Complicit

by Nicci French

Who is more dangerous? An enemy? A friend? Or a lover?

Bonnie Graham is standing in her friend's flat. She is alone, except for the dead body lying in a pool of blood on the floor. What happened? What will she do? And what role has she played in the murderous events?

Bonnie is a music teacher who has spent a long, hot summer in London rehearsing with a band to play at a wedding. It was supposed to be fun, but the band members find the complicated knots of their friendships unravelling as the days themselves unwind. What was meant to be a summer of happiness, love and music turns deadly as lovers betray one another, passions turn murderous and friendship itself becomes a crime.

Everyone tells lies. But is anyone prepared to tell the truth to uncover a murderer?

• ISBN10: 0718154932
• ISBN13: 9780718154936
• Publish Date: 25 March 2010
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 11 June 2011
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
• Imprint: Michael Joseph Ltd
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[ibeforem]

This is only my second Nicci French book, but I’ve already noticed a pattern: girl falls unexpectedly for man who is not good for her. Bad things ensue.

However, that doesn’t mean this book was the same as the first. There’s a unique structure here. The book opens with Bonnie and a dead body; after that, the chapters alternate between before the event and after. In the before, Bonnie is putting together a rag-tag band (literally, a music band) to play at a friend’s wedding. In the after, Bonnie is dealing with the aftermath of the death and what she chose to do about it.

I ended up with mixed feelings about this book. I wasn’t particularly drawn to any of the characters. I was more frustrated with Bonnie than worried about her or supportive of her. But then something interesting happened. Just as I was starting to get bored with the story and thought I knew exactly where it was going, bam! Everything changed, and I got sucked back in.

So if you don’t mind not loving the characters, it’s worth a read!