Sean French was born in May 1959 in Bristol, to a British father and Swedish mother. He too studied English Literature at Oxford University at the same time as Nicci, also graduating with a first class degree, but their paths didn't cross until 1990. In 1981 he won Vogue magazine's Writing Talent Contest, and from 1981 to 1986 he was their theatre critic. During that time he also worked at the Sunday Times as deputy literary editor and television critic, and was the film critic for Marie Claire and deputy editor of New Society. De gunst' is het nieuwe verhaal van dit bekende schrijversduo en ik was zeer benieuwd. De proloog begint met een fragment dat elf jaar geleden plaatsvond. Daarna springen we naar het heden en lees je vanuit Jude. Ze is arts in een ziekenhuis en op een dag staat Liam in de hal op haar te wachten. Niet veel later vraagt hij haar om een bijzondere gunst. In this twisty new stand-alone novel from internationally bestselling author Nicci French, a young woman agrees to do a favor for an estranged former boyfriend—but when things go horribly wrong, one small task turns into a murder investigation that completely upends her life, ensnaring her in a deadly web of secrets and lies. Can she say no to anyone ever? Nope! She'll help anyone that asks for no compelling reason whatsoever. The only person she doesn't help is herself.

The Favour eBook by Nicci French | Official Publisher Page The Favour eBook by Nicci French | Official Publisher Page

Those are not direct quotes per se but these same questions are asked of Jude by EVERYONE in the book. The same questions and the same answers over and over again. 😵 It’s no secret that the Nicci French duo are on my favourite writers’ list, so as soon as I heard they had a new book out I had to read it! I loved the premise of agreeing blindly to a “favour” a person you owe something to asks of you, without knowing any details, and then having to reap the unforeseen circumstances – this had so much potential to be tense and even a bit creepy (like one of their earlier novels SECRET SMILE). Life is going pretty well for Dr. Jude Winter. She has a rewarding job in the geriatric division of a London hospital and is looking forward to her wedding to fiancé Matt in two weeks time. Fantastic - a breathless drumbeat of dread and suspense . . . no one does it better than Nicci French' Lee Child Jude twijfelt, maar stemt dan toch toe. Ze verzwijgt dit echter wel voor haar verloofde. Maar als het zover is, komt Liam niet opdagen... Jude besluit te wachten en niet veel later krijgt ze een telefoontje van de politie. Dit zet haar leven totaal op zijn kop.This one was a little ridiculous. The main character is a doctor, but she makes one stupid decision after another, making it very difficult to like or understand her. Also, her actions were so absurd that the book lost any credibility early on. A host of side characters were also very unbelievable. Some may say this book airs on the lighter side when it comes to the Mystery/Thriller genre and perhaps they’re right it didn’t have me hiding under my bed, but this book has the suspense and at times eerie factor on high. I found the writing propulsive and exciting in the beginning, but I was not invested enough in the characters and in Liam’s world in the middle. I felt that Jude keeps making wrong decisions and cannot seem to help herself but instead get caught deeper into Liam’s world risking her life, her fiancé, and her career.

The Favour | Nicci French | 9781398509580 | NetGalley The Favour | Nicci French | 9781398509580 | NetGalley

The Favour is the sixteenth stand-alone novel by British writing duo, Nicci French. It’s over eleven years since Jude Winter has seen Liam Birch, but what they shared when they were eighteen has never left her. Life moved on for both: Jude qualified as a doctor and is about to marry Nat; Liam tells her he has a young son, Alfie. But Liam has a favour to ask, nothing big, no worries if you can’t, tell you what it is when we meet in Norfolk. The main character acts out an existential crisis: Jude's engagement collapses, she's left her home, she's been put on stress leave from her job, and a dark secret from her past re-emerges. Who is she, the book asks, subliminally, when all these factors that tether her to her social self are untied and can she re-forge an identity for herself? This is my first Nicci French book, and I'm excited to read more. I loved the writing. A perfect example of less is more. The result: spooky af, poignant, rhythmic. The writing was akin to Iain Reid, who evokes emotions with limited, fragmented prose. The storytelling was also giving me major Sharon Bolton vibes, but without the thriller aspect.Jude agrees. She goes along with his plan without asking too many questions, and without telling her fiancé. She follows Liam’s instructions, and waits. And then the police turn up, telling her that Liam has been found dead, in London. Why does Jude have his car, his bag, his wallet, his mobile phone, in a cottage in Norfolk? Jude’s explanation doesn’t really satisfy DI Leila Fox. In some ways it’s almost impossible to believe Jude agrees to do a favour – without knowing ANYTHING about the request – for ex high school boyfriend Liam. We get some insight into how smitten she was 11 years earlier but even she admits he was kinda dangerous and unpredictable. Fantastic - a breathless drumbeat of dread and suspense . . . no one does it better than Nicci French' Lee Child It's been eleven years since they last saw each other but Liam has come to ask a favor and Jude agrees, how could she not? Part of this favor has her lying to her fiancé so she can travel for hours to a cottage to await Liam's arrival and this is when and where he'll explain more.

A Perfectly Plotted Thriller: Read Our Review of The Favour

Het moment dat Jude op hem staat te wachten in Norfolk en Liam niet op komt dagen vond ik best spannend. Is er misschien iets met hem gebeurd of heeft hij zijn trein gemist? Family drama and office politics take center stage in this tense standalone from the pseudonymous French, the husband-and-wife writing team of Nicci Gerrard and Sean French (the Frieda Klein series). Continue reading »

Doordat het begin zo goed was had ik misschien ook te hoge verwachtingen voor het verdere verloop. Helaas kwam dit dus niet helemaal uit. Wel is de schrijfstijl weer super prettig! As Jude gets herself more and more enmeshed in what was Liam’s bohemian life, do her choices stretch the bounds of credibility? Most decidedly. But, a bit like a train crash, it’s hard to look away. Jude's life has gone to plan. She's a geriatric doctor, about to be married. Liam's life has not gone to plan, but then Liam never had a plan. Until now . . . If you like a storyline to be tied up neatly at the end, then this may not suit. Me? I loved it and still can't stop thinking about it.

The Favor by Nicci French | Goodreads

Accused murderer Tabitha Hardy, the protagonist of this ambitious standalone from the pseudonymous French (the Frieda Klein series), starts with two strikes against her. First, the London copy editor Continue reading » I always seem to have an unpopular opinion, but this time it's because I seemed to enjoy the book more than the other reviewers.

Jude’s intention to go home to Nat and say nothing is scuppered when someone leaks her role in this strange crime to the press. Her fiancé is even less convinced than DI Fox, and suddenly, that one decision turns her life upside down. And if Jude thinks that’s the worst that can happen, she’s got another think coming… When the police show up at the station instead of Liam, Jude realizes that she knows nothing about the man he’s become. Now she’s tangled up in his life, the last person to have seen him, and maybe the only one who can uncover the truth about what went wrong—even if she destroys her own life in the process. There are a lot of characters in this novel, and even Liam, who dies almost immediately after we read about him, plays an important role. For the rest of the housemates I couldn’t care less. I think the idea of living with friends long after you’ve graduated and found a job is quite silly. This is my first