Kira's last days: Nicci French continue to be back to their best

I've been reading the psychological thrillers by writing partnership, Nicci French, for some twenty years now. I'd count them amongst my favourite authors. They are masters of chilling and suspenseful novels that explore the dark side of human nature. Their books are so clever! Their characters are authentic and the situations they find themselves in are believable. Nicci French never go for bonkers endings for cheap thrills.

However, I was completely thrown by the writing partnership's 2021 and 2022 offerings, Unheard and The favour. Both are - disappointingly and uncharacteristically - a bit rubbish. I felt quite bereft that my beloved author duo seemed to be off their game. Their 2023 book, Has anyone seen Charlotte Salter?, was thankfully a return to their quality work. I tentatively approached their latest novel but was so relieved to discover that it is also a ripper. Yay!

The last days of Kira Mullan | Published April 2024 | Read March 2025

The story📖

Readers were introduced to Detective Inspector Maud O'Connor in Nicci French's previous novel. Maud is back again, this time investigating the apparent suicide of Kira Mullan, a young woman living in the downstairs flat of a multi-dwelling London home.

Nancy North is actually the central character in the Kira story. Recently moved into one of the upstairs flats in Kira's building, Nancy bumps into Kira the day before she is found dead. This encounter convinces Nancy that Kira's death is suspicious. Nancy doggedly fights to gain justice for Kira even when it seems no one believes her. Maud has her own battles with the investigation as her boys' club colleagues seem determine to close the case and rule Kira's death a suicide.

Nancy is not a believable source of information as she had previously suffered a psychotic break that caused her fledgling restaurant to fail and damaged long-standing friendships. Nancy and her boyfriend, Felix, are making a fresh start in the new flat, with Felix supporting Nancy's recovery, determined to help her move on with her life. The discovery of Kira's body seems to send Nancy spiralling, and tensions between Nancy and Felix rise.

What worked for me💖

I loved Maud in Has anyone seen Charlotte Salter? She's clever, caring, dogged and tough, so I was pleased to see her in this latest novel. Sadly, her partner in Charlotte Salter, Carrie Kessler, was missing, but hopefully she will reappear in later books. It looks as if Nicci French is embarking on a new series featuring DI O'Connor. I'm glad of that now that they seem to have retired their darkly intriguing Frieda Klein series (not yet reviewed on my blog).

The last days of Kira Mullan is actually less about Kira's last days and more about Nancy's mental health struggles. The book drips with paranoia, suspicion, abuse, and manipulation. I never once, however, felt like I couldn't root for Nancy. Even though Kira doesn't feature much in the book, I was hoping for justice for her, too. The story made for a tense read that had me on edge.

I appreciated the way Nicci French handled the topic of mental illness. They sent a powerful message about how easy it is to delegitimise people's thoughts, feelings, and observations and label them as simply symptoms of an illness. I loved Maud even more for taking Nancy seriously and for the way she let her intuition and strong investigative skills spur her on.

What didn't work so well for me😕

The treatment of the key themes are both a blessing and a curse. As the story progresses, Felix's gaslighting and control over Nancy ramps up. This is hard to read at times, as it felt depressingly realistic. Nicci French's spotlight on the flaws in the mental health system also makes for a grim read. Despite the grim subject matter, I give props to the authors for their handling of it and for making me feel deeply through my reading journey.

The wash up🔚

If you find reading about gaslighting infuriating, The last days of Kira Mullan may not be your cup of tea. I loved the book. mostly for Nancy and Maud, and for Nicci French's sensitive handling of mental illness. Bonus points for my failure to guess the perpetrator, too. I was also super happy to see Nicci French continuing their winning streak.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