I have not read many of Mary Higgins Clark's books ~~ it's not because I don't like her writing ~~ I do ~~ it's that I don't normally read a lot of mysteries. However, after reading this memoir, I am tempted to read more of her books since she is such an interesting writer. Her life is just as interesting as some of the books I have read!

Clark comes across as a woman of vital strength and character ~~ which is what you don't normally hear about these days. Her growing up years were tough but very interesting. Her recollections are also inspiring. And she also throws in a dash of humor every now and then. She is also a blunt writer ~~ honest about everything including herself.

If you like memoirs, this book is an excellent choice to pick up! It gives an insight into America's favorite author and her lives. Instead of being a diva, Mary Higgins Clark is one of us.

5-18-03

When an author achieves the success of Mary Higgins Clark, readers might assume her own personal story came wrapped in a neat package like one of her mysteries. But as all of Mary Higgins Clark's devoted fans know, she was not published till long after she was widowed with five young children. In KITCHEN PRIVILEGES, her memoir, she tells her remarkable story. We are often skeptical (and rightly so) about success stories; they can be a little too good to be true. But when confronted with Mary Higgins Clark's resilience, drive and determination, you will want to jump up from your chair --- and cheer her success.

Clark's writing here has the same honest, breezy style that makes her books such fun to read. Mary grew up in an Irish neighborhood in the Bronx where family was everything. Her dad died when she was still in grammar school, forcing the family to change its lifestyle quickly. Her mom took in boarders, offering them "Kitchen Privileges," which is where the book got its title. Life in the Bronx for Mary meant hours at the kitchen table listening to her aunts talk about family stories. Many of these became the characters and grist for her later stories.

Later in life she moved to New Jersey with her husband and young family. Both the Bronx and New Jersey have given comedians and jokesters plenty of material. As Mary says, "It has always amused me that I've had to defend the two places where I've spent most of my life, the Bronx and New Jersey."

Mary loved to write and she loved to read, and she approached life with a jaunty style that kept her striving for success --- and achieving it.

She also loved to act and, for a while, subsidized her family's income with appearances in television commercials. The highlight was a commercial for Fab laundry detergent that ran on I Love Lucy and several daytime soap operas. It was quite an achievement for the girl who never got a speaking part in the grammar school school play! Wouldn't you love to see that commercial today?

Her husband Warren was a man with whom she shared both love and laughter. Though they had known each other their entire childhood, their courtship was nothing short of whirlwind. Their first date came soon after Pan Am hired her as a stewardess. Hungry for travel, she knew this was a way to see the world. On their first date he told her he knew they were going to be married, "Fly for a year. Get it out of your system. I'll take my mother to drive-in movies when you're away. We'll get married at Christmas."

Mary and Warren bottled up a lot of wonderful times into their short years together. Sadly he died of a heart condition in his early 40s, leaving her with five small children. The love and respect they had for one another got her through many a dark day in the years ahead. Working at a job writing radio shows, commuting, attending night school at Fordham and trying to keep her young family happy and worry-free required a lot of energy.

Recognizing that writing was something she always wanted to pursue, she began to rise at 5AM to write before her children awoke. Her first book, ASPIRE TO THE HEAVENS, which was re-published earlier this year as MOUNT VERNON LOVE STORY earned her $1,500, less the 10% commission. Her next book WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN brought her success --- the paperback was published and landed on The New York Times bestseller list. Her career as a novelist was on her way.

My favorite story in the book came the day her second book deal was made. I am not going to share it here lest I spoil it for readers. I read those pages and imagined how she felt when she finally hit the place she had hoped to get to. For anyone who has ever worked hard for success, I dare you to read that section dry-eyed.

I have had the pleasure to meet Mary Higgins Clark on more than one occasion. Each time she has been wonderful company and our conversation has been filled with her great humor. She is as good as listener as she is a storyteller, a skill honed at the kitchen table so many years ago. She is the kind of person to whom you wish endless good things and happiness for all that she has given to people.

--- Reviewed by Carol Fitzgerald

Kitchen Privileges is a very interesting biography.
I love Mary Higgins Clark novels, she's my favourite author, so It was interesting to read her life.
It's well writing and you never get bored.
She tells us about her youth and when she got married and had children.
I was cheering for her with the beautiful courtship and marriage and the births of her children. And saddened by the pain of losing her loved ones .
If you like memoirs, this book is an excellent choice to pick up!

