What do you think?
Rate this book
Night-Time Is My Time
The definition of an owl had always pleased him: a night bird of prey...sharp talons and soft plumage which permits noiseless flight...applied figuratively to a person of nocturnal habits. "I am The Owl," he would whisper to himself after he had selected his prey, "and night-time is my time."
Jean Sheridan, a college dean and prominent historian, sets out to her hometown in Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, New York, to attend the twenty-year reunion of Stonecroft Academy, where she is to be honoured along with six other members of her class. There is, however, something uneasy in the air: one woman in the group, Alison Kenall, a beautiful, high-powered Hollywood agent, died just a few days before, drowned in her pool during an early- morning swim. She is the fifth woman in the class whose life has come to a sudden, mysterious end.
At the award dinner, Jean is introduced to Sam Regan, a detective obsessed for years by the unsolved murder of a young woman, who may also hold the key to the identity of the Stonecroft killer. But she does not suspect that among the distinguished people she is greeting is the "Owl", a murderer nearing the countdown on his mission of vengeance against the Stonecroft women who had mocked and humiliated him, with Jean his final intended victim.
Jean Sheridan, a college dean and prominent historian, sets out to her hometown in Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, New York, to attend the twenty-year reunion of Stonecroft Academy, where she is to be honoured along with six other members of her class. There is, however, something uneasy in the air: one woman in the group, Alison Kenall, a beautiful, high-powered Hollywood agent, died just a few days before, drowned in her pool during an early- morning swim. She is the fifth woman in the class whose life has come to a sudden, mysterious end.
At the award dinner, Jean is introduced to Sam Regan, a detective obsessed for years by the unsolved murder of a young woman, who may also hold the key to the identity of the Stonecroft killer. But she does not suspect that among the distinguished people she is greeting is the "Owl", a murderer nearing the countdown on his mission of vengeance against the Stonecroft women who had mocked and humiliated him, with Jean his final intended victim.
370 pages, Paperback
First published April 6, 2004
1159 people are currently reading
5224 people want to read
About the author
Mary Higgins Clark
630 books13.5k followersThe #1 New York Times bestselling author Mary Higgins Clark has written thirty-eight suspense novels, four collections of short stories, a historical novel, a memoir, and two children’s books. With bestselling author Alafair Burke she wrote the Under Suspicion series. With her daughter Carol Higgins Clark, she has coauthored five more suspense novels. Her sister-in-law is the also author Mary Jane Clark.
Clark’s books have sold more than 100 million copies in the United States alone. Her books are beloved around the world and made her an international bestseller many times over.
Clark’s books have sold more than 100 million copies in the United States alone. Her books are beloved around the world and made her an international bestseller many times over.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 883 reviews
June 21, 2017
This was a pleasant enough mystery but I found myself urging it on towards its conclusion and even skimming a few paragraphs here and there to speed things up. It just seemed to move so very slowly. There was not even much fun in trying to work out the murderer since the author supplied such a plethora of possibilities, all of them equally unpleasant people and each absolutely deserving of a possible life sentence. (That's a long winded way of saying I didn't care whodunit).
An okay read but not outstanding in any way.
An okay read but not outstanding in any way.
August 27, 2025
This is an easy read which holds the suspense well till the end. The characters and plot overall were average.
The story starts with Alison who is murdered in a pool (the perpetuator calls himself ‘The Owl’) but is declared an accidental death. There is also the case of 20 years back – Karen Sommers was murdered in her home, and the case is still unsolved. Police detective Sam Deegan continues to be in touch with the family, though he understands there is nothing much left to pursue. A class reunion has been planned, and it seems that Laura & Jean who are attending are under threat. Jean receives notes alluding to some past events and is alarmed.
The story keeps up the tension and it is only at the end that the identity of ‘The Owl’ is revealed. I found the character development to be average, and the plot is shallow. Sam & Jean are good characters but needed more depth. I found the convergence to the murder of Karen Sommers to be good.
The story starts with Alison who is murdered in a pool (the perpetuator calls himself ‘The Owl’) but is declared an accidental death. There is also the case of 20 years back – Karen Sommers was murdered in her home, and the case is still unsolved. Police detective Sam Deegan continues to be in touch with the family, though he understands there is nothing much left to pursue. A class reunion has been planned, and it seems that Laura & Jean who are attending are under threat. Jean receives notes alluding to some past events and is alarmed.
