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Alvirah & Willy #11
All By Myself, Alone
A glamorous cruise on a luxurious ocean liner turns deadly in the latest mystery from “Queen of Suspense” and #1 New York Times bestselling author Mary Higgins Clark.
Fleeing a disastrous and humiliating arrest of her husband-to-be on the eve of their wedding, Celia Kilbride, a gems and jewelry expert, hopes to escape from public attention by lecturing on a brand-new cruise ship—the Queen Charlotte.
On board she meets eighty-six-year-old Lady Emily Haywood, “Lady Em,” as she is known throughout the world. Immensely wealthy, Lady Em is the owner of a priceless emerald necklace that she intends to leave to the Smithsonian after the cruise.
Three days out to sea Lady Em is found dead—and the necklace is missing. Is it the work of her apparently devoted assistant, Brenda Martin, or her lawyer-executor, Roger Pearson, and his wife, Yvonne, both of whom she had invited to join them on the cruise? Or is it Professor Henry Longworth, an acclaimed Shakespeare scholar who is lecturing on board? Or Alan Davidson, a guest on the ship who is planning to spread his wife’s ashes at sea? The list of suspects is large and growing.
Celia, with the help of her new friends Willy and Alvirah Meehan, who are celebrating their forty-fifth wedding anniversary, sets out to find the killer, not realizing that she has put herself in mortal danger before the ship reaches its final destination.
Never, in all her long career as a #1 bestselling suspense novelist, has Mary Higgins Clark been in better form.
Fleeing a disastrous and humiliating arrest of her husband-to-be on the eve of their wedding, Celia Kilbride, a gems and jewelry expert, hopes to escape from public attention by lecturing on a brand-new cruise ship—the Queen Charlotte.
On board she meets eighty-six-year-old Lady Emily Haywood, “Lady Em,” as she is known throughout the world. Immensely wealthy, Lady Em is the owner of a priceless emerald necklace that she intends to leave to the Smithsonian after the cruise.
Three days out to sea Lady Em is found dead—and the necklace is missing. Is it the work of her apparently devoted assistant, Brenda Martin, or her lawyer-executor, Roger Pearson, and his wife, Yvonne, both of whom she had invited to join them on the cruise? Or is it Professor Henry Longworth, an acclaimed Shakespeare scholar who is lecturing on board? Or Alan Davidson, a guest on the ship who is planning to spread his wife’s ashes at sea? The list of suspects is large and growing.
Celia, with the help of her new friends Willy and Alvirah Meehan, who are celebrating their forty-fifth wedding anniversary, sets out to find the killer, not realizing that she has put herself in mortal danger before the ship reaches its final destination.
Never, in all her long career as a #1 bestselling suspense novelist, has Mary Higgins Clark been in better form.
Audio CD
First published April 4, 2017
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About the author
Mary Higgins Clark
622 books13.4k 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,513 reviews
August 7, 2017
All By Myself, Alone by Mary Higgins Clark is a 2017 Simon & Schuster publication.
It seems like it has been a while since I touched base with Alvirah and Willy, so it felt good to hear from them again.
In this eleventh installment in the series, Alvirah and Willy are celebrating their forty-fifth wedding anniversary by taking a cruise aboard a new luxury cruise liner, so opulent it could rival the Titanic.
Also on board is: Celia, who is there to give a series of lectures, but who is also trying to forget her ex-fiance, a con man who stole money from her friends, and has now implicated her in his plot- and ‘Lady Em’, an elderly woman carrying a priceless emerald she plans to donate to the Smithsonian.
But, once they are out to sea, Lady Em is found dead and the emerald is missing…
I enjoyed this one, which was little change of pace for our favorite lottery winners, because it was set aboard a cruise ship, which created the opportunity to introduce a variety of different characters, and of course the murderer has to be on board!!
There is no shortage of suspects or surprise developments along the way. I can’t say Alvirah and Willy were as hands on in the investigation as they sometimes are, and I felt Celia’s story was the more prominent one, but they make their fair share of contributions to the story.
For those unfamiliar with the Alivrah and Willy mysteries, they are always fun, very light, whodunits. With the exceptions of some mild language and adult themes, these stories are clean, and go very easy on the violence, making them a great choice for mystery fans of all ages and tastes. In fact, they could easily be categorized as ‘cozy mysteries’.
If you are familiar with the series, you know what to expect and will find this one on par with the previous installments.
Others, who may be expecting a novel along the lines of Clark’s stand -alone books or similar to her collaboration with Alafair Burke, may feel a little confused by its much lighter tones. So, I feel I should stress that these are very easy to read, are not terribly deep, and perhaps they should simply be enjoyed, taken at face value, and not over- analyzed.
Overall, I found this installment to be one of the better ones in the series and think fans of the author or of Alvirah and Willy, or cozy style mysteries, will want to check this one out.
3.5 stars
It seems like it has been a while since I touched base with Alvirah and Willy, so it felt good to hear from them again.
In this eleventh installment in the series, Alvirah and Willy are celebrating their forty-fifth wedding anniversary by taking a cruise aboard a new luxury cruise liner, so opulent it could rival the Titanic.
Also on board is: Celia, who is there to give a series of lectures, but who is also trying to forget her ex-fiance, a con man who stole money from her friends, and has now implicated her in his plot- and ‘Lady Em’, an elderly woman carrying a priceless emerald she plans to donate to the Smithsonian.
