I couldn't put this down

5 stars

Nicci French is a sure thing when you hanker for a book that will keep you on your toes and interested. The Last Days of Kira Mullan did just that with the added benefit of getting under my skin. Deliciously creepy in the subtlest of ways, it delivered a few gut punches that made me feel uncomfortable and keen to know what happens next.

In The Last Days of Kira Mullan we track Nancy and Felix as they downsize into a smaller, grubbier flat in London. This come as a result of mental health issues Nancy is recovering from as she and her boyfriend rebuild their life on a shoestring budget. It's a nasty little flat but they try to make the most of it as they meet their neighbours and settle in. Nancy literally bumps into neighbour Kira one day then Kira is found dead in her own flat soon after. Everyone thinks it is suicide but Nancy believes different. Like Cassandra from Greek myth crying foul with no one listening to her, Nancy is believed to be delusional by all she talks to. As a last ditch effort, Nancy approaches a police detective asking her to investigate. Things turn ugly for Nancy as the story ratchets up the tension. Maude, our intrepid investigator, is a cool customer and does her job well in the quest for answers.

I felt such empathy for Nancy as she tries to understand what happened to Kira, a girl she hardly knew. Loved the relationship between Nancy and Maude and the poisonous things Maude uncovers. Some really awkward moments, loads of gaslighting and toxic behaviour but a novel I simply could not put down.