Until It's Over

by Nicci French

Book Overview

A murder case pushes six roommates to their breaking point, in this chilling and erotic new thriller.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312375395
• ISBN13: 9780312375393
• Release Date: March 2009
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 376 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

some books are good, others are good reads

I loved the book and though it's clearly not the best even on it's genre, i would definitly recommend it to my friends. If you want to spend some time reading a book with thinking too much but without feeling bored, this is for you. One of Nicci French's best.

Two-view psychological thriller set in London

Bike messenger Astrid Bell shares a house with a passel of assorted friends, including an ex-lover, a prospective lover, a dope dealer, and Pippa, who has a new lover most every night. Astrid narrates the first, longer section, and the murderer narrates the second section, so don't skip ahead. It all starts, or so it seems, when Astrid is accidentally knocked off her bike by a neighbor, a middle-aged woman who doesn't seem to really fit the scruffy neighborhood. The next morning, the woman is found dead in the alley, an apparent robbery victim. The passing police interest in the housemates intensifies when one of Astrid's customers is also murdered, this time in a gruesome, ritualistic fashion. Meanwhile the housemate situation is crumbling. The house's owner and his girlfriend - mostly the girlfriend - want everybody out. A certain amount of bickering and acrimony is only natural and there's a third murder and an arrest before they all go their separate ways and the murderer gets to tell his side of the story. A pseudonym for the husband-and-wife team of Sean French and Nicci Gerard, French does a fine job of psychological suspense and misdirection.

excellent

In London Astrid Bell loves her life as a bike messenger and living with six roommates in a dumpy house on Maitland. She especially likes her flatmates who are best buddies to her though she knows each one of their flaws and idiosyncrasies. Riding her bike on her way home from work, Astrid collides with the car door of a neighbor Margaret Farrell. Her pals assist a somewhat battered Astrid home. Soon after the collision, someone kills Margaret, beating her to death in what the cops believe was an out of control rage. The police question the seven mates, but each has an alibi. Soon a second homicide tied back to Astrid occurs followed by another. The police suspect a stunned Astrid who has no explanation as to why someone would kill for her over minor indiscretions. The tale is broken into two interrelated segments with the first setting the stage mostly starring Astrid and the second how the acts were performed by the killer. Readers know early on who the serial killer is and why; yet the beauty of Nicci French's talent is that the suspense keeps intensifying until the end. Astrid is a terrific young woman whose life turns upside down from the moment she collides with the car which was unknown at that time to her or her buds. That incident apparently set in motion the murdering spree. Fans will enjoy this engaging thriller wondering UNTIL IT'S OVER what will happen next to a beleaguered Astrid. Harriet Klausner

and he seemed so normal!

A group of young people are sharing a large house in London, each with a bedroom of his own and with a shared kitchen/living room. The house is owned by Miles and each of the tenants pays rent and does a certain amount of cleaning and tidying. There's a mixture of personalities sharing this space, both professional and non professional with one of them even working as a bicycle courier. Some tensions DO exist as there is a certain amount of bed hopping but everything proceeds smoothly until the first major incident when the courier is knocked from her bike and on the next day, the motorist who accidently knocked her over is found murdered. From that moment, serious events take place with two more murders, this time accompanied by the ritualistic slashing of the victim. It's a very good, exciting and fast read with lots of psychological twists and turns.