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Lane Harmon é assistente pessoal de um designer de interiores conceituadíssimo e está portanto habituada a ir a casas luxuosas. O seu mais recente trabalho, numa casa modesta de Nova Jérsia é portanto fora do habitual. Descobre que se trata da casa da mulher de um magnata da finança caído em desgraça, Parker Bennett, que desapareceu há dois anos, juntamente com o fundo de cinco milhões de dólares que geria. A questão acerca do suicídio de Bennett, se terá sido genuíno ou encenado, continua.
Tanto os clientes como o governo querem encontrá-lo e ao dinheiro. Mas Lane fica comovida com a fé inabalável da senhora Bennett na inocência do marido. E gradualmente começa também a aproximar-se de Mark, determinado em provar a inocência do pai. Mas quanto mais se aproxima desta famosa família, mais a sua vida (e a do filho de cinco anos) corre perigo.
Tanto os clientes como o governo querem encontrá-lo e ao dinheiro. Mas Lane fica comovida com a fé inabalável da senhora Bennett na inocência do marido. E gradualmente começa também a aproximar-se de Mark, determinado em provar a inocência do pai. Mas quanto mais se aproxima desta famosa família, mais a sua vida (e a do filho de cinco anos) corre perigo.
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 23, 2015
1551 people are currently reading
4454 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,188 reviews
June 28, 2015
Disappointed
I used to love Mary Higgins Clark. That being said, this book was a major disappointment. Her writing style has become more like her daughter's -- juvenile. I'm just glad I borrowed this from the library and didn't buy it.
I used to love Mary Higgins Clark. That being said, this book was a major disappointment. Her writing style has become more like her daughter's -- juvenile. I'm just glad I borrowed this from the library and didn't buy it.
July 31, 2015
Was this REALLY written by MHC? Has Mary possibly been taken over by body snatchers?
This is absolutely nothing like the old MHC I've read. It is supposed to be suspense/mystery and instead it reads like romantic fluff garbage. The writing feels totally juvenile.
There is instalove. There is sad, romantic brooding. There is tragedy in everybody's past. There is even a hint at a love triangle.
I seriously almost threw my kindle across the room when at 80% an FBI agent confesses his love for the female main character that he only knows from eavesdropping on her. Seriously.
What utter nonsense. I would have DNFed at that point if I didn't have just 30 minutes to go. When I got to the happily ever after at the end, I wished I had quit anyway.
Do not waste your time.
This is not mystery.
This is not suspense.
This is not good writing.
This is not Mary Higgins Clark.
This is absolutely nothing like the old MHC I've read. It is supposed to be suspense/mystery and instead it reads like romantic fluff garbage. The writing feels totally juvenile.
There is instalove. There is sad, romantic brooding. There is tragedy in everybody's past. There is even a hint at a love triangle.
I seriously almost threw my kindle across the room when at 80% an FBI agent confesses his love for the female main character that he only knows from eavesdropping on her. Seriously.
What utter nonsense. I would have DNFed at that point if I didn't have just 30 minutes to go. When I got to the happily ever after at the end, I wished I had quit anyway.
Do not waste your time.
This is not mystery.
This is not suspense.
This is not good writing.
This is not Mary Higgins Clark.
July 23, 2015
3-3.5 stars... This is written like MHC's last 5-7 books have been. Easy, light, nothing special. I enjoy these for what they are, and know now not to expect the exciting thrillers she used to write in the 80's. It's a bit predictable, as her later books are, and formulaic. I would classify this more of a suspense type than a mystery. There's not much mystery here. A little bit. I liked the main character and found it a good audiobook that I didn't have to strain my attention on when listening.
Recommend to her die hard fans and those who like clean, easy mysteries.
Recommend to her die hard fans and those who like clean, easy mysteries.
