I was very excited to see Nicci Gerrard and Sean French who together, have written 25 books under the moniker of Nicci French.
Cleverly they were Interviewed towards the close of the Edinburgh International Book Festival by Christopher Brookmyre and his wife Marisa Haetzman who also write together, as Ambrose Parry.
The latest Nicci French novel is ‘Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?’ – a novel exploring memory that spans thirty years following the disappearance of Charlotte Salter in a small village in Suffolk.
Part one is slow paced, and the reader follows Charlotte’s children as each react to the tragedy of her disappearance.
In the second part, it is now 30 years later and the botched investigation is re-opened. The world has changed significantly because of the rise of the internet. The children are now adults and must revisit their pain when a podcast investigates the mystery.
Unfortunately, the tragedy of loss has defined each character. And Charlotte’s children must deal with their bullying father, who is moved into a care home suffering from Alzheimer’s.
Part three introduces a policewoman from London, brought in to solve the mystery. This is where everything ties together in an unforgettable turn of events which leaves you unable to put the book down.
It was very interesting to hear how Gerrard and French manage to write together. Quite simply they work in different parts of their house and email sections back and forth. To be able to accept changes to your work there must be huge trust and understanding.