The story keeps up the tension and it is only at the end that the identity of ‘The Owl’ is revealed. I found the character development to be average, and the plot is shallow. Sam & Jean are good characters but needed more depth. I found the convergence to the murder of Karen Sommers to be good.
January 3, 2016
Sure, I love red herrings in my mystery novels. Who doesn't? But this was just ridiculous. Too many red herrings in this one; everything felt chaotic and topsy-turvy. Plus, Jean, the protagonist, was so stupid she deserved to die. Ugh. I have so much hate for her character.
December 14, 2024
Unexpectedly good, as the novel rises to the best from Agatha Christie's stories.
The plot is seductive, the rhythm is dense and alert, with few dead times and no unnecessary little flowers, the characters are well-crafted and you don't know ( at least I was rather surprised) who's the murderer until the final pages.
Of course, Jean and Meredith aren't the smartest women alive by exposing themselves, Duke is a far too convenient character for the writer, Laura's former house seems to be too remote, but the general impression is a fine one and four stars are more than deserved.
The plot is seductive, the rhythm is dense and alert, with few dead times and no unnecessary little flowers, the characters are well-crafted and you don't know ( at least I was rather surprised) who's the murderer until the final pages.
Of course, Jean and Meredith aren't the smartest women alive by exposing themselves, Duke is a far too convenient character for the writer, Laura's former house seems to be too remote, but the general impression is a fine one and four stars are more than deserved.
January 5, 2019
4,5 🌟
Super sorprendida con esta autora! Primer libro que leo y me atrapó por completo.
Una trama interesante, un estilo simple de narración con diversos personajes, en donde todos y cada uno son culpables, o crees que lo son, para luego dar un giro.
Me anotaré otros libros de esta autora.
Super sorprendida con esta autora! Primer libro que leo y me atrapó por completo.
Una trama interesante, un estilo simple de narración con diversos personajes, en donde todos y cada uno son culpables, o crees que lo son, para luego dar un giro.
Me anotaré otros libros de esta autora.
May 10, 2008
I've never read a Mary Higgins Clark book before, and yes, they're clean as a whistle but BORING! I could barely make it threw the "page turner". I didn't care who the killer was because I didn't care about any of the characters and her style of writing is so boring. Maybe I would have liked her in, say, junior high. But even then I would have known the book was an easy read. I found myself hoping her main character Jean would be knocked off, big surprise, she wasn't!!! Are all her main characters kind, dumb, well-educated good people? I won't read anymore of her books to find out. If I had to chose between reading another of her books or staring at a wall for an equal amount of time, I'd pick staring at the wall. At least then an original thought or a shred of human insight might pop into my brain.
July 18, 2024
Има какво да се желае. Някои действия на героите бяха прекалено елементарни, нереални и нелогични.
Чел съм много по-добри книги от нея.
Чел съм много по-добри книги от нея.
March 9, 2016
I don't think I am a Mary Higgins Clark kind of reader. It was okay, but somewhat boring. I could barely tolerate it at times on my walk. If it hadn't been for the fact that I liked the narrator so much, I likely would have abandoned it long before the last half of the book. Sorry. It is what it is. Just not for me. I don't think I will try another one. Too slow.
August 25, 2016
Tighter editing might have improved murder mystery...
We are longtime readers of Clark [every book except her memoirs:] and would like to express some amazement that she keeps pumping them out at age 75. But while the premise of this attempted thriller is OK, the storyline gets tiresome -- the novel might well be somebody's master's thesis on red herrings! The plot reveals that in the over 20+ years since a male classmate, playing an owl in a school skit, is humiliated by his classmates, he systematically murders off the list of seven girlfriends who always ate lunch together. Five are already dead when the 20th reunion arrives, but he has been so clever that nobody in law enforcement has even suspected foul play, let alone the connection between the deaths. As the classmates arrive for the big weekend, he is not only planning the imminent deaths of the remaining two, Laura and Jean, but also plans to off Jean's adopted-at-birth baby girl whose identity he has somehow learned. The prime male attendees are all suspects for the "Owl", including dark playwright Carter, caustic comedian Robby, real-estate tycoon Jack, sit-com producer Gordon, and talk-show psychiatrist Mark. For a couple of hundred pages, short chapters alternate between all these players, throwing out suspicion after suspicion to keep us readers totally on edge. Unfortunately, the red herrings soon grow into a mountain, and we just started getting tired and wanted the whole thing over. When the Owl kidnaps Laura (but conveniently keeps her alive so that he can kill Jean and her daughter while she watches), and then Jean, it's a long stretch to believe the women would follow his commandment to never utter his name (so that we wouldn't know who). In the end, while the bad guy was a modest surprise, we were pretty much beyond caring.
