"Do Swipe Right on this quirky crime novel about a woman whose past dates keep getting murdered "
Full disclosure: I don’t read a lot of crime novels. But whether you’re a serial reader or more of an omnivore looking for a change, I’d happily recommend this playful and pacey debut. This pitch stood out because of its prioritising being funny — and I can confirm, it is.
At first thought, humour would seem antithetical to sustaining the tension and horror necessary to a good twisty crime novel, but Chilton absolutely proves that wrong — it means the reader is even more invested in Gwen as a relatable everywoman, scrolling on dating apps on the loo of her best friend’s hen do. We feel absolutely in her shoes as she realises that every man she’s been on a date with since her break-up is being targeted for murder.
I loved the pace of this novel, the cliffhangers at the ends of every chapter had me racing through, and the details of the murders balanced gory with mischievous. They were very cinematic and I can see this translating really well to film. It also explores the depressing, disturbing or dangerous realities of modern dating, and I enjoyed the way Chilton makes you both think that the men are vile and sympathetic — or at least, you feel bad when they die.
I also felt that Chilton does a great job of sowing loads of potential suspects and red herrings to the keen reader, and I was always double-guessing my own theory for who the murderer was.
| Primary Genre | Thriller and Suspense |
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Don't Swipe Right is a twisty thriller mixed with a Richard Curtis movie, Bridget Jones meets Scream, Agatha Christie if she'd lived in the age of Tinder... I've honestly never read such a fun, fast-paced murder mystery like this before.
This is unlike any thriller I've ever read! How can I describe Don't Swipe Right? It's a twisty thriller mixed with a Richard Curtis movie, Bridget Jones meets Scream, Agatha Christie if she'd lived in the age of Tinder...
I've honestly not read such a fun, fast-paced murder mystery like this before. It's the story of Gwen, who's getting addicted to dating apps, until her dates start ending up dead.... and soon she is the police's main suspect! But her suspicions are its the work of her latest match - a mysterious man named Parker who knows too much about her. But is he a killer, or just another pass-agg toxic man on the app? The ending had my jaw on the floor, and I would recommend this book to not just thriller lovers, but if you like sharply written romantic (slightly dark) comedies too...... Read Full Review
Finding true love can be murder.
Gwen Turner, 29, entrepreneur and part-time barista.
Likes: true-crime podcasts, cheese-based snacks (the more unnaturally orange the better) and constantly refreshing her dating apps.
Dislikes: two-day hangovers, people who refer to themselves as entrepreneurs... and discovering her latest match is actually a serial killer (probably should have put that top of the list).
They say romance is dead - but if Gwen can't catch the mystery killer who's targeting every man she's ever dated - it's about to get a whole lot more deadly.
A twisty, fast-paced and darkly hilarious modern murder mystery set in the terrifying and mystifying world of online dating, Don't Swipe Right is perfect for fans of Bella Mackie's How To Kill Your Family and Netflix's You.
Don't Swipe Right features in the following genres: Thriller and Suspense, Crime and Mystery, Humorous Fiction, Crime and mystery: women sleuths, Fiction, Debut Books of the Month, Debuts, Recommendations
Don't Swipe Right is available in Paperback, Hardback
Don't Swipe Right was written by L.M. Chilton and published by Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Don't Swipe Right has 336 pages
£8.99