But, once they are out to sea, Lady Em is found dead and the emerald is missing…
I enjoyed this one, which was little change of pace for our favorite lottery winners, because it was set aboard a cruise ship, which created the opportunity to introduce a variety of different characters, and of course the murderer has to be on board!!
There is no shortage of suspects or surprise developments along the way. I can’t say Alvirah and Willy were as hands on in the investigation as they sometimes are, and I felt Celia’s story was the more prominent one, but they make their fair share of contributions to the story.
For those unfamiliar with the Alivrah and Willy mysteries, they are always fun, very light, whodunits. With the exceptions of some mild language and adult themes, these stories are clean, and go very easy on the violence, making them a great choice for mystery fans of all ages and tastes. In fact, they could easily be categorized as ‘cozy mysteries’.
If you are familiar with the series, you know what to expect and will find this one on par with the previous installments.
Others, who may be expecting a novel along the lines of Clark’s stand -alone books or similar to her collaboration with Alafair Burke, may feel a little confused by its much lighter tones. So, I feel I should stress that these are very easy to read, are not terribly deep, and perhaps they should simply be enjoyed, taken at face value, and not over- analyzed.
Overall, I found this installment to be one of the better ones in the series and think fans of the author or of Alvirah and Willy, or cozy style mysteries, will want to check this one out.
3.5 stars
April 13, 2017
Okay enough is enough. I want Mary Higgins Clark to go on record and admit that one of the grade school aged grandchildren she's always thanking in her acknowledgements is now writing her books because if a third grader did not write this book I will eat my socks!
Beautiful Celia Kilbride was not always by herself, alone. She was once with someone, together.
Unfortunately that someone turned out to be a Bernie Madoff knockoff who swindled her and a lot of her friends out of money and in an effort to avoid her problems she has decided to give lectures on a luxurious cruise ship on the history of gems that are about as insightful as the book jacket summary for this yawn a minute "mystery." But wackiness ensues when she becomes embroiled in an international jewel thief's efforts to steal a magical necklace once worn by Cleopatra from my grandmother when she was getting on in years and kept making cracks about minorities in a weird faux British accent and waxing poetic about the "good old days" when people knew their place in the world and she had lots of money.
Fortunately there are lots of other subplots to bore you to tears including but not limited to; my grandmothers assistant (is she trying to put one over on my grandmother!?!?!?!), a creepy butler (ohhhh he's creepy!), a guy who wants my grandmother to give her necklace back to Egypt because tomb robbing is bad (he's handsome and good!), a couple who HATE each other (married people are supposed to be happy! They must be bad guys!) and some other stuff I cannot remember.
This book is awful. Everything about it is just awful. Please don't read it.
I'm begging you.
Beautiful Celia Kilbride was not always by herself, alone. She was once with someone, together.
Unfortunately that someone turned out to be a Bernie Madoff knockoff who swindled her and a lot of her friends out of money and in an effort to avoid her problems she has decided to give lectures on a luxurious cruise ship on the history of gems that are about as insightful as the book jacket summary for this yawn a minute "mystery." But wackiness ensues when she becomes embroiled in an international jewel thief's efforts to steal a magical necklace once worn by Cleopatra from my grandmother when she was getting on in years and kept making cracks about minorities in a weird faux British accent and waxing poetic about the "good old days" when people knew their place in the world and she had lots of money.
Fortunately there are lots of other subplots to bore you to tears including but not limited to; my grandmothers assistant (is she trying to put one over on my grandmother!?!?!?!), a creepy butler (ohhhh he's creepy!), a guy who wants my grandmother to give her necklace back to Egypt because tomb robbing is bad (he's handsome and good!), a couple who HATE each other (married people are supposed to be happy! They must be bad guys!) and some other stuff I cannot remember.
This book is awful. Everything about it is just awful. Please don't read it.
I'm begging you.
April 19, 2017
Well-developed, intriguing characters. Interesting plot, albeit with no mind-bending surprises. What's not to like?
Not much, from my point of view. No, it won't jack up your blood pressure nor keep you anywhere from the edge of your seat. In fact, it's about as close to a "cozy" mystery as you can get without actually crossing that line (although some readers might argue that it does). In short, it's a perfect summer read - on the beach or, in my case, while enjoying spring weather on our back deck as it comes (finally) to our little corner of the world in northeast Ohio.
Admittedly, it got a bit repetitive in spots, and there were a couple of incidents that challenged credibility. As the story progressed, the more it brought to mind the old game of Clue: Colonel Mustard did it with a knife in the library. Or was it Professor Plum with candlestick in the kitchen? Still, overall it was a fun read - just don't expect a complex psychological mystery that will keep you awake nights.
The Queen Charlotte, a new, uber-luxurious ocean liner, had just set off on its maiden voyage from the Hudson River to Southhampton, England. With a capacity of 100 passengers and a crew of 85, it is the newest ship in the fleet owned by wealthy Gregory Morrison and designed to be an upgrade on the ill-fated Titanic. On board are hoity-toity, wealthy passengers like 86-year-old Lady Emily Haywood, nouveau riche like William Meehan and his amateur-sleuth wife, Alvirah, guest lecturers like Celia Kilbride, a noted gems and jewelry expert and an international thief known as The Man with One Thousand Faces.
Most of the chapters focus on details of specific passengers; Ted Cavanaugh, for instance, wants to convince the elderly Lady Em to return her famous Cleopatra emerald necklace to Egypt instead of the Smithsonian, as she plans. The necklace, he argues, was stolen from the country by her ancestors and should be returned to its rightful owner.
