Tess has recently broken up with her ex-partner Jason and is focusing on looking after her daughter, Poppy. She is determined to ensure the break up does not affect her however she begins to notice her daughter's strange behaviour - drawing haunting pictures and using foul language.

Convinced this behaviour is a sign that Poppy has witnessed something dark, Tess goes on a crusade to find out what is troubling her daughter, however, understandably has a difficult time being taken seriously when all she has is a kid's drawing.....

Despite being a relatively prolific author, this is my first Nicci French novel and I was certainly not disappointed. I've read a number of novels recently where the protagonist has been a parent looking out for their child and I think French captures this element of the story better than most.

Whilst Tess makes a number of difficult choices and is somewhat of a difficult character to like, it is clear how much she loves Poppy and that she would do anything to protect her.

The ending was also excellent and whilst I won't, of course, spoil anything for anyone, this is something that I did not see coming.

Highly recommended read and a massive thanks to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review

I absolutely loved this book. It had everything I could ask for in a book, suspense, mystery, murder, intrigue, a real page turner. I read 90% in one day, just couldn't put it down, was totally gripped.
#TheUnheard #NetGalley

When I read The Lying Room back in 2019 I knew that the Nicci French team were back on form, and their latest novel, The Unheard, only confirms this. I couldn't get on with the Frieda Klein series at all but loved many of the earlier French novels. The Unheard returns to familiar ground for the French duo, with its protagonist, Tess, certain that she knows the truth about the death of a young woman, but being systematically disbelieved by the police, framed as hysterical and unhinged. Given how many psychological thrillers have been published since the first Nicci French novel came out, it would be unsurprising if this old plotline simply didn't work for them any more. But somehow these two writers make Tess's determined pursuit of the truth feel fresh again, because their writing is simply better and their plotting more emotionally plausible than most of their newer competitors. The hook in the blurb about Tess's young daughter, Poppy, is not as central to the novel as it might seem, which is a shame - Poppy's disturbed drawings and sentences start the book in a creepier, more original place, and I would have liked to see more of that. However, I loved the way that Poppy was drawn and how Tess's relationship with her was explored, moving away from the usual cliches about motherhood and really showing us Poppy as an individual, not just an idealised, innocent child. Good stuff, once again, and I'll definitely be seeking out House of Correction, which I missed when it first came out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for the ARC.

Tess is coparenting her 3 year old with her now-ex, Jason. When Poppy comes home from a visit to her dad's house she is altered, and Tess becomes convinced that a drawing of Poppy's means she has witnessed something terrible. As she tries to find out why, she also realises she's in danger of becoming an unreliable narrator in her own life story, and that others see the her situation very differently.
This plays skilfully on lots of modern concerns - how do we keep our children safe without smothering them? How do we trust again after losing love? How far will we go to protect our loved ones? How well do you ever know someone?
As you would expect from this experienced partnership, it's skilfully written and well paced, with an understanding of the burdens of love, anxiety and regret. I can see this translating very well to screen, too.

This was a great psychological thriller that I just did not want to put down, and I read it in a day!

I have long been a fan of Nicci French and this book definitely didn’t let me down, if anything I thought it was one of their best books. This book grips you from the opening pages and just doesn’t let you go throughout the book.

There was great characterisation throughout the book, and you could understand the mother’s nightmare based on the changes in her daughter following a stay with her father and his new wife. Some great twists and developments throughout the book that kept you second guessing as to what was going on.

I strongly recommend this book to all psychological thriller fans. For me it has become a new favourite and a five star read.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for providing a copy of this book for me, for an an open and honest review.

A very moving psychological thriller from Nicci French. Nailing the powerless that mothers can feel when they know something is wrong with their child but can't articulate it or find support. And also the way people don't believe children when something is wrong.

I couldn't put this down.

I’m a big fan of Nikki French and this book didn’t disappoint. Well written, rounded characters with a strong storyline. I feel the two main police officers could potentially have their own series. Very enjoyable and I recommend.

I’m a huge Nicci French fan and was excited to receive this ARC, especially as the synopsis sounded superbly dark and right up my street!

The book had the duo’s usual writing style which I find engaging and pacey. The concept was certainly original and daring but I did find there was a requirement to suspend disbelief at several points - the initial visit to the police was too far fetched to be credible and, as has happened in other French books, it’s a little unconvincing that the heroine managed to decipher not only the crime but the perpetrator from nothing but a child’s drawing, a Google search and a bit of lateral thinking! I also thought the thing that made Tess ‘certain’ she’d found the killer a little tenuous - French’s characters often seem to have such courage in their convictions as well as amazing detective skills!

All that said, I was engrossed in the story and felt the book was well structured, gripping and did well at keeping me guessing. Even if parts of the plot seemed a little incredulous, the wonderful writing style and characterisation was enough to drive it forward. As always with Nicci French, I really enjoyed this offering, though it wasn’t my favourite of theirs.

I really struggled to get into this book and it seemed quite unrealistic at times. I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to. The characters were boring and stereotypical and the ending was flat.

