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Swipe Right for Murder
On the run from the FBI.
Targeted by a murderous cult.
Labeled a cyber-terrorist by the media.
Irritated texts from his best friend.
Eye contact with a nice-looking guy on the train.
Aidan has a lot to deal with, and he's not quite sure which takes top priority.
Finding himself alone in a posh New York City hotel room for the night, Aidan does what any red-blooded seventeen-year-old would do---he tries to hook up with someone new. But that lapse in judgement leads to him waking up next to a dead guy, which sparks an epic case of mistaken identity that puts Aidan on the run from everyone---faceless federal agents, his eccentric family, and, naturally, a cyber-terrorist group who will stop at nothing to find him.
He soon realizes the only way to stop the chase is to deliver the object everyone wants, before he gets caught or killed. But for Aidan, the hardest part is knowing who he can trust not to betray him---including himself.
Targeted by a murderous cult.
Labeled a cyber-terrorist by the media.
Irritated texts from his best friend.
Eye contact with a nice-looking guy on the train.
Aidan has a lot to deal with, and he's not quite sure which takes top priority.
Finding himself alone in a posh New York City hotel room for the night, Aidan does what any red-blooded seventeen-year-old would do---he tries to hook up with someone new. But that lapse in judgement leads to him waking up next to a dead guy, which sparks an epic case of mistaken identity that puts Aidan on the run from everyone---faceless federal agents, his eccentric family, and, naturally, a cyber-terrorist group who will stop at nothing to find him.
He soon realizes the only way to stop the chase is to deliver the object everyone wants, before he gets caught or killed. But for Aidan, the hardest part is knowing who he can trust not to betray him---including himself.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published August 6, 2019
About the author
Derek Milman
3 books425 followersDerek Milman was born in New York City, but grew up in Westchester, NY, where he wrote and published a successful underground humor magazine that caught the attention of the New York Times, who wrote a profile on him at the age of 14.
Derek studied English, Creative Writing, and Theater at Northwestern University. He began his career as a playwright (his first play was staged in New York City when he was just out of college), and earned an MFA in acting at the Yale School of Drama.
Derek has performed on stages across the country, and appeared in numerous TV shows and films, working with two Academy Award winning film directors.
Scream All Night was Derek's debut YA novel. Swipe Right for Murder is his second novel for young adults. It was released on August 6th, 2019, from Little, Brown/jimmy patterson.
Milman's third novel, the upcoming With Love & Mischief, will be out in 2024 from Scholastic.
Derek currently lives in Brooklyn where he is hard at work on his next book.
PLEASE NOTE: For professional reasons (not personal ones) I no longer accept friend requests on Goodreads. Feel free to follow my author page on here, or connect with me on Twitter or Instagram: @DerekMilman.
Thank you!
Derek studied English, Creative Writing, and Theater at Northwestern University. He began his career as a playwright (his first play was staged in New York City when he was just out of college), and earned an MFA in acting at the Yale School of Drama.
Derek has performed on stages across the country, and appeared in numerous TV shows and films, working with two Academy Award winning film directors.
Scream All Night was Derek's debut YA novel. Swipe Right for Murder is his second novel for young adults. It was released on August 6th, 2019, from Little, Brown/jimmy patterson.
Milman's third novel, the upcoming With Love & Mischief, will be out in 2024 from Scholastic.
Derek currently lives in Brooklyn where he is hard at work on his next book.
PLEASE NOTE: For professional reasons (not personal ones) I no longer accept friend requests on Goodreads. Feel free to follow my author page on here, or connect with me on Twitter or Instagram: @DerekMilman.
Thank you!
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October 17, 2022
"May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows you're dead."
Here's something you may not know about me: in addition to being a hardcore fan of Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew, I have an undying affection for anything associated with Alfred Hitchcock. It could be traced back to a period of time in my youth that I associate with fond memories and a budding affinity for murder mysteries. Back in the days when you would rent your movies from a physical store and were forced to learn the valuable lesson of delayed gratification, every Friday night was a Hitchcock marathon. While my mom would head out to pick up a pizza, my dad and I would shuffle to the local Blockbuster where he allowed me to pick out whatever movie I wanted to watch (within reason). For a period of 5 years, we recycled every single Hitchcock thriller that our store carried, my favorite being The Man Who Knew Too Much. All that to say, Swipe Right For Murder resonated deep within my nostalgia organ and took me to an exciting place of updated tradition.
I'll admit, I know diddly squat about online dating; I met my husband because my best friend and his best friend were brother and sister. I salute everyone, regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, who is currently wading through these murky waters, because you are a true hero. After flying through this novel, though, I feel like I have a slightly better grasp on how these apps work and the general process that goes into finding a match these days. This book is own voices for gay rep, which translates into a wonderfully genuine and authentic voice from our gay male protagonist, and while this is a thrilling, compulsive, and serious novel, it also manages to portray the author's sense of dry, witty humor.
By the time we meet Aidan Jamison at 17 years old, he's already been given a grim diagnosis of a potentially short life due to a heart defect, but that's the least of his troubles to come. After a strange hookup via the dating app "Dirty Paws", our MC wakes up to find his partner dead and himself in a heap of trouble. Where from you might ask? Well, along the way, Aidan finds himself hunted by the FBI and a terrifying cult (overachiever, right?). This book takes mistaken identity to an entirely new level, and it was an absolute pleasure to devour. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, and that was likely due to the breakneck action being alternated with glimpses into Aidan's recent past, one that includes a situation with his brother and a separate side story involving an affair he had with his friend's father. 😱
If you're looking for a YA thriller that is equal parts action, emotion, and humorous banter, look no further, friends. I really enjoyed Milman's debut novel last year, but Swipe Right For Murder just proves that he gets better with each story he writes. Highly recommended to fans of traditional murder mysteries, but are looking for an updated, timely, and current version.
*Many thanks to the author for providing my review copy.
Here's something you may not know about me: in addition to being a hardcore fan of Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew, I have an undying affection for anything associated with Alfred Hitchcock. It could be traced back to a period of time in my youth that I associate with fond memories and a budding affinity for murder mysteries. Back in the days when you would rent your movies from a physical store and were forced to learn the valuable lesson of delayed gratification, every Friday night was a Hitchcock marathon. While my mom would head out to pick up a pizza, my dad and I would shuffle to the local Blockbuster where he allowed me to pick out whatever movie I wanted to watch (within reason). For a period of 5 years, we recycled every single Hitchcock thriller that our store carried, my favorite being The Man Who Knew Too Much. All that to say, Swipe Right For Murder resonated deep within my nostalgia organ and took me to an exciting place of updated tradition.
I'll admit, I know diddly squat about online dating; I met my husband because my best friend and his best friend were brother and sister. I salute everyone, regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, who is currently wading through these murky waters, because you are a true hero. After flying through this novel, though, I feel like I have a slightly better grasp on how these apps work and the general process that goes into finding a match these days. This book is own voices for gay rep, which translates into a wonderfully genuine and authentic voice from our gay male protagonist, and while this is a thrilling, compulsive, and serious novel, it also manages to portray the author's sense of dry, witty humor.
By the time we meet Aidan Jamison at 17 years old, he's already been given a grim diagnosis of a potentially short life due to a heart defect, but that's the least of his troubles to come. After a strange hookup via the dating app "Dirty Paws", our MC wakes up to find his partner dead and himself in a heap of trouble. Where from you might ask? Well, along the way, Aidan finds himself hunted by the FBI and a terrifying cult (overachiever, right?). This book takes mistaken identity to an entirely new level, and it was an absolute pleasure to devour. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, and that was likely due to the breakneck action being alternated with glimpses into Aidan's recent past, one that includes a situation with his brother and a separate side story involving an affair he had with his friend's father. 😱
If you're looking for a YA thriller that is equal parts action, emotion, and humorous banter, look no further, friends. I really enjoyed Milman's debut novel last year, but Swipe Right For Murder just proves that he gets better with each story he writes. Highly recommended to fans of traditional murder mysteries, but are looking for an updated, timely, and current version.
*Many thanks to the author for providing my review copy.
July 14, 2019
Three point 4 so no chance to round it up to 4, full of action, fast reading, some parts are really enjoyable , facts about LGBTQ community and their struggles are so true and gave all my points for those stuffs but the rest of it a big NOPE stars!
Have you ever watched Shia LaBeouf` s movie named “Eagle Eye`,( from those times Shia may have considered as normal human being and just signed for Transformers series.) His character Jerry Shaw’s and also his family’s lives were being threatened and serious of increasingly dangerous situations were only controlled by everyday life’s technology were tracking his every step he took.
So if we put the equality, civil rights, realistic POV about the difficulties of being gay and adapt in modern life society, all the struggles, catch 22’s,complications ( which are so honestly and genuinely written) to the equation, we may reach a result like reading a book with full of actions, good sense of humor and bombardments of so many good social messages. But don’t get me wrong ! The social awareness part of the book definitely worked for me but action, humor, a young person’s ways to test his survival skills, all the conspiracy theory parts didn’t work for me.
The social and political awareness parts may be better fit with a dramatic, emotional YA adult book. All Michael Bay-ish style chasing and running parts are a little extreme for me.
But writing is really good, fast paced, gripping. I didn’t get bored or furious for wasting my time. It was entertaining, enjoyable page turner.
There are twists, surprises, double-crosses that mess with your mind. Aidan’s story about longing for real, true love and intense connection broke my heart. I truly empathize with him. All the loneliness pushed him made his own mistakes and put him in dangerous positions.
I also loved Jackson. He was just like a limelight of the book. At the darkest, depressing parts he appeared and brought back all the joy and fun.
So as a summary, characterization, pacing, development and writing were capturing but mixing different genres on this book didn’t work for me! Still I’m curious to read more books of the writer!
Have you ever watched Shia LaBeouf` s movie named “Eagle Eye`,( from those times Shia may have considered as normal human being and just signed for Transformers series.) His character Jerry Shaw’s and also his family’s lives were being threatened and serious of increasingly dangerous situations were only controlled by everyday life’s technology were tracking his every step he took.
So if we put the equality, civil rights, realistic POV about the difficulties of being gay and adapt in modern life society, all the struggles, catch 22’s,complications ( which are so honestly and genuinely written) to the equation, we may reach a result like reading a book with full of actions, good sense of humor and bombardments of so many good social messages. But don’t get me wrong ! The social awareness part of the book definitely worked for me but action, humor, a young person’s ways to test his survival skills, all the conspiracy theory parts didn’t work for me.
The social and political awareness parts may be better fit with a dramatic, emotional YA adult book. All Michael Bay-ish style chasing and running parts are a little extreme for me.
But writing is really good, fast paced, gripping. I didn’t get bored or furious for wasting my time. It was entertaining, enjoyable page turner.
There are twists, surprises, double-crosses that mess with your mind. Aidan’s story about longing for real, true love and intense connection broke my heart. I truly empathize with him. All the loneliness pushed him made his own mistakes and put him in dangerous positions.
I also loved Jackson. He was just like a limelight of the book. At the darkest, depressing parts he appeared and brought back all the joy and fun.
So as a summary, characterization, pacing, development and writing were capturing but mixing different genres on this book didn’t work for me! Still I’m curious to read more books of the writer!
