Yet another great book by Nikki French and one I highly recommend. This is certainly a gripping psychological thriller with characters the make the book what it is. The strength of the characters and the writing makes this a book not to be missed. With twists and turns and plenty of thrilling and suspenseful moments, it kept me on my toes and kept me turning the pages.

I loved the way the story was written, the pacing and the characters. Even though it was a intense it was quite easy to read and follow and therefore was an very enjoyable read. This is book 2 in a series and a series I am very much enjoying. I do look forward to seeing what comes next.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

EXCERPT: . . . she was happy, if happiness means joyful immersion in a task. She was also, she realised now when it was too late, scared that it was too good to be true and couldn't last.
It couldn't.
Four months ago, on a Sunday in the hot middle of July when she was making raspberry sorbet, a voice had whispered to her, 'It's coming.'
Nancy had looked around. The kitchen was empty.
She pushed an escaped lock of hair back inside her sap and returned to her task.
'It's coming,' said the voice again, nasty, menacing, making her heart beat faster.
There was still no one there. Perhaps she had been talking to herself. She often talked to herself, giving herself instructions, admonitions.
'Get out of the bath, Nancy North,' she would say, or she would tell herself where she was putting her keys so that she wouldn't forget them. She talked in her sleep as well. Felix would gently shake her awake and tell her she had been shouting out, asking for help.
That sinister voice was the last thing she remembered.

ABOUT 'THE LAST DAYS OF KIRA MULLAN': She thinks it was murder.
But if she can’t trust herself, can anyone else?

Nancy North and her boyfriend Felix are making the move across London to Harlesden. A new flat, a new area, a new start. Because while Nancy is fine now, she wasn’t fine before. But settling into the new flat and meeting the new neighbours isn’t helped by Felix’s hovering concern. She is all right. She is sticking to her breathing exercises and doctor-prescribed help.

So, when their new neighbour Kira Mullan is found dead by suicide, Felix is understandably worried about Nancy’s frame of mind. But Nancy saw Kira the day before she died and she didn’t strike her as someone who was suicidal – she was upset and angry, yes, but was she upset and angry enough to take her own life?

Nancy is the only one convinced that there’s more to Kira’s death than has been discovered. But all the police and the neighbours see is a vulnerable woman who isn’t sure of what she saw, and might even be imagining things . . .

Is Nancy imagining things, or are there more questions that should be asked about the last days of Kira Mullan?

MY THOUGHTS: A gripping psychological thriller.

Nancy only meets Kira briefly, but that meeting has a great impact on Nancy via what happens to her as a result of that meeting.

It is the characters who are the strength in this book. Nancy's seeming fragility - the way even she doubts herself at times - is crushing. She had me doubting her! I was unsettled by the way everyone conspired against her - her boyfriend, her neighbors and friends, the police, and the medical team who were supposed to be treating her. Her treatment by so-called professionals made me angry, yet I am only too aware that this actually happens.

The one shining light in The Last Days of Kira Mullans is Maud O'Connor, the DI who featured in Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? Maud both loves and is disillusioned by her role in the police force, and is studying law (quite why law, I am unsure) part-time. I loved the way Maud listened to Nancy and didn't dismiss her out-of-hand, as everyone else did. I loved Maud's tenacious character; the way, once she found a discrepancy in the investigation, she kept going against all opposition, following the leads.

Although The Last Days of Kira Mullans didn't flow quite as well as Charlotte Salter, I was gripped by the circumstances and entirely happy with the resolution.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.4

#TheLastDaysofKiraMullan #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHORS: Nicci French is the pseudonym of English husband-and-wife team Nicci Gerrard (born 10 June 1958) and Sean French (born 28 May 1959), who write psychological thrillers together.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Australia, via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Last Days of Kira Mullans by Nicci French for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

The Last Days of Kira Mullan is a suspenseful read but – at times – it’s also a frustrating read, but that’s only because Nicci Gerrard/Sean French have bound readers so tightly to our lead Nancy North that we alternate between being angry, frustrated and worried on her behalf. We quickly learn that Nancy was recently hospitalised following a psychotic breakdown and we’re put in Nancy’s head so firmly that I found myself questioning her (and my) sanity, though at the same time being confident in her/my convictions. And of course, those mental health struggles – and their impact on her life and the way others treat her - feature strongly here, against a backdrop of a young woman’s death.

