What a fine year it is that brings us two books from the husband-wife author team known as Nicci French. This is almost enough to take the sting out of the news that the newly published DAY OF THE DEAD marks the end of their Frieda Klein series, the first seven installments of which included the name of a day of the week. Frieda, a troubled, rough-edged psychologist, has been memorable since BLUE MONDAY, and the conclusion ensures that she will not be forgotten.

Frieda is in hiding immediately following the events of SUNDAY SILENCE. She isn’t just hiding from Dean Reeve, the chilling killer who had long been thought to be dead by the authorities and...well, everyone but Frieda. She is also hiding from her friends, the police and even the reader. In fact, she doesn’t appear in DAY OF THE DEAD until a full quarter of the book has passed. However, there is plenty in that first quarter to keep the reader occupied. A terrible accident occurs in the opening pages, which, of course, is no accident. This is shortly followed by a horrific discovery and then another. It soon becomes evident that a serial killer is operating in London, and that it’s Reeve who’s responsible for these unthinkable acts.

"Frieda, a troubled, rough-edged psychologist, has been memorable since BLUE MONDAY, and the conclusion ensures that she will not be forgotten.... DAY OF THE DEAD is a wonderful way to end the series."

Frieda is convinced that Reeve is sending her a message, and indeed he is. He is telling her that, among other things, he is going to keep killing until he finds and murders her. Frieda is indeed found, but not by her friends. An energetic but somewhat hyperactive criminology student named Lola Hayes, at the suggestion of her professor, has taken Frieda as the subject matter of her dissertation. She insinuates herself into Frieda’s life at a very bad moment. As a result, Frieda is fearful that Reeve will go after Lola as well. She more or less forces Lola to go on the run with her, resulting in a fascinating tour of the good, bad and ugly residences of London from top to bottom.

Meanwhile, the police are hunting down Reeve with a vengeance even as he continues to elude them, more or less with aplomb, and at some point manages to locate Frieda as well. That’s when it gets even more interesting. The question soon develops as to who is the cat and who is the mouse. The roles keep changing, and while everything in this fine series finale is ultimately resolved, know this: sometimes the person playing the mouse is really, really smart.

DAY OF THE DEAD is a wonderful way to end the series. The French team unleashes a bombshell about three-quarters into the story --- if you don’t see it coming, you may ask yourself why (I sure did) --- which resonates throughout the remainder of the novel and ratchets up the suspense level through the stratosphere. I hope that we are not bidding farewell to all of the members of the ensemble who have supported Frieda Klein over the course of these eight books. If that is the case, though, then DAY OF THE DEAD is the worthiest of sendoffs.