May 13, 2021
2.5 stars
Only things don't go nearly to plan. There's not a word big enough to encompass how massively wrong things go.
With barely another thought, Aidan is on the run - from the terrorists, from the FBI, from that slightly-suspicious and rather cute boy over there - everyone.
But will he be able to get away? Could he run enough? What happens when he can't take another step?
I loved how much tension was present in the book and it was a lot of fun (at first).
However, the book became too much - every corner there was another betrayal, another secret, another mad dash to freedom.
My head began to spin as poor Aidan made yet another circle around New York.
If I'm being totally honest, this reminded me of just...kind of average YA.
The main character has a "perfect" flaw -
And moral ambiguity. Lots and lots of moral ambiguity.
So it was fun, enjoyable but not particularly life-changing.
With thanks to the author and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes come from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Aidan is in New York City for a night (for a heart scan) and after the scan, kicks off his shoes and re-downloads Dirty Paws (aka Grindr).
...and we're splurging on ridiculously overpriced tea and discussing sudden death.
Unfortunately, the topic is all too relevant at the moment.
Nothing good can come from this, but I cobble together a profile...He matches with a couple of cute boys before visiting one in a hotel room nearby.
Only things don't go nearly to plan. There's not a word big enough to encompass how massively wrong things go.
The message says:The guy Aidan hooks up with ends up dead (NOT because of Aidan) and someone (someones?) thinks he did it.
May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows you're dead.
With barely another thought, Aidan is on the run - from the terrorists, from the FBI, from that slightly-suspicious and rather cute boy over there - everyone.
But will he be able to get away? Could he run enough? What happens when he can't take another step?
You could get away with anything.This one definitely started really well - Aidan is a zany, stream-of-consciousness main character who is thrown into wild, inescapable adventure.
I loved how much tension was present in the book and it was a lot of fun (at first).
However, the book became too much - every corner there was another betrayal, another secret, another mad dash to freedom.
My head began to spin as poor Aidan made yet another circle around New York.
If I'm being totally honest, this reminded me of just...kind of average YA.
The main character has a "perfect" flaw -
That's my biggest fear, I guess - that I'm a clone; that I'll never be different; that my whole future is just mapped out for me and I essentially have no free will at all.and there's cute boys with dark secrets lurking in every dark alley.
And moral ambiguity. Lots and lots of moral ambiguity.
So it was fun, enjoyable but not particularly life-changing.
With thanks to the author and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes come from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Read
May 23, 2020
Shelved as 'dnf'
June 15, 2019me reading this gay thriller about waking up next to your super hot and definitely dead hook-up from last night:
December 12, 2019
”’Hello?’
A pause. ‘And who am I speaking with?’ The voice is steely, smiling.
My lips are tingling. I don’t know what to say. Should I give my real name? A fake name? I don’t know why I just answered a dead man’s phone. Was I hoping for a magical resolution to whatever I just got myself into here?”
Aiden Jamison thought his life was complicated before he stayed at the Manderian Oriental Hotel and decided to hook up with someone on an app called Dirty Paws. (I couldn’t quit thinking of Tramp from the Disney movie The Lady and the Tramp.) Aiden wakes up, after a bout of satisfying sex, next to a dead guy and a voice on the phone who thinks he is Mr. Preston.
We all hate it when a hookup turns...deadly. Do you hide the body? Do you wipe down all the surfaces you touched and erase as best you can your presence from the room? Aiden doesn’t get that chance but finds himself on the run trying to make some kind of sense out of why this has happened.
It is hard to believe, but the dead guy is going to be eclipsed by a series of much more dangerous encounters.
Aiden doesn’t know it yet, but he is in a Roger Thornhill situation of mistaken identity, leading Aiden to being caught in a tug of war between a militant gay cult calling themselves The Swans and the FBI. Shifting circumstances make it difficult for him to tell the difference between the terrorists and the guys with badges. He finds out that a sinister FBI internet monitoring program called Digital Dust has targeted his darkest sides and determined that he is the perfect candidate for infiltrating The Swans. Through all this turmoil, he is still trying to deal with the death of his brother and the suicide of his first real romantic interest. For only being 17, he has managed to heap up a mound of emotional baggage that is more than his slender shoulders can carry.
Besides getting a kick ass thrilling plot, you get a book loaded with cultural references that will put a smile on your face. There are allusions to or mentions of movies, gaming, books, and odd collectibles sprinkled throughout the text. Aiden has a thing for Ethan Hawke books which resonated with me because Hawke is probably my favorite actor and made me cringe that I’ve never read his novels. There is humor, witty remarks, and situations so ridiculous they could only be true. There is an epic search for romance as Aiden, even in the chaos of his terrifying misadventures, remains hopeful that he will find his soulmate.
There are many reasons why this book is going to be a life line to a lot of young people out there struggling with their sexual identity. Despite a lack of any real world skills, Aiden manages to be a man of action who doesn’t let others make decisions for him or have too much influence over him. Derek Milman presents a very real view of what it is like to be out or closeted and the issues that people face being something other than normal in the United States of America. He also weaves in some of the history of the struggles of the gay movement by mentioning the Stonewall Inn Riots and the Lavender Scare. For those of you old enough to remember the ‘80s, you will feel that same gut shot that I did when he reminded me of one of the slogans from that period. ”Homosexuality is the disease and AIDS is the cure….”
Sick shit.
Even as Milman reveals that ugliness and the brainwashing of hate that still exists and the suicides they inspire, I came away from his book thinking... we... can... fix... this. Aiden is the type of hero who will inspire many to insist that change is not only necessary, but imperative and not soon, but now.
I challenged Derek to a tequila shot drinking contest. If I won, he had to answer a few questions for this review. Needless to say, my days at the University of Arizona when I drank more tequila than water paid off. I wasn’t looking forward to washing his car in a Spongebob Squarepants costume, *shudder*, which gave me all the motivation I needed.
Jeffrey D. Keeten: We both are huge Alfred Hitchcock film fans so I love the way that you infuse Hitch into your novels. Share with us your favorite Hitchcock films and how they continue to influence your writing?
Derek Milman: Well, as one film scholar said: Hitchcock re-programmed audiences for generations (Oren repeats this phrase in Scream All Night, a bit glibly, in regards to his cauliflower movie debacle) with Psycho, because he kills off the protagonist a quarter of the way into the movie. People were really shocked by that. I love how Hitchcock upended traditional narrative constructs. I've always been into artists who break all the rules, think differently, approach a story differently. That really affected me. Swipe Right for Murder is a traditional thriller in many respects, but it also unfolds as a character study, with Aidan stripping away layers of himself, confessing all his secrets, as the action unfolds. So there's an emotionality people may not be expecting given the genre.
North by Northwest is so beautifully hyperreal. Roger Thornhill is in the Oak Room of the Plaza, and mere minutes later, he's been kidnapped to the middle of nowhere (it's actually Old Westbury, Long Island) with rolling fields, trees. It looks very open and rural. Then he's trying to steer a car away from the edge of a cliff with the ocean, and these bluffs below him, and I'm always like: how did he get to the Pacific Coast Highway? Wearing the same gray suit, only a short time later he seemingly winds up in the middle of The Grapes of Wrath thinking that poor guy waiting for the bus is Kaplan, and then the crop-dusters come. He spirals from one monumental location (United Nations) to another (Mount Rushmore) with wild and dangerous things happening at every turn. Meanwhile, the movie seamlessly crosses genres and tones from romantic comedy to mystery-suspense to action-adventure caper to government-conspiracy spy thriller and doesn't miss a beat. It's probably the most entertaining movie ever made, and it's take-no-prisoners approach to making all the elements work, its unexpected humor, and its romanticism have been a huge influence on me.
The unnerving cat-and-mouse game of Strangers on a Train definitely inspired SWIPE. The quiet building of suspense and dread of Rear Window also influenced me (another guy in the wrong place at the wrong time, fate plays its hand a lot in Hitchcock), the haunted, dying glamour and palpable mournfulness of Rebecca, the psychological puzzle of Vertigo, and the sheer risk-taking of The Birds, its insistence on never giving in to answering our questions, keeps it terrifying to this day. I also want to shout out Notorious for having the most sinister looking glass of milk of all time, the unapologetic use of a MacGuffin (sure, a sleeper cell of Nazis is filling wine bottles with uranium two years after the end of WWII, why not?) and an ambitious tracking shot that pretty much created modern day tracking shots ending up with that iconic anxious close-up of the key in Alicia's hand.
JDK: A few years ago, I bought my wife a framed poster of Cary Grant sprinting across a corn field while being chased by an airplane. It is one of our favorite scenes in cinematic history. The slow realization that goes across Grant’s face is just wonderful. North by Northwest certainly ranks among Hitch’s great masterpieces. Swipe Right for Murder is about mistaken identity and certainly an ode to North by Northwest. I was expecting the bell boy to walk through the hotel calling “George Kaplan, George Kaplan?” at any second. You did work a bellboy into the plot, but with a much more sinister role than setting off a series of unfortunate events for Cary Grant. Share with us the plotting process you went through to blend the movie into the book.
DM: It's a great freakin' scene! When Scream All Night was acquired, everyone wanted to know what else I was working on, and I just had this vague idea about a twist on North by Northwest, but with everything sort of upended, extremely timely, placed firmly in the digital age, and super queer. My agent loved it, and said: please write this book for me! Leonard, the psychopathic henchman in the film (played by Martin Landau,) is reportedly the first "openly homosexual character" portrayed on screen. It's so subtle because of production codes at the time, but I thought it would be fun to really subvert that whole concept. There is no subtlety to the LGBTQ elements in SWIPE.
I knew I didn't want to do a strict re-telling of NxNW, but I wanted SWIPE to be more like a loose homage to it, to Hitchcock in general, and a lot of mistaken identity capers along those lines. Everything from The Fugitive to Three Days of the Condor. But Hitch remained my muse, and I kept his movies playing on a sort of loop in the background of my life as I worked, and sketched out the plot, so the tenseness of the situations as the story unfolds, the ramping up of the stakes and the action, the rhythm of the dialogue, including awkwardly-timed quips and wisecracks, would be frothing on my brain as I worked. As well as locations! I wanted Hitchcock-like locations, so we have a hotel, a train, a visitor center, a strange and creepy villainous lair buried in the normcore suburbs, and an amusement park (to name a few). But everything's updated. Aidan takes Ubers, uses apps, runs through Bushwick warehouse parties, and hides out at a co-living start-up. The plotting went slowly, and deliberately, for me. It was really beat-by-beat. Once I had written one scene, I had to question seriously where Aidan might go next and what he would do. A lot of that came out of the psychological profile I was creating for his character. In NxNW, there isn't much backstory to Roger Thornhill. His two wives divorced him "because he led a dull life." Har har. Aidan is a broken kid with a deeply troubled past, and interestingly enough, it was that element of the book--Aidan's character--that really allowed the story to build around him and propel him forward into the action. Aidan guided the plot of the book, and I'm thankful to him for that.
