Blue Monday

A Frieda Klein Mystery

De: Nicci French

Narrado por: Beth Chalmers

The stunning first book in a new series of psychological thrillers introducing an unforgettable London psychotherapist

Frieda Klein is a solitary, incisive psychotherapist who spends her sleepless nights walking along the ancient rivers that have been forced underground in modern London. She believes that the world is a messy, uncontrollable place, but what we can control is what is inside our heads. This attitude is reflected in her own life, which is an austere one of refuge, personal integrity, and order.

The abduction of five-year-old Matthew Farraday provokes a national outcry and a desperate police hunt. And when his face is splashed over the newspapers, Frieda cannot ignore the coincidence: one of her patients has been having dreams in which he has a hunger for a child. A red-haired child he can describe in perfect detail, a child the spitting image of Matthew. She finds herself in the center of the investigation, serving as the reluctant sidekick of the chief inspector.

Drawing readers into a haunting world in which the terrors of the mind have spilled over into real life, Blue Monday introduces a compelling protagonist and a chilling mystery that will appeal to readers of dark crime fiction and fans of In Treatment and The Killing.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Fast-paced and spooky…it leaves readers with the promise of intriguing tales to come.”

—People (****)

“A neat puzzle with a satisfying resolution and a terrific twist at the end.”

—The New York Times Book Review

“A superb psychological thriller…With its brooding atmosphere, sustained suspense, last-minute plot twist, and memorable cast of characters, this series debut will leave readers eager to discover what color Tuesday will be.”

—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“With its smart plot, crisp prose, and a stunning final twist, this is psychological suspense at its best. Absolutely riveting.”—Booklist, starred review

“This is psychological suspense done right. The authors pace themselves and build the tension slowly while carefully developing each of the players. For fans of Tana French’s and Lisa Gardner’s moody, dark, twisty thrillers.”

—Library Journal

“A searing psychological thriller in the rich vein of Kate Atkinson and Laura Lippman, Blue Monday is powerful and gripping—a page-turner with heart and soul. Psychotherapist Frieda Klein is an enormously appealing new series hero.”—Joseph Finder, bestselling author of Buried Secrets


“Unrelenting …unnerving…unforgettable. Psychological dynamite.”

—Alan Bradley, bestselling author of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

“Nicci French creates a haunting and complex psychological puzzle about memory and heredity, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very end. This gripping thriller certainly bodes well for the future of the series and I look forward to reading more about unlikely heroine Frieda Klein.”

—Camilla Läckberg, bestselling author of The Ice Princess

“A fabulous, unsettling, and riveting look at motives and memory and relationships. And what drives people to do the unthinkable.”

—Louise Penny, bestselling author of A Trick of the Light

“Nicci French is undeniably at the top of British psychological suspense writing.”

—The Observer (UK)

“Complex and flawed, Frieda Klein is a refreshingly human protagonist, an intriguing debut for a truly unique character.”

—Tami Hoag, bestselling author of Down the Darkest Road

Dragged out Too Long

What would have made Blue Monday better?

The last hour of the book was the only interesting part of the whole book. It took forever to get to the point. Because the end was interesting, I am going to seek out the next in the "series'.... The narration was fun to listen to as I am American. I liked the accent.

What could Nicci French have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Move it along quicker....less cursing. I want to read a story, not have to censor it.

What about Beth Chalmers’s performance did you like?

If she read the whole thing by herself, she did amazing at the different voices and keeping them the same throughout.

What character would you cut from Blue Monday?

The mom.....that whole part was a waste and too much cursing. I want to read a story, not censor it.

Don't be Fooled

After completing Tana French's Broken Harbor, Recorded Books suggested that, "If you liked this book, we recommend that you read "Blue Monday" by Nicci French."

Well, seeing as Broken Harbor was an exceptionally well written book and a great listen, I decided to take the advice of Recorded Books and give Blue Monday a try.

I am usually very careful when researching a book and, as a result, I am rarely disappointed. However, disappointment is one way to describe Blue Monday. Although the writing wasn't awful, I thought of giving the story a "1". It was so inferior to the the brilliant writing of Tana French (no relation), that it seemed to be outright deception for Recorded Books to suggest that, if I liked Broken Harbor, I should give Blue Monday a try!

Not only is the writing sub-par, but the story line and character development are so superficial, that I thought of quitting the book altogether two or three times.

The best that I can say about the book is that it was just good enough to put up with until the end and,at the end, it was a relief to have it be over.

After Blue Monday ended, Recorded Books announced that Blue Monday was "the first book in an exciting new series."

Lesson learned.....don't listen to the false and self-serving recommendations at the end of good books. Instead, do your homework or else you to will end-up with a "Blue Monday."

Great suspense

This story held many twists and turns that you never expected. Even to the very end you were surprised. I'm ready to try the next in this series.

Gripping to the end

Loved the complexity of this story. One of the best thriller/mysteries out there. Could not stop listening!

A bit hard to follow at first

The characters can be a bit confusing in the beginning, due to the accent of the narrator. The main character's personal life was irrelevant & boring in my opinion, but overall, a good story line.