The Day of the Dead

French’s eighth and final novel about London psychotherapist Frieda Klein (after Sunday Silence) never rebounds from its sluggish start, in which a car crashes into a store. Behind the wheel is a man who has been dead for several days, the possible victim of serial killer Dean Reeve. The case falls to Det. Insp. Bill Dugdale and his assistant, Dan Quarry, who are soon called to the scene of another bizarre murder. Meanwhile, lazy and uninspired criminology student Lola Hayes, who needs a topic for her dissertation, decides to focus on Frieda and her unusual cases. But Frieda is in hiding, in fear of Reeve, who’s obsessed with making the psychotherapist one of his victims. Once Lola finds Frieda, she learns that Dean has been following her in the hope that she’ll lead him to his prey. More odd murders that appear to be Dean’s work do little to further the overwrought plot. Some readers may wish that French (the husband-wife writing team of Sean French and Nicci Gerard) had ended the series, which started strong, a couple of books back. Agent: Joy Harris, Joy Harris Literary Agency. (July)