Product Description
In The Shadow of Your Smile, worldwide bestselling author Mary Higgins Clark weaves a spellbinding thriller revolving around a long-held family secret that threatens to emerge and take the life of an unsuspecting heiress.

At age eighty-two and in failing health, Olivia Morrow knows she has little time left. The last of her line, she faces a momentous choice: expose a long-held family secret, or take it with her to her grave.

Olivia has in her possession letters from her deceased cousin Catherine, a nun, now being considered for beatification by the Catholic Church—the final step before sainthood. In her lifetime, Sister Catherine had founded seven hospitals for disabled children. Now the cure of a four-year-old boy dying of brain cancer is being attributed to her. After his case was pronounced medically hopeless, the boy’s desperate mother had organized a prayer crusade to Sister Catherine, leading to his miraculous recovery.

The letters Olivia holds are the evidence that Catherine gave birth at age seventeen to a child, a son, and gave him up for adoption. Olivia knows the identity of the young man who fathered Catherine’s child: Alex Gannon, who went on to become a world-famous doctor, scientist, and inventor holding medical patents.

Now, two generations later, thirty-one-year-old pediatrician Dr. Monica Farrell, Catherine’s granddaughter, stands as the rightful heir to what remains of the family fortune. But in telling Monica who she really is, Olivia would have to betray Catherine’s wishes and reveal the story behind Monica’s ancestry.

The Gannon fortune is being squandered by Alex’s nephews Greg and Peter Gannon, and other board members of the Gannon Foundation, who camouflage their profligate lifestyles with philanthropy.

Now their carefully constructed image is cracking. Greg, a prominent financier, is under criminal investigation, and Peter, a Broadway producer, is a

suspect in the murder of a young woman who has been extorting money from him.

The only people aware of Olivia’s impending choice are those exploiting the Gannon inheritance. To silence Olivia and prevent Monica from learning the secret, some of them will stop at nothing—even murder.

Clark’s riveting new novel explores the juxtaposition of medical science and religious faith, and the search for identity by the daughter of a man adopted at birth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

GOOD BOOK
I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE AND I FIND THE BOOK TO BE INTERESTING.WORTH A READ.

Excellent service
The book came in better condition than I expected and the service was very fast and efficient.I would definitely use this company again.Everything M.H.C. writes is excellent.

book

Came quickly and was what I ordered.Would buy from this merchant again.

Shadow of your Smile
Very good, just like I expected from Mary Higgins Clark, one of my favorite authors.

The Shadow of Your Smile
This book was typical of Mary Higgsin Clarks genre.I did enjoy the topic and it is a fast read.However, was disappointed in someone not catching a mistake during editing -- babies are never given baby aspirin anymore as it can cause Reyes Syndrome and possibly death.It was mentioned several times in the book "to give a baby aspirin".
Sorry, Mary -- needed a pediatrician or young mother editing this one! ... Read more

Product Description
IN WORLDWIDE BESTSELLING SUSPENSE WRITER MARY HIGGINS CLARK’S SPELLBINDING NEW THRILLER, A BROADWAY STAR’S MURDER IGNITES A SHOCKING SERIES OF DEADLY EVENTS. . . .

After famous actress Natalie Raines is found in her home, dying from a gunshot wound, police immediately suspect her theatrical agent and jealous soon-to-be-ex-husband, Gregg Aldrich. But no charges are brought against him until two years later, when a career criminal suddenly claims Aldrich had tried to hire him to kill her. The case is a plum assignment for attractive thirty-two-year-old assistant prosecutor Emily Wallace. She spends long hours preparing for the trial, and unaware of a seemingly well-meaning neighbor’s violent past, gives him a key to her home to care for her dog. The high-profile trial makes headlines, threatening to reveal personal matters about Emily, such as the fact that she had a heart transplant— especially when she experiences eerie sentiments that defy all reason and continue even after the jury decides Gregg Aldrich’s fate. But little does she know, now her own life is at risk. . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (95)

Please more MHC Movies!
I just finished reading "Just take my Heart" and was rather disappointed. But no author can always write a top bestseller, Carlene Thompson can't and neither can Joy Fleming.

MHC has written some really thrilling books and they have not yet been filmed like "All through the Night", "On the Street where you live", "Daddy's little Girl", "The second Time around", ""Night Time is my Time", "No Place like Home", "Two little Girls in Blue", "I heard that Song before", "Where are you now?" and "Just take my Heart".
Except of her boring Willy & Alvirah stories I love all her books and look forward to each new one.

My favorite MHC movies are "Stillwatch" (Angie Dickinson), "A Cry in the Night" (Perry King and famous French actress Annie Girardot), "Remember me" (Kelly McGillis), "Moonlight becomes you" (Donna Mills), "We'll meet again", "A Crime of Passion", "Before I say Goodbye", "Haven't we met before?" (Nicolette Sherdian) and especially "I'll be seeing you" (Alison Eastwood) and "Try to remember" with Gabrielle Anwar and Diego Wallraff which I all can recommend as very good TV movies.

not up to MHC standard
I have read everyone of Mary Higgins Clark's book and have always loved them but this one was without a doubt a dud. It was fast paced but I think it was because there was no depth to any of the characters in the book. It was simplistically written and the author didn't bother to build a foundation that made me feel like I knew any of the characters. I felt like I was eaves dropping into Emily's brain and not finding anything of substance. I love surprise endings and usually Mary has one. But this time was an exception. I suspected right off the bat who did it, which made for me a very disappointing ending. Certainly not up to MHC standards. I hope her newest book will be more typical of her previous work but if not, I'll just have to find another favorite author. Sorry Mary, this one just didn't do it for me

Love her books, love your price
Every one of Mary Higgins Clark's books have been fun reading because she keeps you in suspense through the book.Can't beat the price either.

Quick Read
WOW!Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark is full of suspense and true-to-life characters.It's a murder mystery because although the husband, Greg Aldrich, is on trial for killing his wife, Natalie, he claims he didn't do it.It is a high profile case that is discussed every evening on the show, "Courtside" which is hosted by Greg's best friend.

Emily, the prosecuting attorney, goes after a conviction even though she has some doubt about the defendant's guilt.She has a soft spot for him when she sees his mother-in-law and his daughter and discovers there may be some tampering of the evidence in her case.As if that's not enough, Emily is in danger herself when a serial killer moves in next door to her and stalks her.Emily's husband was killed in Iraq and she never remarried so lives alone with her dog, Bess. I found parts even humorous when the serial killer loved to watch the show, "Fugitive Hunt" to see if he was featured.

I loved how Emily discovers the truth and the surprise twist at the end, although the ending seemed very abrupt.There is so much more I'd like to say, but don't want to ruin it for you.Most of the book focuses on the trial and is not gory.I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes suspense, murder mysteries.

Not one of her best
Usually love her books, however, this one is not at the top of my list.She's done better. ... Read more

Product Description
Mary Higgins Clark sends chills down readers' spines with the story of Lacey Farrell, a rising star on the Manhattan real estate scene. One day, while showing a luxurious skyline co-op, Lacey is witness to a murder -- and to the dying words of the victim.... The dying woman is convinced that the attacker was after her dead daughter's journal -- which Lacey gives to the police, but not before making a copy for herself. It's an impulse that later proves nearly fatal.

Placed in the witness protection program and sent to live in the Minneapolis area, Lacey must assume a fake identity, at least until the killer can be brought to trial. There she meets Tom Lynch, a radio talk-show host whom she tentatively begins to date -- until the strain of deception makes her break it off. Then she discovers the killer has traced her to Minneapolis. Armed with nothing more than her own courage and clues from the journal, Lacey heads back to New York, determined to uncover who's behind the deaths of the two women -- before she's the next casualty.

At once seductive and frightening, Pretend You Don't See Her is the "mistress of high tension" (The New Yorker) at her ingenious best.Amazon.com Review
Lacey Farrell, the heroine of Mary Higgins Clark's 15th novel, is having a bit of an identity crisis. While working as a real estate agent in New York, Lacey witnessed a client's murder, and now she's in hiding with a new name and a new life. But changing her identity doesn't completely remove Lacey from the web of danger and deceit that surrounds the crime; new clues keep popping up that suggest some kind of link between Lacey's family and the murder. Meanwhile, a new man comes into the heroine's life, further complicating an already murky situation. As any fan will tell you, Mary Higgins Clark never fails to deliver plot twists and turns that are as unexpected as they are thrilling. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (148)

Waste of money
Spoiler Alert:

The author makes her protagonist do stupid things.Worse, however, is that it is clear in the first chapter who the big criminal is.Clark recycles her plots, her characters, and her reasoning, so it's easy to figure out the story without trouble. What a waste of money.

Enjoyable
While I couldn't give this book 5 stars, it was still a good read, and shows off some of Ms. Clark's writing ability. I especially liked this book because of the surprises that kept coming, and racked my brain trying to figure out whodunnit to Heather Landi. The mark of a good book has a hard-to-figure out whodunnit, and this book is also nicely-paced. Classic MHC, a solid read.

Pretend You Don't See Her
I loved the book.I am especially pleased that regardless of the danger to her, another person's dieing wish was kept.Some people still have morals.

Fast paced, good story
This was one of the better books I have read of MHC.I liked the plot and it kept me reading all night.

Witness Protection...
In Pretend You Don't see her, real estate agent, Lacey Farrell, innocently witnesses a chilling murder. As the only eye witness, she of course is soon in danger herself. Attempts are made at her life that also endanger her family and those she loves. Seeing no other option, she agrees to the witness protection program. Soon of course, the bad guys catch up with her and she realize her nightmare will never be over until she confronts the past and finds the killer.

Plenty of suspense and action, fans of the author will love it. ... Read more

Product Description

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO COME..."

Slipped under the door of her Georgetown home, the note was an ominous reminder of Pat Traymore's past. The beautiful young television journalist had come to glamorous, high-powered Washington to produce a TV series. Her subject: Senator Abigail Jennings, slated for nomination as the first woman vice president of the United States.

With the help of an old flame, Congresman Sam Kingsley, Pat delves into Abigail's life, only to turn up horrifying facts that threaten to destroy senator's reputation and her career. Worse still, sinister connections to Pat's own childhood and the nightmare secrets hidden within are surfacing -- secrets waiting to destroy her. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (39)

Journalist or Propagandist?
I have two major problems with this book.First of all, Pat Traymore is supposed to be a journalist- implying that she will be objective.Yet, throughout the book, it seems that her boss is more concerned with portraying Sen. Jennings in a positive light to sway the vice-presidential pick.If Pat is trying to influence the political system in favor of a particular candidat, then she shouldn't have been portrayed as a journalist.Mary Higgins Clark should have written her as a campaign operative.

Second of all, Pat is the victim of a serious crime- stalking.Yet her boss and the Senator routinely criticize her for creating "bad publicity".I'm sorry is a stalking victim supposed to ignore a crime and not call the police because it might upset her boss?The attitude displayed by her boss is offensive and irrational.

I usually enjoy Mary Higgins Clark's books, but this book left me frustrated and unsatisfied.

Stillwatch
This was one of her early ones and it is good but her newer ones are really good page turners

Enjoyable read
I wont go into details about what the book is about because Amazon and the thirty five people before me did a very good job of that already! I just want to add my two cents as this is my first book on the kindle 2 and I must say the book is a quick read, holds your attention with a good plot. I think you will enjoy this one! Dive in!

Fantastic Book
What a fantastic book. I'm not very good at writing reviews for books, but I can say that I could not put this book down, and I'm usually easily distracted.

Read in one day
In contrast to the Grisham book I had just finished that took me weeks to get through, I started and ended Stillwatch in the same day.There was never a good place to put it down.I always wanted to find out what was going to happen or to see if the person I suspected was the culprit.This book weaves a few different storylines together and although not a book destined for the classics, was a highly enjoyable read.If you're going on vacation, don't expect this one to last you the week! ... Read more

Product Description
From America's Queen of Suspense comes a gripping tale of a young woman trying to unravel the mystery of a family tragedy -- a quest with terrifying repercussions.

It has been ten years since twenty-one-year-old Charles MacKenzie Jr. ("Mack") went missing. A Columbia University senior, about to graduate and already accepted at Duke University Law School, he walked out of his apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side without a word to his college roommates and has never been seen again. However, he does make one ritual phone call to his mother every year: on Mother's Day. Each time, he assures her he is fine, refuses to answer her frantic questions, then hangs up. Even the death of his father, a corporate lawyer, in the tragedy of 9/11 does not bring him home or break the pattern of his calls.

Mack's sister, Carolyn, is now twenty-six, a law school graduate, and has just finished her clerkship for a civil court judge in Manhattan. She has endured two family tragedies, yet she realizes that she will never be able to have closure and get on with her life until she finds her brother. She resolves to discover what happened to Mack and why he has found it necessary to hide from them. So this year when Mack makes his annual Mother's Day call, Carolyn interrupts to announce her intention to track him down, no matter what it takes. The next morning after Mass, her uncle, Monsignor Devon MacKenzie, receives a scrawled message left in the collection basket: "Uncle Devon, tell Carolyn she must not look for me."

Mack's cryptic warning does nothing to deter his sister from taking up the search, despite the angry reaction of her mother, Olivia, and the polite disapproval of Elliott Wallace, Carolyn's honorary uncle, who is clearly in love with Olivia.

Carolyn's pursuit of the truth about Mack's disappearance swiftly plunges her into a world of unexpected danger and unanswered questions. What is the secret that Gus and Lil Kramer, the superintendents of the building in which Mack was living, have to hide? What do Mack's old roommates, the charismatic club owner Nick DeMarco and the cold and wealthy real estate tycoon Bruce Galbraith, know about Mack's disappearance? Is Nick connected to the disappearance of Leesey Andrews, who had last been seen in his trendy club? Can the police possibly believe that Mack is not only alive, but a serial killer, a shadowy predator of young women? Was Mack also guilty of the brutal murder of his drama teacher and the theft of his taped sessions with her?

Carolyn's passionate search for the truth about her brother -- and for her brother himself -- leads her into a deadly confrontation with someone close to her whose secret he cannot allow her to reveal. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (106)

Very good Thriller
I just finished reading "Where are you now" and definitely enjoyed the book.

MHC has written some extremely thrilling books and they have not yet been filmed like "All through the Night", "On the Street where you live", "Daddy's little Girl", "The second Time around", "Night Time is my Time", "No Place like Home", "Two little Girls in Blue", "I heard that Song before", "Where are you now?" and "Just take my Heart".
Except of her boring Willy & Alvirah stories I love all her books and look forward to each new one.

My favorite MHC movies are both filmed versions of "The Cradle will fall" (with Lauren Hutton, but also the one with Angie Everhart), "Stillwatch" (Angie Dickinson), "A Cry in the Night" (Perry King and famous French actress Annie Girardot), "Remember me" (Kelly McGillis), "Moonlight becomes you" (Donna Mills), "We'll meet again", "A Crime of Passion", "Before I say Goodbye", "Haven't we met before?" (Nicolette Sherdian) and especially "I'll be seeing you" (Alison Eastwood) and "Try to remember" with Gabrielle Anwar and Diego Wallraff which I all can recommend as very good TV movies.

Great Read
I have read Mary Higgins Clark in the past and always enjoyed her books but wasn't a loyal reader.I actually downloaded the book by mistake onto my kindle and when I was done reading this book I had to instantly go back and find out who wrote it so I could download more.I was on the edge of my seat and couldn't put the book down.The only thing I didn't like, but it's a personal preference, I am not a huge fan and so many significant characters.Give me 4 and I am happy...give me 10 and I start forgetting who is who and tend to have to stop and think about who the person is before I can finish a chapter.

great book
i ordered this book for mymother and she is reading it now and loves it

Messages on mother's day- a murderer or worse?
Charles, MacKenzie, a college student, disappears unexpectedly. His family only hears from him via a brief telephone message on Mother's Day each year.His sister, while in between law jobs, decides that she is tired of the effect that this has on her and her mother and decides to search for her brother and get an answer to the mystery. The family receives a cryptic note via their church not to pursuehim.Carolyn investigates his former roommates (one of whom she had an enormous crush on, the other has married her brother's girlfriend.). She also looks into the property managers for her brother's apartment who appear to have a secret of their own. As she digs, she discovers some shocking elements to her brother's past that don't seem to add up, including the murder of his acting coach. At the same time, a young girl disappears and leaves a similar message to her brother's. Is her brother a murdererer or is he involved in something worse? This was an entertaining story and easy to read.

Mary Higgins Clark has done it again
Twenty-six-year-old law school graduate Carolyn MacKenzie is on the fast track to a successful legal career. But before she can pursue her own goals and move forward with her life, she is driven to solve a decade-old mystery that has tortured her family.

Ten years ago, her 21-year-old brother Mack walked out of his Manhattan apartment without a word of goodbye, leaving behind a promising future and a loving family. The disappearance of Mack and the loss of her father in the attack on the World Trade Center have taken their toll, not only on Carolyn, but even more so on her mother Olivia.

Once a year, on Mother's Day, Mack calls Olivia to tell her he is okay, but he refuses to say where he is or what is keeping him from returning home. For the past decade Olivia has lived with false hope, believing Mack will one day return, and Carolyn has stood by --- helpless --- watching her mother suffer. But this year is different. When Mack calls, Carolyn interrupts the conversation and tells Mack she is going to track him down --- no matter what it takes.

Olivia is enraged that Carolyn has threatened Mack because she believes her son is either in grave danger or in serious trouble. Elliott Wallace, a trusted family friend who is enamored with Olivia, also advises Carolyn not to pursue the matter.

The next morning, during a Mass celebrated by Carolyn's uncle Devon, someone folds a message inside a $20 bill and leaves it in the collection basket. The note asks the priest to warn Carolyn to back off.

Despite her mother's angry reaction and the threatening message, Carolyn is more determined than ever to find her missing brother. She goes to the police, who initially brush her off, but she does not give up.

After visiting the building where Mack used to live, she becomes convinced that Gus and Lil Kramer, the superintendents, know something about her brother's disappearance and have something to hide. Mack's former roommates aren't much help, either. Handsome and charming Nick DeMarco has his own problems, and Bruce Galbraith is downright hostile.

During her search, a college student goes missing not far from where Mack was last seen, and police get involved. The further the cops dig, the more they find clues tying the young woman's disappearance to Mack. They begin to suspect that Mack could be missing for a reason. Over the years several young women have disappeared in the same area, and Mack quickly becomes their primary suspect. The closer Carolyn comes to finding her brother and proving his innocence, the more deadly the consequences.

Mary Higgins Clark has done it again. America's "Queen of Suspense" has written a fast-paced thriller with an unexpected twist. WHERE ARE YOU NOW? is also a surprisingly touching story about living with heartache and the enriching power of love to overcome loss.
... Read more

Product Description
From the beloved mother-daughter duo of Mary Higgins Clark, America’s Queen of Suspense, and Carol Higgins Clark, author of the hugely popular Regan Reilly series, comes Dashing Through the Snow, a holiday treat loaded with as many surprises as Santa’s sleigh.

In picturesque Branscombe, New Hampshire, on the night before the village’s first (and many hope annual) Festival of Joy, a group of employees at the local market learn they have won $180 million in the lottery. But the one worker, Duncan, who decided at the last moment not to play, is nowhere to be found. And while a second winning ticket was purchased in the next town, that winner hasn’t come forward. Could Duncan have secretly bought it?

Alvirah Meehan, amateur sleuth, and private investigator Regan Reilly have arrived in town for the festival. And as they dig beneath the surface, they find that life in little Branscombe is not as tranquil as it appears. But while Alvirah and Regan have to put aside their visions of an old-fashioned weekend in the country, this fast-paced holiday caper is sure to keep you dashing through the pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

Appropriate for adults and kids alike
We recently took a trip to the beach and decided to listen to an audio book on the way.We selected Dashing Through the Snow by Mary and Carol Higgins Clark.Carol narrated the book and did a nice job.She was easy to follow and very energetic in her reading.She did not have a unique voice for each character as some narrators do but it didn't detract from the listenablity of the audio book.Alvirah, a former cleaning lady who won $40 million in the lottery, her husband Willy, Nora Regan Reilly, a mystery author, her husband Luke, their daughter Regan, a private investigator, and her husband Jack, from the NYPD all attend The Festival of Joy in Branscombe, New Hampshire.Branscombe is turned on its ear with a missing person, a kidnapping, two $160 million winning lottery tickets, and a bunch of crooks.The storyline was a little far-fetched, but, then again, it is fiction.It was a soft-core mystery which was enjoyable and appropriate for both adults and kids.

Dashing Through T the Snow
Very disappointed in this book. Mary Higgins Clark usually has such a higher quality of writing. Felt as though I was reading a book written by a newcomer with not much skill.
Valerie

Quick read
This is a good story & a quick read. The characters are believable & so is the plot.

Dreck
Mary Higgins Clark is not bad.Her daughter has ridden to publishing success on her mother's coat tails.Shame on her and shame on those who publish her incredibly sloppily written work.This particular novel was clearly written in bulk by the daughter.It has all the earmarks of her slap dash dialogue, improbable plot lines and boring predictability.I have read just a few of Carol's novels in the hopes that experience might improve her product.I give up.And I wish her mother wouldn't put her name on the same book as her daughter's.Mary's books, while not destined for a spot on the 'classics' shelf, at least read well, are suspenseful and are not cringe-worthy.
Unless you are truly a fan of Carol Higgins Clark (I can't imagine such a creature.)don't waste your money.

And to the publishers of these woefully bad bits of dreck - what are you thinking?I guess it really is all about the money, isn't it?And that's a shame because there are a lot of excellent novelist out there whose work should be published.They just don't happen to have a famous author mom on whose success they can trade.

Holiday book rates a "who cares"
I love Christmas themed books and Mary Higgins Clark can be quite good so I decided to give this one a try. There is not much redeemable about this book. The characters are weak especially the reoccurring ones from Mary and Carols other books. I did not find anything here to make me care enough about them to seek out any of the other books they appear in. The setting is weak and the Christmas theme very thin as is the plot. It is a quick and easy read but even for a must read situation like a plane trip it may be too boring to hold anyone's attention. ... Read more

Product Description

In the gripping new novel from the Queen of Suspense, a woman is haunted by two grisly murders separated by more than a century, yet somehow, inextricably linked...

ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE

Following a nasty divorce and the trauma of being stalked, criminal defense attorney Emily Graham leaves Albany to work in Manhattan. Craving roots, she buys her ancestral home, a Victorian house in the seaside resort town of Spring Lake, New Jersey. Her family sold the house in 1892, after one of Emily's forebears, Madeline Shapley, then a young girl, disappeared.

As the house is renovated and a pool dug, a skeleton is found and identiWed as Martha Lawrence, a young Spring Lake woman who vanished several years ago. Within her hand is the Wnger bone of another woman, with a ring -- a Shapley family heirloom -- still on it. Determined to Wnd the connection between the two murders, Emily becomes a threat to a seductive killer...who chooses her as the next victim.Amazon.com Review
Emily Graham knows what it's like to have enemies. The pretty New Yorkattorney--a millionaire due to a lucky stock market break--has been sued byher greedy ex-husband and stalked by a man who thinks she helped hismother's murderer escape punishment. But when she buys hergreat-great-grandmother's childhood home in the sleepy resort town ofSpring Lake, Emily thinks her new life will be saner, even though fiveother young women, including Emily's ancestor Madeline Shapley, havedisappeared from Spring Lake under creepy circumstances over the pastcentury.

No sooner has Emily moved in than she starts receiving frightening,anonymous messages. Worse, when she breaks ground for a backyard pool, thebackhoe brings up the body of Martha Lawrence, who vanished four yearsago, and whose dead hand clutches the finger bone of Madeline Shapley,identified by her sapphire ring. Both women disappeared onSeptember 7, 105 years apart. When the cops and Emily realize that asimilar parallel exists between two other missing women and that theanniversary of yet another girl's disappearance is fast approaching, theyquickly surmise that a sixth murder will be attempted in just a week. Butby whom? Is today's serial killer a copycat of the Spring Lake murderer ofthe 1890s--or a reincarnation? Fueled by fear, anger, and scary littlenotes from the killer, Emily's actively researching the murders, but evenshe doesn't realize how many suspects there are: the retired collegepresident, who's being blackmailed, and his perpetually angry wife; thetown's bankrupt restaurateur with a weakness for pretty blondes; themiddle-aged detective with his finger right on the pulse of the crimes.Even Emily's friend Eric, the software CEO who made her rich, and Nick, hernew coworker, seem to show up at suspiciously convenient times.

Mary Higgins Clark's cast of characters may be overly large; in going forquantity she skimps on the characterization, and all of them, includingEmily, are as wooden as Al Gore. But characterization isn't what's madethis 24-book author a bestseller-list regular. The cleverly complex plotgallops along at a great clip, the little background details are aucourant, and the identities of both murderers come as an enjoyablesurprise. On the Street Where You Live just may be Clark's best inyears. --Barrie Trinkle ... Read more

Customer Reviews (185)

My first Mary Higgins Clark book
I've been a long time James Patterson fan but after reading some of his more recent books I've come to the decision that it might be time to finally move on. I love Lisa Gardner and Tess Gerritsen, but they only come out with a new book every year or two, definitely not often enough for my to rely soley on them. After some research I decided to try a book by Mary Higgins Clark. I've heard or her, she's written numerous books, and the vast majority of her books get 4-4.5 stars by Amazon users. This story line looked interesting and I liked the idea of two different mysteries (one back in the 1890s and one in the present) so I decided to give this book a try. It's been quite a while since I've read a page turner that really kept me hooked and this book did exctly that. I loved the two main story lines, they both kept my interest until the end. There were also some minor story lines going on which didn't fully contribute to the overall mystery, but they weren't distracting so I didn't mind them. My only complain about this book is the number of characters. There were so many that sometimes when reading about one I'd forget who exactly they were and what their contribution to the story was. Usually I flip back to where I first met them to refresh my memory, but since I read this on my Kindle it would be too tedious. I spent parts of the book a little lost trying to remember who exactly I was reading about and what they had done so far. Overall I loved this book. I loved the story line and the ending was good. All the loose ends were wrapped up nicely, although some a bit briefly (but I still got closure on everyone and every story line in the book so I was happy). I'm excited to have found a good author and can't wait to read some more good, suspenseful thrillers with a great story line. (sorry Patterson).

As good as her first 5 Thrillers
Only 72 out of 182 readers gave this book 5 stars. Come on, MHC has not written such a thrilling and unpredictable thriller since the mid seventies and early eighties (with the exception of "Remember me" which has been released in the mid nineties).
I give it all 5 stars!

MHC has written some really thrilling books and they have not yet been filmed like "All through the Night", "On the Street where you live", "Daddy's little Girl", "The second Time around", ""Night Time is my Time", "No Place like Home", "Two little Girls in Blue", "I heard that Song before", "Where are you now?" and "Just take my Heart".
Except of her boring Willy & Alvirah stories I love all her books and look forward to each new one.

My favorite MHC movies are "Stillwatch" (Angie Dickinson), "A Cry in the Night" (Perry King and famous French actress Annie Girardot), "Remember me" (Kelly McGillis), "Moonlight becomes you" (Donna Mills), "We'll meet again", "A Crime of Passion", "Before I say Goodbye", "Haven't we met before?" (Nicolette Sherdian) and especially "I'll be seeing you" (Alison Eastwood) and "Try to remember" with Gabrielle Anwar and Diego Wallraff which I all can recommend as very good TV movies.

