Loved it

Loved the before / after format and the twists and turns…. Great to be back to a nicci french novel can’t wait for the next one…

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Disappointing

I usually love Nikki French books but I wouldn't recommend this one. I found the jumping from Before and After in the story distracting and it was a weak storyline.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

A good story, marred by the narrator's style

The story is not one of Nicci French's best - the constant time frame shifts become rather irritating after a while. But it's enthralling enough.
However, the narrator's style doesn't appeal to me, although that is a matter of personal opinion, of course. Others may love it. The narrator finds it necessary to differentiate each character by a different regional accent, so that we do a virtual tour of the British Isles in the course of the story. This is all the more incongruous as the narrator herself, who is also the main character, has a pretty standard middle-class accent, which makes one wonder why she isn't hanging out with people who sound a bit more like herself. (Unfortunately this is not apparent from the sample, which is all done in the narrator's own accent.) Annoying, too, is her insistence on assuming deep voices of one kind or the other for the men, which frankly makes most of them sound like gormless louts. It really isn't necessary: if the story is reasonably well written (as NIcci French's certainly are), it is quite possible to tell who is speaking without all this signalling from the narrator. Please, narrators, just read us the story; don't feel compelled to act it.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Fantastic narrator

This is a very believable story - ordinary, well-meaning people committing crimes for the best motives. It is narrated extremely well. She manages to differentiate between the various characters using subtle variances in pitch and/or accent to great effect. I'd recommend this audiobook!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

Captivating

Love this novel, Found it captivating, as usual we top class from one of my favourite 'authors' Adored how it was read too. A*****

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

great

the narrator is good, but not really convincing with male characters. thankfully the start is first person female. it's excellent nice french as usual.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

A complex thriller with twists and turns

I've read/listened to a number of books by the Nicci French duo of writers and rate this as one of the better ones. It starts, like many thrillers, with the 'heroine' being pretty stupid in her response to finding a dead body, but putting that aside, the story takes off and makes you want to listen. You'll have to concentrate, though, as the construction of the book is complicated as it keeps switching between before and after the death. The authors help by flagging each switch with the words 'Before' or 'After' but if you stop listening during a chapter it takes a few minutes before you get your bearings again. Some of the Nicci French books are gratuitously violent, but, thankfully, not this one. It's an intriguing thriller with lots of twists and turns and a surprising ending. The reader is excellent and I enjoyed the book.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

Complicit

Difficult to follow as it flits back and forth.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Probably Nicci French's worst book

This is not as good as many Nicci French books, a predictable story. The narrator is good, but the mispronouciation of the name Joaquin throughout is irritating and should have been picked up on by the director. Also personally I find the attempting of men's deep voices really irritaing and unnecessary. Would not recommend.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Not impressed

A very confusing book. I had to have two attempts at reading it and, I am still no wiser.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful