it seems and that’s when things get really interesting. And Cavanagh manages to sustain that intrigue until the very end.

He also offers up several themes or paths for this book to take, all providing ‘lessons’ – vigilantism gone wrong by accusing the wrong person, or two wrongs never making a right, and the act of vengeance not offering the solace expected. I mean, there’s certainly some moral or ethical questions about taking the law into your own hands, but this goes far deeper… delving into the impact crime has on its victims and those left behind.

This is a fantastic read. I enjoy Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn (legal procedural) series but very much liked this standalone and would love to see more of them.

Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh will be published in Australia by Hachette in late July 2023.

I received a (now) waterlogged copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.

* I can’t believe it hasn’t happened more often.
** Also featured in Katherine Kovacic’s 2022 release, Seven Sisters