
GBC Rating: 5 / 5
Man oh man, oh man. I have never read a book by Peter Swanson and after reading Before She Knew Him, I’m torn to read another. It was very, very dark and everyone’s a psychopath almost.
Hen was bipolar. Matthew was a faithful husband, had split personality, and a murderer. Lloyd was a crap husband. Mira didn’t know left from right. And so help me take a drink every time you read ‘Fiat.’
Hen is terribly convinced Matthew killed some Dustin Miller and I’m like ‘get a life!’ However, Matthew lets us know that he did kill Dustin Miller and other men who are mean, disrespectful, and abusive to women…huh.
So we know that Hen is right and Matthew did it so I’m like ‘what else’ story over right? WRONG!
Hen has too much time on her hands and follows Matthew around and witnesses him killing Scott, his co-worker Michelle cheating boyfriend. Matthew then sees Hen as a confidante because she knows but no one believes her. He tells her everything: abusive father, little brother—Richard, promiscuous mom, and he has a sixth sense Hen’s husband—Lloyd is cheating on her. G E E Z!
And thennnnnnn, Richard kills Michelle. Richard liked to hurt women like their father. Matthew wasn’t affected enough for Richard’s liking after Michelle so he went after Hen. Face to face with Hen, she sees Matthew but he acknowledges himself as Richard. Remember when I said Matthew had split personality? BOOM! Hen talks with ‘Richard’ until Matthew comes back. Matthew says he doesn’t want to hurt people anymore and turns himself in.
The title of the book didn’t correlate until the end when Hen recalls knowing Dustin Miller before Matthew killed him and that it was inevitable for them to meet in real time.
What got me at the end of it all is that Hen stayed in the house of her cheating husband and killer next door neighbor—NOPE!

GBC Reader Reviews

1 Comment
I’ve been looking around for reviews on this book to see if anyone shared the same sentiments as I did. Your review is spot on and I feel the same way about her staying in the house too! I would feel too traumatized to stay in that house if I were in her shoes. The split personality thing I didn’t see coming and her connection with Dustin Miller was interesting too. I do remember that Lloyd had cheated on his college girlfriend with Hen and they say that once a cheater always a cheater and that cheaters have a pattern, but I wanted to believe he was faithful. Also, it was not wise of Lloyd to follow Matthew or to be in his house. He brought his downfall upon himself.