Blue Monday

This superb psychological thriller from the pseudonymous French (The Other Side of the Door) stars a cerebral and self-contained London psychotherapist, Frieda Klein. When one of Frieda’s patients describes longings for a child eerily like five-year-old Matthew Faraday, whose recent abduction is front-page news, she reluctantly reports what she hopes is a coincidence to the authorities. Det. Chief Insp. Malcolm Karlsson asks for her insights first on one aspect of the case and then on another, drawing her into an investigation involving her patient’s shadowy past and an earlier abduction with subtle links to Matthew’s. In a further breach of her once impeccable boundaries, Klein’s personal life gets tangled as well, when her lover decides to relocate overseas, her adolescent niece grows troubled, and a colleague spins out of control. With its brooding atmosphere, sustained suspense, last-minute plot twist, and memorable cast of characters, this series debut will leave readers eager to discover what color Tuesday will be. French is the husband-wife writing team of Sean French and Nicci Gerard. Agent: Joy Harris, Joy Harris Literary Agency. (Mar.)