There is no whodunit factor in this book (or any of MHC's books)
There is no "whodunit" factor in this, or any other, MHC novel.Every single novel of hers has the SAME villain. Every time, we have to choose between: Highly Suspicious Guy #1, Highly Suspicious Guy(s) #2-whatever,and Random Nice Guy With No Apparent Motive. In each and every MHC novel I've read, the murderer is ALWAYS the Random Nice Guy With No Apparent Motive. This book is no exception. I picked out the murderer within the first 20 pages of this book. I'm not quite sure why I read this book to the end; I guess I was curious if MHC always followed her formula. The answer is-- yes, she sure does! I guess I was hoping this one would somehow end differently. Surely I can't be the only person who has noticed this?

Clark Fans Won't Be Disappointed
I missed this when it first came out, so it was a treat to discover a Mary Higgins Clark that I hadn't already devoured. Yes, I'm a fan of hers, so this review comes from that viewpoint. On the Street Where You Live uses many of the plot techniques familiar to MHC's devoted readership. She places an attractive, accomplished young woman in a vulnerable situation where she is stalked by a killer.

In this book, Emily Graham takes time out from practicing law to get settled in to an ancestral home in a seaside resort town. The description reminded me of Cape May with fewer tourists. One of Emily's ancestors disappeared from the home a century ago. Around the same time, several other young women vanished so a serial killer was suspected. Now in modern times, another woman was missing and turns up buried in Emily's backyard.

As the press begins to talk of a reincarnation of the serial killer, the reader is presented with a variety of prime suspects. MHC scatters the clues widely and provides seven or eight likely candidates with opportunity and possible motives for the recent murder.

Brief (anonymous) peeks into the mind and thinking of the murderer keeps tension high, but doesn't give anything away. Always a pleasure to read one of her suspenceful books.

Left me breathless....
Mary Higgins Clark really delivered in this fast paced page turner.It was a real Who Dun It.I did suspect the real killer but constantly questionned my suspicion as the story was unfolding.I read this book in less than 24 hours, unable to put it down.It left me wanting more...more wonderful stoytelling from Ms. Clark. ... Read more

Product Description

When Jenny MacPartland meets the man of her dreams while working in a New York art gallery, she's ecstatic. Painter Erich Krueger -- whose exquisite landscapes are making him a huge success -- is handsome, sensitive...and utterly in love with her. They marry quickly and Jenny plans a loving home on Erich's vast Minnesota farm. But lonely days and eerie nights strain her nerves to the breaking point and test her sanity. Caught in a whirlpool of shattering events, Jenny soon unearths a past more terrifying than she dares imagine...tragic secrets that threaten her marriage, her children, her life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (130)

suspenseful
Very good read and had me from the beginning. It had just the right amount of romance and suspense to keep me reading page after page.

A GREAT BOOK
THIS BOOK WAS INVIGORATING I MEAN IT STARTS OUT SLOW AND THEN THE BIG BOOM

YOU JUST GET BLOWN AWAY A GREAT BOOK

Not as expected
The description stated like new...it was not.Cover was extremely yello dirty, inside extremely yello.Threw out the book.Will never order from this vendor again.

A Cry In The Night
One of her earlier ones, not as good as thr newer ones but still a good novel

Very Eerie
I actually read this book a long time ago but I distinctly remember having perpetual goose-bumps once the story started to really unfold.
If you're looking for a nice "shivery" mystery this is the perfect book.
Rating: 5 out o 5 stars
Suggested With: A nightlight... ... Read more

Product Description
Covering the story of a stabbing victim, television news reporter Meghan Collins stares down at the sheet-wrapped body of a beautiful young woman in a New York City hospital. What she sees in the dead girl's face draws her into a terrifying web of treachery, where nothing is as it seems and the truth may be too devastating to pursue....

In a tragic bridge accident, Meghan's father has disappeared -- but no trace has been found of his body or his car. Meghan's mother, neither widow nor wife, is unable to convert joint assets she needs to retain ownership of the family's Connecticut inn. Before his disappearance, Edwin Collins had taken all the cash out of his substantial insurance policies. Now, in absentia, he has become the suspect in a brutal murder.

Trying to identify the dead girl, find her murderer, and clear her own father's name, Meghan finds that her search is entwined with a story she is doing on the Manning Clinic, an in-vitro fertilization center where women seek the children nature has denied them. On a twisting trail of deadly passions and deceit, Meghan is venturing ever closer to the truth...a nightmare journey that may cost her her very life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (58)

One of her better new Thrillers
I really enjoyed reading this book and also "On the Street where you live", both are as suspenseful as MHC's first 5 books from the mid seventies to the early eighties.

MHC has written some really compelling books and they have not yet been filmed like "All through the Night", "On the Street where you live", "Daddy's little Girl", "The second Time around", ""Night Time is my Time", "No Place like Home", "Two little Girls in Blue", "I heard that Song before", "Where are you now?" and "Just take my Heart".
Except of her boring Willy & Alvirah stories I love all her books and look forward to each new one.

My favorite MHC movies are "Stillwatch" (Angie Dickinson), "A Cry in the Night" (Perry King and famous French actress Annie Girardot), "Remember me" (Kelly McGillis), "Moonlight becomes you" (Donna Mills), "We'll meet again", "A Crime of Passion", "Before I say Goodbye", "Haven't we met before?" (Nicolette Sherdian) and especially "I'll be seeing you" (Alison Eastwood) and "Try to remember" with Gabrielle Anwar and Diego Wallraff which I all can recommend as very good TV movies.

i'll be seeing you
great book. kept me in suspense . i became a fan of
ary Higgens Clark after reading two lil boys in blue . been reading all her books recently.

I'll Be Seeing You
I was excited to replace my paperback with a hardback copy.The hardback copy I received through Amazon was in excellent condition.

I'll Be Seeing You
As with all MHC novels, this is a great read.

A reporter finds a stabbed victim that seems interestingly similar in appearance to her and this entangles us into a web of deceit by many characters in this novel.

The reporter's father ends up missing, thought to be dead - but, things start happening making everyone wonder if he is indeed alive.The reporter starts doing her own investigation and as she finds out more and more about her father's life, things start going wrong and the reporter's interest is turned elsewhere, leaving her with the knowing thought that her father had another family out of state and that something is terribly wrong where her father worked.

You know MHC will pull it all together for you and it really is an outstanding ending.All of your questions will be answered.

Fun little mystery
Great little mystery with all the intrigue we have come to expect from Ms. Clark. She brings some fun little science bits that worked perfectly into the suspense with plenty of interesting relationships. ... Read more

Product Description
New York's trendy magazines are a source of peril when a killer enacts a bizarre dance of death, using the personal ads to lure his victims...

After college, best friends Erin Kelley and Darcy Scott move to the city to pursue exciting careers; Erin is a promising jewelry designer, Darcy finds success as a decorator. On a lark, Darcy persuades Erin to help their TV producer friend research the kinds of people who place personal ads. It seems like innocent fun...until Erin disappears.

Erin's body is found on an abandoned Manhattan pier -- on one foot is her own shoe, on the other, a high-heeled dancing slipper. Soon after, startling communiques from the killer reveal that Erin is not the first victim of this "dancing shoe murderer." And, if the killer has his way, she won't be his last. Next on his death list is Darcy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (115)

Talk About A Fast Read!
I've long forgotten how exceptional Mary Higgins Clark is as a writer! I've read works of hers in the past but the titles escape me - not because they were bad, but because it's literally been YEARS since I've picked up another one of her books. Well, let me tell you - I'm so thrilled my aunt gave me this book to read! Awesome and thrilling and I never wanted to stop! The story is up and going from chapter 1 and it just never stops until the end! I absolutely enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspense!

Girls Should Never Look for Guys in the Personals
Erin and Darcy have been friends since they were kids. They are best friends who do almost everything together. Erin is a jewellery designer who has just landed a job that will make her career. Darcy is an interior designer with a flourishing business.

When a friend asks them to help her gather data for a televison program she's doing on dating from the personals, the girls agree. After all, it would be fun, answering a few ads, going out on a few dates. A lark.

And then Darcy doesn't come back from one of the dates. Her body is discovered with a dancing shoe on one foot. Erin decides to date the same men as her friend had, hoping she'll find out who the killer is. However, Darcy wasn't the first victim the killer found though a personal ad and, to his way of thinking, she won't be the last, because now he has his sights set on Erin.

It's always been a mystery to me how anyone can believe what they read in these ads. People lie. I mean you could be going out with a serial killer, as Darcy did, or with a rapist, or the very least, probably someone who is stepping out on his wife. Anyway, one thing is guaranteed for sure, if you read this book, you won't be answering any ads from the Sunday paper, or any other paper either. That said, I couldn't put this one down, it's a super thriller.

Loves Music, Loves to Dance
One of her earlier ones, not as good as thr newer ones but still a good novel

Loves Music, loves to Dance
My daughter loved it!!!!It was a required reading for school (senior, high school) and she made a 93 on the test!!!!

If you like this author, you'll love this book
Darcy and Erin are doing research on the kind of people who place personal ads by answering some personals and going out on dates.Erin chooses one where the man signs himself, "Loves music, loves to dance" and he does - but he's also a serial killer.

This book follows the same old formula that all of Mary Higgins Clarke's books do:A beautiful heroine is stalked by a perverted psycho.She meets a lot of red herrings who could all be the baddie and we won't know the villain's true identity until the minute when our damsel is rescued by Prince Charming.There's no suspense or excitement.

Clark's books are quick reads, good for the beach or a plane trip, buttoo predictable and poorly written for me to read anymore of them.There are too many characters to keep track of, we're given way too much useless information about them, the dialog is full of grandiose words and phrases that aren't realistic, and we know the heroine will solve the mystery in the end.I like this book's title and the idea of a killer finding his victims through personals, but it didn't hold my interest. ... Read more

Product Description

In the short novel The Anastasia Syndrome, prominent historical writer Judith Chase is living in London and preparing for her marriage to Sir Stephen Hallett, expected to become England's next Prime Minister. Orphaned during World War II, Judith wants to trace her origins. In this quest, she goes to a renowned psychiatrist and becomes the victim of his experiments in regression. When a woman in a dark green cape sets off bombs in London, Sir Stephen and Judith are faced with an intangible, mysterious force threatening their very existence.

Obsessive love is the subject of Terror Stalks the Class Reunion; psychic contact with a dead twin sister is the only defense against a murder in Double Vision; Lucky Day, compared to O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi, begins premonition of imminent danger; in The Lost Angel, mother follows her intuition in a harrowing search for her missing child. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Mary Higgins Clark
If your a fan, this OLDIE BUT GOODIE is one to get your hands on.Goes FAST and keeps your interest.Got it on "Casette" and listened while sewing...

Anastasia Syndrome
This was a good book and I was glad to receive it on time to add to my collection.

Science fiction
This book is a murder mystery where you know who?s done it all along.Judith Chase is an American writer doing research in London.She meets and falls in love with a British politician, the heir to the position of prime minister.She has some psychological baggage that she?s dealing with, however.She?s a British war orphan who was adopted by an American soldier as a small child, and her politician lover urges her to postpone any research on her British birth family until after the elections, at least.But the sights and sounds of London are all too familiar for Judith and she starts having flashbacks.She can?t put off learning about her birth family any longer and that?s where she gets into trouble.

Much of the plot of the story turns on an invented psychological theory called the Anastasia syndrome, in which personae from the past can connect directly with living people.In the book, this is done through mind altering drugs which result in a split personality.Of course, that?s clearly not how a split personality works in real life, so the story lacks a lot in the area of plausibility.Nevertheless, it is well told and engaging. If you can get past the science fiction foundation, it?s an enjoyable read- -right up until the sudden bizarre plot twist at the end.

Mary Higgins In Small Doses...
I loved this book! The short stories were superb and each held Higgin's special mystery touch. The main story in the book; The Anastasia Syndrome, is about a women named Judith who is planning on marrying the future Prime Minister of England. She is desparetly seeking information about her past because she was found wandering around a small town in England when she was about 4 or 5 and longs to know who her parents were. she goes to a controversial doctor who hypnotises her and helps her recall facts about her childhood, but slips too much of a drug into her system and regresses her all the way back to the 1600's where a vengeful spirit tries to take over her body and take revenge on those who wronged her. The second story, Terror Stalks The Class Reunion, is about a women named Kay who is abducted by a former student of hers whose "crush" has moved on to full blown obsession. I was holding my breath on this one and it was one of my favorites! Lucky Day was my least favorite story. It revolves around a 13 million dollar lottery ticket and the ending was "Ok." Double Vision was excellent! The supernatural occurence was made more believable in this story than in The Anastasia Syndrome. The story is about an actor who wants to kill the director that ruined his "big break" and the plot had me holding my breath. The last story, The Lost Angel, was actually very good. It was a fast moving story and the plot was written very skillfully. This is definitly a must read for any Mary Higgins Clark fan, and the stories were very well written considering that none of them exceded 200 pages. She's done it again!

A Well Written Book of Short Stories!
I've read other books of Mary Higgins Clark before, but I've enjoyed this book of Anastasia and other short stories the most.

In the main story, Anastasia, an historical writer Judith Chase, is engaged to the future prime minister, Stephen Hallet. She is working on a novel though, and is caught up in a lot of other issues along with it. The evil mind of Margaret Carew, dominates Judith, and it is a true mystery as to what is happening within her mind. You really have to read into it to know what I am referring to here, but it becomes very frightening in many places as Judith experiences strange events. The psychiatrist, Dr. Patel, puts her under hypnosis, giving her a drug that makes her regress further into her confusing past.

The other stories in the book, were even scarier yet, than Anastasia. If you feel like a good thrill, read on! ... Read more

Product Description
MARY HIGGINS CLARK IS THE QUEEN OF SUSPENSE . . . AND HER CLASSIC BESTSELLER IS BACK!

Neeve Kearny may be the only person in New York worried about the disappearance of Ethel Lambston. Ethel, a bestselling author famous for her juicy exposés, is one of the best customers at Neeve’s exclusive Madison Avenue boutique. But Ethel’s ex-husband, her parasitical nephew, and the fashion moguls skewered in her latest article all have reason to be glad she’s no longer around.

When Ethel Lambston is found with her throat cut, Neeve’s memories of her mother’s long-unsolved murder loom up once again. Now as an innocent witness in the Lambston investigation, Neeve is drawn into a new nightmare . . . a sinister labyrinth of greed and ambition that will lead her into mortal danger. . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

Skip this unless you like skipping pages
Picked up my first Mary Higgins Clark title after reading the 'glowing' reviews about how this is a breathless suspense novel written by a master of the genre. Yeah, not so much.

Dreadfully dull story: I've seen more intricate plots on TV dramas like Law & Order. Gaping holes in logic, and incredible coincidences. Characters are more flat than the paper the novel is printed on.
Forgettable writing: Pointless description of fashion and clothing that makes you wonder if the author wanted to put together a fashion sketch book rather than a novel. Endless detail of clothing that add NOTHING to the plot, I found myself skipping entire paragraphs to get to something relevant to the story.

I am by no means a prolific reader nor a literature professor and I have indulged in the occasional cheap paperback while stranded at an airport and found some entertainment in those books. And YET, even with those lowered expectations, this book still disappoints. Trust me, I'm not some snooty reviewer who would never be satisfied. This book will insult your intelligence and waste your time and money. Give the money you would pay for this book to an animal shelter or blow it on some good ice cream. Either one would leave you more satisfied.

I just finished this book and the only residual sentiment I have is a frustrating feeling I want to reach into the book and slap the characters around for wasting 2 days of my life.

Mary Higgins Clark, you wrote this in one afternoon, didn't you?!

Great read
I am a hug fan of MHC books.I love to find out who did it! I also bought all of the movies and after reading the book, I watch the movie associated with that book to bring it to life.The movies vary somewhat from the books, but they are still entertaining.I especially liked this movie.

This is a Mystery to Die For
This is one of Mary Higgins Clark's earlier books. The story is a little over 200 pages long and I read it in one sitting. I love her writing and enjoy reading all her books. If you love a good mystery, then you'll love this book. And if you're interested in fashion, as I am, you'll love it all the more. This story has elements of both. Throw in the gossip writer who's planning on putting out an expose book, but gets murdered instead. Add in a heroine who has to sort out all the people who may have wanted the gossip writer dead and who might have actually killed him and you really have a mystery. This story has it all, romance, murder, the glitter of New York and the fashion world. This is a book to die for.

Good Book - Kindle Editing Disappointing
I haven't read a MHC book for a long time, and forgot how much I enjoyed her books. I thoroughly enjoyed the usual twists and turns of this book, and loved the ending.
I was disappointed with the Kindle edition, however. One mistake in spelling or grammar you ignore, two is a raised eyebrow. There were so many errors that it was off-putting. I like to get lost in a book, and an error takes me out of "the zone", so to speak. Kindle edition e-books should have the same standards as standard editions. This is not a complaint on MHC, but rather the publisher (Pocket Books).

Great read!
A typical MHC book.Well written, suspenceful.Loved it!Worth saving to read again. ... Read more

Product Description
In a riveting new thriller from America's Queen of Suspense, a young woman is ensnared into returning to a place she had wanted to leave behind forever -- her childhood home. There, at the age of ten, Liza Barton had shot her mother, trying desperately to protect her from her estranged step-father, Ted Cartwright. Despite his claim that the shooting was a deliberate act, the Juvenile Court ruled the death an accident. Many people, however, agreed with Cartwright, and the tabloids compared her to the infamous murderess Lizzie Borden, pointing even to the similarity of their names.

To erase Liza's past, her adoptive parents change her name to Celia. At age twenty-eight, a successful interior designer in Manhattan, she marries a childless sixty-year-old widower, Laurence Foster, and they have a son. Before their marriage, she reveals to him her true identity. Two years later, on his deathbed, he makes her swear never to tell anyone so that their son, Jack, will not carry the stigma of her past. Two years later, Celia is happily remarried. Her peace of mind is shattered when her new husband, Alex Nolan, surprises her with a gift -- the house in Mendham, New Jersey, where she killed her mother. On the day they move in, they find the words little lizzie's place -- beware painted on the lawn, splotches of red paint all over the house, and a skull and crossbones carved into the door.