La protagonista de este misterio es una abogada de la fiscalía, recién enviudada, y bien simpática. Ella tiene que enfrentar su "sueño" de una mujer muerta, la pérdida de una conocida dulce, y problemas de la salud, mientras intenta resolver una investigación. La marcha acelerada de esta novela mantiene el interés. Los caracteres son bien desarrollados y distintos. Hay de todo - los atentos, los rectos, los prepotentes, y los verdaderos peligrosos. ¡Una historia magnifica y un libro bien escrito!

I still don't know Washington any better. I wish she would've added a small ending explaining why the author chose to go into some subjects and neglect others entirely. Weird. This is supposed to be a love story, but we mostly read about George's passion for his neighbor; or his house. Where is this love story in the body of the text? They apparently like each other, George and Martha...
Some of the story looks like it is taken from their letters. But the author assures us it is all true. There is not much to the story---love or otherwise. Washington doesn't care for much---the Presidency or the way Martha spoils her children. He is stiff because his mom was a hag---another part played up. As for his Revolutionary campaigns or life in the White House, look elsewhere, baby!
I believe I saw somewhere that this was Clarks first book. That explains A LOT. Its a short story. Readable, not boring.
But I still feel like I know very little about George and Martha and their relationship together. But obviously it was written with love and admiration!
Would I recommend it? Sure, why not. Go for it. Don't expect much.

I don't normally read Mary Higgins Clark's books, but I decided to give this one a try. It was a fast and interesting read, and I enjoyed it very much.

This book was first written in 1969, and is being republished for the first time. It's a book that flashes between George Washington leaving the Presidency in 1797, and his memories of his life, from the beginning, then to when he met Martha ("Patsy") Custis. He grows fonder and fonder of Patsy, and when she is widowed with two young children to raise, he realizes that he really does love her, and marries her. We also read of the trials and tribulations of their life together, and of Washington's many accomplishments and defeats. I'm not sure how historically accurate this book really is, but I enjoyed it. Clark makes the people come alive, and we really do care about George and Patsy. A nice surprize from a book that I didn't think I'd like!

George Washington's father died when the future president was young. His mother was a harsh disciplinarian insuring George and his siblings behaved. George seemed to flee her whenever he could get away spending time at his half-brother's Mount Vernon home (yes - that historical home). George's first love is Sally Fairfax and his chosen profession surveyor, but war seemed to be his destiny. First he fought (unsuccessfully) during the French and Indian War and then the American Revolution.

This biography uses Washington's retirement to Mount Vernon with his beloved Patsy (Martha's nickname) as a focal point for looking back over the lives of the first president and his spouse. The book concentrates on his personal life not his public life. Thus, readers see another side to Washington. Though opinions are interspersed throughout, mystery suspense thriller writer Mary Higgins Clark provides a strong insightful look at Washington and literally the first "First Lady" that historical readers will enjoy.

Harriet Klausner

Though this book has a slow start... the last 1/3rd is very engrossing! The outcome was a surprise for me and I NEVER suspected the murderer!

"We'll Meet Again" is another book in the long list of excellent and very entertaining mysteries by Mary Higgins Clark.

This story is about Molly, a wife convicted of murdering her cheating husband, Gary. She does not remember the night of his death at all. When she is released from prison she asks her friend, Fran, an investigative reporter to help her find her husband's murderer, even if it turns out to be herself (Molly). While Fran investigates, another murder is committed and it looks like Molly will be tried for this death also!

While Fran uncovers an inhumane research project that Gary and partners are involved in at the hospital she is nearly murdered herself!

Overall, this book is very interesting with a surprising conclusion!

Believe it or not, this is the first time I've read anything by Mary Higgins Clark and I loved it. Molly Carpenter Lasch, was tried and convicted of murdering her husband, Dr. Gary Lasch, despite the fact she remembered nothing about the night he was killed. After being released on parole, Molly asserts her innocence again in front of the media. Among the media, Fran Simmons, an old classmate of Molly's from high school, begins covering the story for the local television station for a segment called True Crimes. Molly agrees to an interview with Fran and convinces Fran to help her investigate the murder further in order to find the answers that are at the edge of her memory. During the course of the investigation, a key witness is discovered murdered only hours after Molly questioned the witness. This story holds the reader captive until the very end. Highly recommended.