JDK: There is this early scene in the novel with Aiden Jamison sitting around the Mandarian Oriental Hotel with his gorgeous friends talking about inane, but entertaining, things, drinking overpriced tea, that could have been a scene from a Bret Easton Ellis novel. For me, it sort of set the tone for what I knew would be a self-absorbed (aren’t we all at 17?), trying to find themselves kind of novel. Throughout the novel, you drop all these cool cultural reference points, especially when you describe Leo’s crash pad. Every time I read an Ellis novel, I feel a bit more clued into what is cool. I definitely felt the same way about your novel. Am I seeing ghosts that aren’t really there or were you Ellising me?
Derek Milman
DM: Hahaha, I love that that's a verb! Or that you made it one. I will admit to liking the dark humor of Ellis (he can make me laugh in a way not many writers can), but it wasn't a conscious choice on my end to have a Glamorama/American Psycho/Rules of Attraction thing going on, but I can totally see where you get that. Every writer I've admired has probably influenced me, subliminally, in certain ways, so it might be more there than I realized. I wanted a classical sheen to the story; it seemed just perfect that it would start at the Mandarin Oriental, and these kids would be drinking tea in the sky and being snarky about random stuff, but I also wanted a Neo-noir tint to the book.
I live in Brooklyn, and that vibe is alive, especially in the areas that remain industrial-hipster with re-purposed factories that glow in cool colors and have wildly up-to-the-minute things going on simultaneously. There's a multi-purpose performance space that contains a new location for the wildly popular Mission Chinese restaurant, from the Lower East Side. It's like a scene out of the Blade Runner sequel. I can't explain why there are giant TV screens showing actors slowly and silently eating the food you yourself are eating or why the bathrooms are made out to look like The Matrix (it's Twin Peaks at the LES location, complete with soundtrack) BUT IT'S ALL JUST THERE. And so cinematic/literary. Ellis would have written about it. I took a lot of photos for the book. I did reconnaissance. I did the tea service at the Mandarin, I trounced through east Brooklyn at night and took photos, the urban art is extraordinary, so I got inspired by all the imagery. I read widely. I read an article about co-living start-ups, and was like: ah ha, Aidan would totally spend a night at one of these. Maybe it's classic Ellis, in a sense, getting a 21st century injection.
JDK: Recently, I was attacked rather maliciously by an online troll, not unusual for me, but this one was different because the worst thing he could think to call me were a series of homosexual slurs, not particularly inventive ones, I’m afraid, and impune my education level. I was a bit taken aback by the vehemence of the hatred that was spurring these words. You offered me some great advice as to how to deal with these in the future which I really appreciated. I can only imagine the type of attacks you are seeing with the release of a novel that has a gay protagonist. I’m predicting that your novel is going to be a very important book to a lot of lost young people. Do you have any thoughts on what continues to inspire this level of homophobia? With social media so prevalent in our lives, it feels like we can never get away from the haters and dissenters.
DM: Well, look, I mean SWIPE is about that in a sense, it is a theme in the story: what we've given up to get everything else. We have convenience and entertainment and any piece of information we need at the click of a mouse, but we've given up our privacy and, in some ways, our souls. Unless you aggressively filter (and I do, or try to), you are exposed to the cesspool that are these sites, these "social communities" with people constantly stirring the pot, or trying to make trouble in different ways. That's just humanity, and technology has curdled some of humanity's worst instincts, our worst natures, to foment some kind of perceived connection.
There's so much anger and hatred and bile; people don't hold back because they're unseen or anonymous now (or think they are, anyway), sitting in front of a screen, and people aren't really people, they are their avatars, it's all ones and zeroes, so slowly (Kubrick would have loved this concept) there's an element of dehumanization going on, and we're all taking part for a profit of a few. With the current administration, what Hillary Clinton termed the "baskets of deplorables"--the racists and the homophobes and the misogynists--feel they have an edge now; they feel their fringe views and their hatred of "The Other" is backed by the U.S. government, and in a way it is, so they can really let loose now, and they do. They feel emboldened and protected. We are living in dark times. My dad, a retired lawyer, had a Mad Men-ish secretary when I was a little kid; she was grandmotherly, she would give me gifts on my birthday, and if my dad had to work late, she would stay late with him, and when it got dark, she would rush into his office and draw all the curtains closed. "Let's shut out the night," she said, and that stayed with me, because we have to find our own ways to shut out this indefinite night for ourselves until it's a new dawn.
JDK: I’ve recently read a book that touched on the Black Panthers and the CIA and FBI interactions in the 1960s. There were those in government that actually hoped the Black Panthers would become more militant so that they would have a chance to destroy them completely. The US government had a similar policy with the American Indians. All of that was on my mind when I read about the organization The Swans in Swipe Right for Murder. I don’t like being pessimistic and paranoid, but if The Swans really existed, wouldn’t that be the best thing that ever happened to those who would like to portray gay culture as dangerous?
DM:It would, yes. If the Swans really existed, I doubt it would help Gay Rights, or the LGBTQ community, very much at all. Extremism and violence and killing is never the answer to anything, and it wouldn't be the answer here. I think Aidan makes that point to Scotty, I think the book makes that point, and I think Scotty and the Swans could have maybe gone a softer way, used their talents differently, but took a turn, into that darkness, and the Swans do what they do. Extremism only goes one way. I would never argue in favor of any kind of violence and extremism in favor of social change. We do need to rise up in different ways, like what the Women's March accomplished. We need to protest. But we have to do it constantly, passionately, and there can't be so much infighting. We can't be at war with ourselves. I'm not sure that could ever not happen, sadly. Even Larry Kramer was expelled from the Gay Men's Health Crisis, which he helped found, because he was considered too militant for the direction they were all heading in.
JDK: As I was reading the book, I for some reason was expecting Dario Heyward from Scream all Night to show up like a famous Alfred Hitchcock cameo. Do you see any crossover of characters in the future, or do you intend to keep writing stand alone novels? This is also a great segue for you to tell us a little bit about what you are currently working on.
DM: Ha, that's lovely. I've had that thought before, because Aidan could have easily settled in to watch Zombie Children of the Harvest Sun on his iPad or something, and I've had this fun idea for a short story where all the young protagonists I've ever written meet twenty years later at a bar near Grand Central in NYC, accidentally, and they all hash out their wild, unusual childhoods for each other. But for some reason, my instincts have been to keep all the worlds separate and pure, with no crossover, as of now. Never say never, though, so who knows what more I'll write and where it will go! So far, it's been strictly standalone projects for me. That's just where both my creative energy and my career is taking me.
I am working on a new YA, yes! It's a boarding school story. It's about a stormy gay love story set against a secret society at a fictional New England prep school. The secret society, however, is based on a very real one at an Ivy League school, and I have a rare insider track into it, so there's a lot of potential here, but also it's required some of the most intricate writing I've ever had to do. The project is kicking my ass and hasn't been sold yet, but I'm thrilled by the possibilities. That's always a good sign, right?
I want to thank Derek Milman and Little, Brown for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at: https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
A pause. ‘And who am I speaking with?’ The voice is steely, smiling.
My lips are tingling. I don’t know what to say. Should I give my real name? A fake name? I don’t know why I just answered a dead man’s phone. Was I hoping for a magical resolution to whatever I just got myself into here?”
Aiden Jamison thought his life was complicated before he stayed at the Manderian Oriental Hotel and decided to hook up with someone on an app called Dirty Paws. (I couldn’t quit thinking of Tramp from the Disney movie The Lady and the Tramp.) Aiden wakes up, after a bout of satisfying sex, next to a dead guy and a voice on the phone who thinks he is Mr. Preston.
We all hate it when a hookup turns...deadly. Do you hide the body? Do you wipe down all the surfaces you touched and erase as best you can your presence from the room? Aiden doesn’t get that chance but finds himself on the run trying to make some kind of sense out of why this has happened.
It is hard to believe, but the dead guy is going to be eclipsed by a series of much more dangerous encounters.
Aiden doesn’t know it yet, but he is in a Roger Thornhill situation of mistaken identity, leading Aiden to being caught in a tug of war between a militant gay cult calling themselves The Swans and the FBI. Shifting circumstances make it difficult for him to tell the difference between the terrorists and the guys with badges. He finds out that a sinister FBI internet monitoring program called Digital Dust has targeted his darkest sides and determined that he is the perfect candidate for infiltrating The Swans. Through all this turmoil, he is still trying to deal with the death of his brother and the suicide of his first real romantic interest. For only being 17, he has managed to heap up a mound of emotional baggage that is more than his slender shoulders can carry.
Besides getting a kick ass thrilling plot, you get a book loaded with cultural references that will put a smile on your face. There are allusions to or mentions of movies, gaming, books, and odd collectibles sprinkled throughout the text. Aiden has a thing for Ethan Hawke books which resonated with me because Hawke is probably my favorite actor and made me cringe that I’ve never read his novels. There is humor, witty remarks, and situations so ridiculous they could only be true. There is an epic search for romance as Aiden, even in the chaos of his terrifying misadventures, remains hopeful that he will find his soulmate.
There are many reasons why this book is going to be a life line to a lot of young people out there struggling with their sexual identity. Despite a lack of any real world skills, Aiden manages to be a man of action who doesn’t let others make decisions for him or have too much influence over him. Derek Milman presents a very real view of what it is like to be out or closeted and the issues that people face being something other than normal in the United States of America. He also weaves in some of the history of the struggles of the gay movement by mentioning the Stonewall Inn Riots and the Lavender Scare. For those of you old enough to remember the ‘80s, you will feel that same gut shot that I did when he reminded me of one of the slogans from that period. ”Homosexuality is the disease and AIDS is the cure….”
Sick shit.
Even as Milman reveals that ugliness and the brainwashing of hate that still exists and the suicides they inspire, I came away from his book thinking... we... can... fix... this. Aiden is the type of hero who will inspire many to insist that change is not only necessary, but imperative and not soon, but now.
I challenged Derek to a tequila shot drinking contest. If I won, he had to answer a few questions for this review. Needless to say, my days at the University of Arizona when I drank more tequila than water paid off. I wasn’t looking forward to washing his car in a Spongebob Squarepants costume, *shudder*, which gave me all the motivation I needed.
Jeffrey D. Keeten: We both are huge Alfred Hitchcock film fans so I love the way that you infuse Hitch into your novels. Share with us your favorite Hitchcock films and how they continue to influence your writing?
Derek Milman: Well, as one film scholar said: Hitchcock re-programmed audiences for generations (Oren repeats this phrase in Scream All Night, a bit glibly, in regards to his cauliflower movie debacle) with Psycho, because he kills off the protagonist a quarter of the way into the movie. People were really shocked by that. I love how Hitchcock upended traditional narrative constructs. I've always been into artists who break all the rules, think differently, approach a story differently. That really affected me. Swipe Right for Murder is a traditional thriller in many respects, but it also unfolds as a character study, with Aidan stripping away layers of himself, confessing all his secrets, as the action unfolds. So there's an emotionality people may not be expecting given the genre.
