I wonder how Swanson did it; to spoon feed me since the earliest chapters that these all 9 lives would be dead sooner or later and still could make it too mysteriously written and puzzling. Not much of red herrings but the hints were there, lurking silently inside their stories, tangled their relationships with a motive for the killer, or perhaps just a random selected with no reason at all; "Maybe what connects us is that nothing connects us."

Lightly written for a thriller yet I love how tightly plotted it goes. 9 strangers and a death list-- a life-altering narrative that goes beyond their thoughts and acceptance(?); "My name is on a list of people who seem to be dying, and it feels okay to be nervous. It’s like my emotions match reality and suddenly I feel better. Does any of this make any sense?"

Not really a fan on way it was narrated as having 10 alternating POVs (including the detective) were a bit tricky to me; to change views and details in between, and adapted to characters development with its short fast-moving chapters; a love-hate maybe, as I am still fond to how the plot grips me stirringly and their life stories kind of exhilaratingly told; one was wrapped up in loneliness, another with anxiety and worries, someone having a love affair and family problems while another is struggling with expectations and uncertainties yet all having that one fate-- death.

It excites me a bit to guess on who would be next-- really love those end paragraph everytime he (will this be a spoiler?) kills them like I expect that but stilll, it gives me chills. The plot twist was so cunning too, the revelation did making all the holes for that one character makes sense (though I have my hunch), and that last subchapter-- might be the reason why all the main chapters were numbered backward.

Knowing Swanson's style, I appreciate those literature talks (of poetry and fictions) and his way of crafting the characters of being a fan of books. The plot itself, I think fans of Agatha Christie might be familiar with it too. Would go for 3.8/5 stars to this!

Thank you Times Reads for sending me an ARC for a review!