[book-info]

I must note that I hadn't realised this was second in a series, but it doesn't matter that you've not read the first, as this works as a standalone.

This book opens as Nancy and partner Felix are moving from East to West London to save money following the closure of Nancy's restaurant after her breakdown. Their new apartment is one of four in a former grand home and we meet neighbours and all residents, including Kira Mullen before she’s found hanging from the ceiling of her apartment.

Nancy’s still grappling with the stigma from her ‘breakdown’ and it isn’t helped by the fact that Felix seems determined to wrap her in cotton wool, seemingly worried she’ll slip at any stage. And the move probably is a catalyst as Nancy does waver in the days after, and it's during this episode she briefly crosses paths with Kira who seems distressed or fearful.

Everyone – including the police – accept the fact that Kira suicided but the voices in Nancy’s head won’t allow her to let go of her concerns. Particularly when she finds out Kira was in the throes of a new relationship. It’s at this point that some of her overly-involved neighbours (essentially) gaslight Nancy and I certainly became frustrated and annoyed at their patronising manner, dismissing her observations. 

Another stint in hospital gives Nancy the time to clear her head and come up with a plan. The police and her neighbours have all moved on from Kira's death but when a new tenant moves into the dead woman's flat it motivates Nancy to revisit the police – this time seeing DI Maud O'Connor who looks into Nancy's concerns - and suddenly Kira’s death is considered suspicious. Nancy’s neighbours are all now suspects and she realises they all benefitted when her allegations had been ignored due to her medical history. 

I felt Gerrard/French did a great job in the way they portraying Nancy's mental illness. Sympathetically, but realistically. Nancy is not in denial and, though she believes the medication she's on 'rubbed away her edges', she is committed to staying well. So it's frustrating for her (and us!) when others won't accept that she's managing her illness.

I very much enjoyed this book, despite my blood pressure increasing in response to the way Nancy was treated. It was probably a little repetitive at one point when we weren't getting anywhere and it's just Nancy trying to learn more about Kira and her movements, but the pace certainly picks up once Maud becomes involved. Gerrard/French give us a number of feasible suspects and I was certainly surprised at the sad / bitter-sweet (though also satisfying) direction this ultimately takes.

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

The Last Days of Kira Mullan is a really interesting book. It is partly a straight down-the-line thriller, with a good wash of emotive writing about psychology and mental health wards thrown in, and a fair chunk of writing on emotional, financial, and Munchausen's-esque abuse. We follow the character of Nancy, who lives an ordinary life in a very ordinary flat with her very ordinary boyfriend, until one day something goes wrong and her downstairs neighbour, Kira, is found dead. The mystery unravels from there.

We find a lot of insidiousness in some of the characters, including Nancy's charming boyfriend, but this book does make efforts to keep you guessing. I did find that whenever something was found out, it was often in a neat little bow, which was frustrating. It seemed unlikely that the efforts of Maud, the detective, would be able to set things to rights quite so quickly. This did, however, help with the pace of the book, which was cramming an awful lot into a short span of pages!

I wasn't aware that this book formed somewhat of a series until I found it on Goodreads, but that does make some more sense for our detective character, who is introduced more as a familiar face than a new character. The mystery was solid, though it could have done with a few more clues, and I did find that Nancy's stay in the mental health ward was a little lengthy and by-the-numbers, but this was an entertaining thriller read with some good sections that are sure to keep you guessing.

I thought this book was atmospheric and twisty and omg the suspense and the plot twists were so good! You felt like you didn’t know who to trust or what to think!

I liked that this felt a bit above a crime thriller and it really gave the characters good character development and I couldn’t put this down.

Detective Inspector Maud O'Connor is back, this time she is faced with an unreliable witness, claiming the death of her neighbour was not a suicide. But the boys club are not convinced and are determined to close the case. Maud needs to consider if the witness, Nancy North, is now stable, after suffering a breakdown.
There was a cast of realllly unlikeable and suspicious characters in this one, including Felix, Nancy's boyfriend. And Nancy herself, taking pills and seeing her therapist, finds it hard to even trust her own memory.
As always with the duo, their writing drew me in and there were plenty of twists to keep me entertained in this one.

Last days of Kira Mullan was an absolutely captivating and thrilling story.
Nancy and Felix move into a new flat, and one of the neighbours dies. Nancy believes it was murder but all the evidence points to suicide. Is Nancys mind playing tricks on her (again) or has something more sinister happened?

I really enjoyed this story. You really felt for Nancy and all that she was going through. Really made you just unsure of what exactly was going on but you absolute rooted for Nancy to be okay. And I absolutely loved Maud. She is now my new favourite cop!
What a thrilling read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for the arc!!

Nicci French is such a wonderful pair of authors and I was delighted to have the chance to read this latest story. Suicide or murder is the question that hangs over much of the book; meanwhile as we wait for answers there is so much else going on! the residents of the two apartments present so many horrific elements and offer plenty of suspicious characters as to who is responsible for what happened to Kira. As in pure nastiness with so many of them! However, even with all of this happening, it is the medical gaslighting and gaslighting by the apartment residents that has me shocked and on full alert as far as feeling tense and concerned for Nancy. It seems so unimaginable what happens with Nancy’s treatment and yet unfortunately is also all so imaginable and horrific. Hopefully one day there is more understanding and compassion, as well as a lot more supervision of mental health institutions!

My one disappointment with reading this was not realising it was the second in a series until halfway through. Unfortunately, despite owning the book I haven’t read “Has anyone seen Charlotte Salter?” yet and really need to play catchup with this. Maud and her role in this story was both enjoyable and also upsetting as far as her treatment by her bosses and colleagues. Overall, this is another brilliant story and i’m so thankful for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster.

4.5 / 5

Nicci French books have always been a joy to read and I am particularly liking the character of DI Maud O'Connor, this is the second outing for this detective, following on from the excellent Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?
Nancy and Felix have just moved into a new flat and it’s a bit of a hovel. Nancy didnt really want to move but it’s a fresh start after she had a breakdown and as a consequence lost her job and a lot of her friends. Her partner Felix has been a saint, taking care of her and making sure she is taking her medication and keeping calm. Gradually we are introduced to the people living in the flats around them, the couple with the crying baby across the hall, the older couple next door, the men in the ground flat, the young girl there also on her own. But Nancy starts to hear the voices again and then Kira, the young girl in the downstairs flat is found hanging. The police rule it a suicide but Nancy is convinced she was murdered and the voices are telling her so. Everyone is now watching out for Nancy and lies are being said to her and about her. Eventually she is committed to an asylum to help her recover. Nancy knows she isn’t crazy and plays the part until she is released, but all that has happened is that Felix is more controlling. On one of the few times she is able to get outside by herself she makes her way to the police station where she makes another statement, this time to Maud. First time round her statement was dismissed as the ramblings of an unhinged mind and the case of Kira Mullan was closed….suicide.
This time Maud listens and when she starts looking more closely at the case she sees that Kira in fact could not have hung herself.
It’s a great read, one where you just want to kill Felix for his smothering ways and then be rooting for Nancy.
Highly recommend.

#TheLastDaysofKiraMullen. #NetGalley

This is the first book I have read from author Nikki French but I have seen many reviews of her books that have been extremely positive so I thought I would request the book and I am glad I did.

Nancy North has had a rough time with mental health problems but when she and her husband Felix relocate to a new flat, her mental toughness will be tested. A young woman that lives downstairs from them has committed suicide but after meeting her in the street before this occurs Nancy cannot believe that this is truth and is convinced there is much more going on. No one else believes her including the police and they put her feelings down to paranoia. This whole unit block where they have moved to is filled with strange characters and they all are out to make her life even more difficult that it already has been.

I really enjoyed this story and was rooting for Nancy all the way through. I am not going to say any more but I do highly recommend the book and feel you will enjoy it as much as I did. thank you to Netgalley , the author and publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been a long time fan of Nicci French’s works and particularly enjoyed their latest offering Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? I was pleased to see Detective Inspector Maud O’Connor back. Whilst it is the second book that features her, both can definitely be read as standalones.

The story alternates between Maud and Nancy. Nancy has just been released from a mental health facility after a psychotic break. She and partner Felix move into a new flat for a fresh start. Not long after that a woman is found dead, a presumed suicide. Nancy is sure there’s more to it but is dismissed by the police. Maud and Nancy cross paths and Maud is convinced that her fellow detectives have missed something.

