A young woman must unmask a serial killer and prove her innocence, all before her best friend’s wedding in this hilarious “sultry summer thriller” (The New York Times).

Gwen Turner has made a bloody mess of her life. She recently broke up with the best man she’s ever known for reasons she can’t even admit to herself and quit a lucrative job to open her own coffee shop. To top it all off, her best friend is getting married and leaving her behind in singlehood.

Along with too much cheap wine and bad reality TV, Gwen turns to a dating app to help fill the void in her life. Swiping through the few eligible bachelors left in town, she spends her evenings out on one disastrous date after another. But when a string of murders suddenly occurs in her small coastal English city, she’s shocked by the connection between each of the victims—they’ve all been on a date with her.

Before she knows what’s happening, Gwen finds herself the main suspect in a serial killer’s murderous spree, and the only way she can clear her name is to track down her former dates (even those that have ghosted her) and unmask a killer before it’s too late.

About The Author

Photograph by Jack Barnes

L.M. Chilton

L.M. Chilton is a journalist with fifteen years of experience working on a variety of television shows, such as This Morning, Loose Women, and more. His writing has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Metro (London), and The Mirror (London). A former self-proclaimed dateoholic, L.M. Chilton has been on over a hundred dates over the last few years.

Why We Love It

“I’m so excited for everyone to meet Gwen Turner, and the bloody mess of her dating life in Swiped. It’s as if an Emily Henry character is wrapped up in a serial killer thriller. Funny, at times scary, and absolutely original. You might think twice about falling in love online, but you will fall in love with the novel.”

—James M., Executive Editor, on Swiped

Product Details

Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press (May 21, 2024)
Length: 304 pages
ISBN13: 9781668045701

Raves and Reviews

"For a novel with such a high body count, L.M. Chilton’s Swiped is remarkably lighthearted...the book riffs amusingly not just on life as a singleton but also on cryptocurrency, algorithms, the pluses and minuses of female friendship and pre-wedding angst."

– New York Times Book Review

“A funny, charming page-turner, but also a sharp observation of online dating culture. Fast-paced, twisty and great fun! “

– Amy Tintera, author of Listen for the Lie

“[A] brash and luminous debut… Chilton nimbly balances humor and horror, fortifying his flashy premise with meticulous research into the data mining that powers most dating apps. Luckily, he layers all that hyper-contemporary sound and fury on top of an exceptionally well-constructed mystery plot, with surprises that will keep readers turning pages late into the night. Mystery fans will rush to swipe right on Chilton—he’s got the goods.”

– Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“SWIPED is as if Bridget Jones found herself in a Scream film. A crafty fusion of savvy humor and twisty suspense makes for a murderously clever debut!”

– Rupert Holmes, New York Times bestselling author of Murder Your Employer

“I read Swiped in one single sitting, laughing, playing detective, and on the edge of my seat until I got to the end. Chilton’s debut about online dating and serial killers manages to be darkly funny, hilariously twisty, and completely charming. This book is just so much fun!”

– Jennifer Close, New York Times bestselling author of Girls in White Dresses and Marrying the Ketchups

"Chilton shines a blackly humorous light on male misbehavior and love in the age of the internet—plus the timeless and ridiculous societal pressure of finding “the one.” Bound to become a classic of the singles scene."

– Kirkus

"Witty and loads of fun, Swiped is full of plot twists and wicked insights on dating in the age of technology."

– Margarita Montimore, USA Today bestselling author of Oona Out of Order

"Another send-off of modern dating, this time with an extra-fun twist!"

– CrimeReads

"When the author of one of our favorite books, Murder Your Employer, says that a novel is like 'Bridget Jones found herself in a Scream film,' there is no choice but to read that book... "

– Amazon Book Review