North by Northwest is so beautifully hyperreal. Roger Thornhill is in the Oak Room of the Plaza, and mere minutes later, he's been kidnapped to the middle of nowhere (it's actually Old Westbury, Long Island) with rolling fields, trees. It looks very open and rural. Then he's trying to steer a car away from the edge of a cliff with the ocean, and these bluffs below him, and I'm always like: how did he get to the Pacific Coast Highway? Wearing the same gray suit, only a short time later he seemingly winds up in the middle of The Grapes of Wrath thinking that poor guy waiting for the bus is Kaplan, and then the crop-dusters come. He spirals from one monumental location (United Nations) to another (Mount Rushmore) with wild and dangerous things happening at every turn. Meanwhile, the movie seamlessly crosses genres and tones from romantic comedy to mystery-suspense to action-adventure caper to government-conspiracy spy thriller and doesn't miss a beat. It's probably the most entertaining movie ever made, and it's take-no-prisoners approach to making all the elements work, its unexpected humor, and its romanticism have been a huge influence on me.
The unnerving cat-and-mouse game of Strangers on a Train definitely inspired SWIPE. The quiet building of suspense and dread of Rear Window also influenced me (another guy in the wrong place at the wrong time, fate plays its hand a lot in Hitchcock), the haunted, dying glamour and palpable mournfulness of Rebecca, the psychological puzzle of Vertigo, and the sheer risk-taking of The Birds, its insistence on never giving in to answering our questions, keeps it terrifying to this day. I also want to shout out Notorious for having the most sinister looking glass of milk of all time, the unapologetic use of a MacGuffin (sure, a sleeper cell of Nazis is filling wine bottles with uranium two years after the end of WWII, why not?) and an ambitious tracking shot that pretty much created modern day tracking shots ending up with that iconic anxious close-up of the key in Alicia's hand.
JDK: A few years ago, I bought my wife a framed poster of Cary Grant sprinting across a corn field while being chased by an airplane. It is one of our favorite scenes in cinematic history. The slow realization that goes across Grant’s face is just wonderful. North by Northwest certainly ranks among Hitch’s great masterpieces. Swipe Right for Murder is about mistaken identity and certainly an ode to North by Northwest. I was expecting the bell boy to walk through the hotel calling “George Kaplan, George Kaplan?” at any second. You did work a bellboy into the plot, but with a much more sinister role than setting off a series of unfortunate events for Cary Grant. Share with us the plotting process you went through to blend the movie into the book.
DM: It's a great freakin' scene! When Scream All Night was acquired, everyone wanted to know what else I was working on, and I just had this vague idea about a twist on North by Northwest, but with everything sort of upended, extremely timely, placed firmly in the digital age, and super queer. My agent loved it, and said: please write this book for me! Leonard, the psychopathic henchman in the film (played by Martin Landau,) is reportedly the first "openly homosexual character" portrayed on screen. It's so subtle because of production codes at the time, but I thought it would be fun to really subvert that whole concept. There is no subtlety to the LGBTQ elements in SWIPE.
I knew I didn't want to do a strict re-telling of NxNW, but I wanted SWIPE to be more like a loose homage to it, to Hitchcock in general, and a lot of mistaken identity capers along those lines. Everything from The Fugitive to Three Days of the Condor. But Hitch remained my muse, and I kept his movies playing on a sort of loop in the background of my life as I worked, and sketched out the plot, so the tenseness of the situations as the story unfolds, the ramping up of the stakes and the action, the rhythm of the dialogue, including awkwardly-timed quips and wisecracks, would be frothing on my brain as I worked. As well as locations! I wanted Hitchcock-like locations, so we have a hotel, a train, a visitor center, a strange and creepy villainous lair buried in the normcore suburbs, and an amusement park (to name a few). But everything's updated. Aidan takes Ubers, uses apps, runs through Bushwick warehouse parties, and hides out at a co-living start-up. The plotting went slowly, and deliberately, for me. It was really beat-by-beat. Once I had written one scene, I had to question seriously where Aidan might go next and what he would do. A lot of that came out of the psychological profile I was creating for his character. In NxNW, there isn't much backstory to Roger Thornhill. His two wives divorced him "because he led a dull life." Har har. Aidan is a broken kid with a deeply troubled past, and interestingly enough, it was that element of the book--Aidan's character--that really allowed the story to build around him and propel him forward into the action. Aidan guided the plot of the book, and I'm thankful to him for that.
JDK: There is this early scene in the novel with Aiden Jamison sitting around the Mandarian Oriental Hotel with his gorgeous friends talking about inane, but entertaining, things, drinking overpriced tea, that could have been a scene from a Bret Easton Ellis novel. For me, it sort of set the tone for what I knew would be a self-absorbed (aren’t we all at 17?), trying to find themselves kind of novel. Throughout the novel, you drop all these cool cultural reference points, especially when you describe Leo’s crash pad. Every time I read an Ellis novel, I feel a bit more clued into what is cool. I definitely felt the same way about your novel. Am I seeing ghosts that aren’t really there or were you Ellising me?
Derek Milman
DM: Hahaha, I love that that's a verb! Or that you made it one. I will admit to liking the dark humor of Ellis (he can make me laugh in a way not many writers can), but it wasn't a conscious choice on my end to have a Glamorama/American Psycho/Rules of Attraction thing going on, but I can totally see where you get that. Every writer I've admired has probably influenced me, subliminally, in certain ways, so it might be more there than I realized. I wanted a classical sheen to the story; it seemed just perfect that it would start at the Mandarin Oriental, and these kids would be drinking tea in the sky and being snarky about random stuff, but I also wanted a Neo-noir tint to the book.
I live in Brooklyn, and that vibe is alive, especially in the areas that remain industrial-hipster with re-purposed factories that glow in cool colors and have wildly up-to-the-minute things going on simultaneously. There's a multi-purpose performance space that contains a new location for the wildly popular Mission Chinese restaurant, from the Lower East Side. It's like a scene out of the Blade Runner sequel. I can't explain why there are giant TV screens showing actors slowly and silently eating the food you yourself are eating or why the bathrooms are made out to look like The Matrix (it's Twin Peaks at the LES location, complete with soundtrack) BUT IT'S ALL JUST THERE. And so cinematic/literary. Ellis would have written about it. I took a lot of photos for the book. I did reconnaissance. I did the tea service at the Mandarin, I trounced through east Brooklyn at night and took photos, the urban art is extraordinary, so I got inspired by all the imagery. I read widely. I read an article about co-living start-ups, and was like: ah ha, Aidan would totally spend a night at one of these. Maybe it's classic Ellis, in a sense, getting a 21st century injection.
JDK: Recently, I was attacked rather maliciously by an online troll, not unusual for me, but this one was different because the worst thing he could think to call me were a series of homosexual slurs, not particularly inventive ones, I’m afraid, and impune my education level. I was a bit taken aback by the vehemence of the hatred that was spurring these words. You offered me some great advice as to how to deal with these in the future which I really appreciated. I can only imagine the type of attacks you are seeing with the release of a novel that has a gay protagonist. I’m predicting that your novel is going to be a very important book to a lot of lost young people. Do you have any thoughts on what continues to inspire this level of homophobia? With social media so prevalent in our lives, it feels like we can never get away from the haters and dissenters.
DM: Well, look, I mean SWIPE is about that in a sense, it is a theme in the story: what we've given up to get everything else. We have convenience and entertainment and any piece of information we need at the click of a mouse, but we've given up our privacy and, in some ways, our souls. Unless you aggressively filter (and I do, or try to), you are exposed to the cesspool that are these sites, these "social communities" with people constantly stirring the pot, or trying to make trouble in different ways. That's just humanity, and technology has curdled some of humanity's worst instincts, our worst natures, to foment some kind of perceived connection.
There's so much anger and hatred and bile; people don't hold back because they're unseen or anonymous now (or think they are, anyway), sitting in front of a screen, and people aren't really people, they are their avatars, it's all ones and zeroes, so slowly (Kubrick would have loved this concept) there's an element of dehumanization going on, and we're all taking part for a profit of a few. With the current administration, what Hillary Clinton termed the "baskets of deplorables"--the racists and the homophobes and the misogynists--feel they have an edge now; they feel their fringe views and their hatred of "The Other" is backed by the U.S. government, and in a way it is, so they can really let loose now, and they do. They feel emboldened and protected. We are living in dark times. My dad, a retired lawyer, had a Mad Men-ish secretary when I was a little kid; she was grandmotherly, she would give me gifts on my birthday, and if my dad had to work late, she would stay late with him, and when it got dark, she would rush into his office and draw all the curtains closed. "Let's shut out the night," she said, and that stayed with me, because we have to find our own ways to shut out this indefinite night for ourselves until it's a new dawn.
JDK: I’ve recently read a book that touched on the Black Panthers and the CIA and FBI interactions in the 1960s. There were those in government that actually hoped the Black Panthers would become more militant so that they would have a chance to destroy them completely. The US government had a similar policy with the American Indians. All of that was on my mind when I read about the organization The Swans in Swipe Right for Murder. I don’t like being pessimistic and paranoid, but if The Swans really existed, wouldn’t that be the best thing that ever happened to those who would like to portray gay culture as dangerous?
DM:It would, yes. If the Swans really existed, I doubt it would help Gay Rights, or the LGBTQ community, very much at all. Extremism and violence and killing is never the answer to anything, and it wouldn't be the answer here. I think Aidan makes that point to Scotty, I think the book makes that point, and I think Scotty and the Swans could have maybe gone a softer way, used their talents differently, but took a turn, into that darkness, and the Swans do what they do. Extremism only goes one way. I would never argue in favor of any kind of violence and extremism in favor of social change. We do need to rise up in different ways, like what the Women's March accomplished. We need to protest. But we have to do it constantly, passionately, and there can't be so much infighting. We can't be at war with ourselves. I'm not sure that could ever not happen, sadly. Even Larry Kramer was expelled from the Gay Men's Health Crisis, which he helped found, because he was considered too militant for the direction they were all heading in.
JDK: As I was reading the book, I for some reason was expecting Dario Heyward from Scream all Night to show up like a famous Alfred Hitchcock cameo. Do you see any crossover of characters in the future, or do you intend to keep writing stand alone novels? This is also a great segue for you to tell us a little bit about what you are currently working on.
DM: Ha, that's lovely. I've had that thought before, because Aidan could have easily settled in to watch Zombie Children of the Harvest Sun on his iPad or something, and I've had this fun idea for a short story where all the young protagonists I've ever written meet twenty years later at a bar near Grand Central in NYC, accidentally, and they all hash out their wild, unusual childhoods for each other. But for some reason, my instincts have been to keep all the worlds separate and pure, with no crossover, as of now. Never say never, though, so who knows what more I'll write and where it will go! So far, it's been strictly standalone projects for me. That's just where both my creative energy and my career is taking me.
I am working on a new YA, yes! It's a boarding school story. It's about a stormy gay love story set against a secret society at a fictional New England prep school. The secret society, however, is based on a very real one at an Ivy League school, and I have a rare insider track into it, so there's a lot of potential here, but also it's required some of the most intricate writing I've ever had to do. The project is kicking my ass and hasn't been sold yet, but I'm thrilled by the possibilities. That's always a good sign, right?
I want to thank Derek Milman and Little, Brown for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at: https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
May 21, 2019
Alright everyone who thinks I don't like young adult novels—
Swipe Right for Murder
is living proof that I do in fact stumble across a few over the years that I love. Derek Milman's upcoming YA adventure thriller is hands down my favorite YA novel of 2019. In fact, it may be the best YA novel that I've ever read.
