Sunday Silence

Well, I have ANOTHER series to find and enjoy now! This book is the seventh in French's "Frieda Klein novels" and it kept me up reading late for three nights running until I finished it.
Frieda Klein is a London psychotherapist who discovers that a body has been buried under the floorboards of her house [the body is that of an ex-cop/investigator whom Frieda had hired], and her immediate suspicion falls on serial killer Dean Reeve, with whom Klein has had previous dealings. The problem is that Dean Reeve died more than seven years earlier ... except Klein is certain he's not actually dead.
We're introduced to Frieda's inner circle, including another psychotherapist [who's dying of cancer], Frieda's niece Chloë [and her mother, Frieda's show more sister-in-law Olivia, who's a basket case], and a Ukrainian builder [who discovered the body under Frieda's house, and whose young son has just been reunited with dad Josef]. Lots of quirks and sweetness that Frieda is afraid to accept because bad things keep happening to her friends, and she's sure that Dean Reeve is going through those friends one by one to torture Frieda.
The question is, DID Dean Reeve kill the investigator, or is this the work of a copycat? Frieda finally finds the answer --
but the book ends with a cliffhanger. There's one more book in the series, apparently ... show less

Note: Spoilers for previous books in the series.

This is book seven in the detective/psychological thriller series featuring psychotherapist Dr. Frieda Klein, who is the occasional collaborator of London Detective Chief Inspector Malcolm Karlsson. The authors (Nicci French is the pseudonym for the writing team of husband and wife Nicci Gerrard and Sean French) keep Frieda’s character rather opaque, but we have gotten to “know” her bit by bit as the series proceeds.

Still, Frieda doesn't reveal much:

“When people got too close, she pushed them away. She talked to her patients about the power of speaking, of making words and narratives, but she kept silent, guarded her secret self.”

This installment begins immediately after the end show more of the previous book, Dark Saturday. A dead body has just been discovered under the floorboards of Frieda’s living room. The body is a “message” from serial killer Dean Reeve, who has been stalking Frieda. The murdered man was an ex-policeman Frieda hired to find Dean. Frieda reads the “message” as: “This is what you get if you look for me.”

The new Chief Inspector, Petra Burge, thinks it might be helpful for Frieda to hold a press conference and go public with her concerns about Dean Reeve. Three reporters were invited to represent the press, and Frieda gave them the background about her “relationship” with Dean Reeve.

The story then picks up six months later, when bad things start happening to those with whom Frieda is close. First her niece Chloë was abducted for a weekend. Then some of her friends are beaten and almost killed. The police understand now that Frieda and those in her life - her “real” family as she calls them - are targets, but they are still unwilling to listen to her ideas about who is behind this and how that person might be discovered. We learn rather early on that Dean is not the only bad guy in the picture; there is a copycat out there, who is in fact more of a danger than Dean - at least, for the moment. One question the police and Frieda need to ascertain is: who is the audience for this new person - Dean or Frieda, and what is the motive?

As usual, Frieda figures out who the culprit is long before the police do.

There is a tense, page-turning lead-up to the end, which includes a shocker, and ensures the series is not yet over, in spite of the fact that we have been all through “the week” already with titles.

Evaluation: The books are a bit repetitive and very little actually changes in Frieda’s life (aside from people she knows ending up dead), but the recurring characters are interesting and consistent. This thriller, like the previous ones, ends in a startling way, making sure followers of the series will want to see what happens next. show less

Sunday Silence by Nicci French is the seventh book in the Frieda Klein psychological thriller series, The series opened with Dark Saturday and now has come through a full week of titles. Frieda has been stalked and targeting Frieda and her friends. No it appears that a copycat murderer has joined into this at and mouse game.

It begins with a body being found in Frieda’s house, planted there by Dean Reeve. The search for him is once again opened with no results. Then things begin to happen to the people round Frieda and it becomes obvious that someone is trying to take Dean’s place. The book is taunt and full of suspense as Frieda and the law enforcers around her hunt for this copycat.