But not long after departure, one passenger goes overboard. Then three days out, Lady Em is found dead - murdered in her stateroom - and the storied emerald necklace is missing. Are all these events related? Is the international thief really on board and if yes, who is he? Who's got the necklace? Are Roger Pearson, accountant to Lady Em, and Brenda Martin, her long-time personal assistant, really the loyal employees they appear to be? Just about everyone on board, it seems, is hiding some kind of secret; little by little, chapter by chapter, those secrets are revealed and lead up to the conclusion.
Not much, from my point of view. No, it won't jack up your blood pressure nor keep you anywhere from the edge of your seat. In fact, it's about as close to a "cozy" mystery as you can get without actually crossing that line (although some readers might argue that it does). In short, it's a perfect summer read - on the beach or, in my case, while enjoying spring weather on our back deck as it comes (finally) to our little corner of the world in northeast Ohio.
Admittedly, it got a bit repetitive in spots, and there were a couple of incidents that challenged credibility. As the story progressed, the more it brought to mind the old game of Clue: Colonel Mustard did it with a knife in the library. Or was it Professor Plum with candlestick in the kitchen? Still, overall it was a fun read - just don't expect a complex psychological mystery that will keep you awake nights.
The Queen Charlotte, a new, uber-luxurious ocean liner, had just set off on its maiden voyage from the Hudson River to Southhampton, England. With a capacity of 100 passengers and a crew of 85, it is the newest ship in the fleet owned by wealthy Gregory Morrison and designed to be an upgrade on the ill-fated Titanic. On board are hoity-toity, wealthy passengers like 86-year-old Lady Emily Haywood, nouveau riche like William Meehan and his amateur-sleuth wife, Alvirah, guest lecturers like Celia Kilbride, a noted gems and jewelry expert and an international thief known as The Man with One Thousand Faces.
Most of the chapters focus on details of specific passengers; Ted Cavanaugh, for instance, wants to convince the elderly Lady Em to return her famous Cleopatra emerald necklace to Egypt instead of the Smithsonian, as she plans. The necklace, he argues, was stolen from the country by her ancestors and should be returned to its rightful owner.
But not long after departure, one passenger goes overboard. Then three days out, Lady Em is found dead - murdered in her stateroom - and the storied emerald necklace is missing. Are all these events related? Is the international thief really on board and if yes, who is he? Who's got the necklace? Are Roger Pearson, accountant to Lady Em, and Brenda Martin, her long-time personal assistant, really the loyal employees they appear to be? Just about everyone on board, it seems, is hiding some kind of secret; little by little, chapter by chapter, those secrets are revealed and lead up to the conclusion.
May 27, 2019
2 1/2 stars rounded down
So, this simplistic claptrap is what passes as a best seller these days? Very sad.
Can you imagine, there were 97 chapters in a book with fewer than 300 pages! 97! Flit, flit, flit. UGH! God forbid there be any depth to this story.
The entire time I was reading this I was wondering where the title for the book was coming from.
So, this simplistic claptrap is what passes as a best seller these days? Very sad.
Can you imagine, there were 97 chapters in a book with fewer than 300 pages! 97! Flit, flit, flit. UGH! God forbid there be any depth to this story.
The entire time I was reading this I was wondering where the title for the book was coming from.
May 15, 2017
2.5 Stars rounded up - but yeah, I was very tempted to round down...
This was a fast read and was in typical MHC style. The chapters tend to be short - sometimes very short. There are quite a lot of characters who are painted well but includes their daily minutia that sometimes can come off as trivial and not interesting.
There is a main plot of the murder of Lady Em who is a grand dame type of person and her "cursed" emerald necklace that goes missing. The "man of a thousand faces" is supposedly aboard the ship and plans to steal the necklace. Although the plot is decent, it's quite easy to forecast what is to come and who "the man of a thousand faces" is.
There are numerous subplots, our heroine's ex-fiance is embroiled is a ponzi scheme which she is pulled into as a person of interest and which is tarnishing her reputation. There is a man in a bad marriage who goes overboard. There is Lady Em's assistant who has been replacing her jewelry with cheaper fakes and pocketing the difference. There is a potential love interest. However all the little subplots are like the main plot, there is enough foreshadowing that you know exactly how everything is going to end.
So it was a fast and OK read, but I have to wonder if this book wasn't penned by a well known author, would it have been picked up for publication? Although I borrowed this book from the library, I have to make a comment about the price. This is pretty expensive price tag for an OK book that is also fairly short.
This was a fast read and was in typical MHC style. The chapters tend to be short - sometimes very short. There are quite a lot of characters who are painted well but includes their daily minutia that sometimes can come off as trivial and not interesting.
There is a main plot of the murder of Lady Em who is a grand dame type of person and her "cursed" emerald necklace that goes missing. The "man of a thousand faces" is supposedly aboard the ship and plans to steal the necklace. Although the plot is decent, it's quite easy to forecast what is to come and who "the man of a thousand faces" is.
There are numerous subplots, our heroine's ex-fiance is embroiled is a ponzi scheme which she is pulled into as a person of interest and which is tarnishing her reputation. There is a man in a bad marriage who goes overboard. There is Lady Em's assistant who has been replacing her jewelry with cheaper fakes and pocketing the difference. There is a potential love interest. However all the little subplots are like the main plot, there is enough foreshadowing that you know exactly how everything is going to end.
So it was a fast and OK read, but I have to wonder if this book wasn't penned by a well known author, would it have been picked up for publication? Although I borrowed this book from the library, I have to make a comment about the price. This is pretty expensive price tag for an OK book that is also fairly short.
