Book Review: Some Day Tomorrow

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Some Day Tomorrow     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Nicolas Freeling
Class/Genre:   Mystery
St. Martin’s, Dec 2000, $22.95, 224 pp.

The Dutch police question retired flower grower septuagenarian Hubertus “Bert” van Bijl of the crime. Bert tells the police a rambling tale about his current life and much of the major events in his previous seven decades on the planet.

Through his meandering confession, Bert proves that he recently has become more and more isolated from his family and friends. Even his wife who Bert in some distant way cares about seems just out of reach for the elderly man. His efforts to connect with anyone, including wives of former associates, and family members only leave him further segregated from society. However, segregating one’s self is not a crime, but is his babbling confession ultimately going to lead to his admitting that he murdered the young woman or is it just the inane chatter of a lonely old man?

SOME DAY TOMORROW is a different type of police procedural. The story line focuses inside the mind of the prime suspect, a senior citizen, who may have killed a younger woman. Readers obtain an incredible psychological and emotional look from the inside at an intelligent, educated individual who has been forced into retirement before he is ready to do so. Nicolas Freeling’s novel is not action-packed, but packs quite a wallop through its ingenious ‘autobiographical” psychological character study.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner