You Killed Me First

A psychological thriller is a subgenre of mystery fiction that focuses more heavily upon the inner psychological landscapes of the characters than it does on the actual resolution of the mystery itself. Penned by John Marrs, the best-selling author of numerous psychological thrillers, You Killed Me First employs a number of classic tropes and conventions that are commonly seen in this category of literature.

Many psychological thrillers include at least one (and often more than one) “unreliable narrator” whose subjective account of the events in question cannot be fully trusted. Whereas a typical mystery novel often offers a wider, more objective overview of the circumstances and places crucial clues along the way, the suspense that characterizes psychological thrillers comes not from the circumstances surrounding the crime, but from uncertainty about over the accuracy of the information being presented. 

Because the narration is variously delivered by Margot, Anna, and Liv (all three of whom are inherently unreliable), the narrative itself is twisted and warped by the perspectives of these deeply flawed characters, who hold heavily biased views of the novel’s main events and the other characters.