May 16, 2017
Dear god, this book is so terrible! It doesn't even qualify as a murder mystery for me. Because for one thing, there is no fricking murder in the book in the first place to investigate! The story is a silly and convoluted one of a rich man stealing money from investors and disappearing and then people are trying to catch him while his co-workers and family are under suspicion. Does this sound suspenseful? Well, if it does, it's because I've oversold it!
I don't know what Clark's recent fascination with rich people and their anaemic lifestyles is all about, but I am sick of the poor rich suffering people trope in her recent books. It really doesn't endear me to any of her characters. She used to write about strong female characters. Now it's all about whiny women who can't tie their own shoelaces.
I was enraged when Glady decided to do the designing of Anne's flat for free and charge it to someone else . Why? Was she going to do the same thing to all the poor people who couldn't afford to pay her? Sylvie is claimed to be very smart and clever. Then why is her career 'sleeping with men' and 'marriage'?
Another stupid thing was the FBI guy spying and stalking Lane and then it's apparently 'love'. Ugh! Then there is the weirdo guy who was insane before his marriage, was normal during her lifetime and became insane again after his wife died. Somehow wife acted as antidepressant? What rot! Also, what was the point of him wanting to kill Lane? And what the heck happened to Anne at the end?
This book is unrealistic, annoying and full of male and class privilege. Also, it has flat characters and a 'plot' that insults the word. Read at peril to your brain cells.
I don't know what Clark's recent fascination with rich people and their anaemic lifestyles is all about, but I am sick of the poor rich suffering people trope in her recent books. It really doesn't endear me to any of her characters. She used to write about strong female characters. Now it's all about whiny women who can't tie their own shoelaces.
I was enraged when Glady decided to do the designing of Anne's flat for free and charge it to someone else . Why? Was she going to do the same thing to all the poor people who couldn't afford to pay her? Sylvie is claimed to be very smart and clever. Then why is her career 'sleeping with men' and 'marriage'?
Another stupid thing was the FBI guy spying and stalking Lane and then it's apparently 'love'. Ugh! Then there is the weirdo guy who was insane before his marriage, was normal during her lifetime and became insane again after his wife died. Somehow wife acted as antidepressant? What rot! Also, what was the point of him wanting to kill Lane? And what the heck happened to Anne at the end?
This book is unrealistic, annoying and full of male and class privilege. Also, it has flat characters and a 'plot' that insults the word. Read at peril to your brain cells.
October 30, 2019
3.5 stars
I’ve been a huge fan of Mary Higgins Clark for years now and always found her stories to be exciting, entertaining and exceedingly well written. Admittedly, this book is not one of her best but it was a nice quick read, almost like a lengthy novella, with a decent mystery at the heart involving fraud and not the authors usual murder premise. I was invested in the characters enough to want to see the denouement and the revealing of who was behind the five billion dollar fraud. With no gratuitous violence or unnecessary smut, this was a very clean, even ‘cosy’ suspense drama, which I flew through in a day. I will continue to read novels by this very talented, best selling author and if you’re after a quick, easy, undemanding read you’d be hard pushed for a better option.
I’ve been a huge fan of Mary Higgins Clark for years now and always found her stories to be exciting, entertaining and exceedingly well written. Admittedly, this book is not one of her best but it was a nice quick read, almost like a lengthy novella, with a decent mystery at the heart involving fraud and not the authors usual murder premise. I was invested in the characters enough to want to see the denouement and the revealing of who was behind the five billion dollar fraud. With no gratuitous violence or unnecessary smut, this was a very clean, even ‘cosy’ suspense drama, which I flew through in a day. I will continue to read novels by this very talented, best selling author and if you’re after a quick, easy, undemanding read you’d be hard pushed for a better option.
August 22, 2015
Although the story is very light, and the plot is a little thin and transparent, the book has its merits. Occasionally, this is just the type of book I need when I can't seem to muster up the energy, or have the attention span, to focus on something too detailed or deep. Also, there are times I want to read something without graphic violence or bad language, which often feels very refreshing for a change.
Although, this book is not quite as absorbing, detailed, or complex as many of Mary's previous books, it's still an enjoyable enough read. I recommend this one for the fans of this esteemed author and for those who enjoy cozy mysteries, or are looking for something light and easy to pass away a lazy afternoon with.
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Although, this book is not quite as absorbing, detailed, or complex as many of Mary's previous books, it's still an enjoyable enough read. I recommend this one for the fans of this esteemed author and for those who enjoy cozy mysteries, or are looking for something light and easy to pass away a lazy afternoon with.
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews.
To read the full review click this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
March 27, 2019
This one was good but it did have moments when it didn’t keep my full attention. It was predictable but there was one reveal towards the end that through me and that really added to the story.
My quick and simple overall: good, quick read but not my favorite.
My quick and simple overall: good, quick read but not my favorite.
October 6, 2020
No, me gustó por lo predecible de los personajes y la carencia de personalidad en algunos de ellos.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2015
I have long been a fan of Mary Higgins Clark, the Queen of Suspense, a title she so richly deserves. I own every book she has ever written and they are among my most cherished possessions. I even had the distinct honor of meeting her in person at one of her book signings. She's not only a gifted writer but she's a warm and kind person and an inspiration to all mystery/suspense writers.
"The Melody Lingers On" is a wonderful addition to her long list of published novels. As I read some of the other reviews on amazon, I shook my head. How or why anyone would give this novel less than 5 stars, boggles my mind. It was fantastic! Well developed characters I quickly came to care about, an intriguing plot with several twists and a satisfying conclusion. Although I wanted to savor every word, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough because I was so eager to find out what would happen next.
"The Melody Lingers On" is a wonderful addition to her long list of published novels. As I read some of the other reviews on amazon, I shook my head. How or why anyone would give this novel less than 5 stars, boggles my mind. It was fantastic! Well developed characters I quickly came to care about, an intriguing plot with several twists and a satisfying conclusion. Although I wanted to savor every word, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough because I was so eager to find out what would happen next.
July 14, 2015
I basically only read Mary Higgins Clark for the nostalgia factor. Her books are nothing special, but she was the first "adult" author I read when I was a child, so I hold a fondness in my heart for her.
October 5, 2015
Her books seem a bit skimpier these days, but she still is a master at suspense and tying up loose ends. I will keep her books on my "must read" list.
April 26, 2018
Mary Higgins Clark é uma autora a que recorro quando quero ler algo com algum mistério mas sem ter me pensar demasiado. Neste caso, o livro ficou um pouco abaixo das expectativas. O mistério, além de ser pouco, muito fácil de desvendar. Foi dado mais ênfase à componente romance do que à categoria onde estava inserida o livro.
Curiosidade nesta leitura, o que não é hábito nas que eu faço, foi a alguma abordagem, mesmo que indirecta ao golfe... Acabou por "aliviar" um pouco o marasmo decorrente de uma leitura mediana.
Recomendo mas não esperem uma leitura estimulante. Já devem ser reflexos da idade avantajada da autora...
Curiosidade nesta leitura, o que não é hábito nas que eu faço, foi a alguma abordagem, mesmo que indirecta ao golfe... Acabou por "aliviar" um pouco o marasmo decorrente de uma leitura mediana.
Recomendo mas não esperem uma leitura estimulante. Já devem ser reflexos da idade avantajada da autora...
November 8, 2023
Love this books
June 26, 2015
I feel like there wasn't a lot of suspense in this one! It was a nice quick read, but definitely not as good as some of her older titles.
October 6, 2017
Adoro a autora. Adoro o facto de os capítulos serem curtos. Adorei a história.
August 5, 2016
A story of an investment banker, Parker Bennett, who deceived his clients; the aftermath for those who were affected; and the mystery of what happened to the supposedly deceased crook, grabbed me from the first page of The Melody Lingers On.
Lane Harmon is a young interior designer, an assistant to Glady Harper, famed designer to the rich in Connecticut, Manhattan, and nearby wealthy neighborhoods. A single mom to four-year-old Katie, Lane finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Eric Bennett and his mother Anne, who reside in a downsized condo now being renovated by Lane and Glady.
It is obvious that there is considerable question as to whether or not Parker Bennett is actually dead, and if not, how he pulled it all off. There is also question as to how much, if anything, his wife and son knew of his dealings. Various FBI agents and undercover operatives bring out interesting perspectives.
Typically intense, this page turner kept me going, wondering about the answers to what happened, who knew what and when, and what the mysterious music box in Anne’s home had to do with anything.
Of course I had my own guesses about the characters and events, but the author also offers the reader a peek at what went on before the downfall, and we get to watch the mysterious drama unfold. The fun is in wondering just how far the deception went and how much of his family had been privy to his goings-on, as well as who is in danger and who will save the day. 4 stars.
Lane Harmon is a young interior designer, an assistant to Glady Harper, famed designer to the rich in Connecticut, Manhattan, and nearby wealthy neighborhoods. A single mom to four-year-old Katie, Lane finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Eric Bennett and his mother Anne, who reside in a downsized condo now being renovated by Lane and Glady.
It is obvious that there is considerable question as to whether or not Parker Bennett is actually dead, and if not, how he pulled it all off. There is also question as to how much, if anything, his wife and son knew of his dealings. Various FBI agents and undercover operatives bring out interesting perspectives.
Typically intense, this page turner kept me going, wondering about the answers to what happened, who knew what and when, and what the mysterious music box in Anne’s home had to do with anything.
Of course I had my own guesses about the characters and events, but the author also offers the reader a peek at what went on before the downfall, and we get to watch the mysterious drama unfold. The fun is in wondering just how far the deception went and how much of his family had been privy to his goings-on, as well as who is in danger and who will save the day. 4 stars.
June 25, 2015
Good story but by the end I really didn't feel much towards any of the characters so it was a lackluster read for me. Not on the keep shelf and I should have picked it up from the library.
There needed to have been more interaction with the main characters so I cared about them at all. Lane was out on weekly dates with someone but it was just a passing blurb (even that she was seeing the person as much as she did). As a reader I didn't discover any of this by reading about it (did she enjoy it or detest it) A few comments were sprinkled in the story to tell you it happened and what she thought about it. Not sure how to describe that any better but it was a big part of why I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have.
Because of the above the ending was "slightly" surprising but I really didn't care. The wrap up at the end had the same feel - just commented on not in it with them. Sorry - I'm trying not to give any spoilers in this review to give any examples.
This is definitely a one time read for me - Not a keeper.
There needed to have been more interaction with the main characters so I cared about them at all. Lane was out on weekly dates with someone but it was just a passing blurb (even that she was seeing the person as much as she did). As a reader I didn't discover any of this by reading about it (did she enjoy it or detest it) A few comments were sprinkled in the story to tell you it happened and what she thought about it. Not sure how to describe that any better but it was a big part of why I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have.
Because of the above the ending was "slightly" surprising but I really didn't care. The wrap up at the end had the same feel - just commented on not in it with them. Sorry - I'm trying not to give any spoilers in this review to give any examples.
This is definitely a one time read for me - Not a keeper.
