Nicci French is actually a writing partnership of Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. I was given this book sometime back, and I just hadn't got around to reading it before. It's a good job I chose the Yuletide period to read it, as once I picked it up...I was very reluctant to put it down. The book is very fast paced, the whole story taking place within one day, but you naturally put a book down at the end of a chapter, which this book does not have.
Giving you the bumf from the jacket does not do this novel justice.
To sum up, it is Nina's 40th birthday, she and her two children and her new partner are due to fly to Florida for Xmas. However, Nina's car develops a rattle, so she gets a friend to have a quick look at it, as she returns home she is faced , whilst trying to pack for a holiday, an impromptu surprise birthday party. Her daughter who has planned the party has not returned home from her sleepover although excited about the holiday. Nina becomes increasingly worried and reports her daughter missing, but they do not take it seriously at first.
The whole situation rapidly escalates for Nina, whilst the police treat it as just another teenager having a strop at their parents.
The novel is very well written and the suspense builds and builds. You find yourself having sympathy for Nina who is sure that Charlie, her daughter is in some sort of danger.
A brilliant fast paced book, but unless you have time to spare, you might find yourself missing appointments as you read, "just one more page"