I had lost my reading mojo a bit so when I saw that I had an ARC for the new Nicci French novel, I thought that might rectify it and I was right. The Unheard is a well paced, compelling thriller. Tess, the protagonist, is a single mum whose daughter becomes unsettled and angry after a weekend with her dad. She draws a picture of a person falling from a tower and Tess cannot let go of the idea that her daughter may know about a crime or murder. As Tess tries to investigate and get the police to take her seriously we are never sure whether she is a reliable narrator. Her ex is a controlling liar and there are other men in her life which she struggles to fully trust. There are elements that require a large suspension of disbelief by the reader but overall this an entertaining page-turner that I finished in one day.

Readable and compelling. I was completely caught up in Tess' nightmare. Kept me guessing til the end and oh -what a good ending! Many thanks.

Nicci French, The Unheard

Nicci French’s The Unheard is a completely absorbing novel with an ingenious premise. A mother comes across a drawing that Holly, her three-year old daughter, has brought home. It is completely unlike anything else she has drawn, “simple and basic and violent”. Jagged lines in thick black crayon depict a strange figure that appears to be falling: “is that someone in a story?’ ‘He did kill her.’ ‘What?’ ‘He did kill. Kill and kill and kill.’”

A crime may or may not have been witnessed by the little girl. The only grownup to set any store by the child’s disconnected exclamations is a single mother whose own credibility is seriously open to doubt. Tess, separated from Holly’s father, shares custody and struggles to hold her life together. As she becomes increasingly persuaded that her daughter has seen something terrible, she makes frantic efforts to investigate – and to involve the police in her investigation. When they ask “Where is the crime?” ‘and “Who’s the victim?”, she is unable to tell them. Not surprisingly, they are on the whole disinclined to believe anything she says:

“You are not a victim, you and your daughter are not at risk, you are not a detective, nor are you a fucking soothsayer. You do not have special insight. You are not permitted to go poking round, creating your own paranoid dramas.”

The Unheard has all of the compelling qualities we have come to rely on in the psychological thrillers of Nicci French. Strong, memorable characters are caught up in a mystery so expertly plotted that we can’t, until the very end, see how all of the strands of the story have been woven together.

Couldn't put this down. Recently separated, single mother Tess lives with her 3 year old daughter, Poppy. Her ex-partner lives in their old house with his new, young wife and Poppy spends time with both. One day she comes home from Dad's house to Tess, with a disturbing picture she's painted; then comes the bed wetting, troubling behaviour and the swearing. Mum's worst fears and suspicions are raised and she tries to find out what is going on. Everyone is a suspect, she doesn't know who to trust - and she has to keep letting her daughter go to a house where she has no control over her contacts.
It's very atmospheric and the tension builds and builds. Arrogant men use their power over the compliant Tess repeatedly. The police don't want to know.... Don't want to put any spoilers but it's a good, creepy, easily flowing fun read!

I really enjoyed this book. I haven’t read anything by this author before so didn’t really know what to expect. I definitely would recommend this though, it hooked me in and kept me gripped.

I didn’t love this book but I didn’t totally hate it either. Not a fan of the neurotic mother who has a hunch then solves the crime all on her own and proves she was right in the first place all the while being portrayed as slightly crazy! However this book did have a few pleasant twists, a few smart conversations and a whole lot of unlikely! Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book.

Clear your diary as you will not be able to stop reading until the last page!

Tess is a Mum of three year old Poppy. Recently single and starting a new life. Her ex has recently remarried, she has a Jew boyfriend (met whilst out shopping with her daughter).

Then strange things start happening. Things that make her spidey sense tingle. As a primary teacher her senses are honed to notice when something isn’t quite right with a child. And something isn’t quite right with Poppy. She then learns some less positive things about her ex which unnerves her more.

Whilst on a date a pixie like woman accosts her and behaves familiar, Tess hasn’t a clue who she is. Then things start getting even more, well, weird!

This makes you, the reader think, Who would you call? Who can you trust around you in your everyday life, how well do you know those around you?

The plot twists and turns, those close to Tess doubt her sanity and threaten her stability. There are two murders and Tess feels they are linked. But nobody she should trust will listen.

Another cracking read from Nicci French that is destined to leave you weary the next day from sitting up reading ‘Just one more chapter!’

I’m SO disappointed. I wanted to love this book and was so excited to be approved to read an ARC. I mean, it’s Nicci French!! Who wouldn’t be??

But the reality was that I just wasn’t interested in the storyline or the characters. I struggled to get to 47% and I had to ask myself why I was still trying when I just had no need to continue which is really awful as I LOVE Nicci French novels!

Like the main character, I too have a 3 year old daughter and a full time job but thankfully I’m not in or planning separation from her father. So that’s where the likeness ends. Tess and Poppy should have (for me atleast) been totally relatable but I just thought Tess needed help. She was just absolutely bonkers! My daughter draws all the time but one drawing, a bedtime accident and a (sounding like) bad word does not warrant going to the police to report a crime. And it certainly does not entitle her to go to the funeral of a stranger, posing as a ‘friend’ and pushing the grieving relatives to open up to her! Absolutely ridiculous and too far fetched for me to believe that any of that had been thought through.