More and more, there are signs that someone in the community knows Celia's true identity. When Georgette Grove, the real estate agent who sold the house to Alex, is brutally murdered and Celia is the first on the crime scene, she becomes a suspect. As Celia fights to prove her innocence, she is not aware that she and her son, Jack, are now the targets of a killer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (103)

No Place Like Home with a Mary Higgins Clark Book
It is 2010 and somehow I missed this book - I am an avid MHC fan - love all her books - this one was one of my favorites! From the first few pages you are taken in.(As usual), but this was so gripping I finished it in 2 days!Lost some sleep, but couldn't put it down.Just getting ready to read her latest now.I literally have gone through several other books this past month (other popular authors) - all with disappointment, she never disappoints - this was excellent!

Absurd stinker
I managed to finish the first cd of this audio book.Then rushed to the library to return it.What an absurd idiotic piece of junk.

No Place Like Home
One of her earlier ones, not as good as thr newer ones but still a good novel

Thrilling
Out of the MHC books I've read, this one is one of the better ones. It's a interesting enough plot and very creative as well, with just enough characters with diverse backgrounds to make it all really interesting. It's fun to see how Celia deals with her memories and trying to figure out what happened as she is trying to deal with all the crazy stuff that gets thrown at her. I will say that the ending was rather satisfying for me, though the story certainly isn't without a fair share of surprises. This is classic MHC, I genuinely enjoyed it.

Reads quick, but predictable
I enjoyed how quick this read and the character development. The basic concept behind the story was interesting: how and when to share our pasts. It did become a little predictable, which led me to three stars instead of four. ... Read more

Product Description
The latest from #1 bestselling Queen of Suspense Mary Higgins Clark. ... Read more

Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Five short tales, including ""Plumbing for Willy"" and ""Death on the Cape,"" follow the adventures of a former cleaning woman and her occasionally befuddled mate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

As Always MHC Really Delivers
This is a book of short stories based on the characters of Alvirah and Willy. In the book that originally contained these characters, Ms. Clark planned to kill Alvirah off. She was urged not too and Alvirah and Willy have since shown up in other novels. Alvirah was a cleaning lady and Willy was a plumber when they won the lottery. These stories are a lot of fun to read. Alvirah no longer cleans for a living, but has become somewhat of an amateur detective. She wears a sunburst pin which is actually a tiny recorder and she writes articles about her adventures for a newspaper. She's always finding herself in precarious predicaments needing to be rescued, though in at least one of the stories the person in need of rescue is Willy. They love to travel and are always willing to help a friend in need, especially if that friend is accused of murder. These are easy to read stories that keep your attention. I really enjoyed this book.

Great Short Story Book
I absolutely loved this book.The stories were witty and you come away feeling like you've read a whole novel, not just a short story.Great read!

I love Alvirah and Willy!
These books may not be as deep as others that Clark has written, but they are delightful and I hope there will be many more.

A real winner!
When I originally started out with this book a few years back, I was not to happy to be reading it. I was assigned to do a book report and I am not a huge fan of books. I do however, enjoy mysteries and I knew that if I could find the write type of author, I might be able to come out of this assignment alive! So with a little research I stumble upon this book while I was with my ex-roomy at a half price book store. The short description of the book interested me so much that I took a chance and purchased it.

Need I tell you, that I enjoyed the book so much that it took me less then a week to finish it! In fact, I would usually stay up longer then I needed to at night just to finish the chapter I was on, then forget that I promised myself I would quit, and go onto the next part. Yes folks, it's that good of a book! I had a field day with Clark's characters and I managed to write an Ace book report and find a new person that actually got me interested in reading for fun.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a light and interesting read. I have since moved on to other books by Clark and all of them are just as good as the next. If you get a chance, check out more of her work and you will not be disappointed!

The Lottery Winner by Mary Higgins Clark
The Lottery Winner, by Mary Higgins Clark, is series of short stories about a couple the recently had won a forty million dollar lottery. Alvirah and Willy were the lucky couple. With their newfound money they take exotic trips and develop many friendships. Along with these trips Alvirah almost always stumbles upon a mystery, and always saves the day. In the Lottery Winner Mary Higgins Clark develops the two main characters superbly and in each of the short stories does an equally awesome job developing them. I really enjoyed her style of writing. Her fluency in switching viewpoints between the characters is phenomenal. Although this style of writing can be confusing, it keeps you guessing who did it. ... Read more

Product Description

A dashing ex-president and his young congresswoman bride become an irresistible sleuthing duo in four acclaimed stories from the Queen of Suspense.

Henry Parker Britland IV -- wealthy, worldly, and popular -- is enjoying an early retirement. His new wife, Sunday -- as clever as she is lovely -- has just been elected to Congress in a stunning upset victory that has made her a media darling. Henry and Sunday make a formidable team...and never more so than when they set out to solve baffling high-society crimes. From a long-unsolved case they reconstruct aboard the presidential yacht to a kidnapping that brings Henry frantically back to the White House, the former president and his bride engage in some of the most audacious and original sleuthing ever imagined. Only Mary Higgins Clark can so seamlessly meld spellbinding suspense, wit, and romance. My Gal Sunday is entertainment of the highest order.Amazon.com Review
Imagine Nick and Nora Charles with a taste for politics and none for gin, and you'd be pretty close to Mary Higgins Clark's Henry Parker Britland IVand his attractive young wife, Sandra O'Brien Britland, known as Sunday. Henry, possessor of an enormous inherited fortune and known as one of America's sexiest men, has just finished his second term as president of the United States and is happily retired at 44, puttering around his New Jersey country estate. Sunday, who bootstrapped her way up from a modest working-class background, is a juniorcongresswoman with a reputation for smarts. The two met, romanticallyenough, on the eve of Henry's leaving office, fell madly in love, and weremarried six weeks later. In this collection of four pleasantly readablestories, the sleuthing duo catch the murderer of a statesman's flashyamour, endure Sunday's kidnapping and mastermind her rescue, solve the34-year-old mystery of the disappearance of a foreign prime minister fromthe Britland family yacht, and reunite a ransomed boy with his parents atChristmas. Of the four, "They All Ran After the President's Wife" may bethe best plotted, and has a particularly amusing McGuffin in the characterof a caviar-loving terrorist. While the suspense is on the mild sidethroughout, the romance is lighthearted but sincere, and the occasionalflashes of wit are dryly appealing. It's a bonbon, to be enjoyed for itsbrief sweetness. --Barrie Trinkle ... Read more

Customer Reviews (66)

I couldn't finish it.
Having read several of her books in the past, that I really enjoyed, I was disappointed in this book.I read the first 2 short stories and then put the book down.I hate not finishing books but I just wasn't getting into this one at all.

My Gal Sunday
One of her earlier ones, not as good as thr newer ones but still a good novel

New Detectives
Clark introduces her new husband and wife sleuths Henry and Sunday in a fast moving political intrigue. Henry retired from political world at the end of his presidency married a much younger Sunday. They are at their best when they tackle solving crimes of the rich and famous of the political world. Henry and Sunday are most concerned about why would his former secretary of state take the fall in a crime of passion. They want answers to what happened on the presidential yacht. This was a fun book to read, however it is not among my top ten of her books. It is an interesting concept of and ex-president running around solving crimes. By Ruth Thompson author of "The Bluegrass Dream" and Natchez Above The River."

America's sweethearts solve the crimes and save the day
M.H. Clark is a half-step above Harlequin romance novels in this connected series short stories involving the picture-perfect former president Henry Britlandand his new wife, plucky Sandra "Sunday" O'Brien.Yes, you will be entertained, in that Ms Clark, as usual, keeps a lively plot and has interesting, if somewhat cartoonish, characters in each story.All romance is P.G. and except for some P.G. 13-style action in story number two, is actually not a bad book to read to more sophisticated children -- children who are at the upper limit of being read to.The last short story, a really implausible narrative of a five-year-old French boy lost in the New Jersey woods (don't ask) is good enough to induce tears and schmaltz worthy of "The Other Manger" by Molly Wadsworth.

4 stories in one
It was 4 different stories. Had the same main people but different stories. I have read better books by this author. ... Read more

Product Description

FROM MARY HIGGINS CLARK, AMERICA'S BESTSELLING "QUEEN OF SUSPENSE," COMES A CHILLING STORY OF MURDER THAT REACHES THE HEIGHTS OF SUSPENSE WHILE EXPLORING THE DEPTHS OF THE CRIMINAL MIND.