July 22, 2017
This book is terrible.
Mary Higgins Clark was my favorite mystery writer in middle school and high school and it may be time to break up with her. First, the murder doesn't even happen until like 150 pages into the book. This book takes place on a cruise ship and we have to be introduced to every single passenger on this ship. Second, I do not like Alvirah and Willy. I find them to be annoying busy bodies always butting in where they don't belong.
The main mystery is just dumb. Basically a rich old lady has an emerald necklace that once belonged to Cleopatra. Her personal assistant and finance guy have of course been stealing from her because everyone needs to look guilty. Also on the cruise is an expert on gems. She is giving lectures on gemology (side note, this is supposed to be the most luxurious cruise ship ever but it also sounds like a giant bore. Activities consist of going to Shakespeare lectures and lectures about gems).
I read a physical copy of the book and what annoyed me most were all the blank pages at the end of chapters. Way to make your book seem 50 pages longer then it is Mary.
Mary Higgins Clark was my favorite mystery writer in middle school and high school and it may be time to break up with her. First, the murder doesn't even happen until like 150 pages into the book. This book takes place on a cruise ship and we have to be introduced to every single passenger on this ship. Second, I do not like Alvirah and Willy. I find them to be annoying busy bodies always butting in where they don't belong.
The main mystery is just dumb. Basically a rich old lady has an emerald necklace that once belonged to Cleopatra. Her personal assistant and finance guy have of course been stealing from her because everyone needs to look guilty. Also on the cruise is an expert on gems. She is giving lectures on gemology (side note, this is supposed to be the most luxurious cruise ship ever but it also sounds like a giant bore. Activities consist of going to Shakespeare lectures and lectures about gems).
I read a physical copy of the book and what annoyed me most were all the blank pages at the end of chapters. Way to make your book seem 50 pages longer then it is Mary.
February 21, 2023
If Jessica Fletcher from Murder, She Wrote and Scooby Doo dated for quite some time because they're both the old fashioned kind and had a baby, it would be this book.
I liked the writing (very Agatha Christie, but with a spicy note all of its own) and the page-turning short chapters that made it easy for me to read for hours straight without even notice time pass.
I also probably am in the right mood to enjoy the whole bad guys have what they deserve kind of vibe you breath through the pages. Not entirely realistic, a bit exaggerated, but still very optimistic.
Sure, it wasn't the most original of plotlines, but damn was it intriguing.
I liked the writing (very Agatha Christie, but with a spicy note all of its own) and the page-turning short chapters that made it easy for me to read for hours straight without even notice time pass.
I also probably am in the right mood to enjoy the whole bad guys have what they deserve kind of vibe you breath through the pages. Not entirely realistic, a bit exaggerated, but still very optimistic.
Sure, it wasn't the most original of plotlines, but damn was it intriguing.
October 14, 2022
Well it's been decades since I read a Mary Higgins Clark suspence thriller. A delightful easy thriller set on a cruise ship. Clearly written pre-covid.
Unputdownable.
Unputdownable.
May 4, 2017
This is my first book by prolific suspense author Mary Higgins Clark -- and it was very fun.
It includes the new (but more and more used) trope of the woman whose husband has been arrested for running a pyramid scheme. Ah, progress.
I really enjoyed this book. It follows a fairly predictable - but enjoyable - outline. Instead of an English country manor, we have all of our people isolated on a cruise ship. Instead of norovirus, they have a jewel thief and murderer.
I will definitely read another book by Mary Higgins Clark.
It includes the new (but more and more used) trope of the woman whose husband has been arrested for running a pyramid scheme. Ah, progress.
I really enjoyed this book. It follows a fairly predictable - but enjoyable - outline. Instead of an English country manor, we have all of our people isolated on a cruise ship. Instead of norovirus, they have a jewel thief and murderer.
I will definitely read another book by Mary Higgins Clark.
January 13, 2019
Mary, where are thou?
I picked up this book at the library yesterday, where any newly-released Mary Higgins Clarks’ novels always consists of a long wait time before I can get my hands on them. I was lucky one might say, or maybe vigilant but I managed to snatch “All By Myself, Alone” right after it became available.
It’s hard to dismiss the sense of familiarity I often get when I read MHC’s books, maybe because the characters almost always come from similar background; there’s the wealthy, well-bred, highly-educated (preferably Ivy League) man, the heroine who has suffered or is currently suffering a tragedy or has gone through or is going through a scandal and will date the moneyed gentleman described above (or one of them if there’s a few), the older character equally as affluent and highly-educated who will die at some point, then the personnel who is either fiercely loyal or fermented crooks. The crimes may be different, the motives may change, but it’s a recycle of characters and backgrounds, and that’s why once I read five MHC novels, I have felt like I have read them all.
There is not much to say about this book, except that it takes place on a cruise ship instead of the usual boroughs of New York and who wouldn’t want such a perfect clairvoyance like Alvirah’s? The disclosure of the killer’s identity was child’s play, any amateur can do better.
Any silver lining? You bet. The chapters are short and easy to digest making it a pleasant, quick read.
I picked up this book at the library yesterday, where any newly-released Mary Higgins Clarks’ novels always consists of a long wait time before I can get my hands on them. I was lucky one might say, or maybe vigilant but I managed to snatch “All By Myself, Alone” right after it became available.
