She Treads Softly: Killing Me Softly

Monday, March 9, 2026

Killing Me Softly

Killing Me Softly by Sandie Jones
3/31/26; 320 pages
St. Martin's Press

Killing Me Softly by Sandie Jones is a recommended domestic thriller featuring a cast of disagreeable characters behaving badly and keeping secrets.

Charlie, an up-and-coming chef, and Freya, a charity’s fundraiser, are a picture-perfect loving couple, or are they? When a spectacular fallout at a dinner party with Charlie's boss is followed by the police at their door the next morning with news that Charlie’s car has been involved in a hit-and-run accident. This is followed by the two turning on each other and their true natures being revealed. Accusations, guilt, deception, and vengeance are all involved as the two turn on each other look for someone to blame. Adding to the mix are schemes underway by friends and family.

This is definitely a page turning popcorn thriller. All the characters are insanely conniving as they protect their secrets and make their own evil plans. The narrative alternates between Freya and Charlie’s perspectives while closely following the collapse of their marriage along with an abundance of cunning duplicity from everyone. Unreliable narrators can be an interesting narrative choice, but, honestly, there isn't one likable character present in this tale of domestic turmoil. As everyone plots behind each other's backs, the stakes rise along with the tension.

The pacing is a bit off-kilter through the first half of the plot and although stuff happens, for all the drama it still seems slow. Then it picks up the pace as everyone's actions become more suspicious and secrets are outed. Everyone is double-faced and shrewd. There is a shocking twist at the end, but at that point it was expected but did up the thriller aspects of the novel. When down, I felt like I had read this book before but with a better presentation. 3.5, rounded down to 3.

Killing Me Softly is a good choice for those who enjoy domestic thrillers with unreliable, disagreeable characters. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.