The authors give such a good insight in to what it’s like to love with a mental health condition and the stigma associated with it. From the beginning we know that Kira has been murdered but Nancy is dismissed as being paranoid and unreliable. Felix who looked like he was her main supporter appears to be gaslighting her. The tensions build you feel for Nancy and are keen for justice to be served for both her and Kira. The character development of the two women was so well done. The other residents of the house were all interesting and added to the tension as they react to the situation and Nancy. I had suspicions about a few people but was surprised by how it all came together. An engaging thriller with good insight into mental health. I hope there’ll be more Maud soon.

Nicci French, The Last Days of Kira Mullan, Simon & Schuster (Australia)|Simon & Schuster UK, January 2025.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

I had just finished rereading Nicci French’s Frieda Klein series, and joy of joys, “The Last Days of Kira Mullan” became available. This book did not disappoint. Like the many Nicci French novels already published, this one also deserves the accolades they have garnered. “The Last days of Kira Mullan” reintroduces Detective Inspector Maud O’Connor from the earlier novel, "Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?" However, before she arrives to investigate the Kira Mullan case anew, Nancy North’s story takes centre stage. This is an excellent device, reflecting a similar experience in the earlier novel where the detective also entered the narrative where the build-up gave Charlotte Salter’s story priority. At the same time, Maud O’Connor’s story moves forward, not only does she investigate but she makes a new friend and deals with old enemies.

Nancy North, would be restaurateur, has had a breakdown. Felix, her partner, is determined to care for her and ensure that there is no recurrence. Economic circumstances force them to move from their familiar flat and environment to a new area and into an inadequate and poorly located flat. The neighbours include a constantly crying baby, her young mother and overworked doctor husband, two male friends, and Kira Mullan. Next door is a similar house, which has remained intact, belonging to a mature married couple. Their superior economic situation creates an unequal power relationship with the flat dwellers despite fraternisation between them.

It is possible that Nancy could have found a satisfactory life there, she is being cared for, she is taking her medication, and she has plans to resume her career. But she has had a partially understood conversation with Kira just before she is believed to have committed suicide, leading her to eventually question assumptions about Kira’s death. Nancy’s attempts to regain her economic and emotional independence vie with her questioning the verdict of suicide. Nancy is headed for another breakdown and Felix is even more heroic in his efforts to save her.
The tension intensifies as Nancy fights her mental instability while investigating. Her efforts are thwarted, feasibly with the best of intentions, by Felix, the neighbours, and the original police investigative team. Her fears, frustration and belief in herself and her goal to unearth the truth about Kira make for a tension filled novel where the realities of dealing with mental health are exposed. Nancy must fight for her mental health against lies, manipulation and rejection, and the law allowing her incarceration as a mental patient accused of causing risk to herself and others. Understanding the way in which an instance of mental instability can colour understandings of subsequent behaviour is an integral part of this novel. Nancy’s despair is palpable and her inability to influence events creates distressing reading. However, her strength in creating a situation where she can return home is also well drawn – both situations are realistic and keep the tension mounting.

The one problem with Nicci French novels is that they always leave me wanting another – and promptly. Fortunately, they are so packed with ideas, as well as a tension filled narrative that rereading is always a positive option while waiting. However, I cannot wait too long - please, Nicci French, quickly creäte another absorbing case for Maude O’Connor to investigate.

No one believes you. Nancy knows that she us still battling her illness but when a young woman is found dead in their apartment building she knows that something is wrong. Why would someone that is young & carefree kill themselves. Nancy saw Kira on that fateful day but no one believes them when she tells them. She knows that she is well enough but her boyfriend Felix convinces everyone that she.is having another breakdown. Only one person believes her and .most importantly she is a police detective. But will tbe.y be able to find out the truth as everyone believes it is a suicide. Nancy will do anything to escape from Felix but he isn't about to let far disappear and it has devastating results for her.
A good read. Mental illness is a tricky one as no matter how hard we try others always see us broken about to fall apart. Just like Nancy we all deserve to be heard. Nancy is a strong woman who is fighting with everything that she has to get better. Felix is the one that needed the help as he believed that she owned her.
Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the copy. This is my voluntary review.

I devoured this absolute ripper of a story in one sitting. It’s one of Nicci French’s best so far, and I have read them all. The scariest aspect of the story is that I could so easily see it actually happening to someone. The tenuous hold on sanity and its links to personal power were chillingly portrayed, made all the more gripping by the protagonist’s insistence on getting to the truth. As ever, beautifully written with characters who leap off the pages and I can’t wait to read more books featuring this terrific detective.