Seventeen year old Aidan has a hotel room in New York City, but he's enjoying the time spent there with his friend Jackson and Jackson's girlfriend Tatianna. All three are on the precipice of high school graduation, where everyone (but Aidan) has a solid view on what they want to do afterwards. As Aidan settles into his hotel for the night, he logs onto his hook up app DirtyPaws (Hi fictional Grindr!!!) and meets with an older gentlemen for a nightcap. After hooking up with this man, Aidan falls asleep in his room—but he wakes up to the hook up murdered. Shocked and afraid, Aidan finds out that this man was involved in a cyber-terrorist group in some manner, and flees before the police can apprehend him. Since Aidan's discovery of this murder thrusted him into the spotlight—both with the FBI and this terrorist organization—Aidan must make the right decision in order to survive.
Listen, I can talk about Swipe Right for Murder for days! It's really that good. So please, slide into my DMs when you read this story so we can chat. This book is a fun adventure novel, but also has some clear messages that I think anyone who identifies in the LGBTQ+ community would appreciate. The book talks about justice for equality and civil rights; the way in which our country's societal pendulum has been swinging against our favor lately; and it realistically touches on how it is to be gay in a modern-day society. Without providing any spoilers—as the story progressed, I identified with Aidan's moral dilemma on right and wrong. Aidan's moral compass struggled to justify his actions at times, and I completely resonated with that conflict he was inflicting upon himself. I can't and won't talk more about what I mean with that, but when you read this book, you'll know exactly what I mean.
As part of the YA formula, there is a romance story of some kind, but it's not over-the-top and honestly I kind of fell in love with this character too. Oh my god, am I Aidan?! The romance arc actually put the overall plot on a pedestal, and had me so much more interested in what exactly was going to happen to the book's characters. I became invested in their wellbeing, and having that interest peak for all the characters is a difficult feat for many authors to accomplish.
The formula for Swipe Right for Murder is vastly original, and I really enjoyed being taken on this ride. I'm not sure if YA novels that stir towards LGBTQ+ inclusivity may actually trigger my interest more than ones that don't, but this book should be an important read for anyone who's struggling with acceptance within our community. Yes it talks about underage drinking, sex, drugs, and other adult themes, but honestly it was refreshing to see that the book never became a fantasy reality, and I think that aspect will be much appreciated by the reader. Get this book for your struggling LGBT child, get it for your best friend, get it for your parents—just get this book, because you won't be disappointed.
Seventeen year old Aidan has a hotel room in New York City, but he's enjoying the time spent there with his friend Jackson and Jackson's girlfriend Tatianna. All three are on the precipice of high school graduation, where everyone (but Aidan) has a solid view on what they want to do afterwards. As Aidan settles into his hotel for the night, he logs onto his hook up app DirtyPaws (Hi fictional Grindr!!!) and meets with an older gentlemen for a nightcap. After hooking up with this man, Aidan falls asleep in his room—but he wakes up to the hook up murdered. Shocked and afraid, Aidan finds out that this man was involved in a cyber-terrorist group in some manner, and flees before the police can apprehend him. Since Aidan's discovery of this murder thrusted him into the spotlight—both with the FBI and this terrorist organization—Aidan must make the right decision in order to survive.
Listen, I can talk about Swipe Right for Murder for days! It's really that good. So please, slide into my DMs when you read this story so we can chat. This book is a fun adventure novel, but also has some clear messages that I think anyone who identifies in the LGBTQ+ community would appreciate. The book talks about justice for equality and civil rights; the way in which our country's societal pendulum has been swinging against our favor lately; and it realistically touches on how it is to be gay in a modern-day society. Without providing any spoilers—as the story progressed, I identified with Aidan's moral dilemma on right and wrong. Aidan's moral compass struggled to justify his actions at times, and I completely resonated with that conflict he was inflicting upon himself. I can't and won't talk more about what I mean with that, but when you read this book, you'll know exactly what I mean.
As part of the YA formula, there is a romance story of some kind, but it's not over-the-top and honestly I kind of fell in love with this character too. Oh my god, am I Aidan?! The romance arc actually put the overall plot on a pedestal, and had me so much more interested in what exactly was going to happen to the book's characters. I became invested in their wellbeing, and having that interest peak for all the characters is a difficult feat for many authors to accomplish.
The formula for Swipe Right for Murder is vastly original, and I really enjoyed being taken on this ride. I'm not sure if YA novels that stir towards LGBTQ+ inclusivity may actually trigger my interest more than ones that don't, but this book should be an important read for anyone who's struggling with acceptance within our community. Yes it talks about underage drinking, sex, drugs, and other adult themes, but honestly it was refreshing to see that the book never became a fantasy reality, and I think that aspect will be much appreciated by the reader. Get this book for your struggling LGBT child, get it for your best friend, get it for your parents—just get this book, because you won't be disappointed.
January 29, 2020
“Do they protest the death penalty? Are the right-to-lifers rioting in the streets over gun control? Why is it us they hate so much?”
3.5 ⭐️ 🤷♀️
When I read the synopsis for this one it sounded gripping. A teenage boy meets up with a guy from a dating app but the next morning he is dead. Suddenly Aiden is being hunted by the cops and before long the FBI.
However, despite being a high octane, exciting read, a lot of the stuff that happens is pretty damn preposterous. Also the FBI are made to look like a bunch of morons which was pretty hard to swallow and by the time I got to the end Aiden was pissing me off. He is very good at acting the victim, quick to point out the faults in others but to take no responsibility for his own choices/behaviour. Particularly the way he spoke to his mother and sister - they supported him. His dad, fair enough he was a douche but the others, I didn’t understand his ripping into them.
Overall, a fast paced read. Plenty of important topics and representation.
“But we can’t hold on to so much fury that we succumb to pure evil and become worse than those we hate. Then we’re the hypocrites.”
3.5 ⭐️ 🤷♀️
When I read the synopsis for this one it sounded gripping. A teenage boy meets up with a guy from a dating app but the next morning he is dead. Suddenly Aiden is being hunted by the cops and before long the FBI.
However, despite being a high octane, exciting read, a lot of the stuff that happens is pretty damn preposterous. Also the FBI are made to look like a bunch of morons which was pretty hard to swallow and by the time I got to the end Aiden was pissing me off. He is very good at acting the victim, quick to point out the faults in others but to take no responsibility for his own choices/behaviour. Particularly the way he spoke to his mother and sister - they supported him. His dad, fair enough he was a douche but the others, I didn’t understand his ripping into them.
Overall, a fast paced read. Plenty of important topics and representation.
“But we can’t hold on to so much fury that we succumb to pure evil and become worse than those we hate. Then we’re the hypocrites.”
June 14, 2019
Swipe Right for Murder
is utterly preposterous, possibly more prescient than I'd like to acknowledge, and immensely sensitive. It's an homage to classic films where the mostly innocent man finds himself caught in a web of suspicion and trouble, yet at the same time it reads more like a movie with someone like Shia LaBeouf.
Seventeen-year-old Aidan is a high school senior, desperate to find someone to love. His parents have kept their emotional distance since he came out of the closet, allowing him to go to boarding school. He has good friends, yet he always feels that they treat him like a kid and don't take him seriously.
With a free night at a posh hotel in New York City, Aidan does what any horny teenager might—looks for a hookup on a "dating" app. After a disastrous encounter with a closeted classmate, he finds an older man. And when Aidan wakes up in the man's hotel room in the middle of night, everything has gone awry—the man is dead, Aidan gets a mysterious phone call from a man addressing him as someone else, and he threatens Aidan and his family if he doesn't "give it" to him. But as menacing as the call is, the man also seems to know more about the issues that Aidan struggles with emotionally, and taps into his greatest regrets and fears.
The phone call catapults Aidan into a severe case of mistaken identity, putting him on the run from the authorities (who may or may not be the good guys), his family, and a shadowy terrorist group with an interesting set of priorities. Along the way, he meets a handsome stranger whose loyalties are confusing, he struggles with his own fears and issues, and he has to tap into his inner action hero more than a time or two. Will he help save the day? Does he want to stop the terrorists from their mission—which at its core isn't wrong, even if their methods are?
Swipe Right for Murder is full of twists and turns, double crosses, and lots of jarring action. But at the same time, there is a lot of raw emotion in this book, too, as Aidan is forced to confront some of his greatest anxieties, fears, and regrets. Many of the feelings Aidan has are familiar to those whom have come to terms with their sexuality and/or struggled with self-esteem and the desire to be loved. There are some tremendously powerful scenes interspersed with the craziness.
"I hate this thing inside myself, this need to become attached to people, this brutal loneliness that drives me, drives all my mistakes."
This book really reads like a movie, but it was very uneven for me. At times it was just so utterly ludicrous and complicated that I considered stopping but then there would be a powerfully poignant scene and I just kept on with it. I think if you can completely suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the ride, it may be a fun book for you. There's no disputing Derek Milman's ability to tell a good story; there was just far too much going on for me here.
NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company provided me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
This book will be published August 6, 2019.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Seventeen-year-old Aidan is a high school senior, desperate to find someone to love. His parents have kept their emotional distance since he came out of the closet, allowing him to go to boarding school. He has good friends, yet he always feels that they treat him like a kid and don't take him seriously.
With a free night at a posh hotel in New York City, Aidan does what any horny teenager might—looks for a hookup on a "dating" app. After a disastrous encounter with a closeted classmate, he finds an older man. And when Aidan wakes up in the man's hotel room in the middle of night, everything has gone awry—the man is dead, Aidan gets a mysterious phone call from a man addressing him as someone else, and he threatens Aidan and his family if he doesn't "give it" to him. But as menacing as the call is, the man also seems to know more about the issues that Aidan struggles with emotionally, and taps into his greatest regrets and fears.
The phone call catapults Aidan into a severe case of mistaken identity, putting him on the run from the authorities (who may or may not be the good guys), his family, and a shadowy terrorist group with an interesting set of priorities. Along the way, he meets a handsome stranger whose loyalties are confusing, he struggles with his own fears and issues, and he has to tap into his inner action hero more than a time or two. Will he help save the day? Does he want to stop the terrorists from their mission—which at its core isn't wrong, even if their methods are?
Swipe Right for Murder is full of twists and turns, double crosses, and lots of jarring action. But at the same time, there is a lot of raw emotion in this book, too, as Aidan is forced to confront some of his greatest anxieties, fears, and regrets. Many of the feelings Aidan has are familiar to those whom have come to terms with their sexuality and/or struggled with self-esteem and the desire to be loved. There are some tremendously powerful scenes interspersed with the craziness.
"I hate this thing inside myself, this need to become attached to people, this brutal loneliness that drives me, drives all my mistakes."
This book really reads like a movie, but it was very uneven for me. At times it was just so utterly ludicrous and complicated that I considered stopping but then there would be a powerfully poignant scene and I just kept on with it. I think if you can completely suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the ride, it may be a fun book for you. There's no disputing Derek Milman's ability to tell a good story; there was just far too much going on for me here.
NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company provided me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
This book will be published August 6, 2019.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
June 9, 2019
I did not intend to read this book in a day and a half. It was an accident, I swear, and it was all the book's fault! I'm a big fan of Scream All Night so I had high hopes for Swipe Right for Murder and it surely did not disappoint. It's a wild ride full of mystery, thrills, self discovery, and action with a dash of romance and horror. Milman's passion, writing style and plot pacing are phenomenal. I'm extremely critical with books and I do not praise highly. It's very rare for a book to suck me in to the point that I forget everything else, as if the story is real. Everyone should read this bent, genre mashup. I think this story proves that I will read anything Milman's pen puts to paper!
July 26, 2020
I got this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
•
I thought the plot of this was very interesting. I think that the message the author tries to give to the reader is clearly seen and are important. I also like how this YA thriller includes characters that are part of the LGBT+ community. I also felt that the story was written in a great pace and the settings were amazing. I also really liked the characters, you can easily connect and like the characters especially Aidan. The romance was good, I liked that it was used more to get the reader interested in the characters. Overall, this was a really good book and I would recommend this for anyone that enjoys thrillers.
•
I thought the plot of this was very interesting. I think that the message the author tries to give to the reader is clearly seen and are important. I also like how this YA thriller includes characters that are part of the LGBT+ community. I also felt that the story was written in a great pace and the settings were amazing. I also really liked the characters, you can easily connect and like the characters especially Aidan. The romance was good, I liked that it was used more to get the reader interested in the characters. Overall, this was a really good book and I would recommend this for anyone that enjoys thrillers.
Read
November 23, 2021 10/30/18:
Just saw the new cover. It's awesome! Will be revealed soon!
10/20/18:
This is my next book!
It's a Hitchcockian LGBTQ YA thriller, out from Little, Brown/Jimmy Patterson on...
August 6, 2019!
I should have ARCs by the end of the year (!!!)
(not sure yet if this will be the final cover).
It's been a dream come true working with the Jimmy Patterson team.
I can't wait to share this spiky, dark, pulse-racing, funny book with all of you--
I hope everyone is well.
xo,
Derek
12/3/18:
Hi! We have a cover! B&N Teen blog just revealed it, as well as a first chapter excerpt:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book...
I will have ARCs soon for all you brilliant, bookish, and indispensable bloggers/tubers/grammers. I just turned in my copy edits, and as such, I can't believe the process on this is already winding down. The book will be out August 6th. The Little, Brown/Jimmy Patterson team have been absolutely amazing. I can't wait for you all to read it.
Much Love,
Derek
UPDATE 6/20/19 SWIPE RIGHT FOR MURDER official book trailer just dropped!
Check it here:
https://bit.ly/2XYYGQB
UPDATE 7/3/19 SWIPE RIGHT FOR MURDER official pre-order details announced!
When you pre-order SWIPE RIGHT FOR MURDER and upload your receipt, you’ll receive a prize pack consisting of a signed bookplate, a cell phone grip-stand and button!
Form and Terms & Conditions and Details here: https://bit.ly/2MZDskO
Just saw the new cover. It's awesome! Will be revealed soon!
10/20/18:
This is my next book!
It's a Hitchcockian LGBTQ YA thriller, out from Little, Brown/Jimmy Patterson on...
August 6, 2019!
I should have ARCs by the end of the year (!!!)
(not sure yet if this will be the final cover).
It's been a dream come true working with the Jimmy Patterson team.
I can't wait to share this spiky, dark, pulse-racing, funny book with all of you--
I hope everyone is well.
xo,
Derek
12/3/18:
Hi! We have a cover! B&N Teen blog just revealed it, as well as a first chapter excerpt:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book...
I will have ARCs soon for all you brilliant, bookish, and indispensable bloggers/tubers/grammers. I just turned in my copy edits, and as such, I can't believe the process on this is already winding down. The book will be out August 6th. The Little, Brown/Jimmy Patterson team have been absolutely amazing. I can't wait for you all to read it.
Much Love,
Derek
UPDATE 6/20/19 SWIPE RIGHT FOR MURDER official book trailer just dropped!
Check it here:
https://bit.ly/2XYYGQB
UPDATE 7/3/19 SWIPE RIGHT FOR MURDER official pre-order details announced!
When you pre-order SWIPE RIGHT FOR MURDER and upload your receipt, you’ll receive a prize pack consisting of a signed bookplate, a cell phone grip-stand and button!
Form and Terms & Conditions and Details here: https://bit.ly/2MZDskO
May 12, 2019
4.5
I loved Derek's firt novel, Scream All Night so I was very excited to read his latest YA thriller Swipe Right for Murder. It's described as a Hitchcockian mistaken identity caper which I thought was accurate. This book is such a good time, if you're looking for a fast-paced story that still manages to have heart and humor through it's sympathetic protagonist Aidan. I loved the pop culture in Scream All Night and I'm glad it was also present in this story.
Aidan is using a gay hookup app while staying at the Mandarin Hotel somehow lands in him in the middle of a deadly conspiracy that will have in the crosshairs of some dangerous people and running from the FBI. He has to prove his innocence and come to terms with some demons in his past.
Definitely check it out if you like fast-paced thrillers where you don't know who you can trust. A lot of fun, and after having such rotten luck with thrillers this was good.
Thank you to the author and Little Brown for sending me a copy
I loved Derek's firt novel, Scream All Night so I was very excited to read his latest YA thriller Swipe Right for Murder. It's described as a Hitchcockian mistaken identity caper which I thought was accurate. This book is such a good time, if you're looking for a fast-paced story that still manages to have heart and humor through it's sympathetic protagonist Aidan. I loved the pop culture in Scream All Night and I'm glad it was also present in this story.
Aidan is using a gay hookup app while staying at the Mandarin Hotel somehow lands in him in the middle of a deadly conspiracy that will have in the crosshairs of some dangerous people and running from the FBI. He has to prove his innocence and come to terms with some demons in his past.
Definitely check it out if you like fast-paced thrillers where you don't know who you can trust. A lot of fun, and after having such rotten luck with thrillers this was good.
Thank you to the author and Little Brown for sending me a copy
November 25, 2019
Let’s be clear: a book about a gay terrorist group killing straight people could be all sorts of failure — and I think it still might make some readers uncomfortable — but this book worked for me. It was fun, intense, and very fast paced with great dialogue. The characters were all memorable as well, each in their own way, but especially the protagonist, Aidan. He’s an extremely real character and he keeps the narrative grounded, even when it’s feeling like maybe it’s getting a little too unbelievable. His personal struggles are also SO relevant; while his past may seem dark and unrealistic to more sheltered readers, I was surprised by how much I personally related to it, and I know tons of younger gay readers in today’s culture will as well, for better or worse. The main romance plot in the book was my least favorite aspect throughout my reading journey, as it felt pretty insta-love-y most of the time, but by the end I really appreciated that part of the novel as well. Honestly, I didn’t expect this one to have such a solid ending, and it surprised me and wrapped the whole narrative together perfectly. My advice: enjoy the ride and just let yourself take it all in as it comes at you. 5/5 stars.
May 4, 2019
Damn! This book was so good! It has been a while since I read something filled with so much dark humor. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I laughed and my heart raced, but I never got bored. Milman has created a fun, wrong, and entertaining novel about a teen that has been through a lot of rough times, but his life gets much worse when he happens to be at the right place at the wrong time. The story is so unbelievable, but because it was so much fun, I couldn't care less if it is believable or not. I'm so happy that I picked this book up because I couldn't put it down. If I didn't have a life, I probably would have read it in one day. The characters are wonderfully scripted and fun. Aidan is a very likable, yet flawed character. He speaks what is on his mind, especially at the most inopportune and inappropriate times. I loved that about his character because when shit got real, I could always count on Aidan to throw a joke out there to lighten the mood. Milman's first novel, Scream All Night, has been on my to-read list for quite a while now, but after reading Swipe Right for Murder, it has definitely moved up the list. I cannot wait to read more from Derek Milman. For me, he is a breath of fresh air in the young adult literary world. I feel like his dark humor is very relatable and witty!
April 13, 2019
Thank you JIMMY Patterson Books for sending me this ARC copy. This was such an amazing book about Aidan who has a lot of shitty things happen to him but he overcomes everything and accepts it. Scotty is an interesting guy, I won't share too much but once you read the book you will understand that there is this one scene of this book that is somehow beautiful even though it is a shitty situation. There is good and bad in this world and you can choose hatred or you can choose love. When this book get released on August 6, 2019, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO GET YOURSELF A COPY. This book wasn't just about this boy who got wrapped up in a shitty situation; it was much more than that. Also side note, the copy that I got sent was paperback but it should hardcover when you can purchase.
August 7, 2019
4.5 stars
Delightfully preposterous yet scarily relevant, Milman has crafted a fun and twisty caper with an authentic and relatable main character. This story offers an introspective look at life as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in an utterly unique way. Highly recommended.
Delightfully preposterous yet scarily relevant, Milman has crafted a fun and twisty caper with an authentic and relatable main character. This story offers an introspective look at life as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in an utterly unique way. Highly recommended.
June 9, 2019
* Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review *
ACTUAL: 4.5 stars
Set in New York, this fast-paced YA thriller follows seventeen year old Aidan, who becomes a target for a cyber-terrorist group when his hook up is found dead next time. Caught in a dangerous game of mistaken identity, Aidan falls deeper into the world of cyber crime, while being hunted by the FBI and a murderous cult. As the death toll rises, Aidan is forced into a kill or be killed situation, with everyone he cares about stuck in the crossfire.
I loved Aidan's point of view in this novel, his character was easy to connect with and the writing was quick paced and engaging. His insecurities made him relatable, and as more of his back story is revealed, readers connect even more with the main character. Milman's writing style was enjoyable, with lots of action and suspense. With such serious topics discussed throughout, the humour added in was also appreciated and offered some comic relief for readers. The cyber-terrorist aspect was dangerous, murderous, and had strong elements that kept the reader guessing. I liked the technology aspects included as well. I found Milman wrote well in terms of the LGBTQ+ topics, and demonstrated the danger of hate being in today's society.
While I know this book may not be for everyone, I do strongly recommend it to fast paced YA novel fans. It was very enjoyable!
(Please note, there are discussions of homophobia (however, it is shown that it is wrong), terrorism, murders, mentions of suicides, teenage drinking and drug use in this novel.)
ACTUAL: 4.5 stars
Set in New York, this fast-paced YA thriller follows seventeen year old Aidan, who becomes a target for a cyber-terrorist group when his hook up is found dead next time. Caught in a dangerous game of mistaken identity, Aidan falls deeper into the world of cyber crime, while being hunted by the FBI and a murderous cult. As the death toll rises, Aidan is forced into a kill or be killed situation, with everyone he cares about stuck in the crossfire.
I loved Aidan's point of view in this novel, his character was easy to connect with and the writing was quick paced and engaging. His insecurities made him relatable, and as more of his back story is revealed, readers connect even more with the main character. Milman's writing style was enjoyable, with lots of action and suspense. With such serious topics discussed throughout, the humour added in was also appreciated and offered some comic relief for readers. The cyber-terrorist aspect was dangerous, murderous, and had strong elements that kept the reader guessing. I liked the technology aspects included as well. I found Milman wrote well in terms of the LGBTQ+ topics, and demonstrated the danger of hate being in today's society.
While I know this book may not be for everyone, I do strongly recommend it to fast paced YA novel fans. It was very enjoyable!
(Please note, there are discussions of homophobia (however, it is shown that it is wrong), terrorism, murders, mentions of suicides, teenage drinking and drug use in this novel.)
