Killing Me Softly [Mass Market Paperback]

Nicci French (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2000

Alice Loudon has it all: a devoted boyfriend, a marvelous circle of friends, a challenging job as a research scientist. Then one morning, on her way to work, she exchanges a lingering look with a man so devastatingly attractive he takes her breath away. Adam Tallis is the essence of every female fantasy -- a daring mountain climber who has been hailed as a hero. As a lover, he is more passionate than Alice's wildest imaginings. Soon there isn't anything or anyone she wouldn't give up to stay by his side. Now all she has is Adam, and life with this stranger will take her to new heights of madness...and fear.

From internationally acclaimed author Nicci French comes a shattering tale that's being called one of the best psychological thrillers of the year...

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Nicci French is the pseudonym for the writing partnership of journalists Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. The couple are married and live in Suffolk. There are now ten novels by Nicci French, most recently Secret Smile, Catch Me When I Fall, Losing You and Until It's Over (hardback). Find out more about the books and authors at www.niccifrench.co.uk. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From AudioFile

Alice, a beautiful young woman engaged to be married to a loving young man, spies a rugged stranger, Adam, on the street one day. In short order, with barely a word spoken, Alice and Adam begin a sexual relationship and soon after marry. Only then does Alice begin to appreciate that she may have acted hastily and that Adam may not be an entirely good bet and quite possibly may be a lethal one. This is the preposterous thread Julia Franklyn is asked to work with, and it's a tribute to her professionalism and energy that she's able to make something of her assignment. Somehow, her Alice is sympathetic, and not merely dim. And by flattening her voice, Franklyn lends Adam a degree of menace that manages to sell the suspense that French is trying to deliver. This is a slender entertainment, but, thanks to Franklyn, entertainment nonetheless. M.O. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Vision; Reprint edition (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446608386
• ISBN-13: 978-0446608381
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,094,108 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A fine line between desire and abuse, May 25, 2000

By 

R. Griffiths "bookchoice" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Killing Me Softly (Mass Market Paperback)

I wanted to read this book because I knew that the author is actually two people - the British journalists Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. At first I was sceptical. How can two people write a novel that hangs together, I thought. Well, they succeed and only a couple of chapters in I had completely given up trying to guess who wrote what (an impossibility) and was entirely engrossed in the plot. There is just the right mixture of foreboding and surprise to keep readers turning the pages and burning the midnight oil. I stayed up till one in the morning to finish this, and the last half hour had my heart beating at twice its normal rate. Perhaps if you read a lot of thrillers the effect wears off a bit, but whether or not you read a lot of thrillers you should certainly read this one. A novel dealing with sexual violence could easily become either colluding or 'preachy', but Killing Me Softly avoids both these traps. The only qualm I have is about Adam's visit to Tara and Adele's parents. Why exactly?

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love Story Turned Thriller, October 11, 2000

By 

Momo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Killing Me Softly (Mass Market Paperback)

I had already been impressed with one of Nicci French's earlier books, "The Memory Game", and had high hopes for this one. It was even better than I could possibly have imagined.

"Killing Me Softly" starts out as a beautiful love story. Alice meets Adam and both are attracted to each other on first sight. That one moment is going to change Alice' life. She leaves her boyfriend, her home and her friends to get married to Adam. Only bit by tiny bit does Alice realize that there are some dark spots in Adam's past. With Alice' growing suspicion the book picks up speed and turns into a gripping thriller.

The whole book is told from Alice' perspective and this helps a lot to accept the choices she made. The reader is witness to her inner turmoil and shares her doubts and fears. I personally would have had a hard time to buy the story if it had been told differently. Told in first person as it is, it becomes believable and understandable.

I very much recommend this book to those who like psychological suspense.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh So Sad, June 19, 2000

By 

Betty Chan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Killing Me Softly (Mass Market Paperback)

Everyone dreams of a love that would sweep them off their feet and although it sounded all too incredulous for the story, that's how it all began for Alice.

Discarding her comfortable and predictable life, Alice falls in love and lust with Adam Tallis, a climber of mountains. Her happiness is tainted when her own curiosity of her husband's past gives way to gory events that she never expected.

I felt greatly grieved at how the story went. A believer in love myself, I felt happy for Alice to have found such a man who would love her and take care of her forever. I couldn't help shedding a couple of tears at how their love had to end.

This tale is intricately weaved and you would find it hard to put down this book. Every character is an important clue to the mystery which you think is really not much of a mystery, at first.

There are things in the story which reminded me of a "real" life - friends to fall back on, moving ourselves out of the comfort zone in pursuit of what we want, loving and being loved.

It all just seems almost real to me, the anxiety, the tension, the fear. I feel so moved by it all that I wish it would have gone better for Alice and Adam.

There is just so much to tug at your heartstrings that I can only say, READ THIS BOOK.

Great one, Nicci.