I am determined to get to the end of the week in these Nicci French mysteries. In this book, Frieda Klein returns to the small town where she was raised. Her mother is dying of brain cancer; their stormy relationship has not much improved. Old friends surface, a number of whom still harbor hurt feelings when Frieda decamped to London and out of their lives. Frieda holds a secret from her past that must be dealt with, and the rape of a young girl in town makes her realize the time has come to do so. As the mystery develops, both the reader and Frieda realize that Dean, the protagonist from the first novel in the series, is still shadowing Frieda and stepping in and out of her life like an evil sorcerer.
By "Waiting for Wednesday," I was becoming quite sick of Frieda Klein and her seeming obliviousness of her effect on those around her. It is a mystery to me with her personality or lack thereof that she has a coterie of people around her ready and willing to do her bidding. These minions seem to have lots of time to come to her aid at a moments notice. There is the ever-faithful Ukrainian handyman, Josef who can fix anything as well as cook up meal out of nothing. Frieda's long-suffering boyfriend, Sandy is able to fly back and forth from the States to tend to all of her crises. Her old colleague, Reuben, also ready and willing. My favorite, Karlsson, the detective she has worked with in other books in this series, apparently has no other cases to tend to or none that he can't drop when Frieda needs his help in obtaining information. When Frieda returns to her hometown she finds others willing to step in to aid her without questions.
You may ask why I continue with this series. I really want to see it out to Frieda's confrontation with the nefarious Dean. Also this book was better crafted and more interesting than "Wednesday." I have hopes for the Friday finale.
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