Secondly this book suffers from repetitive inner monologue syndrome which - after reading some many like this I’ve decided I can’t stand.

So I didn’t finish! I couldn’t finish! I’m disappointed with the book, annoyed with myself for not finishing it but ultimately there’s so many books out there that life’s to short to read something that you just aren’t enjoying.

Hopefully, I will remain in the minority for this book review and it won’t stop me picking up another Nicci French novel - just not this one.

Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis
Schoolteacher Tess Moreau is busy rebuilding her life after the separation from her partner who is the father of her daughter. She is now in a relationship with Aidan, a quiet and kind man, who is somewhat different to her former partner the charismatic and forceful school headteacher Jason Hallam.

One day Jason drops off Poppy after his day of access and it quickly becomes apparent to Tess that something is not right with her daughter. Poppy is a normal well-adjusted three-year-old but she shows Tessa a drawing she has made in black crayon which seems to show a figure falling off a tower. She then starts saying odd things like asking if Tessa was still dead, talking about death, about when she was a witch, swearing and bed wetting. Clearly something has disturbed her, but what has she seen or heard?

Tess feels she needs to do something, but what? Through a friend she gets an unofficial visit to a psychologist, Alex Penrose, who is unable to find anything obviously wrong with her but suggests keeping an eye on her and informing the nursery, which she does. Tess, however, remains concerned.

Feeling desperate Tess goes to the police, who indulge her to a degree but query what the actual crime is she is reporting as they are all unsure. Tess then begins looking online for any murders that Poppy could have witnessed but cannot find any that fit her drawing. Then a few days later she hears of an apparent suicide of a young woman who fell from some flats. Again, she goes to the police who are reluctant to impinge on another case and point out that this suicide happened after Poppy made the drawing, so she couldn’t have seen it happen. The forensic examination at the post-mortem proves that it was murder, not suicide so there could be a potential link but still the authorities are slow to react.

Tess feels that to protect her daughter she must follow up on this lead, but it is becoming detrimental to her own mental help. She discovers that she briefly met the dead woman and a chain of events is set in place that results in another murder.
Tess starts to question her personal relationships, particularly with her male acquaintances, she cannot trust anyone and begins to suspect everyone.

My thoughts

Having read the Frieda Klein series of books by the husband and wife author team (Nicci Gerard and Sean French) this stand-alone novel is something a little bit different whilst still with their niche in the crime genre.
This is a psychological drama in the style of the ‘golden days’ of Hollywood and is the sort of novel which would have interested directors like Hitchcock. It’s a tale of the principal character not being believed and every step they make undermining their credibility such that they start to question their own sanity.

The plot is nicely paced. The seed of the story is planted early and once it is nicely developed the narrative picks up in tempo as Tess becomes frantic. This allows the sense of doubt and paranoia to build up the tension for the reader.
Keeping the number of characters small helps as it keeps the story tight and prevents it going off in a tangent and reducing the intensity. It also allows substance to be given to the main characters and enough doubts to be planted in the readers mind as to who may be responsible. Memory comes into play as Tess begins to suspect everyone and the reader needs to consider what are red herrings and is there a MacGuffin in play? The ex-partner Jason is a modern-day bounder; Jason’s brother in law Ben is struggling with life, Aidan is a bit of a Beta male and stay at husband Laurie is too good to be true. All have the potential to be the killer and I admit to being slow on figuring out who it was.

This doesn’t follow the route of the regular police procedural, actually the police play a relatively small role in that Tess does most of the leg work in trying to find the answers. They are there to be exasperated by her actions, bring the voice of reason and to highlight her feelings of self-doubt and of not being believed. In the end there is redemption for Tess and a grudging acceptance from the police.

The finale itself whilst not exactly being a set piece is carefully planned and executed and relies upon actions being taken which the police couldn’t take (at least not these days) to ensure that justice is served. Troubling morally but in Tess’s position I guess many would take her choices left in her position.
An enjoyable psychological thriller taking a classic form but with a modern twist.

Many thanks to the authors, publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to review this

I really enjoyed this book (through netgalley)
It’s the story of a single mother who’s daughter starts displaying some odd and worrying behaviours. Tess’s anxiety seems to escalate fairly quickly and she makes the fairly tenuous link between some slightly scary kids pictures to other much more sinister goings on.
The premise of the book is then “is she losing the plot” (so to speak) or is there something behind these weird goings on. Loses one star because the main character was a bit annoying and 5 stars is only for my most favourite books ever written.
I read it in 2 days and couldn’t put it down because I wanted to find out what happened next!
Would recommend

I really enjoyed this book and have read it in a day, wow what a thriller book, I won't ruin it with giving any spoilers away I recently discovered the author and am now hooked
many thanks netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for this review