This time Clark's story took on a somewhat different nature. She lately has featured high-achieving leading ladies who go on to solve any and every crime despite the best but ineffective efforts of the professionals. Sometimes these women are unbelievably gorgeous, smart, and resourceful, which gets to be a strain of credibility. But in "Nighttime", the serial killer gets most of the attention, which may help explain why we weren't that thrilled by the climax -- we just weren't that terror stricken for the intended victims. If some of the nearly hundred chapters, all short and almost all featuring numerous changes of scenes and speaking characters, could have been pared and led us straighter line to a satisfying ending, we might have been more enamored with this tale. As it is, we hope Clark will go for higher quality next time, or get better editors, or (gasp) consider whether it might be time to retire the word processor. We'd prefer the former.
We are longtime readers of Clark [every book except her memoirs:] and would like to express some amazement that she keeps pumping them out at age 75. But while the premise of this attempted thriller is OK, the storyline gets tiresome -- the novel might well be somebody's master's thesis on red herrings! The plot reveals that in the over 20+ years since a male classmate, playing an owl in a school skit, is humiliated by his classmates, he systematically murders off the list of seven girlfriends who always ate lunch together. Five are already dead when the 20th reunion arrives, but he has been so clever that nobody in law enforcement has even suspected foul play, let alone the connection between the deaths. As the classmates arrive for the big weekend, he is not only planning the imminent deaths of the remaining two, Laura and Jean, but also plans to off Jean's adopted-at-birth baby girl whose identity he has somehow learned. The prime male attendees are all suspects for the "Owl", including dark playwright Carter, caustic comedian Robby, real-estate tycoon Jack, sit-com producer Gordon, and talk-show psychiatrist Mark. For a couple of hundred pages, short chapters alternate between all these players, throwing out suspicion after suspicion to keep us readers totally on edge. Unfortunately, the red herrings soon grow into a mountain, and we just started getting tired and wanted the whole thing over. When the Owl kidnaps Laura (but conveniently keeps her alive so that he can kill Jean and her daughter while she watches), and then Jean, it's a long stretch to believe the women would follow his commandment to never utter his name (so that we wouldn't know who). In the end, while the bad guy was a modest surprise, we were pretty much beyond caring.
This time Clark's story took on a somewhat different nature. She lately has featured high-achieving leading ladies who go on to solve any and every crime despite the best but ineffective efforts of the professionals. Sometimes these women are unbelievably gorgeous, smart, and resourceful, which gets to be a strain of credibility. But in "Nighttime", the serial killer gets most of the attention, which may help explain why we weren't that thrilled by the climax -- we just weren't that terror stricken for the intended victims. If some of the nearly hundred chapters, all short and almost all featuring numerous changes of scenes and speaking characters, could have been pared and led us straighter line to a satisfying ending, we might have been more enamored with this tale. As it is, we hope Clark will go for higher quality next time, or get better editors, or (gasp) consider whether it might be time to retire the word processor. We'd prefer the former.
July 30, 2008
I needed something to read while we waited for a plane, so I bought this at a bookstore in the airport. Overall, I found the story a bit shallow. The author's efforts to keep the murder's name hidden from the reader, in my opinion, were painfully forced. Her efforts to build suspense up until the final reveal in the end were overwhelmingly blatant, but effective. It was so effective that the reveal seemed like a let down. I think the book would have been much better if she had just revealed the assailant's identity slowly. Then she could have used the question of whether or not the assailant would kill off the major characters to drive the suspense. Her efforts to try to use both even though one was obviously awkward (the hiding of the assailant's identity) irritated me and made the book much less enjoyable.
October 14, 2020
Gotta love a good Mystery by this Queen of Suspence
June 9, 2024
Kept me guessing and on my toes the entire time! Totally thought I had it figured out but no!
January 12, 2021
This book is a page turner! For a thriller, it was the perfect amount of “scary” for me since the omnipresent narrator kept you updated on The Owl as well as the other characters. I’d be curious if I took notes while reading if I could’ve figured out the ending, or if there were too many red herrings for anyone to figure it out.