Ellie Cavanaugh was seven years old when her older sister was murdered near their home in New York's Westchester County. It was young Ellie's tearful testimony that put Rob Westerfield, the nineteen-year-old scion of a prominent family, in jail despite the existence of two other viable suspects. Twenty-two years later, Westerfield, who maintains his innocence, is paroled. Determined to thwart his attempts to pin the crime on another, Ellie, an investiga-tive reporter for an Atlanta newspaper, returns home and starts writing a book that will conclusively prove Westerfield's guilt. As she delves deeper into her research, however, she uncovers horrifying facts that shed new light on her sister's murder. With each discovery she comes closer to a confrontation with a desperate killer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (183)

Not her best...
I will always have a soft spot for MHC's work. I received one of her Christmas mysteries as a gift when I was nine, and after that I went on to exchange over the years her books with my grandmother. I even met her once!
Unfortunately, I must admit that this was not one of my favorites of hers. Not that it was a bad book in any way - it was certainly entertaining! I read it in one sitting! But it was rather predictable, and there were some verb tense inconsistencies that were a bit distracting.
But the errors aside, it still brought me a lot of joy to read it. I thought that MHC did a particularly nice job with Paulie's character.
Mostly, it made me wish that I could give it to my grandmother to read after me. I know she would have enjoyed it even more than I did.

Bland tripe from the woman who is supposed to be America's Queen of Suspense
Daddy's Little Girl was my first MHC book. I had heard her name in passing, but never gave much thought until I saw a recommendation for her older novel in O Magazine. I'm in no way an Oprahite, but I thought I'd give this author a chance. I could not find the one mentioned in O, but I found plenty of others at my library.

The first part of this story, which is told in the third-person perspective of seven-year-old Ellie is great. What was little Ellie feeling when she hid her beloved older sister's secrets from Mom and Dad? Little Ellie was confused when she heard Mom and Dad talking about how Andrea never made it home. And when little Ellie discovers Andrea's body in the secret hiding place, Ellie has to deal with so much.

Fast forward to 30-year-old Ellie (or is she 29? Because there are discrepencies with her age. Proofread!!!) . She's taking a leave of absence from her newspaper to investigate the guilt of her sister's murderer, Robson Westerfield. Robson is out on parole, and he wants another trial. How can Ellie prove his guilt? The cards are stacked against her, with even her family's former friends growing suspicious of her. Their suspicion is well-grounded, but the attempts to silence her are farfetched. This book was painfully unbelievable.

The dialogue is extremely sophomoric.

I read along, hoping that there would be a plot twist. Who is really responsible for Andrea's death? Is it Paulie Stroebel, whose character went from learning disabled to mentally retarded, which made him unbelievable. (Seriously, the author needed to decided if Paulie had cognitive impairments or learning disabilities. If he was cognitively impaired, she should not have presented him as having some difficulties. At first, Paulie is a high school student in a study hall, and is presented as a weird guy with learning disabilities. But the contemporary Paulie is more mentally retarded. Consistency, please!) Or, maybe it's the perv-y handyman? Hmmmm....

Was Andrea really Miss Goody-Two-Shoes? Or was she hiding some dark secrets?

Well, I stopped caring. I got the part where Ellie borrows money from Joan. I read other reviews on here. Turns out the entire plot is predictable and anticlimactic. There are no twists and turns. What we read is what we got. Soooo disappointing. I didn't even flip to the end. I put Daddy's Little Girl in my "return to library" bag.

One of her best
I got totally caught up in this story. What a great read! It was interesting from the first page to the last.

My favorite book by Mary Higgins Clark!
All I have to say, is I love this book.I am a huge fan of Mary Higgins Clark and I have read all of her books and own all of them too.This is my favorite one out of all of them, I can read this book over and over an never get tired of it.

Daddy's little girl
I ordered this audio book to be on CD and was sent cassets.I sent email to book store and Amzaon with no help from either business.The other two products were great.This is the first time I did not get what I purchased. ... Read more

Product Description
From the “Queen of Suspense,” Mary Higgins Clark, and bestselling author Carol Higgins Clark—the acclaimed mother/daughter duo—comes this holiday treat, a heartwarming tale of redemption and love.

Sterling Brooks has been cooling his heels in the Celestial Waiting Room for forty-six years, waiting for admission to heaven. Finally, just days before Christmas, he’s summoned before the Heavenly Council and found unworthy; throughout his life he had been hopelessly self-absorbed. To redeem himself, he is given the chance to go back to Earth and find someone to help.

At New York’s Rockefeller Center skating rink, Sterling encounters Marissa, a heartbroken seven-year-old whose father and grandmother have been forced into the Witness Protection Program; they had overheard two gangsters hatch a sinister plot to collect money from a debtor. Able to travel through time and space, Sterling devises a master plan to reunite little Marissa with her family in time for Christmas. Along the way, he discovers within himself what it takes to earn his wings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

Christmas Fantasy Thriller
Want an easy read Christmas fantasy? This is it.I always appreciate the co-writing of mom and daughter Higgins Clark and this is another winner.Their writings seem to complement each other and keep your attention.In this novel the hero (?) is being kept waiting by the powers-that-be in a pre-heaven waiting room.He is not wisked right in because of his poor and selfish treatment of others during his life on earth.But now, he is being given a chance to redeem himself by helping someone back on earth.He is not told "who" or "what", and is then dropped off at a Times Square ice rink to do a "good deed."You may be reminded of "It's a Wonderful Life", but the Clark's filled the story out with suspense and danger.It a great read.

Fun and Touching Story
This crime/ fantasy Christmas novel is easy to read, entertaining, and has a funny ending. It's not A Hallmark Christmas story. Hurray! No fabulously decorationed houses orglorious parties. The story is touching. It reminded me a little of It's A Wonderful Life( movie). Sterling, who has been in the waiting room in heaven for over 40 years gets a chance to prove himself.He helps unite a little girl with her father and grandmother.He ends up tricking two Albanian gangster brothers. I'll say no more. This novel is a fun read for Christmas.

Sweet Story : )
I love reading Christmas stories during the Christmas season., this was a very sweet Christmas story, very enjoyable, a nice light read, I recommend it., pick it up during the holidays!

A Charming Book
After reading a number of books written by Mary Higgins Clark, I came across this book. Due to the title and by the contents of her other books, I expected this to be a creepy and frightening story.Surprisingly, this is a sweet story about looking after each other.(I won't go into the details of the plot because that has been done in other posts.)I really enjoyed it and encouraged my daughter to read it.She really liked it too, and has recommended it to others.

If you are looking for a book with a sweet story and is an easy read, then look no further.We do highly recommend this book.

Nice Christmas Story
If you bought this book believing it will have the excitement and mystery of a Mary Higgins Clark novel than you will be greatly disappointed.It was a fast read and a cute story.Sterling wants to earn his wings to get into heaven so he is sent down to help a little girl.A short but sweet story. ... Read more

Product Description
Mary Higgins Clark, America's most beloved writer of suspense, has crafted a very special story about a child's courage in the face of danger, and the power of love....

When Catherine Dornan's husband, Tom, is diagnosed with leukemia, she and their two young sons travel with him to New York during the holiday season for a lifesaving operation. On Christmas Eve, hoping to lift the boys' spirits, Catherine takes them to see Rockefeller Center's famous Christmas tree, where seven-year-old Brian notices a woman taking his mother's wallet. A St. Christopher medal tucked inside the wallet saved his grandfather's life in World War II, and Brian believes with all his heart that it will protect his father now. Impulsively, Brian follows the thief into the subway, and the most dangerous adventure of his young life begins....

Charged with menace and thrilling suspense, Silent Night is Mary Higgins Clark's Christmas gift to readers for all seasons. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (71)

Silent Night
One of her earlier ones, not as good as thr newer ones but still a good novel

Predictable drivel
I was given this book as a gift from my mother so felt obliged to read it. I'm sorry I wasted my time. The plot was unbelievably thin with nary a twist. I could tolerate that if the book contained compelling characters but alas MHC clearly went to the character store and ordered "one worried mother, one hard-boiled cop with a heart of gold and one - no make that two - brave little boys". Add to that writing so ordinary that had this book been submitted by Mary Smith instead of Mary Higgins Clark, it would have been sent back with a note to try adding a metaphor or two. In fact, the manuscript would have been sent back with a form letter.

I can't account for the 5 star reviews here but if your reading level is above Dick and Jane, skip this and turn to Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" for a truly delightful holiday tale.

Predictable
It is ok for a quick read.The story is quite predictable.No thrills or suspense.You can read it if you don't have anything better to do.

Classic Writing

Mary Higgins Clarke is a beautiful woman but her perfect image with bouffant hair is not my style. I guess I am not the usual reader of Mary Higgins Clarke stories. That reader is probably more similar to the original owner of the copy of silent Night I read. A middle aged, middle class woman, proud of her beautiful house and family in Rural Valley PA, with an equal holiday home in Sarasota, Florida. So why did I read Silent Night? I wanted to know why so many read Mary Higgins Clark, the former airline trolley dolly whose life has been as tragic at times as the characters of her multi-million selling books with such cheesy titles as Silent Night.

Yes, the opening is cheesy. Who cannot feel sympathy for a young mother who abruptly learns at Christmas her perfect doctor husband is near death. And worse, she carelessly looses his darling son to a vicious killer. The author commits the classic writing sin of hopping from one character's head to another. The book lacks convincing dialogue and 'tells' throughout rather than showing through character action. The ending of most character story lines is implausible, no-one dies. So why the heck do I give it 5 Stars?

The quality of Mary Higgins Clark's creative writing. She clearly sets out the scene and convincingly weaves together the story lines of diverse characters. From one emotional disaster to another, Mary Higgins Clark builds tension, holding her reader to focus on a classic ending. I even found myself reluctant to put the book down. And yes she even threatens to bring a tear to this harden fan of brutaly realistic thrillers. Now I know why so many read Mary Higgins Clark.