If you have never read Mary Higgins Clark and don't think you ever will, think again! In We'll Meet Again by Mary Higgins Clark there will never be a dull moment. After five and a half years of a miserable life in prison, Molly Lasch is finally out to prove her innocence. Molly has no memory, but believes in her mind that she did not kill her husband Gary. No one will believe her, not even her family, only now things are different. She has the never-ending support of her long lost friend Fran Simmons and her friend of many years Jenna Graham Whitehall. Through days of trial and confusion Molly is finally faced with the fact that the people she trust the most may not be worth trusting at all.
As Fran starts working for Molly and digging deep into the past--everything that Molly loved and hated about it--a whole new world begins to unfold. Molly's lawyer Phillip Matthews is close by both of these girls side every step of the way. As life begins to take a whole new meaning, who will still be there in the end and who will not? Only time will tell as you begin your journey in yet of another day in the head of Mary Higgins Clark!

Never having read one of Mary Higgins Clark's books before I was somewhat skeptical when I chose to read "Daddy's Little Girl." After only reading the first chapter, I knew that I had made a good decision in picking this book. This book was very interesting and was able to keep my attention until the very last words.

The story begins when seven-year-old Ellie Cavanaugh finds her fifteen-year-old sister, Andrea, dead as the result of a brutal murder in the garage of wealthy Mrs. Westerfield. The garage was the secret hideout of Andrea and some of her friends. After learning of how she might have been able to save her sister's life, Ellie felt very guilty because she had known that Andrea was to meet Rob Westerfield, Mrs. Westerfield's grandson, at the garage that night. If only Ellie would have told her parents, Andrea might have been still alive. Two days after the funeral, Rob was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while still saying that he was innocent.

The death of Andrea split the Cavanaugh family apart. Mr. and Mrs. Cavanaugh eventually separated. Mrs. Cavanaugh and Ellie moved around the country continuously for many years while Mr. Cavanaugh stayed in New York, remarried, and had a son. Mrs. Cavanaugh became an alcoholic and eventually passed away. Ellie never seemed to completely recover from the loss of her sister by still feeling guilty.

Twenty-three years later, Ellie is now thirty years old, lives in Atlanta, Georgia and is an investigative reporter with the Atlanta News. She decides to return home to New York when Rob Westerfield is set to come up for parole the third time. Ellie is determined to do something in order to prevent Rob from getting out of prison.

While in New York, Ellie plans to meet and talk with many people in order to find out more information on the murderer Rob Westerfield. Shortly after arriving in her room at the local inn, Ellie finds out that the Westerfields are going to hold a press conference concerning the new evidence they have saying that the real killer was Paulie Stroebel, the friend of Andrea's and worker at the service station. Jake Bern, a best selling true crime writer, now plans to write a book about Andrea's death and Rob Westerfield's innocence.

After meeting with Marcus Longo, the retired detective who covered the murder case, and Mrs. Hilmer, the Cavanaugh's neighbor, Ellie called Maggie Reynolds, who was a New York book editor whom she had dealt with before. Maggie decides she would like to go toe-to-toe to Bern's book with one from Ellie. Ellie's book is supposed to prove Rob Westerfield's guilt and Paulie Stroebel's innocence. Ellie then moved out of the inn and into Mrs. Hilmer's guest apartment from where she began to do some research on the case.

With the help from some others, Ellie starts to find the locations of some people who may have been involved with Westerfield at some time. This includes some former classmates and teachers at the private schools that Rob attended, a waitress at a restaurant that the Westerfield's dined at, the brother of the man who was framed for the attempt at old Mrs. Westerfield's life, and some former inmates who resided with Rob in prison. The information and stories that she received prompted her to start a website, which documented them. Also, while digging for evidence of Rob's guilt Ellie finds that he may have committed another murder. The website and its content enrages the Westerfield's and other town members who think that Rob is innocent.

Ellie's life has now become in danger. First, someone breaks into the apartment that she is staying in but all that she notices is different is the addition of a sentence to her article on her computer. Using towels that were apparently stolen from the apartment soaked in gasoline, someone sets fire to the apartment nearly killing Ellie. The police try to say that she set the fire in order to draw attention to herself.

Rob Westerfield or someone else associated with him is now following Ellie at almost all times. Luckily, Ellie's father and stepbrother have also been following her which has saved her a few times. Ellie is very brave and doesn't realize how much danger she is really in. She does finally realize it and moves farther away and not just from inn to inn. From her new location, Ellie continued to collect new evidence and work on her book.

The book "Daddy's Little Girl" by Mary Higgins Clark provided me with a good reading experience. The descriptions of the characters were very detailed. The plot was very interesting and held my attention through out the whole book. In conclusion, I would recommend this book to any young or older reader who would like a book that is interesting and is able to keep your attention.

Ellie Cavanaugh was seven years old when she found the body of Andrea, her fifteen year old sister, in the hideout. The hideout was in the garage behind old Mrs. Westerfield's house. It was little Ellie's testimony that put Andrea's boyfriend, Rob Westerfield, in prison for the murder. The stress and depression tore the family apart.

After twenty years Rob was coming up for parole. With his family's influence and money there was no doubt he would be released this time. The family also had an author writing Rob's life story to gain public sympathy.

Ellie had grown up and became an investigative reporter with the Atlanta News. She returned to her hometown to make sure Rob was not acquitted. Most believed Rob innocent of Andrea's death. As Ellie investigated and posted her findings on the web for the world to see, she became targeted for murder.

***** Mary Higgins Clark had not written this well in several years. I found it to be MUCH better than her last few novels! Clark seems to have found her muse once again! Highly recommended! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.

I've always really enjoyed Mary Higgins Clark a lot. I felt this book was another winner yet.

Ellie Cavanaugh was only seven years old when her fifteen year old sister was murdered near their home in Oldham-on-the Hudson, a rural village in New York's Westchester County. There were three suspects; Rob Wetserfield, who was nineteen year old scion of a weathy, prominent family, whom Andrea has been secretly dating. Then there is Paul Stroebel, a sixteen year old schoolmate who has a crush on Andrea. And Will Nebels, a local handyman in his forties.

It was Ellie who had led her parents to a hideout in which Andrea's body was found wrapped in a blanket with her dead. This hideaway was a secret place where Andrea met her friends often. Ellie was blamed by her parents for her sisters death for not telling them where this place was. It was also Ellie's testimony that convicted Rob Westerfield, sending him to prison for the next twenty three years.

When Rob comes up for parole, Ellie, now an investigative reporter for an Atlanta newspaper, protests his release. Nonetheless, the convicted killer is set free and returns to Oldham. Determined to thwart his attempts to whitewash his reputation, Ellie also returns to Oldham, intent on creating a Website and writing a book that will conclusively prove his guilt. Until she is able to prove Rob guilty, Ellie will not be able to lay her sister's murder and her grief to rest. But Ellie better watch her back, because she's also in danger all the way.
Someone is after her to stop.

I have to agree with most of what was written by others. If it were not that this book was written for charitable purposes ... I probably wouldn't have given it 3 stars. I was hard press to find three stories that were worth reading from beginning to end.

I did enjoy looking for the "thick" book, steak and fog in each story. In most of the stories it seemed that the authors stuck in the 3 elements listed as an after thought. The stories I enjoyed most were stories where there was some thought put into the plot.

Because this book was written for charity, I would encourage others to purchase it, read and review it.

With most short story collections, there's usually a common theme. In "The Plot Thickens," each author was required to incorporate the following three things into their story: a thick fog, a thick steak, and a thick book. Most are concealed cleverly and seamlessly in the story, but I still found myself looking for them like it was a Where's Waldo? game. Not surprisingly, most of the authors use a restaurant setting to integrate the steak, but at least Westlake does a little play on of words in his story.

Anyway, on to the following 11 short stories:

"How Far It Could Go" by Lawrence Block is a largely conversational story set in a restaurant, where a woman meets with a man she intends on hiring to "rough up" her ex-boyfriend over a cash settlement. I kept expecting some great twist at the end (never happened); still, not a bad story. >> "Foolproof" by Edna Buchanan -- An Egyptian mummy autopsy reveals a 1000+ year-old murder victim with the same fingerprints as a notorious gang member. Again, the ending didn't impress me, and the story seemed to jump unevenly from scene to scene. >> "The Man Next Door" by Mary Higgins Clark -- A woman's creepy next-door neighbor breaks into her house through their shared basement wall (quite ingenious, in my opinion), in order for him to abduct her and keep her a prisoner in his home. Mary, being the brains behind this whole eradicate-American-illiterarcy thing (which this book donates a percentage to), not surprisingly has the longest "short" story in here, at approximately 40 pages, but it doesn't feel that long. It has an engrossing plot, and good characterization and alternating p.o.v. One of my faves in here.

"Too Many Cooks" by Carol Higgins Clark -- An aspiring actress is called in to play the role of a chef in a commercial, but accidents start occurring on the set. A little predictable about the bad guy, but still good. >> "Revenge & Rebellion" by Nelson & Lauren DeMille -- A woman meets with an old college friend who's now a literary agent, in the hopes he'll accept her manuscript. Another restaurant setting; in fact, two restaurants in this one. Good story, but the suspense twist doesn't happen until the last page. >> "The Last Peep" by Janet Evanovich -- A bounty hunter and her partner-in-training search for the missing body of a Peeping Tom. Strong, unique characters. Quite funny. >> "Going Under" by Linda Fairstein -- A policewoman agrees to go undercover as a dental patient in order to catch a molesting dentist. Reading this one made me glad I never chose to go under while at the dentist's--just to be safe.

"Thick-Headed" by Walter Mosley -- Two men find a dead body in the trunk of a car and get involved in solving the crime. A little confusing, probably because there were so many characters--dead and alive. >> "Love's Cottage" by Nancy Pickard was told in letter form and based on an actual mass murder in 1914. Short, good ending; however, since no motive was ever given in history, it's up to the reader to speculate on it. >> "The Road Trip" by Ann Rule -- A woman is harassed and followed by two guys in a semi-truck while on a road trip. Started out slow, but got better. >> "Take It Away" by Donald E. Westlake -- A police officer and his associates are on a stakeout in order to catch an overseas art smuggler. A great finale to this anthology. I got a laugh out of the ending.

In summary: "The Plot Thickens" is a pretty good mystery anthology. There are some dull stories, some entertaining ones--which can be said for most short story collections--but the majority are very good. Definitely worth reading if you're a fan of one or more of the authors in here.

"The Plot Thickens" is an anthology containing eleven stories from eleven of today's top mystery and suspense writers. To be honest, I hunted this book down solely for Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum short story, but found I enjoyed the whole thing. "The Plot Thickens" was written for a great cause, to raise money to fight illiteracy in the U.S., so you can feel good about where your money is going. Some of the stories are better than others and individual opinions will undoubtedly vary, but each tale includes a thick fog, a thick book, and a thick steak, and it's fun seeing how each author chose to work in those three elements.

1. "How Far it Could Go" by Lawrence Block is probably my least favourite story of the anthology. A man and a woman meet in a restaurant to discuss using violence to dissuade the woman's ex-husband from suing her, but how far will it go? Thin on plot, but Block creates an interesting mood. **1/2

2. "Foolproof" by Edna Buchanan tells the tale of an ancient Egyptian mummy autopsied and fingerprinted for interests' sake. But the findings bring to light a millennia's old unsolved murder and cast doubt on the only foolproof form of crime scene evidence. An intriguing and enjoyable story. ****

3. "The Man Next Door" by Mary Higgins Clark is a great, suspenseful story. When a young woman becomes the latest unwilling houseguest of her serial killer neighbour, the race is on to find her before it's too late. A well-written and exciting tale. *****

4. "Too Many Cooks" by Carol Higgins Clark introduces a struggling young actress who gets a break when she's chosen to play a cook in a steak sauce commercial. But she soon finds herself caught up in some real life drama and betrayal. A fun and entertaining story. ****

5. "Revenge and Rebellion" by Nelson & Lauren DeMille is a deliciously twisted tale. When a woman gives her treasured autobiographical manuscript to her good friend who works as a literary agent, he gets a disturbing glimpse of the world through her eyes. But the aspiring author doesn't take criticism lightly, and lost in her own delusions, there's no telling what she'll do. A very good story. ****

6. "The Last Peep" by Janet Evanovich is a Stephanie Plum story well worth tracking down. This time, bounty hunter Stephanie is on the trail of a burg resident with a penchant for peeping in windows and showing off his personal wares. But when she discovers his dead, naked body, which subsequently disappears, she's thrust into the middle of an exciting, and very amusing, mystery. A mystery that she is bound and determined to solve, with a little help from sidekick Lula and Grandma Mazur. A hilarious, well-written, and wonderful story. *****

7. "Going Under" by Linda Fairstein is a fun and original tale. An ambitious young police officer gets her big chance to make detective, as long as she's willing to let a dentist with wandering hands have his way with her once he puts her under! I really liked this story. ****

8. "Thick-Headed" by Walter Mosley is a good story, though a bit tough to follow. When a man hired to transport a car finds a dead body in the trunk of that car, he goes to his closest friend for advice. And the two of them get themselves in deeper and deeper with angry mobsters, more bodies, and criminal schemes. ***1/2

9. "Love's Cottage" by Nancy Pickard is an original and enjoyable tale. A black servant details her arrival in a strange new household with her husband, and the events that led to a terrible tragedy. ****

10. "The Road Trip" by Ann Rule is an excellent story and one of the anthology's best. When a newly divorced woman heads on a business road trip, it provides her with the welcome opportunity to get away from her maniacal, jealous, and possessive ex-husband. But instead of getting some much-needed relaxation, she finds herself in the midst of a new and infinitely worse nightmare when she becomes the next target of an infamous serial killer. A tightly plotted and thrilling story. *****

11. "Take it Away" by Donald E. Westlake rounds out the anthology nicely. When an FBI agent on a stakeout of a notorious art thief goes to get fast food for his team, a coincidental conversation with the next man in line turns out to be much, much more than it seems. A fun and intriguing tale. ****

Overall, "The Plot Thickens" is an entertaining mystery anthology that will satisfy readers. My favourite stories were the ones by Mary Higgins Clark, Janet Evanovich, and Ann Rule, but each and every one was worth reading. So give "The Plot Thickens" a try, and do your part in the fight against illiteracy.

Cuando lei este libro era el primero que leia de esta autora, y en verdad me parecio entretenido por la manera en que lleva el relato, aun cuando descubri al asesino cuando aun no leia la mitad del libro. Luego de leerlo compre otro libro de ella, lei en total tres de sus novelas, y me di cuenta que explota mucho los mismos temas, y la heroina y el estilo del asesino son en general los mismos en todos ellos.

El Libro Me Gusta Musica Me Gusta bailar es muy interestante y comico. Es mi libro favorito!

I really enjoy reading books by, "The Queen of Suspense", Mary Higgins Clark. Her nouvels are full of mystery and suspense that gives you chills up your spine. And the way she uses words to catch your attention and spark your imagination. The book, Before I Say Goodbye, was very suspenseful but I didn't find the mystery nearly as deep as some of her others. I found some of the text to have errors as far as her ordering of the plot, and so the book was somewhat hard to follow due to that. The book was mainly about a young woman, Nell, who, when young, lost her parents to a tragic plane crash and ended up living with her grandfather. Her grandfather was highly into politics which was the main reason why Nell, wanted to be part of the poitical world. Nell's husband died during a tragic boat eplosion leaving nasty evidence of her husbands life, which Nell hadn't known. Will Nell's help from her psychic friends help her to solve the mystery of her husband's tragic death or will Nell go on living her life never really knowing what happened and why.

When Nell MacDermont loses her parents and grandma at a young age, all hope seems to be gone. Raised by her politician grandfather, Mac, she learns the ins and outs of all the Congress secrets.
After having a quarrel, her husband Adam's boat, Cornelia II, explodes while he and four other co-workers are on board. Feeling guilty, her great-aunt Gert suggests Nell go to see a famous medium, Bonnie Wilson. Skeptical at the beginning, Nell starts to believe everything Bonnie is telling her. But it seems there are just so many unanswered questions about the mysterious explosion. Nell has no idea that she is the next target for the insane killer.
Mary Higgins Clark's Before I Say Goodbye is a tale of tragedy, mystery, and suspense. The way Clark combines these three aspects will keep the reader up late into the night, devouring the intense story. As the plot thickens, more and more suspects begin to appear. The reader will constantly be wondering, "Who did it?" and just as you think you have it figured out, Clark twists the evidence to point to someone else. Before I Say Goodbye will keep you on the edge of your seat and is not the type of book that should be read alone.

Former Congressman Cornelius "Mac" MacDermott asks his granddaughter Nell Cauliff to run for his old seat in the House. Two years ago she rejected his request because her spouse objected to her becoming Mac's legislative puppet. However, this time Nell decides she wants to run for the public office as politics is in her blood.

The next day she informs her husband, architect Adam Cauliff, about her plans. He becomes irate and they have a serious argument before he leaves for a meeting on his cruiser. An explosion occurs on the ship apparently killing Adam, several business associates and employees. Nell is left feeling guilty and ashamed of herself. The police believe the explosion was deliberate.

When rumors abound that Adam was on the take, Nell decides to investigate the accident to prove her spouse's innocence, which means one of the other guests was the intended victim. She also follows Adam's instructions from the grave thorough a medium while a killer looks on, wondering if Nell needs to be eliminated.

Known for her suspenseful bestsellers, Mary Higgins Clark writes an intriguing tale that combines elements of a thriller with that of an amateur sleuth mystery. The story line is fun and exciting, especially when Nell begins her inquiries. Nell is a wonderful character and her grandfather comes across as a powerful individual. The support cast is developed to the point where the reader understands their flaws. Ms. Clark provides her myriad of fans with another enthralling tale filled with action and adventure exciting tale.

Harriet Klausner

Sterling Brooks is marking time in the celestial waiting room watching everyone else get their wings. As a lawyer during life, described as the kind of person who was first in the lifeboat, who never went out of his way for anyone and who was too smug and self-absorbed to notice what was going on around him (trial lawyers won't like that portrait of one of their own), it's not going to be easy for Counselor Brooks. Summoned by the Heavenly Council and informed that his only chance for admission will be his participation in an earthly experiment to recognize someone with a problem and help them solve it, Brooks is off to earn his wings. Transported back to Rockefeller Center during the holiday season, Brooks doesn't have that much time to help seven year old Marissa get reunited with her father and grandmother. The road to heaven may be paved with good intentions; but Brooks' trip takes him to the underworld of gangsters Junior and Eddie Badgett who have scared Marissa's father and grandmother into the witness protection program because of something they know.

While this book may fly off the shelves this holiday season because of its authors' following, it's not destined to take up residence next to Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" or Capra's "It's A Wonderful Life" in this reviewer's holiday collection. Sure, it's probably not expected to be a classic, but even as an afternoon read with Mel Torme crooning in the background and the chestnuts roasting on an open fire, it's a disappointment.

There's not enough humbug in me to say don't read this book during a free moment in the holiday rush. It is short at 199 pages. It's just that I think mother-daughter authors Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark could have done much better if they lightened up on the sugar coating.

The Clark ladies are a formidable literary pair, often co-authoring to offer double dips of pleasure for mystery loving readers. Now, they've taken a leaf from the classic Christmas film "It's A Wonderful Life" and spiced it with danger. Carol Higgins Clark gives authentic voice to their story.

Sterling Brooks might be everyman--except for the fact that he's in heaven's anteroom, where he's been waiting for almost 50 years for admission to heaven. In his case patience isn't its own reward, and the Heavenly Council proposes a test for him. Sterling must return to Earth and prove his Pearly Gates eligibility by helping someone else.

Where to start but Manhattan and the Rockefeller Center skating rink? There he finds a woebegone seven-year-old, Marissa, whose family has been placed in the Federal Witness Protection Program due to the threats of the murderous Blodgett family. It is the Christmas season and Marissa is separated from those she loves.

It does take some work and thought on Sterling's part but, of course, the tale has a happy ending. After all, even almost-angels have mysterious powers.

Mary Higgins Clark and daughter Carol have given us one of their best Christmas efforts yet as they tell the sweet story of Sterling Brooks, a soul in heaven's waiting room, given one last chance to earn his spot in heaven. They overlap his story with the very earthly tale of a little girl and the danger a pair of no-good gangster brothers pose for her. Readers will recognize Mary Higgins Clark's genius for creating a variety of characters and pinpointing the motivations that precede their actions. Readers will certainly sympathize with Sterling Brooks as he learns the power of caring for others---a trait he somehow missed in his earthly life--- before he can cross the bridge to Heaven. The laugh-out-loud humor of daughter Carol's previous works is unmistakable as the reader is treated to the bumbling Badgett Brothers, despicable and somewhat stereotypical bad boys redeemed only by their totally unselfish love for their wily Mama. The first description that came to my mind was The Blues Brothers Meet It's A Wonderful Life.

The authors dedicate this book to the victims of the September 11, 2001 tragedy, to the families and friends who loved them, and to the rescuers who risked their own lives to help them. Certainly it is refreshing to see New York's traditional yuletide trimmings written about---the skating rink at Rockefeller Center, the windows at Sak's, the sanctity of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and more---to remind us that this indestructible city is still alive and well.

Many authors choose to tell a Christmas tale and take a step off their normal path. I consider this one the very best to come out in this holiday season. Although it may lack the riveting suspense we normally associate with Mary Higgins Clark, it is an original twist on a warm and fuzzy story that satisfies, refuses to let you put it down, and warms the heart in a way we all need at this special season of loving and giving. So if you are looking for a quick, feel-good read that leaves visions of sugarplums dancing in your head, pick up this very special little book and give yourself a Christmas present you'll enjoy.