July 1, 2021
Swipe Right for Murder by Derek Milman is a young adult LGBTQ+ thriller. The story is a fast paced, adrenaline fueled adventure in which a teen goes on the run. The main character, Aidan, finds himself alone in a hotel so he decides to swipe right and find a hook up for the night. Of course instead of a fun night Aidan ends up on the run when he’s suspected of murder.
Now normally I’m all about a fast paced book where I don’t get a chance to catch my breath before the next twist comes along. However, when it came to Swipe Right for Murder some of the action just seemed over the top causing a bit of eye rolling as I turned the pages. In the end I just found the story to be so-so with some things I liked, the pace being at the top of the list, but then of course some I didn’t.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Now normally I’m all about a fast paced book where I don’t get a chance to catch my breath before the next twist comes along. However, when it came to Swipe Right for Murder some of the action just seemed over the top causing a bit of eye rolling as I turned the pages. In the end I just found the story to be so-so with some things I liked, the pace being at the top of the list, but then of course some I didn’t.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
April 6, 2019
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.*
Swipe Right for Murder by Derek Milman is an incredibly entertaining, crazy case of mistaken identity that turns out of control in a heart beat! Along with interesting parallels to Alfred Hitchcock's 'North by Northwest', the story also covers deeper themes such as LGBTQ sexual identity, self-worth, family values and much more. This is definitely an emotionally charged, jam packed, thrill ride you don't want to miss!
Swipe Right for Murder centers around 17 year old Aidan, who is in New York City for a precautionary heart test. Finding himself alone in a hotel room, Aidan decides to try looking for a hookup near by, and finds one, coincidentally, in the very same hotel he is staying at. He meets his hookup, a man named Benoit, but when Aidan wakes up, he finds Benoit dead beside him. He also finds pictures of himself on Benoit's phone- it seems Benoit has been stalking Aidan. He then gets a call from a mysterious man, telling Aidan to leave the hotel before the cops arrive and that he wants his delivery. Aidan has no idea what this “delivery” is, and is confused as to why the mystery man is calling him “Mr. Preston”. Aidan then finds himself on the run from the authorities, his family and friends, and the people out to kill him.
Swipe Right for Murder is a fast paced thriller about a serious case of mistaken identity. This story is a warning of how one small misjudgment can set off a horrific domino effect that leads to pure mayhem. A classic case of mistaken identity, but the stakes are raised for Aidan due to when this book was written. He is not just labeled a criminal, but a cyber- terrorist, which is pretty damn serious!
The story centers around Aidan, basically, and he is very well fleshed out. He is likable, but flawed- very human, so it was easy to relate to him. He has his own sense of dark humor, which when it was brought out, was absolutely on point! As the book goes on, we learn about Aidan's past. As the author further delves into his past, it again brings the reader a very human character who is very emotional and incredibly wounded. The author did a fantastic job at creating a multi-dimensional character like Aidan.
As soon as Aidan finds Benoit's dead body, absolute chaos ensues. The author did a great job of keeping the reader questioning what is real and what is not real, just like Aidan is. This was very well done and kept me turning the pages faster and faster.
I also really enjoyed looking for parallels between this book and the previously mentioned Hitchcock classic. This book almost seemed like an updated version of the film for 2019.
Derek Milman wrote a fun, emotional thriller in Swipe Right for Murder. Much more than just a nasty case of mistaken identity, we find a young man running from people, but also running from his past. This isn't just a straight up thriller, but a story with many sub plots that are very relevant for our time. The author did an excellent job at weaving the emotional struggle of our hero in with the fast paced, race against time dilemma he has been thrown into. This is a suspense filled, super wild ride, and I loved every minute of it!
Swipe Right for Murder by Derek Milman is an incredibly entertaining, crazy case of mistaken identity that turns out of control in a heart beat! Along with interesting parallels to Alfred Hitchcock's 'North by Northwest', the story also covers deeper themes such as LGBTQ sexual identity, self-worth, family values and much more. This is definitely an emotionally charged, jam packed, thrill ride you don't want to miss!
Swipe Right for Murder centers around 17 year old Aidan, who is in New York City for a precautionary heart test. Finding himself alone in a hotel room, Aidan decides to try looking for a hookup near by, and finds one, coincidentally, in the very same hotel he is staying at. He meets his hookup, a man named Benoit, but when Aidan wakes up, he finds Benoit dead beside him. He also finds pictures of himself on Benoit's phone- it seems Benoit has been stalking Aidan. He then gets a call from a mysterious man, telling Aidan to leave the hotel before the cops arrive and that he wants his delivery. Aidan has no idea what this “delivery” is, and is confused as to why the mystery man is calling him “Mr. Preston”. Aidan then finds himself on the run from the authorities, his family and friends, and the people out to kill him.
Swipe Right for Murder is a fast paced thriller about a serious case of mistaken identity. This story is a warning of how one small misjudgment can set off a horrific domino effect that leads to pure mayhem. A classic case of mistaken identity, but the stakes are raised for Aidan due to when this book was written. He is not just labeled a criminal, but a cyber- terrorist, which is pretty damn serious!
The story centers around Aidan, basically, and he is very well fleshed out. He is likable, but flawed- very human, so it was easy to relate to him. He has his own sense of dark humor, which when it was brought out, was absolutely on point! As the book goes on, we learn about Aidan's past. As the author further delves into his past, it again brings the reader a very human character who is very emotional and incredibly wounded. The author did a fantastic job at creating a multi-dimensional character like Aidan.
As soon as Aidan finds Benoit's dead body, absolute chaos ensues. The author did a great job of keeping the reader questioning what is real and what is not real, just like Aidan is. This was very well done and kept me turning the pages faster and faster.
I also really enjoyed looking for parallels between this book and the previously mentioned Hitchcock classic. This book almost seemed like an updated version of the film for 2019.
Derek Milman wrote a fun, emotional thriller in Swipe Right for Murder. Much more than just a nasty case of mistaken identity, we find a young man running from people, but also running from his past. This isn't just a straight up thriller, but a story with many sub plots that are very relevant for our time. The author did an excellent job at weaving the emotional struggle of our hero in with the fast paced, race against time dilemma he has been thrown into. This is a suspense filled, super wild ride, and I loved every minute of it!
March 16, 2019
I normally don't read arcs until a month before release date. But I've been dying to read Swipe Right For Murder since I got my hands on an arc (thank you Derek).
This is going to be one of those books that's hard to review without giving too much away. There was just non stop craziness throughout the whole book. And that was a good thing. The pacing was great and I struggled to put it down. I know my review won't do this book justice. I just don't want to spoil anything.
This book has a little bit of everything. Terrorism, LGBTQIA+ rep, mistaken identity, murders, relationship issues, friendship, family issues, hacking, and so much more. And while this is a serious book, I found that Derek fits in some humor in just the right places. It always helps break up some of the tension in his books.
Aidan is in New York to have a heart test done. His brother died of an enlarged heart and this is something that is hereditary. While there, he meets up with his best friend, Jackson, and Jackson's girlfriend, Tatiana. They leave and Aidan goes back to his hotel room alone. He decides to go on an app for hookups. After one failed hookup with a guy from school staying at the same hotel, Aidan finds one that looks interesting. Benoit looks attractive and seems normal. Aidan goes to his room and they hook up. But that's when everything changes.
There are people shooting through the windows. Aidan gets a weird message on his phone. He finds photos of himself on Benoits phone. Ones that look like he was being stalked. A man calls and tells him to leave before the police show up. Aidan is freaking out. The man says that he wants his delivery and calls him Mr. Preston. A mistaken identity. Aidan finds that even the hotel is calling him Mr. Preston, so he takes off without his stuff.
From there, things are all kinds of nuts. Derek did a great job making the reader (or at least me) question what is real and who can be trusted. Aidan runs into so many different people and is almost killed more than once. He finds himself involved in a terrorist group that is killing homophobes. Aidan knows that killing is wrong, but he finds himself questioning this at times.
This book makes you realize how quickly things can change by one decision you make in life. One moment can create chaos and it just spirals out of control.
I obviously loved this book. I would have read it in one day if I had more time, but I still finished it in two. I gave this 5 stars and will buy anything Derek writes. If you haven't yet, make sure you check out Scream All Night. Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy (with Derek's help).
There are a lot of trigger warnings and I'll probably forget some. A sexual relationship between a teen and adult and homophobia which is all challenged and shown that it's wrong. Cyber terrorism, murders, sexual hookups (not that there is anything wrong with those), family issues, mention of multiple suicides, self doubt/sort of self loathing at times, teenage drinking and drug use.
This is going to be one of those books that's hard to review without giving too much away. There was just non stop craziness throughout the whole book. And that was a good thing. The pacing was great and I struggled to put it down. I know my review won't do this book justice. I just don't want to spoil anything.
This book has a little bit of everything. Terrorism, LGBTQIA+ rep, mistaken identity, murders, relationship issues, friendship, family issues, hacking, and so much more. And while this is a serious book, I found that Derek fits in some humor in just the right places. It always helps break up some of the tension in his books.
Aidan is in New York to have a heart test done. His brother died of an enlarged heart and this is something that is hereditary. While there, he meets up with his best friend, Jackson, and Jackson's girlfriend, Tatiana. They leave and Aidan goes back to his hotel room alone. He decides to go on an app for hookups. After one failed hookup with a guy from school staying at the same hotel, Aidan finds one that looks interesting. Benoit looks attractive and seems normal. Aidan goes to his room and they hook up. But that's when everything changes.
There are people shooting through the windows. Aidan gets a weird message on his phone. He finds photos of himself on Benoits phone. Ones that look like he was being stalked. A man calls and tells him to leave before the police show up. Aidan is freaking out. The man says that he wants his delivery and calls him Mr. Preston. A mistaken identity. Aidan finds that even the hotel is calling him Mr. Preston, so he takes off without his stuff.
From there, things are all kinds of nuts. Derek did a great job making the reader (or at least me) question what is real and who can be trusted. Aidan runs into so many different people and is almost killed more than once. He finds himself involved in a terrorist group that is killing homophobes. Aidan knows that killing is wrong, but he finds himself questioning this at times.
This book makes you realize how quickly things can change by one decision you make in life. One moment can create chaos and it just spirals out of control.
I obviously loved this book. I would have read it in one day if I had more time, but I still finished it in two. I gave this 5 stars and will buy anything Derek writes. If you haven't yet, make sure you check out Scream All Night. Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy (with Derek's help).
There are a lot of trigger warnings and I'll probably forget some. A sexual relationship between a teen and adult and homophobia which is all challenged and shown that it's wrong. Cyber terrorism, murders, sexual hookups (not that there is anything wrong with those), family issues, mention of multiple suicides, self doubt/sort of self loathing at times, teenage drinking and drug use.
February 16, 2019
Swipe Right for Murder (release date August 6, 2019) was a breathless, wild (and I mean WILD) ride, something I've come to expect from Milman, whose debut, Scream All Night, was equal parts homage to horror films and surprisingly poignant family drama.