It’s hard to dismiss the sense of familiarity I often get when I read MHC’s books, maybe because the characters almost always come from similar background; there’s the wealthy, well-bred, highly-educated (preferably Ivy League) man, the heroine who has suffered or is currently suffering a tragedy or has gone through or is going through a scandal and will date the moneyed gentleman described above (or one of them if there’s a few), the older character equally as affluent and highly-educated who will die at some point, then the personnel who is either fiercely loyal or fermented crooks. The crimes may be different, the motives may change, but it’s a recycle of characters and backgrounds, and that’s why once I read five MHC novels, I have felt like I have read them all.
There is not much to say about this book, except that it takes place on a cruise ship instead of the usual boroughs of New York and who wouldn’t want such a perfect clairvoyance like Alvirah’s? The disclosure of the killer’s identity was child’s play, any amateur can do better.
Any silver lining? You bet. The chapters are short and easy to digest making it a pleasant, quick read.
December 7, 2018
If someone had told me that one day I would give Mary Higgins Clark a 2 star rating, I would never have believed it. A fan since age 13, the grandmotherly American Queen of Suspense has generally been a surefire winner. But this book was definitely not a crowning achievement for the author. In fact, it was probably a pale version of Clark's Weep No More, My Lady. Ironically, the first book to introduce us to the Alvirah Meehan(aka the Jessica Fletcher of Clark's world). It was pretty easy from the get go to figure out the murderer. Overall, I am just left feeling fairly guilty about being mean to my literary grandma!
July 11, 2017
3.5 stars
A nice little 'on-board' mystery from MHC. I didn't think it was quite as good as some of her other recent novels, but made for an enjoyable audiobook. It features the MHC standby characters of Alvirah & Willy, who were first introduced years back when they won the lottery. I would recommend to her die-hard fans, and those who enjoy well told, but not necessarily exciting, mysteries.
A nice little 'on-board' mystery from MHC. I didn't think it was quite as good as some of her other recent novels, but made for an enjoyable audiobook. It features the MHC standby characters of Alvirah & Willy, who were first introduced years back when they won the lottery. I would recommend to her die-hard fans, and those who enjoy well told, but not necessarily exciting, mysteries.
April 6, 2017
First and foremost you should know that I'm not a fan of Willy and Alvirah. I find them to be annoying when they are the main focus of the book as they have been the past couple of MHC's.
I like W & A in small doses, but having to continuously hear about them winning the lottery and Alvirah being so tight with money (Go ahead, A, splurge every once in awhile for a first class plane ticket- you can't take the money with you when you pass away!)
So, I almost didn't purchase this book when I saw they were in it. In this book, they have a pretty big role, but not as big as the previous book or so- so I just tried to deal.
Overall, I liked the mystery. It was entertaining. I also liked some of the characters, though, I was wishing an extra character or 2 would be visited by The Man With The Thousand Faces. ;)
It's easy reading. Short chapters. Enjoyable, but it won't be a book I think about over and over again.
I like W & A in small doses, but having to continuously hear about them winning the lottery and Alvirah being so tight with money (Go ahead, A, splurge every once in awhile for a first class plane ticket- you can't take the money with you when you pass away!)
So, I almost didn't purchase this book when I saw they were in it. In this book, they have a pretty big role, but not as big as the previous book or so- so I just tried to deal.
Overall, I liked the mystery. It was entertaining. I also liked some of the characters, though, I was wishing an extra character or 2 would be visited by The Man With The Thousand Faces. ;)
It's easy reading. Short chapters. Enjoyable, but it won't be a book I think about over and over again.
May 20, 2017
The maiden voyage of the luxury cruise ship The Queen Charlotte commands a list of wealthy passengers including Lady Em who intends to wear her priceless emerald necklace. Lady Em is surrounded by her companion, her financial advisor and his wife, lawyers, and an Interpol agent determined to stop a thief from stealing the infamous necklace. Lottery winners Alvirah and Willy are on board as well as guest lecturers on gemology and Shakespeare.
This ship is luxurious but obviously quite different from a Disney cruise. Mary Higgins Clark gives us the motivations of numerous people who had reasons to kill. Many of the chapters are very short, even less than one page as they are narrated from different points of view by the passengers and crew. This allowed me to read the book in what seemed to be record time. I didn't get a sense of suspense but I found the book entertaining.
This ship is luxurious but obviously quite different from a Disney cruise. Mary Higgins Clark gives us the motivations of numerous people who had reasons to kill. Many of the chapters are very short, even less than one page as they are narrated from different points of view by the passengers and crew. This allowed me to read the book in what seemed to be record time. I didn't get a sense of suspense but I found the book entertaining.
April 18, 2024
An intriguing read. It was better than I expected. And even though I'm pretty sure I've read a similar plot before, it was an enjoyable read.
May 17, 2017
I started reading Mary Higgins Clark's books right from the first one
in the 1970's when I was a teenager. Her books were exciting to read for a very long time but they have grown more boring to me over the years as she wrote more and more about rich people and had less true mystery, suspense and thrills. They used to be page-turners. Now it takes me days to drag myself through this dry, dull stuff. This book was predictable and I couldn't whip up enough emotion to like,love, or even hate any of the characters. Also, it was about Willy and Alvirah and I hate them. Sorry, I can't recommend this at all.
in the 1970's when I was a teenager. Her books were exciting to read for a very long time but they have grown more boring to me over the years as she wrote more and more about rich people and had less true mystery, suspense and thrills. They used to be page-turners. Now it takes me days to drag myself through this dry, dull stuff. This book was predictable and I couldn't whip up enough emotion to like,love, or even hate any of the characters. Also, it was about Willy and Alvirah and I hate them. Sorry, I can't recommend this at all.
