The Honeymoon Trap

A pulp novel has a book critic wondering if his new wife is out to kill him in this thrilling story by the New York Times–bestselling author of Nine Lives.

When Henry arrives with his wife, Alice, for their honeymoon at a New England lake house, he encounters a strange sense of déjà vu. Plenty of vacation homes have shelves full of books, but this one has midcentury-American crime novels by the likes of John D. MacDonald, Ed McBain, Rex Stout, Patricia Highsmith, and more. It’s just like Henry’s collection back home.

There is one book, however, that’s unfamiliar: The Honeymoon Trap. As Henry reads it, he finds the story has uncanny similarities with his own situation—newlyweds on a honeymoon after a whirlwind romance. When Alice begins to act suspiciously, Henry’s grip on reality slowly comes loose. He can’t stop reading the book and wondering what his wife is up to. He also believes he may be caught in a trap, and getting out of it is going to be murder . . .

Praise for Peter Swanson

“Swanson specializes in writing mesmerizing thrillers that subvert readers’ expectations.” —Wall Street Journal

“If you’re looking for the suspense techniques of Alfred Hitchcock translated to the page, Swanson’s your man.” —Financial Times

“[Swanson’s] the real deal.” —Joe Hill, author of NOS4A2