February 9, 2020
A class reunion provides the backdrop for this novel. A serial killer appears to be at work. Much of the book concerns itself with one member missing and others concerned the last member of a group will be the next victim. I did not enjoy this book. Too much action came from tiresome conversation. I never got past apathy for all the characters. I considered abandoning the book several times, but I wanted to read a book by Clark after her death. I obviously picked the wrong one from my library's e-book collection.
July 6, 2019
This was my first Mary Higgins Clark book & I really liked it. I wasn’t able to figure out who “The Owl”/murderer was. I had it narrowed down to 2 characters & was completely wrong! I love that in a book! My only complaint is that there were SO MANY characters!!! I had a hard time keeping them all straight. Definitely look forward to reading more MHC books.
June 28, 2020
For me the story line progressed to slow. I ecpected jea,s character to be smarter in her choices and reactions. I did end up skimming several pages...
June 19, 2023
Jean Sheridan, college dean & historian, returns to Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, NY, to attend the 20 year reunion of Stonecroft Academy. Whilst there she finds out that one of the popular girls from the 'in' clique at school recently died, & oddly Alison was the fifth woman from that group to die in mysterious & tragic accidents. Also amongst the attendees is the "Owl", a serial killer who has spent years tracking down & murdering the women who he thinks wronged him as a teenager. Only Jean Sheridan & Laura Wilcox remain alive of that group & they will both be at the reunion. Perfect timing to complete his murderous mission.
I've read several of this author's books & they tend to be either really good or complete duds. Her characters also tend to act & dress way too old for their ages, for example, the age range of the attendees seemed to be early to late forties, so why did Dr Jean Sheridan dress like a stereotypical image of a woman of older vintage? I'm not kidding: slacks & sweaters, tweed jackets, lots of brown - sounds more like octogenarian Miss Marple than a woman in her early forties. I could perhaps overlook this if it had been written in the 1980s but this was published in 2004! It also went on for far too long - I had to speedread the final third just to find out 'whodunnit - with too many suspects. Verdict: not one of the author's best works, overlong & dull characters.
I've read several of this author's books & they tend to be either really good or complete duds. Her characters also tend to act & dress way too old for their ages, for example, the age range of the attendees seemed to be early to late forties, so why did Dr Jean Sheridan dress like a stereotypical image of a woman of older vintage? I'm not kidding: slacks & sweaters, tweed jackets, lots of brown - sounds more like octogenarian Miss Marple than a woman in her early forties. I could perhaps overlook this if it had been written in the 1980s but this was published in 2004! It also went on for far too long - I had to speedread the final third just to find out 'whodunnit - with too many suspects. Verdict: not one of the author's best works, overlong & dull characters.
October 16, 2014
Jean goes back to her hometown for a school reunion, someone has found out she had had given up a daughter for adoption when she was 18 and they are sending her messages making her believe Lily's life is in danger. when one for her classmates goes missing young reporter points out that 5 of the girls that used to sit at the same lunch table at school have died in the past 20 years and there is only 2 of them left including Jean.
We do know that the killer is one of the honorees who attended the reunion but we don't know which one, he refers to himself as "The owl" and there is something about all of them that makes them sound guilty.
With the help of Sam Deegan a detective, Jean needs to find out where her daughter is and who adopted her to warn them that her life is in danger and also figure out which one of her classmates is " The Owl"
This was my first Mary Higgins Clark book and I absolutely loved it, I cannot wait to check out her other books.
We do know that the killer is one of the honorees who attended the reunion but we don't know which one, he refers to himself as "The owl" and there is something about all of them that makes them sound guilty.
With the help of Sam Deegan a detective, Jean needs to find out where her daughter is and who adopted her to warn them that her life is in danger and also figure out which one of her classmates is " The Owl"
This was my first Mary Higgins Clark book and I absolutely loved it, I cannot wait to check out her other books.
July 26, 2011
Why do I keep trying Mary Higgins Clark? I can't stand her books.
August 15, 2016
I love Mary Higgins Clarke, every book she writes is a completely different story that is well written with a great story line and characters, I really enjoyed this book another 5 stars!
April 18, 2018
Not as good as the usual Clark mysteries.
February 10, 2020
Very interesting!
June 8, 2016
Como ya he mencionado en alguna que otra ocasión, con Mary Higgins Clark siempre voy a lo seguro. Cuando me leo un libro que no me gusta demasiado y pondero cuál va a ser el siguiente que me deje mejor sabor de boca, suelo recurrir a esta mujer porque ya sé qué esperar de ella y las posibilidades de llevarme una decepción son mínimas. Escondido en las Sombras (Nighttime is my time) fue publicado originalmente en 2004.
