I have said for many years that Nicci French is my favourite thriller writer. It must be twenty years since I first read ‘Beneath My Skin’ in one sitting. However, the last two or three books I read by this author have disappointed me. They haven’t had the suspense or the kick that I was used to. This book, however, has nailed it. It reminds me of why I’ve claimed this author as a favourite. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book. The second half, in particular, I couldn’t tear myself away from. It’s so exciting. I had no idea who was the bad guy and who I could trust. They all seemed to be bad guys, and, to some extent, more than one of them were.

The story: Tess’s three-year-old daughter, Poppy, returns from her father’s house where she spent the weekend, but something has changed in her. Tess seems to be the only one who can see it, though. When Poppy produces a drawing she has done that is filled with dark colours rather than her usual bright ones, it sends a chill down Tess’s spine. The picture is of a woman falling from a tower. Poppy says, “I did kill her.” This is the beginning of a frantic search to find who this woman could be because Poppy could never have imagined something so awful. At the same time, Poppy has become clingy and started to swear. She has started to act up at preschool, hurting some of the other children.

Tess turns to the local police because she is sure Poppy must have witnessed something terrible. All of the men in Poppy’s life become suspects: Jason (Tess’s ex-husband), Ben (Jason’s new brother-in-law), Bernie (Tess’s creepy neighbour), Laurie (Poppy’s friend’s dad), and Aidan (Tess’s new boyfriend). Who is the murderer? Tess eventually discovers the murder of a young woman, Skye Nolan, who fell from her tower block. When she sees her picture, she recognises her. But, still, the police don’t believe her that something terrible happened to the woman. They are on the verge of charging Tess with wasting police time. But all she cares about is finding the murderer and keeping her daughter safe.

The plot moves at a fast pace, and there are plenty of twists and turns. I could feel Tess’s frustration. I wanted to knock the police’s heads together. I was so completely absorbed in this story that it only took me a few hours (of doing nothing else ) to finish it. I loved it.

If you like psychological thrillers or who-dunnits, then this book has to satisfy all your needs. I loved it!

Lovers of fast-paced, whodunnit- style psychological thrillers. Grip-lit lovers.

How confused I felt by the end of the book. I loved that I couldn't guess who the was the murderer. Normally, you have an inkling, don't you? But this plot is so clever. I love how you feel Tess's frustration. It's just great.

Read more Nicci French.

Excited. Fearful. Suspense-filled. Happy.

Husband and wife team Sean French and Nicci Gerrard, writing under the pen name of Nicci French. The true king and queen of psychological and crime thrillers.

It's incredibly exciting.

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Created Apr 18, 2022 at 7:14am • Submit your own review...