This time out Milman sends up an uproarious retelling of one of Alfred Hitchcock's most crowd pleasing films, North by Northwest—the parallels are obvious and bold and witty. But in proper Milman fashion there are plenty of twists. The Cary Grant character (Aidan Jamison) is, in fact, a gay 17 year old and is mistaken for a notorious and dangerous hacker, and the antagonist is an organization reminiscent of the feminist terrorist group from the woefully cancelled TV show, Dietland. The Eva Marie Saint character, a dashing twenty-something man who may or may not be working for the Feds or the terrorists. And while there is no visit to Mt Rushmore for its grand finale, there's a similar high-flying nail biter at the end.
For all the barreling action and humor, the book surprises with some emotional gut-punches as we delve into Aidan's private, wounded past. The book is also unabashedly queer—not just in its cast of characters but in its insistence that queer experience and history be understood and valued.
.
Swipe Right for Murder is highly entertaining, a little angry, but never didactic. It goes a bit over-the-top but always in a cinematically bizarre way I was unable to turn away from. Many young readers may not recognize the influence Hitchcock's film has on the book, and that would be a shame because, for me, that awareness added exponentially to the fun. (I would definitely recommend watching the film either before or after.)
I definitely look forward to hearing what fellow readers think upon its release.
This time out Milman sends up an uproarious retelling of one of Alfred Hitchcock's most crowd pleasing films, North by Northwest—the parallels are obvious and bold and witty. But in proper Milman fashion there are plenty of twists. The Cary Grant character (Aidan Jamison) is, in fact, a gay 17 year old and is mistaken for a notorious and dangerous hacker, and the antagonist is an organization reminiscent of the feminist terrorist group from the woefully cancelled TV show, Dietland. The Eva Marie Saint character, a dashing twenty-something man who may or may not be working for the Feds or the terrorists. And while there is no visit to Mt Rushmore for its grand finale, there's a similar high-flying nail biter at the end.
For all the barreling action and humor, the book surprises with some emotional gut-punches as we delve into Aidan's private, wounded past. The book is also unabashedly queer—not just in its cast of characters but in its insistence that queer experience and history be understood and valued.
.
Swipe Right for Murder is highly entertaining, a little angry, but never didactic. It goes a bit over-the-top but always in a cinematically bizarre way I was unable to turn away from. Many young readers may not recognize the influence Hitchcock's film has on the book, and that would be a shame because, for me, that awareness added exponentially to the fun. (I would definitely recommend watching the film either before or after.)
I definitely look forward to hearing what fellow readers think upon its release.
June 8, 2019
Thanks to Little Brown & Co for the ARC at BEA 2019, and to Derek Milman for signing my copy!
I really enjoyed this book. Fast paced enticing thriller. Aidan is a well written and relatable young gay man who is just trying to get by, before he gets roped into a conflict between a gay terrorist organization and the feds trying to stop them. The book makes some great points about systemic homophobia in the U.S., the failures of federal law enforcement and mass surveillance, and will be sure to incite some fascinating moral and ethical inquiry within the reader, as the "villains" make some incredibly salient points about bigotry within the U.S.
Captivating, enticing, funny, relatable. An excellent book. Highly reccomend!
I really enjoyed this book. Fast paced enticing thriller. Aidan is a well written and relatable young gay man who is just trying to get by, before he gets roped into a conflict between a gay terrorist organization and the feds trying to stop them. The book makes some great points about systemic homophobia in the U.S., the failures of federal law enforcement and mass surveillance, and will be sure to incite some fascinating moral and ethical inquiry within the reader, as the "villains" make some incredibly salient points about bigotry within the U.S.
Captivating, enticing, funny, relatable. An excellent book. Highly reccomend!
April 19, 2019
I stayed up after a 14 flight from Japan to finish SWIPE RIGHT FOR MURDER. It’s twisty and tingly and so good! Definitely put this on your TBR list!
April 7, 2019
This book was actually pretty amazing! The beginning was kind of okay and got boring but the story got so much better. I really love how this book’s genre is both LGBTQ and murder because I never saw an author write books with these two combined. I loved how the plot was structured but wish it was a little shorter for some scenes. I loved how the author added that the main character had a brother which connected so much with the theme. This book was also kind of funny at some parts and I loved the main character. The main character (Aiden) was well structured and had a lot of personality traits that fit well with the book. I did kind of wonder what happened to Aiden’s friends because they disappeared by the end of the book. The only thing I really hated was that some scenes were kind of long that didn’t really need to be. I can’t wait to see how the finished copy looks vs. the arc!
June 11, 2019
Thank you to Little Brown & Co for providing me a free copy of this book and thank you to Derek Milman for signing my copy!
Swipe Right for Murder is a thrilling page-turner about a boy who gets wrapped up into a terrorist mission after a late-night hookup. The characters were well-written and the plot moved quickly, having a similar concept to the HBO show The Night Of. The one downside of this book is that there were some points where I had to suspend my belief about details of the plot and other points seemed like a tennis match between the two major parties. These parts reminded of the Friends episode where Rachel and Phoebe discover Chandler and Monica are dating and there's a whole back and forth with quotes like "They don't know that we know that they know!". Overall, I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, thrilling read.
Swipe Right for Murder is a thrilling page-turner about a boy who gets wrapped up into a terrorist mission after a late-night hookup. The characters were well-written and the plot moved quickly, having a similar concept to the HBO show The Night Of. The one downside of this book is that there were some points where I had to suspend my belief about details of the plot and other points seemed like a tennis match between the two major parties. These parts reminded of the Friends episode where Rachel and Phoebe discover Chandler and Monica are dating and there's a whole back and forth with quotes like "They don't know that we know that they know!". Overall, I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, thrilling read.
May 6, 2019
I received this book free through Goodreads Giveaways, and am happy to provide this honest review.
Swipe Right for Murder, by Derek Milman is an amazing YA thriller full of non-stop action and wry humour. The book was fast (well) paced and difficult to put down. The author does a really good job of touching on LGBTQ identity, self-worth, and other hard hitting emotional themes in an open and approachable manner. He provides just the right amount of detail and back story to complete the picture without becoming boring or repetitive. At the same time, Milman creates multi-dimensional characters that readers can’t help but relate to. The book is definitely one I will recommend to others.
The main character, Aiden, a 17 year old private school kid, is in the center of a serious case of mistaken identity that puts his very life in danger. A very flawed teenager with an incredibly wounded past, Aiden proves that one small misstep can set off a cascade of chaos. Naturally, this hero digs deep in his quest to learn who he can trust, including himself, taking the reading on a wild ride right to the end!
Swipe Right for Murder, by Derek Milman is an amazing YA thriller full of non-stop action and wry humour. The book was fast (well) paced and difficult to put down. The author does a really good job of touching on LGBTQ identity, self-worth, and other hard hitting emotional themes in an open and approachable manner. He provides just the right amount of detail and back story to complete the picture without becoming boring or repetitive. At the same time, Milman creates multi-dimensional characters that readers can’t help but relate to. The book is definitely one I will recommend to others.
The main character, Aiden, a 17 year old private school kid, is in the center of a serious case of mistaken identity that puts his very life in danger. A very flawed teenager with an incredibly wounded past, Aiden proves that one small misstep can set off a cascade of chaos. Naturally, this hero digs deep in his quest to learn who he can trust, including himself, taking the reading on a wild ride right to the end!
June 5, 2019
It was an intense journey, but also one that had me laughing out loud. It’s a trip I’m glad I went on.
June 10, 2019
Disclaimer: I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
While on spring break in New York City, Aidan finds himself alone in a hotel room, bored and wanting to hook up with a guy. So he does what he’s done before: he downloads an app filled with similar people looking for hook-ups. After his first one goes nowhere, he finds himself on the app again, looking for someone else.
After he goes to this hotel room, he ends up falling asleep with this guy and wakes up to the guy, Benoit, having been shot in the head. Benoit’s phone is ringing, and Aidan answers it. On the other end of the line, the voice tells him that the police are coming for him and that they are coming for him too.
Aidan quickly finds himself on the run from the police and from an organization called the Swans which is a terroristic cult.
Swipe Right for Murder is fast-paced and complex. The story is engaging, and while the plot requires some suspension of disbelief (including the age of the narrator), the “what if” components of the plot still make it grounded in reality.
Swipe Right for Murder comes out August 6.
While on spring break in New York City, Aidan finds himself alone in a hotel room, bored and wanting to hook up with a guy. So he does what he’s done before: he downloads an app filled with similar people looking for hook-ups. After his first one goes nowhere, he finds himself on the app again, looking for someone else.
After he goes to this hotel room, he ends up falling asleep with this guy and wakes up to the guy, Benoit, having been shot in the head. Benoit’s phone is ringing, and Aidan answers it. On the other end of the line, the voice tells him that the police are coming for him and that they are coming for him too.
Aidan quickly finds himself on the run from the police and from an organization called the Swans which is a terroristic cult.
Swipe Right for Murder is fast-paced and complex. The story is engaging, and while the plot requires some suspension of disbelief (including the age of the narrator), the “what if” components of the plot still make it grounded in reality.
Swipe Right for Murder comes out August 6.
May 11, 2019
This book is so close to my heart. I love thrillers, I love YA, and I love books with gay main characters that aren't necessarily perfect. Seventeen year old Aidan Jamison, our hero, has a troubled past, and hasn't really gotten his s--t together. He's seventeen and is in NYC for his spring break. When he finds himself alone in a fancy hotel for the night, he decides to check out a hook up app and see who's around. Let's just say he manages to pick the worst possible person to hook up with. And things get worse from there.
Inspired by a classic Hitchcock film, Swipe Right for Murder is smart, fast-paced, and full of interesting moral questions. When Aidan finds himself mixed up with a group of gay terrorists, he must decide what his values really are, and who he wants to be.
The book has romance, political intrigue, and obviously, at least one murder. It has a main character who is funny, relatable, and real. It doesn't pull punches. This is a book I would have loved to read when I was a teenager. I feel it's really important for LGBTQ kids to see characters that are imperfect, troubled, and who are learning from the bad choices they've made, and who may not have been protected by their parents. Not many people are as clean-cut and perfect as the heroes in several popular YA books that feature gay characters. Lots of kids blame themselves for things that aren't their fault, and lots of kids don't have supportive parents and don't know how to have healthy relationships. I think this book has a lot of important things to say, in addition to being a fun, fast, action-packed read.
I read this straight through, and then read it again.
A perfect beach read, but one that makes you think, and feel, deeply.
Inspired by a classic Hitchcock film, Swipe Right for Murder is smart, fast-paced, and full of interesting moral questions. When Aidan finds himself mixed up with a group of gay terrorists, he must decide what his values really are, and who he wants to be.
The book has romance, political intrigue, and obviously, at least one murder. It has a main character who is funny, relatable, and real. It doesn't pull punches. This is a book I would have loved to read when I was a teenager. I feel it's really important for LGBTQ kids to see characters that are imperfect, troubled, and who are learning from the bad choices they've made, and who may not have been protected by their parents. Not many people are as clean-cut and perfect as the heroes in several popular YA books that feature gay characters. Lots of kids blame themselves for things that aren't their fault, and lots of kids don't have supportive parents and don't know how to have healthy relationships. I think this book has a lot of important things to say, in addition to being a fun, fast, action-packed read.
I read this straight through, and then read it again.
A perfect beach read, but one that makes you think, and feel, deeply.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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