April 30, 2018
This was a good read, and it snapped me out of a recent reading funk I've been in. I've seen some people complaining about the shorter chapter length, but honestly that's what made the book move along quickly for me. I enjoyed it.
July 1, 2017
Another great Mary Higgins Clark novel. :)
April 21, 2017
Quick read. Typical "whodunit".
June 9, 2017
I am a massive Agatha Christie fan, who has read and reread pretty much everything she wrote, including the pseudonym romance novels. So it is probably a bit of a surprise that this is my first book by this author.
I was so unimpressed. The writing was pretty dire. A case in point:
He is such a liar, she thought. He was born lying. Everything he told me was a lie
So, I guess he is a liar? Lots and lots of telling instead of showing, and lots of this sort of repetition.
The characters fare as well as might be expected with this sort of writing. Badly, they fared poorly, the way they fared was not good...
The main character, Celia Kilbride is just not that interesting. She should be - after all she is a beautiful woman, whose ex-fiance pulled her friends into a ponzi scheme, before being caught by the FBI. But phew, she can take care of herself, because she is a highly regarded gemologist, who just happens to be an invited seminar giver on this super luxury cruise with 100 passengers on board.
Also along for the trip is a very wealthy, elderly woman, who is going to wear cursed jewels. There is a famous jewel thief thought to be on board, so there is also an undercover jewel thief catcher of course. Then there is the old lady's not-so-loyal assistant, her about to be audited accountant and his horrible wife, some guy obsessed with Shakespeare, a dodgy butler, a desperate man chasing older woman, the awful owner of the cruise ship, a few other characters including a mention of a famous rapper, and of course the couple who help solve everything, Willy and Alvirah Meehan.
You just don't really care about what is going to happen when the writing is this bad, even though there are no surprises at all. Most will have guessed pretty much everything in advance. It also isn't helped by feeling like it should have been set in the 30s, from the names to the general feeling, but it was actually set in present times. Now I am yet to go on a cruise, but really, one as exclusive as this and the entertainment highlights for the rich A lister celeb types that could afford this, are a gemologist and a dull Shakespeare expert? Yeah, I wouldn't be sad that I couldn't afford that ticket.
I was so unimpressed. The writing was pretty dire. A case in point:
He is such a liar, she thought. He was born lying. Everything he told me was a lie
So, I guess he is a liar? Lots and lots of telling instead of showing, and lots of this sort of repetition.
The characters fare as well as might be expected with this sort of writing. Badly, they fared poorly, the way they fared was not good...
The main character, Celia Kilbride is just not that interesting. She should be - after all she is a beautiful woman, whose ex-fiance pulled her friends into a ponzi scheme, before being caught by the FBI. But phew, she can take care of herself, because she is a highly regarded gemologist, who just happens to be an invited seminar giver on this super luxury cruise with 100 passengers on board.
Also along for the trip is a very wealthy, elderly woman, who is going to wear cursed jewels. There is a famous jewel thief thought to be on board, so there is also an undercover jewel thief catcher of course. Then there is the old lady's not-so-loyal assistant, her about to be audited accountant and his horrible wife, some guy obsessed with Shakespeare, a dodgy butler, a desperate man chasing older woman, the awful owner of the cruise ship, a few other characters including a mention of a famous rapper, and of course the couple who help solve everything, Willy and Alvirah Meehan.
You just don't really care about what is going to happen when the writing is this bad, even though there are no surprises at all. Most will have guessed pretty much everything in advance. It also isn't helped by feeling like it should have been set in the 30s, from the names to the general feeling, but it was actually set in present times. Now I am yet to go on a cruise, but really, one as exclusive as this and the entertainment highlights for the rich A lister celeb types that could afford this, are a gemologist and a dull Shakespeare expert? Yeah, I wouldn't be sad that I couldn't afford that ticket.
September 20, 2021
(9/21) I just listened to this for my upcoming book club. This author has such a great formula to her mysteries. There are several shady characters, or people with motives, and I'm always left guessing.
***
(8/17) Mary Higgins Clark always writes a mystery that leaves me guessing and changing my mind about who did it throughout the book. In fact, her books make me realize that I wouldn't be a good detective at all! This story is a little different in that it takes place on a cruise ship and with jewel thieves, murderers, and more mayhem about, the passengers are in for the trip of a lifetime...if they can survive.
There are a lot of shady characters roaming this ship and I honestly didn't trust any of them, excepting Alvirah and Willy Meehan because they've made numerous appearances before. I love it when I can try and figure things out, even when I'm proven wrong, right along with the characters.
This story is typical for the author--fun, entertaining, and mysterious, but nothing that completely wowed me.
Content: mild violence (murders, attacks, etc, nothing graphic); very mild romance (implied affairs)
***
(8/17) Mary Higgins Clark always writes a mystery that leaves me guessing and changing my mind about who did it throughout the book. In fact, her books make me realize that I wouldn't be a good detective at all! This story is a little different in that it takes place on a cruise ship and with jewel thieves, murderers, and more mayhem about, the passengers are in for the trip of a lifetime...if they can survive.
There are a lot of shady characters roaming this ship and I honestly didn't trust any of them, excepting Alvirah and Willy Meehan because they've made numerous appearances before. I love it when I can try and figure things out, even when I'm proven wrong, right along with the characters.
This story is typical for the author--fun, entertaining, and mysterious, but nothing that completely wowed me.