La profesora y escritora Jean Sheridan vuelve a su pueblo natal veinte años después de marcharse para la reunión de ex-alumnos de su instituto. Ella ya sabe de entrada que no va a ser un viaje agradable; allí no le esperan más que malos recuerdos de su infancia y también el recordatorio de que perdió al chico que amaba cuando estaba embarazada y que tuvo que dar en adopción a su pequeña, algo que ha mantenido en secreto durante todos estos años. Pero alguien ha averiguado este secreto y ha empezado a mandarle cartas amenazadoras. Jean, temerosa de que su hija esté en peligro, también descubrirá que cinco antiguas compañeras de instituto con las que se sentaba a la mesa a la hora de comer han muerto los últimos años en misteriosas circunstancias, y en el mismo orden en el que solían sentarse. Ya solo quedan dos chicas de ese grupo: Laura Wilcox, una actriz de capa caída por la que suspiraban todos los chicos del insti, y la propia Jean.
Escondido en las Sombras me enganchó una barbaridad al principio porque tenía un toque Agatha Christie genial. El misterio de las chicas de la mesa del comedor que han muerto en lo que todo el mundo dio por sentado que eran accidentes, la reunión de antiguos alumnos, la amenaza que planea sobre las cabezas de las dos últimas chicas del grupo, los cinco sospechosos juntos en el mismo lugar, todos medio atrapados en ese hotel baratucho... Incluso MHC hace una referencia a Diez Negritos en algún momento.
Me pareció un punto de partida espectacular, e incluso lo encontré más oscuro de lo habitual, aunque luego, a medida que avanza el libro, la historia ya se va volviendo más parecida a lo que suele escribir esta mujer y perdiendo ese espíritu Christie. Me hubiera gustado que el misterio se hubiera resuelto en lo que es la reunión de ex alumnos, con una resolución explosiva en el mismo hotel, pero se alarga unos pocos días más y aunque la tensión y la intriga persiste, por supuesto, no hay tanta sensación de urgencia.
Escondido en las Sombras ofrece lo que la mayoría de trabajos de Higgins Clark. Tenemos a una protagonista femenina, inteligente y sensata, que se ha labrado una carrera ejemplar pero que no ha sido capaz de superar la muerte de su novio y padre de su hija, a la que tuvo que dar en adopción. Ella es una de los seis homenajeados en la reunión de ex alumnos, seis alumnos que han conseguido el éxito profesional en diferentes ámbitos: tenemos a la actriz, aunque ahora está en horas bajas porque a punto de cumplir los cuarenta no es que sea lo más deseado en Hollywood precisamente y que espera conseguir el favor de alguno de sus antiguos amigos, tenemos al autor teatral que escribe unas obras de lo más oscuras y deprimentes, tenemos al productor de televisión y dueño de varios canales, al humorista que está a punto de estrenar una serie y al médico que tiene un programa en televisión y que parece sentir algo por Jean. Los cuatro hombres, más el organizador de la reunión, estuvieron enamorados de Laura, la actriz, así que cuando esta desaparece, se convierten en los principales sospechosos. Todos ellos fueron bastante fracasados cuando iban al instituto, y todos guardan dentro de sí un inmenso rencor por lo mal que lo pasaron en aquel lugar, un resentimiento que tiene que salir por algún lado.
Pero solo uno de ellos es el Búho, un asesino que no solo ha acabado con la vida de las chicas sentadas a la mesa del comedor, chicas que veinte años atrás se rieron de él y le humillaron, sino que, muy jovencito, descubrió que tenía el poder de arrebatar la vida y desde entonces ha ido asesinado a mujeres y algún hombre al azar. Solo porque puede. El Búho es quien se esconde tras las amenazas a la hija de Jean, y es culpable de varios crímenes que hasta el momento siguen sin resolver... y no va a parar hasta cumplir su objetivo de aniquilarlas a todas.
El libro está narrado bajo el punto de vista de todos los personajes implicados. Jean, Laura, los cinco sospechosos, y todos los demás personajes, como el policía que investiga la desaparición de Laura, una mujer amiga de Jean cuya hija murió asesinada veinte años atrás, un joven periodista que espera conseguir un artículo de primera, la recepcionista del hotel, la propia hija de Jean... Y, por supuesto, el asesino. Son capítulos muy cortos que animan a seguir leyendo y que siempre te dejan con la miel en los labios.
Como es habitual Higgins Clark va metiendo cortinas de humo para que sospechemos de todos, de hecho en un punto pasan de ser cinco sospechosos posibles a seis, y todos actúan de forma suspicaz y parecen tener sus motivos. Eso sí, si uno se conoce los trucos de esta mujer, no es nada complicado descubrir la identidad del asesino. Sí que he de decir que en algunos momentos era un pelín ridículo porque el Búho interactúa con algunas de sus víctimas que obviamente le conocen y les obliga a llamarle Búho en vez de decir su nombre para que este no sea desvelado, y no se sostiene tan bien como debería.
Como siempre, también hay un poco de romance, pero como es también habitual, Higgins Clark le dedica el mínimo de tiempo necesario para centrarse en lo que es el misterio. Sí que me hubiera gustado un poquito más de desarrollo, porque Mark me parecía un buen personaje, y el epílogo realmente sabe a demasiado poco porque ahonda muy poco en algunos personajes o directamente nada en otros.
Escondido en las Sombras es un libro muy entretenido que gustará a los fans de los misterios no excesivamente elaborados y sobre todo a los fans de esta autora, ya que tiene todos sus trucos y manías. Aunque no es tan bueno como parecían augurar sus primeras páginas a lo Agatha Christie, ni tampoco es de los que más me han gustado de la autora, es una lectura satisfactoria que cumple con lo que promete, que es justamente lo que necesitaba. Por supuesto, seguiré leyendo más trabajos de Higgins Clark.
(3.5)
La profesora y escritora Jean Sheridan vuelve a su pueblo natal veinte años después de marcharse para la reunión de ex-alumnos de su instituto. Ella ya sabe de entrada que no va a ser un viaje agradable; allí no le esperan más que malos recuerdos de su infancia y también el recordatorio de que perdió al chico que amaba cuando estaba embarazada y que tuvo que dar en adopción a su pequeña, algo que ha mantenido en secreto durante todos estos años. Pero alguien ha averiguado este secreto y ha empezado a mandarle cartas amenazadoras. Jean, temerosa de que su hija esté en peligro, también descubrirá que cinco antiguas compañeras de instituto con las que se sentaba a la mesa a la hora de comer han muerto los últimos años en misteriosas circunstancias, y en el mismo orden en el que solían sentarse. Ya solo quedan dos chicas de ese grupo: Laura Wilcox, una actriz de capa caída por la que suspiraban todos los chicos del insti, y la propia Jean.
Escondido en las Sombras me enganchó una barbaridad al principio porque tenía un toque Agatha Christie genial. El misterio de las chicas de la mesa del comedor que han muerto en lo que todo el mundo dio por sentado que eran accidentes, la reunión de antiguos alumnos, la amenaza que planea sobre las cabezas de las dos últimas chicas del grupo, los cinco sospechosos juntos en el mismo lugar, todos medio atrapados en ese hotel baratucho... Incluso MHC hace una referencia a Diez Negritos en algún momento.
Me pareció un punto de partida espectacular, e incluso lo encontré más oscuro de lo habitual, aunque luego, a medida que avanza el libro, la historia ya se va volviendo más parecida a lo que suele escribir esta mujer y perdiendo ese espíritu Christie. Me hubiera gustado que el misterio se hubiera resuelto en lo que es la reunión de ex alumnos, con una resolución explosiva en el mismo hotel, pero se alarga unos pocos días más y aunque la tensión y la intriga persiste, por supuesto, no hay tanta sensación de urgencia.
Escondido en las Sombras ofrece lo que la mayoría de trabajos de Higgins Clark. Tenemos a una protagonista femenina, inteligente y sensata, que se ha labrado una carrera ejemplar pero que no ha sido capaz de superar la muerte de su novio y padre de su hija, a la que tuvo que dar en adopción. Ella es una de los seis homenajeados en la reunión de ex alumnos, seis alumnos que han conseguido el éxito profesional en diferentes ámbitos: tenemos a la actriz, aunque ahora está en horas bajas porque a punto de cumplir los cuarenta no es que sea lo más deseado en Hollywood precisamente y que espera conseguir el favor de alguno de sus antiguos amigos, tenemos al autor teatral que escribe unas obras de lo más oscuras y deprimentes, tenemos al productor de televisión y dueño de varios canales, al humorista que está a punto de estrenar una serie y al médico que tiene un programa en televisión y que parece sentir algo por Jean. Los cuatro hombres, más el organizador de la reunión, estuvieron enamorados de Laura, la actriz, así que cuando esta desaparece, se convierten en los principales sospechosos. Todos ellos fueron bastante fracasados cuando iban al instituto, y todos guardan dentro de sí un inmenso rencor por lo mal que lo pasaron en aquel lugar, un resentimiento que tiene que salir por algún lado.
