Book review: Thursday's Children - Nicci French

Title: Thursday's Children

Author: Nicci French

FICTION

Genre: Crime

Ranking: 6.0 out of 10.0

Buy: Maybe

Borrow: Yes

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00G4RH0UG/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Summary: At the start of French’s fourth mystery featuring psychotherapist Frieda Klein, a former classmate of Frieda’s from her hometown of Braxton, Maddie Capel, appears at her London office. Maddie desperately needs help with her troubled 15-year-old daughter, Becky. Frieda reluctantly agrees to see Becky, who divulges that she was raped in her bed by a masked man. Frieda was the victim of a similar crime 23 years ago. When Becky apparently commits suicide, Frieda vows to find justice for them both. A skillfully woven plot and deftly drawn characters complement the central mystery. 

Main review: 

Twenty three years ago teenager Frieda Klein was raped in her own home. No one believed her - not the police, not her mother, not her friends. She left town, trained as a psychologist and never went back.
Now an old classmate, Maddie Capel, has shown up. She wants help with her daughter, who claims to have been attacked at home by a rapist  who whispered: “Don’t think of telling anyone, sweetheart. Nobody will believe you.” An attack eerily similar to the one on Frieda when the rapist whispered the same message. No one else believes the girl's story, just as with Frieda. 

Now - with a school reunion imminent - Frieda returns to the town she fled.  She is convinced that someone at the reunion knows what happened. She also believes that the rapist is someone who knew her and knew Becky, as well as Sarah May who allegedly committed suicide.

After many false starts, Frieda finally nails down the rapist only to be told by him that there is no evidence and that no one would believe her, everything is circumstantial. It turns out that he was correct as the police don't believe her. 

The story closes with a surprise ending, that resolves the dilemma facing Frieda as what to do about this rapist.

Although plausible, three rapes in 23 years does not conform to the norms one understands about rapists. But the story is fine regardless.

Further reading suggestion: Blue Monday - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Monday-Frieda-Klein-Novel-ebook/dp/B0051UPKLI