Content: mild violence (murders, attacks, etc, nothing graphic); very mild romance (implied affairs)
May 4, 2018
This book was a delight to read. Very early on I became totally engrossed in the story. Works like this might not be great works of literature but they are easy to read and follow and the writer does remind me of a modern day Agatha Christie. This is my first read by this author but it most definitely will not be my last. What could be better than a cruise ship to rival the amenities of the Titanic on a maiden voyage from New York to Southampton in this novel tale? The author has packed it full of a cast of very creative characters and more than it's fair share of the rich and famous as well as unscrupulous individuals. Very entertaining and I highly recommend for those people who enjoy mysteries/crime without all the gore and erotic shenanigans.
April 4, 2021
Edit:Creo que mejor le doy 2 💫😔
He de admitir que esperaba más misterio/mas suspenso.
Pensé que sería una historia más compleja,pero para nada,es muy sencilla!
Supongo que un punto malo es que eran pocos los personajes,o sea,muy fácil suponer quien podía ser el culpable.
Es una historia que empezó demasiado bien,pero estoy segura que pudieron haber sacado más jugo a la historia y hacerla más compleja.
Todos los personajes me gustaron,mas no llegue a conectar con ninguno.
Esta bien el libro pero si me quedé con ganas de mas,ya que todo se soluciona muy rápido.
No,no sabía quién era el culpable,pero no me sorprendió para nada cuando se descubrió quien era.
En fin,no me arrepiento de haberle dado una opurtunidad!
He de admitir que esperaba más misterio/mas suspenso.
Pensé que sería una historia más compleja,pero para nada,es muy sencilla!
Supongo que un punto malo es que eran pocos los personajes,o sea,muy fácil suponer quien podía ser el culpable.
Es una historia que empezó demasiado bien,pero estoy segura que pudieron haber sacado más jugo a la historia y hacerla más compleja.
Todos los personajes me gustaron,mas no llegue a conectar con ninguno.
Esta bien el libro pero si me quedé con ganas de mas,ya que todo se soluciona muy rápido.
No,no sabía quién era el culpable,pero no me sorprendió para nada cuando se descubrió quien era.
En fin,no me arrepiento de haberle dado una opurtunidad!
March 26, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mary Higgins Clark takes us to sea on a crazy cruise that contains murder, attempted murder x2, and a jewelry heist. 🚢🚢🚢🚢
Along the way we learn some interesting stuff about Shakespeare and also gems with some mythology and astrology.
My quick and simple overall: a fun little mystery that is quick to read and not intense, because sometimes you just want a mystery without the huge intensity.
Mary Higgins Clark takes us to sea on a crazy cruise that contains murder, attempted murder x2, and a jewelry heist. 🚢🚢🚢🚢
Along the way we learn some interesting stuff about Shakespeare and also gems with some mythology and astrology.
My quick and simple overall: a fun little mystery that is quick to read and not intense, because sometimes you just want a mystery without the huge intensity.
February 6, 2018
Rated 3.5 stars. Not a bad story but not as much of a thriller than mystery.
October 24, 2017
These days, the best thing you can say about a Mary Higgins Clark book is that at least it wasn't her worst! The days of gripping thrillers like A Cry In The Night, I'll Be Seeing You or Remember Me are long gone. These days they're weak mysteries, with far too many characters, view points changing within the same paragraph, stilted dialogue, too much repetition, and too many useless facts that have nothing to do with the plot. That's all in abundance here, but she has at least kept a lid on the too many characters issue, with everybody within these pages at least having something important to do.
The story has Lady Emily Haywood on board an exclusive cruise, in which she plans to wear a priceless necklace originally meant for Cleopatra. It should be no surprise when she winds up dead! We know from the get-go it's the work of the elusive Man With A Thousand Faces, so all those endless chapters of characters ruminating on who the culprit could be were a bit tedious! Celia Kilbride is a gemologist on board as a special guest lecturer (on a cruise?!?) and she gets drawn into danger when Lady Em asks her to check out the value of some of her jewellery, under the belief that her assistant Brenda has been switching them out for inferior copies. Also on board are Lady Em's investment banker, Roger Pearson and his wife Yvonne. Roger has been cooking her books. Then there is Devon Michaelson from Interpol, dedicated to catching the Man With A Thousand Faces. And Willy and Alvirah Meehan, regular characters from other books by Clark.
As I said, it's not Clark's worst, but that's not saying much! The short chapters make it a quick, easy read, but it's terribly written and relentlessly stupid. Check these out:
I am honestly surprised anybody could give this 4 or 5 stars. They either got one of those advance copies and don't want to miss out on future ones by leaving a bad review, or have never read a book above middle grade level! I read this for free from the library, and was still severely underwhelmed!
The story has Lady Emily Haywood on board an exclusive cruise, in which she plans to wear a priceless necklace originally meant for Cleopatra. It should be no surprise when she winds up dead! We know from the get-go it's the work of the elusive Man With A Thousand Faces, so all those endless chapters of characters ruminating on who the culprit could be were a bit tedious! Celia Kilbride is a gemologist on board as a special guest lecturer (on a cruise?!?) and she gets drawn into danger when Lady Em asks her to check out the value of some of her jewellery, under the belief that her assistant Brenda has been switching them out for inferior copies. Also on board are Lady Em's investment banker, Roger Pearson and his wife Yvonne. Roger has been cooking her books. Then there is Devon Michaelson from Interpol, dedicated to catching the Man With A Thousand Faces. And Willy and Alvirah Meehan, regular characters from other books by Clark.