Pero solo uno de ellos es el Búho, un asesino que no solo ha acabado con la vida de las chicas sentadas a la mesa del comedor, chicas que veinte años atrás se rieron de él y le humillaron, sino que, muy jovencito, descubrió que tenía el poder de arrebatar la vida y desde entonces ha ido asesinado a mujeres y algún hombre al azar. Solo porque puede. El Búho es quien se esconde tras las amenazas a la hija de Jean, y es culpable de varios crímenes que hasta el momento siguen sin resolver... y no va a parar hasta cumplir su objetivo de aniquilarlas a todas.
El libro está narrado bajo el punto de vista de todos los personajes implicados. Jean, Laura, los cinco sospechosos, y todos los demás personajes, como el policía que investiga la desaparición de Laura, una mujer amiga de Jean cuya hija murió asesinada veinte años atrás, un joven periodista que espera conseguir un artículo de primera, la recepcionista del hotel, la propia hija de Jean... Y, por supuesto, el asesino. Son capítulos muy cortos que animan a seguir leyendo y que siempre te dejan con la miel en los labios.
Como es habitual Higgins Clark va metiendo cortinas de humo para que sospechemos de todos, de hecho en un punto pasan de ser cinco sospechosos posibles a seis, y todos actúan de forma suspicaz y parecen tener sus motivos. Eso sí, si uno se conoce los trucos de esta mujer, no es nada complicado descubrir la identidad del asesino. Sí que he de decir que en algunos momentos era un pelín ridículo porque el Búho interactúa con algunas de sus víctimas que obviamente le conocen y les obliga a llamarle Búho en vez de decir su nombre para que este no sea desvelado, y no se sostiene tan bien como debería.
Como siempre, también hay un poco de romance, pero como es también habitual, Higgins Clark le dedica el mínimo de tiempo necesario para centrarse en lo que es el misterio. Sí que me hubiera gustado un poquito más de desarrollo, porque Mark me parecía un buen personaje, y el epílogo realmente sabe a demasiado poco porque ahonda muy poco en algunos personajes o directamente nada en otros.
Escondido en las Sombras es un libro muy entretenido que gustará a los fans de los misterios no excesivamente elaborados y sobre todo a los fans de esta autora, ya que tiene todos sus trucos y manías. Aunque no es tan bueno como parecían augurar sus primeras páginas a lo Agatha Christie, ni tampoco es de los que más me han gustado de la autora, es una lectura satisfactoria que cumple con lo que promete, que es justamente lo que necesitaba. Por supuesto, seguiré leyendo más trabajos de Higgins Clark.
(3.5)
September 2, 2017
Trama accattivante anticipata in copertina e poi mantenuta, suspense alta sin dall'inizio e ritmo incalzante. Per certi aspetti, seppur alla lontana, mi ha ricordato Dieci piccoli indiani della Christie, con una ristretta cerchia di personaggi tutti potenziali assassini: individuare il colpevole, descritto parallelamente alla vicenda e in forma "anonima" come il Gufo, risulta ben difficile. Apprezzo inoltre, della Clark, la brevità dei paragrafi e la lunghezza non eccessiva dei romanzi. In questo avrei forse sviluppato maggiormente la descrizione dell'ambiente e qualche dettaglio in più sui delitti precedenti la vicenda ma ad essa legati. In conclusione resta comunque un bel giallo!
May 25, 2023
I really struggle with some of MHC's older books. There are just so many characters and the tension gets lost. This book is about a serial killer who is targeting a group of girls who sat at the same lunch table in high school. They're now 30ish and there are only 2 left. We get the perspective of the killer as well as other characters and while we didn't know specifically who the killer was, we knew their motivation and there were only a few people it could be so when it was revealed in the end it was just okay. You knew it was one of the classmates and they were all hard to differentiate so it seemed like a toss up and I didn't care. Not for me.
August 7, 2021
The author managed to hold my interest the entire way through this book, even though I didn't particularly care about the characters. I kept going back and forth about who the culprit might be, and I wasn't able to figure it out before the reveal, which makes the book a winner for me.
I did think the scenes from the point-of-view of "The Owl" were a bit over the top, and God's name was used irreverently several times, which I really dislike.
I did think the scenes from the point-of-view of "The Owl" were a bit over the top, and God's name was used irreverently several times, which I really dislike.
May 8, 2025
Ne me demandez pas de faire un résumé j’ai mis plus d’un an à le lire et j’ai franchement oublié pas mal de choses. Mais c’était pas mal en plus d’être un bon exercice de lecture en anglais (chapitre court et phrase facilement compréhensible) !
August 20, 2025
This is a great example of why I love MHC books. I have read this one multiple times over the years and enjoy it each and every time. A definite recommend for fans of this author who have not yet read this book.
September 2, 2024
Thriller avec une bonne histoire bien construite. C’est intéressant d’avoir le point de vue du coupable depuis le début
June 6, 2017
I am 43, I have been a fan of Mary Higgins Clark since the sixth grade, when I would read my mom's MHC paperbacks. Through the years my mom would bring a bag of paperbacks and hard covers over for a weekend, I would get comfy and read each book within hours, finishing a bag of her novels by Monday. I didn't care if I read it before, I loved it!
I have been disappointed over the last several years, not because MHC changed her formula, but she changed the intensity, the intrigue, the mystery. Her recent publication was a huge disappointment, so I really searched for an older book I haven't read, hoping for that nostalgic feeling to come back. Nighttime Is My Time was not a catastrophe, but it was not what I was looking for.
Nighttime Is My Time took me almost a full week to read. That is unheard of. I can devour a MHC book in maybe 4 hrs. I was determined to get to the end of this mystery. I started getting caught up with the numerous "suspects", trying to keep each of their stories straight, trying to remember why each was so damaged in high school that it would lead him, or her, to become a serial killer, knocking off the six (?) women who ate at a lunch table. I felt like I had a barrel full of red herring. And the whole reason each victim was to call this pathetic whiner 'the owl' was only for the reader's benefit. Each victim knew who she was looking at, talking to, being held captive by. It was only so they wouldn't accidentally spill the beans and ruin our surprise... So, that part kinda made me pinch the bridge of my nose and shake my head... But, getting back to the barrel of red herring. There were too many suspects. There has to be a balance. One suspect and the book is over before it starts. 5, 6, 7, and it just drags on. I don't know if others felt the same way, but it was too many, in my opinion.
Fast forward to the climax... I almost missed it. I had to go back and re read from the beginning of the chapter. I thought my Kindle jumped over some pages. But no, it was just lacking. And I really didn't care, which was the sad part. And there seemed to be love connections all of a sudden. Where there really didn't seem to be a flicker, there was now a flame. It was forced. And the wrap up, that was really done chapters back. But there was a quick reminder, for Jake's sake I guess, why each person was a suspect. Overall, the ending was disappointing.
I have been disappointed over the last several years, not because MHC changed her formula, but she changed the intensity, the intrigue, the mystery. Her recent publication was a huge disappointment, so I really searched for an older book I haven't read, hoping for that nostalgic feeling to come back. Nighttime Is My Time was not a catastrophe, but it was not what I was looking for.
Nighttime Is My Time took me almost a full week to read. That is unheard of. I can devour a MHC book in maybe 4 hrs. I was determined to get to the end of this mystery. I started getting caught up with the numerous "suspects", trying to keep each of their stories straight, trying to remember why each was so damaged in high school that it would lead him, or her, to become a serial killer, knocking off the six (?) women who ate at a lunch table. I felt like I had a barrel full of red herring. And the whole reason each victim was to call this pathetic whiner 'the owl' was only for the reader's benefit. Each victim knew who she was looking at, talking to, being held captive by. It was only so they wouldn't accidentally spill the beans and ruin our surprise... So, that part kinda made me pinch the bridge of my nose and shake my head... But, getting back to the barrel of red herring. There were too many suspects. There has to be a balance. One suspect and the book is over before it starts. 5, 6, 7, and it just drags on. I don't know if others felt the same way, but it was too many, in my opinion.
Fast forward to the climax... I almost missed it. I had to go back and re read from the beginning of the chapter. I thought my Kindle jumped over some pages. But no, it was just lacking. And I really didn't care, which was the sad part. And there seemed to be love connections all of a sudden. Where there really didn't seem to be a flicker, there was now a flame. It was forced. And the wrap up, that was really done chapters back. But there was a quick reminder, for Jake's sake I guess, why each person was a suspect. Overall, the ending was disappointing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 883 reviews