It is a great pleasure to watch a master craftsman at work. Someone is missing a trick, Silent Night should be a film. We can scoff at times at romantic thrillers in which every character has a Happy Ending but from Mary Higgins Clark I learnt. There may be many rules of creative writing but in the end, it is the craft of story telling that counts.

Thank you Gloria for selling on this gem so I could read it. I guess I'll be reading Mary Higgins Clark again.

Brilliant
This story was even better than the ones MHC has written with her daughter, because the characters weren't as goofy and the overall tone wasn't humerous.Not that those are bad (I love the witty, quirky stories too!), but this was a straight dramatic story about a 7 year old boy who followed the woman who pickpocketed his mother and ended up being kidnapped and taken hostage by her deranged brother who had just busted out of jail.While that doesn't very Christmasy, the family rallied together in prayer at Midnight Mass, and drew faith and courage from St. Christopher.The characters were presented in a compassion-isnpiring manner, and the story was fast-paced and action-packed. ... Read more

Product Description
At a party in Manhattan, Maggie Holloway -- one of the fashion world's most successful photographers -- is thrilled to be reunited with her beloved stepmother.A widow now, Nuala Moore is equally delighted to see her long-lost stepdaughter, and invites Maggie to spend a few weeks at her home in Newport, Rhode Island.

But when Maggie arrives, she finds Nuala murdered, apparently by a burglar.Heartbroken, Maggie is stunned to learn she had inherited Nuala's stunning Victorian home...and horrified when she begins to suspect that Nuala's death was not random, but part of a diabolical plot conceived by a twisted mind.When Nuala's dear old friend, Greta Shipley, does suddenly of supoosedly natural causes, Maggie is convinced that there is a link between these two and other recent deaths among the older women of Newport.What she doesn't realize is that she has now become a target for the killer as well, and that each clue she uncovers brings her closer to an unimaginable fate.In her most chillingly suspenseful novel yet, the Queen of Suspense delivers a tale of brilliantly sustained terror, woven with the skill and insight into human nature that have made all of Mary Higgins Clark's books major bestsellers.Amazon.com Review
Newport, Rhode Island:a world of old money, old names,and sinister secrets.Maggie Holloway, a fashion photographer,goes to visit an old friend -- but when she arrives, the friendis dead, the victim of a violent robbery.Maggie is stunned whenshe learns that she's the beneficiary of the will -- and evenmore stunned when she recognizes a pattern of murder in Newport society that will lead the killer straight to her. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (90)

Moonlight becomes you
One of her earlier ones. still good but not as good as her newer novels

Just okay
This was my first MHC novel and I thought it was okay, but not much more than that.It started well with a creepy prologue and then an enjoyable reunion between the main character, Maggie, and her former stepmother.There was enough suspense throughout the first half that I kept wanting to hear more, but as the revelations started coming, they just didn't gel for me.There were contrivances a-plenty; for example, the killer intentionally leaves a clue that moves the story along but is severely counterproductive to his/her motives as they are eventually revealed.Speaking of the killer, I'm not a big reader of murder mysteries, but the red herrings were so glaringly obvious that I had the identity of the head baddie guessed correctly halfway through and that of his/her accomplice at the ¾ mark. The whole subplot about the lawyer felt like padding and could have been cut with no loss. By the time I was finished, I had the impression MHC had learned about Victorian bell ringers and thought it would be a nifty idea to build a story around.Unfortunately, the final product required too much suspension of disbelief for my taste.

The characters were developed? I missed that...
I am finally on the last chapter. I have been using this book for two weeks now, to put myself to sleep at night. While there seems to be an interesting plot beneath the surface, the surface is cluttered with two-dimesional cliched "nice" and "not nice" characters. I was surprised at the occasional sterotypical ignorant way charaters viewed people working in the funeral business - I don't think all people view them as creepy, etc., I think a certain percent realize what they do for society and are grateful some people take on the job of taking care of our loved ones after death. The one actually interesting charater in the book is from a family of morticians and is interested in death as it pertains to various cultures. Unfortunatley, he is pretty much dismissed as a creepy red herring. The other male characters are so bland I had a hard time telling them apart the first few chapters. The heroine is incredibly banal and perfect. I am to the point where every time I read about her sipping at her non-fattening drink (tea, etc.) and "nibbling" at her food it makes me roll my eyes. Of course she is thin, beautiful, wealthy, and incredibly talented. And apparently sexless. The plus is its a formulaic read - I've read at least two books by this author before and from what I can recall they are indeed great for a light pleasant read inbetween more meaty, absorbing and memorable books. I strongly recommend you check books by this author out from the library and spend your money on something with more depth like "the curious incident of the dog in the night-time". Now that is a book that stays with you.

Still Good Second Time Around
This is the second time that I read this book and found it well written and a quick read.Unfortunately, I remembered the identity of the killer halfway through the book but I still enjoyed it.Mary Higgins Clark is an excellant mystery writer and seldom disappoints.It is good enough not to be ready to put into the donation pile.

Good, but not exactly a page turner
After the terrible, terrible experience I had with Eleventh Hour (overall assessment: don't read that book even if you are forced to), I had to come back with a decent mystery.I had read Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clark a while back and greatly enjoyed it so figured this one would redeem the genre.

Plot:
Maggie Holloway is a successful photographer in New York.She reunites with her beloved step-mother, Nuala Moore, at a family reunion and is invited to spend two weeks with her step-mom in Newport, Rhode Island.However, just as Maggie comes, Nuala is murdered.As Maggie settles into Nuala's home, she begins to realize that maybe the murder wasn't random and that maybe it was connected to the death of Greta Shipley, one of Nuala's friends living at a retirement center, Latham Manor.

Good:
Mary Higgins Clark writes and writes well.In Eleventh Hour, there were so many writing issues--missing transitions, juvenile writing--that are pleasantly absent in Mary Higgins Clark's writing.Her characters are real and not cardboard cutouts.The dialogue they speak makes sense given their personality, education, background, etc.She describes the surroundings well and knowledgeably (particularly when relating to the eccentric professor, Earl Bateman, and his monologues about death and its rituals).
Further, Moonlight Becomes You begins with an absolutely heart-stopping foreshadowing.I cannot see how anyone could read that beginning and not want to continue reading.I was a little hesitant about a mystery, but after that beginning, I was hooked.The middle was kinda slow (see below), but took off after the 250 page point and didn't stop until the very end.And the end--wow!I had predicted who one of the perpetrators was but the other was a complete surprise.
My favorite character is a tie between Neil and Earl.It was sweet to see how Neil liked Maggie and tried hard to find where she went on vacation.Then, to see Neil and his father hunt for Maggie--it was great and completely genuine.Also, I loved the relationship he had with his parents.And Earl Bateman was so different from the average man.His obsession--death--may seem odd (as every character mentions in the book), but is it that much different from people who are obsessed with video games?Comic books?Trading cards?Food?Cars?(You get the point.)

Bad:
Overall, a good book, but I still have a few complaints:
1. Slow plot.After the heart-racing beginning, it takes almost 2/3 of the book before the mystery really advances (of course, when it does, it is *awesome*!).In the meantime, we have two people get murdered and a woman who continually is too tired to investigate the things she comes across until the very end.I mean, if I heard something fall on the floor, I would hunt around until I find it not go "Oh, well, I'll get that later".Or when I find dirt in a pocket, not say, "Hmmm, better leave it there".Had Maggie been half as curious as she becomes in the end at this time, the book would have lost about 100 senseless pages that don't really go anywhere other than elaborate what the reader already knows (that someone is scamming people out of money, Latham Manor is creepy, the enormous cast, etc.).
2. Maggie Holloway.Our heroine is great, but not that awesome.She is rather stoic (somewhat understandable to others as she lost a spouse, but to the reader?) and icy.I don't see why she gets so chummy so quickly to Greta Shipley or to Laura Bainbrigde.I have no clue why Greta takes such a shine to an aloof, somewhat pleasant (when in social situations) woman.I mean, Greta meets Maggie twice and says, "I can see why Nuala was so excited to see you again".I just wished Clark would have told the audience how Greta knew this after two meetings.I see nothing particularly out of the ordinary about this woman.She got better at the end, but I really didn't care much about her at all.
3. Too many characters.While it is kinda neat to do the whole Murder on the Orient Express thing, I think that the number of viewpoints should have been halved.It is too hard to balance all that is going on and to bebop from Maggie to Greta, to Douglas to Janice to Dr. Lane to Neil to Neil's dad to Malcolm...I liked thinking, as I read the viewpoints, "Now, who is the bad guy?" but did Clark have to have almost a dozen different character viewpoints?

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Very extremely minor (one or two d*** and other crass words).I didn't perceive anything sexual in nature (other than a mention that Odile Lane, Dr. Lane's wife, had a boyfriend).Violence includes a woman bludgeoned to death and five women dying in their sleep.A woman is buried alive.

Overall:
Much better than Eleventh Hour but too slow.It takes too long to get to the mystery part, and there are too many characters.Also, the heroine was rather shallow, making it hard for me to be that invested in her.Probably a 3.5 stars, but since I can't give half stars, I'll be kind and round up to 4. ... Read more