The name of this book intrigued me: YOU KILLED ME FIRST. When a title draws you in, it’s not a stretch to suspect that you’re in for a good ride with the story. John Marrs does not disappoint.

The prologue opens with a woman gagged and trapped in the middle of a burning bonfire. A mere three pages in, and Marrs already has established a mystery. How did she get there? Who put her there? Why is she there? WHO IS SHE?

"The thrilling plot keeps you reading until the explosive end when the final unveiling takes your breath away. John Marrs is a master of edge-of-your-seat thrillers and unpredictable endings. YOU KILLED ME FIRST is no exception."

The narrative then jumps back 11 months earlier, and Marrs introduces us to three narrators, each of whom is questionable and not so reliable. Margot is a former singer, dancer and actor who is living off her husband Nicu’s continued fame and fortune. Appearances are everything to Margot, especially if it means competing with the new neighbor. That would be Liv, who is glamorous, fit and seemingly flawless. She and her buff husband, Brandon, have secrets that have enabled their expensive lifestyle. Liv is not above putting Margot in her place at every opportunity. And then there is Anna, who is married to an alcoholic delivery man, Drew, and is oblivious in many ways to everything that is going on around her.

The three women forge an unlikely relationship over the months to come, leading up to the night of the bonfire introduced in the prologue.

As the story unfolds, Margot, Liv and Anna become more unlikable. No one is spared “a past,” and everyone is ultimately plagued by their earlier lives. The story alternates amongst the three points of view of these main characters. But we also are introduced to other narrators (or is it just one other narrator?) who keep the mystery going. In true Marrs fashion, the twists are many and gasp-worthy. The book is rife with lies, secrets, infidelity, murder, and even (surprise!) the paranormal. It’s “Desperate Housewives” on steroids: sometimes over the top but always entertaining.

The thrilling plot keeps you reading until the explosive end when the final unveiling takes your breath away. John Marrs is a master of edge-of-your-seat thrillers and unpredictable endings. YOU KILLED ME FIRST is no exception.