WAITING FOR WEDNESDAY by Nicci French

Occasionally a story is so perplexing at times that you want to stop reading/listening, but you can’t because you have to know how it all comes together.

That’s how I found Nicci French’s third installment in the Frieda Klein Mystery series, WAITING FOR WEDNESDAY, which was recently released. It seemingly had numerous plots going at the same time with no apparent connection. The main focus appears to be the confusion and troubled life of the protagonist, Frieda Klein, a London psychotherapist-turned-detective.

Narrator Beth Chalmers does an excellent job giving each character their own individual voice. Through her cadence and mannerisms, Chalmers makes it easier to follow as the story weaves back and forth.

One of the stories deals with the murder of a wife and mother of three in an apparent burglary gone wrong. But the woman has a scandalous dark secret that might not be a secret as she had hoped.

Meanwhile Jim Fearby, a former journalist, is set on a path to track down the real killer of a young woman an innocent made had been imprisoned for. Through the course of his investigation, Fearby has compiled a list of missing young women he believes have been killed by the same man.

Frieda is sent a fake client by a rival police consultant, Dr. Hal Bradshaw, who wants to undermine her work. When Frieda doesn’t report the client’s alleged criminal impulses, Bradshaw makes her (and several other colleagues) look inept. Frieda, fixated on a statement from the fake client, goes in search of the original source of the statement beginning her own search for a missing girl.

As the story weaves back and forth, readers/listeners can begin to see how the different plots are slowly coming together. What starts off as a bit confusing leads readers/listeners on an intriguing journey with unexpected twists and turns laced with humor, haunting moments of self-doubt and suspense.

The author has created a cast of captivating characters giving them personal problems and emotional upheaval in their lives as they struggle to perform professionally. With an eye for detail and rich descriptions, the author transports readers/listeners to London adding depth to the story. 

WAITING FOR WEDNESDAY is the third installment in the Frieda Klein Mystery series. While it can be read/listened to on its own, readers may not completely understand the cause of Frieda’s troubles without having at least read the previous installment, TUESDAY’S GONE.

While the story starts off a bit slow and confusing, it is truly well worth the effort to read/listen further as it holds you captive wanting answers. The suspenseful conclusion will leave fans of the series anticipated what will happen next to Frieda and her friends.

Waiting For Wednesday by Nicci French, Frieda Klein Mystery Book #3, Read by Beth Chalmers, Penguin Audio, @2014, ASIN:BOOJ8MX3KU, Digital Download, Listening Time: 14 Hours and 10 Minutes 

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

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