Sunday Silence is both chilling and compelling as show more we are drawn into the daily lives of the people that surround and support Frieda. Frieda herself is a complicated character but after reading 7 books, she is easier to understand than she was at the beginning. There is one more book in the series and I am very much looking forward to reading it. show less

Nicci French's Frieda Klein novels always leave me in an ambivalent state. They're so well written, but so dark and, for me, depressing, that I wonder if reading them is worth it. So sometimes I give in and read (when I really need a well-written book) and other times I just can't take the angst.

'Sunday Silence' is the seventh in the saga. And once again we have no real resolution to Frieda's problems with her nemesis. However, we have a few more dead folk and Frieda hasn't smiled yet, as far as I know.

Though I doubt that I'd smile either if a body were discovered under the floorboard of my house. Poor Frieda! And Frieda's poor friends who become the target of the mysterious person stalking Frieda and providing the body count.

Typical show more Nicci French - well plotted and smoothly written; depressing as all get out. show less

I did not realize how long it has been since I read a book from this husband and wife duo. I picked up this book and it was like I had never left. Instantly, I reconnected with Frieda and Detective Karlsson. Although, it would have been nicer to see Frieda under better circumstances. I mean it is not every day that dead bodies are found under your floor boards. Well unless you are a serial killer.

Frieda even in this situation held up a strong front. She did what she does best but helping to solve the mystery while staying cool under pressure. I love the way she thinks. She and Karlsson meld well together. The storyline was strong as well. While, it has been a long time since I have read a book in this series, it reads well as a stand show more alone novel. There was no downtime from the beginning, middle, and end. Which the end was a good one. There is nothing worse then a weak ending. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. Fans of this series will enjoy this latest book in this series. show less

Sunday Silence by Nicci French is an intriguing and fast paced mystery. Although this newest release is the seventh installment in the Frieda Klein series, it works well as a standalone.

Psychotherapist and occasional police consultant Frieda Klein is very upset to discover the mutilated corpse of Bruce Stringer, the private detective she hired, under the floorboards in her home. She suspects the killer is Dean Reeve, who is a presumed dead serial killer. With her friend DCI Malcolm Karlsson on leave with an injury, Frieda must convince Chief Inspector Petra Burge that Reeve is not only alive, but responsible for Stringer's death. Six months later, the case is cold, and Frieda's family and friends are being targeted for random acts of show more violence and the police are forced to admit Reeve is still alive. But Frieda soon believes that someone other than Reeve is responsible for these recent attacks.  With the media hounding her, Frieda agrees to an interview with reporter Daniel Blackstock in hopes of flushing out the elusive killer.

Frieda is very cool and reserved under pressure which leads people to believe that she is not distressed by the recent events. When her friends and family are in danger, her concern for their safety leads  her to make a very out of character decision to try to keep them safe. Despite having mixed feelings about this choice and fearing she has made a big mistake, Frieda nonetheless presses on in her attempt to find the person responsible for harming her loved ones. With often nebulous impressions that are hard to explain to the police working the case, Frieda concentrates on finding the link between her and the person who is using her family to rattle her. Certain she has zeroed in the right suspect, Frieda is soon in a race against time to locate the most recent victim before it is too late.

Sunday Silence is an engrossing and suspense laden mystery with a clever storyline. With plenty of twists and turns, Nicci French pits Frieda against a formidable foe who is convinced no one will figure out their devious plan. With most of the loose ends completely wrapped up, the novel ends with a stunning cliffhanger that will leave readers desperately awaiting the next installment in the Frieda Klein series. show less

This 7th book of this series feels familiar and yet fresh and new. Frieda is still her usual cold-on-the-outside, warm-on-the-inside self and the creepy influences in her life are still annoyingly present but Frieda is convinced pretty quickly that none of her old foes is responsible for the strange things that start happening to the people she loves. And, of course, she's right. Frieda finds herself in the unwelcome media spotlight again but she'll do what she has to do to protect the disparate crew of people who make up her family. The ending is a compelling setup for the final installment which, fortunately, is already sitting on my shelf!