As I said, it's not Clark's worst, but that's not saying much! The short chapters make it a quick, easy read, but it's terribly written and relentlessly stupid. Check these out:
I am honestly surprised anybody could give this 4 or 5 stars. They either got one of those advance copies and don't want to miss out on future ones by leaving a bad review, or have never read a book above middle grade level! I read this for free from the library, and was still severely underwhelmed!
November 17, 2017
Inkvotary
Until a few weeks I wasn´t even aware that this series exists. Well, that sounds now a bit awkward. As a huge MHC fan, I probably should have known it.
But in Germany the books are not always published the way they are supposed to be.
In her usual gently style, Mary Higgins Clark wrote this thriller with style and class. The tone is soft and wonderful to read and the plot beautiful created and thought through. Good, some dialogues and scenes show a Alvirah I am not so fond of. But mostly she is an adorable, nice old Lady who stands with both feet on the ground and shares her thoughts with her caring and loving husband.
Mary Higgins Clark might not have written one of her best thrillers with this book, but this eleventh Alvirah and Willy book is good for some well entertained reading hours.
Celia is a young successful woman who shows pretty much the kind of woman, the author likes to create in her thrillers. Self-confident (though I am pretty sure Celia wouldn´t describe herself as that, at least not now) but not arrogant. Beautiful but not over the top.
A nice to read thriller with a wonderful main figure, a beautiful scenery and a story that makes you laugh, shake your head or smile while reading. It might not be the best book Mary Higgins Clark has ever written, but it is close.
Until a few weeks I wasn´t even aware that this series exists. Well, that sounds now a bit awkward. As a huge MHC fan, I probably should have known it.
But in Germany the books are not always published the way they are supposed to be.
In her usual gently style, Mary Higgins Clark wrote this thriller with style and class. The tone is soft and wonderful to read and the plot beautiful created and thought through. Good, some dialogues and scenes show a Alvirah I am not so fond of. But mostly she is an adorable, nice old Lady who stands with both feet on the ground and shares her thoughts with her caring and loving husband.
Mary Higgins Clark might not have written one of her best thrillers with this book, but this eleventh Alvirah and Willy book is good for some well entertained reading hours.
Celia is a young successful woman who shows pretty much the kind of woman, the author likes to create in her thrillers. Self-confident (though I am pretty sure Celia wouldn´t describe herself as that, at least not now) but not arrogant. Beautiful but not over the top.
A nice to read thriller with a wonderful main figure, a beautiful scenery and a story that makes you laugh, shake your head or smile while reading. It might not be the best book Mary Higgins Clark has ever written, but it is close.
August 5, 2019
I'm baffled. I've heard of Mary HIggins Clark forever, but while she was building her career and reputation, I was building my business and rearing children. (You can translate that as, "I didn't have time to read a church bulletin, let alone a novel.") So, needing something a little breezier than my norm, I picked up All By Myself, Alone.
I hesitate to bash the work of a highly successful author, but the writing is rudimentary, the characters are stereotypic, and a couple of the characters are so simplistic that they're unbelievable and annoying. There's also a lot of name-tagging and "telling, not showing." Lastly, it's apparent that the author cobbled together cruise experiences on Cunard in a Grills Suite. She didn't take the time to create an original cruise line for this work, nor did she obfuscate her Cunard references, which distracted me and appeared to be a bit of a cheap shot on her part.
I've decided to assess all of her books, pick the most highly rated book with the most reviews, and try again. Maybe I can figure out what all the fuss is about with regard to her work. But as to this book?
Not recommended.
I hesitate to bash the work of a highly successful author, but the writing is rudimentary, the characters are stereotypic, and a couple of the characters are so simplistic that they're unbelievable and annoying. There's also a lot of name-tagging and "telling, not showing." Lastly, it's apparent that the author cobbled together cruise experiences on Cunard in a Grills Suite. She didn't take the time to create an original cruise line for this work, nor did she obfuscate her Cunard references, which distracted me and appeared to be a bit of a cheap shot on her part.
I've decided to assess all of her books, pick the most highly rated book with the most reviews, and try again. Maybe I can figure out what all the fuss is about with regard to her work. But as to this book?
Not recommended.
March 25, 2024
Cute little who done it on a cruise
April 29, 2017
Sadly, this book missed the mark for me. I've been reading MHC since middle school and have read every book she's ever written, so I do have a certain sense of loyalty to her. That said, I had felt for a while that her books were starting to get a little formulaic (attractive single woman in peril, two potential love interests and one ends up being the killer). I was thrilled when she started co-authoring the Under Suspicion books with Alafair Burke because I think frankly she needed someone younger to help breathe fresh life into her work with more contemporary/realistic dialogue and to reflect current technology like cell phones. My problem with this book from the onset was that the writing just seemed outdated. Even the characters' names were so over the top stuffy that it seemed unrealistic to me... Lady Hayworth, Professor Longworth, etc. And I had a hard time believing that A-list celebrities and fabulously wealthy people would excitedly attend lectures on Shakespeare and gemology and turn of the century etiquette while vacationing on a cruise ship. The romance seemed forced to me too, with very little lead up or character development. And they get engaged after knowing each other for three months?
I do like that, in classic MCH fashion, it was a clean, easy read with no profanity and violence. I just really found this one to be a letdown.
I do like that, in classic MCH fashion, it was a clean, easy read with no profanity and violence. I just really found this one to be a letdown.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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