one crazy guy

I think I have read all of Nicci French's novels, and I love them. They are usually set in England, in and around London, and are always psychological thrillers involving a young woman who somehow gets romantically involved with a nutcase! A Secret Smile is no exception. In this story Miranda, the main character, meets this charming guy and has a couple of dates with him, then decides it's not the romance of a lifetime, and breaks off the relationship. So far, nothing unusual about that, except that this ex, Brendan, turns out to be far from normal, and continues to weave his way into every facet of Miranda's life, long after the relationship ends. He also insists on telling everyone that he ended the relationship, and that poor Miranda could not deal with the rejection, and pain of losing him. As Miranda gets more and more infuriated with Brendan and his continual lies about him, her, and their relationship in general, he manages to turn everyone against her, including her family, her best friend and her new boyfriend who all sympathize with the scheming Brendan.

At one point, the police even want to issue a restraining order against her. Eventually, you start to feel just as frustrated as Miranda, and wonder how this thing is ever going to end. I also had to laugh because being from England it reminded me of so many things I had forgotten, such as, when faced with the most dire situations what should you do? Make a cup of hot tea to help you think, of course! Anyway, if you are looking for pure entertainment with a great ending, read this book.