Mary Higgins Clark has become one of my favorite authors. Everytime she gets a new book out I can't wait to read it. I'm afraid I can't say that about All Through The Night. I was extremely disappointed. I was looking forward to a page turner. I wanted to read a murder mystery, a story that involved suspense and surprise. This book had none of them. I had no desire to finish the book. Books with the characters Alvirah and Willy just don't seem to be Clarks strong points. She needs to stick to her suspenseful novels. I love her murder mystery books. This book I just finished was bad. I didn't like the love story part. I found the mystery part of the book way to easy to figure out. The whole story line wasn't good. I missed the suspens and excitment. I usually can't wait to find out what happens next, in this book I could have cared less. After the first few chapters of the book I got bored. The whole drug dealer picking up the baby and then the old lady and the will, I just could tell that this book wasn't going to be good. I knew right away that the couple who had the will were the bad guys. I also figured out that the lost baby and her mother were going to be reunited. It was all so easy. Mary Higgins Clark should stick to writing stories like her Loves Music, Loves to Dance. She needs stories filled with murder and drama. All Through The Night was a big disappointment to me. I just hope that her next book is a whole lot better.

All Through the Night
Mary Higgins Clark
Rebekah Sexton

Of the twelve Mary Higgins Clarks books I've had the privilege of reading, I've found All Through the Night to be among her best. Mary Higgins Clark ingeniously intertwines two plots through one little girl. Sondra's musical career and life hold a promising future for her as her dreams are slowly unfolding, until she becomes pregnant by mistake. She finds herself in a situation she doesn't know how to solve and determines that the only solution to her problem is to leave her newborn girl on the doorstep of a church in New York City. When Sondra returns seven years later in search of her daughter, she tragically finds that her daughter was never found and that the same night she left her, there was a burglary at the church. Left heartbroken, Sondra is left with questions that cannot be answered.
When Kate tragically discovers that her recently deceased sister, Bessie, left the will for her house to go to a couple she wasn't fond of, she becomes tragically aware of her sister's deceitfulness, something her friends were also unaware of. Positive that the will must be fraud, Alvirah, a close friend to Kate and Bessie, sets out to prove that the will is a fraud and that the Bakers are con artists. As Alvirah unfolds the mysteries of the events that happened the night that Sondra left her daughter at the church and of Bessie's will, the story unfolds plots and mysteries that leads one on a ride full of twists and surprises. Clark has once again outdone herself in All Through the Night.

All Through the Night, by Mary Higgins Clark, contains plenty of suspense to keep the reader turning the pages. Clark's use of dramatic irony keeps readers engrossed in the book. Through all the characters' minds, the reader wonders how each character will resolve their conflict. Next, the reader absorbs all the different stories told, connecting the different people with other characters. Finally, the use of the chalice to connect the characters and their story leaves the reader fascinated at the connections. All Through the Night is suspenseful and fast paced, making it an easy novel to finish.
The audience can see through all the characters' minds, giving them knowledge that the other characters lack. When Lenny takes the baby from the rectory, automatically the reader knows this will be a long lost relationship between the mother and this little baby. While Alvirah Meehan tries to solve the case on Bessie Durkin's will, the reader sees Sondra, the mother of the baby, enter the picture. Sondra struggles, facing the thought of her innocent daughter she left on the rectory steps seven years ago. The reader then views Stellina, the lost baby now seven, and how her life has formed. Clark keeps the audience reading as Alvirah indirectly solves both mysteries.
The mystery of the false will, the separation of Sondra and Stellina, Lenny and his hopes for Stellina, all sub-stories in the novel, are brought together as Alvirah solves them. Seven years after the chalice is stolen, and the baby is not found, Sondra goes back to New York wondering what happened to her baby. Lenny is planning to leave New York and head to Mexico, taking Stellina as a cover-up. Alvirah is trying to solve the false will, when she meets Sondra. Alvirah promises to help find her daughter, which leads to finding Lenny and the stolen chalice. So all of the characters form as one mystery Alvirah solves. Clark's randomness leading to one point keeps the reader even more interested with all the stories.
Lenny grabs the stroller as a cover-up for stealing the chalice, not knowing that there is a child in it. Clark's use of the chalice to join all the characters, allows the reader to see the connection. Home Base, which is run by Alvirah's friend Kate Durkin, is a daycare for children. Stellina is part of this daycare and is chosen to be the blessed mother for the Christmas Pageant. Stellina wants to bring the chalice as a gift to Jesus. Sondra is connected to the chalice because he grandfather always loved to sit near it in church. Alvirah is friends with the minister of the perish the chalice is from so immediately connects the relationship between Sondra, Stellina, and Lenny. The chalice ties the mystery of the stolen chalice and of Stellina up in one night's performance.
All Through the Night is one of many masterful tales of suspense by Clark. The dramatic irony makes the book more interesting and exhilarating. With so many stories to follow the reader does not get bored. Finally, the chalice helps the reader keep track of the connection between all the characters. This book will keep the readers on the edge of their seat and will truly keep the reading 'all through the night.'