July 29, 2018
In Mary Higgins Clark's The Melody Lingers On, this startling mystery novel takes a storyline straight from the news that would blow you away. Lane Harmon is a young widow with a 4-year-old daughter named Katie. As an associate to the famous Glady Harper, an interior design, they get to interior design Anne Bennett's townhouse and for the Countess Sylvie De Marco's condo. And that's when she met Eric Bennett, the son of Parker Bennett, the notorious businessmen who ripped people's money off with a fraudulent fund. He had maintained his innocence and his eyes set for Lane and Katie. Meanwhile, the FBI has been looking for Parker Bennett himself, who had assumedly faked his own death and lived in paradise under another name. The people who were closest to him, besides his family, were under suspicion and possibly involved with him. One of them named Ranger Cole is avenging his late wife Judy's death in pure hatred and anguish. Except for Anne, who had a music box that she played music, waiting for Parker to be "alive", the FBI also believed Eric had something to do with it. The closer the FBI dig into his background, the deeper Lane has conflicting feelings for him, they learn about his shocking dark side in the end when things come to a head for Lane and the FBI when he turned the table on them.
January 26, 2019
I would term this book as a "cozy mystery", and since I prefer my reading with a little more grit, I couldn't really appreciate it the way I perhaps should.
Lane Harmon is an interior designer who works with upscale clientele. Her assignment this time is surprising in that it is not as opulent as most. She learns the reason -- the apartment belongs to the wife of a disgraced money market manager who vanished with five billion dollars of his clients' money, and most of her assets were seized by the FBI.
It's a cozy little mystery, and you could see the ending coming long before it arrived. I would recommend it to those who like cozy mysteries (or in my case, if your book club suggests that you find a book with an alcoholic drink on the cover).
Lane Harmon is an interior designer who works with upscale clientele. Her assignment this time is surprising in that it is not as opulent as most. She learns the reason -- the apartment belongs to the wife of a disgraced money market manager who vanished with five billion dollars of his clients' money, and most of her assets were seized by the FBI.
It's a cozy little mystery, and you could see the ending coming long before it arrived. I would recommend it to those who like cozy mysteries (or in my case, if your book club suggests that you find a book with an alcoholic drink on the cover).
September 27, 2017
2,5* seria justo.
MhC é uma das minhas escritoras favoritas, mas estes últimos livros dela desiludiram-me.
Continuam a ser de leitura rápida, mas as tramas deixam mto a desejar..
MhC é uma das minhas escritoras favoritas, mas estes últimos livros dela desiludiram-me.
Continuam a ser de leitura rápida, mas as tramas deixam mto a desejar..
February 14, 2016
Originally posted on Gone With The Books
Lane and her boss Glady work on the interior decoration of a house, where Anne Bennett will move in. After her husband Parker betrayed many people of their money and disappeared right after that, she is short of money and needs to move. When Lane meets her son Eric Bennett for the first time, she feels a certain connection to him, and does something she hadn´t done in a long time: dating. But not everyone is happy to see them together. Many people believe that he´s done his share to help his father betray all those people. And after Lane helped her boss to change the interior decoration of the Countess de la Marco´s apartment, things change. Will Lane really get together with Eric?
For every Mary Higgins Clark fan I have to put a warning out: this thriller isn´t at all like the thrillers we are used to read from her. There is no psychological finesse, no brilliant writing style and for sure no great characters. I don´t know if it´s only me, if I am grown out of her way of writing, or whatever. This isn´t the first thriller of her I´ve read – but maybe the last. All her books were great if not fantastic reads for me, and I really had my pleasure with them. But this one? This one was a huge disappointment.
The plot is nice, and could have been developed into a wonderful and entertaining story, but no. The Melody Lingers On is an almost boring read, the tone isn´t right and the strength and confidence that we´re so used to in her female protagonist is nowhere to find.
At some point I felt like, this novel is a huge affront to Mary Higgins Clark. Presented with her name, yes, but without any of her inside. The story was so predictable, there was so less to non tension build and the end was so weak – seriously? What happened to the brilliance in her writing, her clear and powerful words, her way of surprising the reader and giving some twist and unexpected turns to the plot? Where was her fantastic way of describing her characters, of showing how they had to come to terms with whatever happened during the thriller?
Since I know her books, I loved her soft but meaningful style. Her tone was pure fun for me and I always discovered something new on every page. In this thriller you´ll find a lot of unnecessary things and I don´t know that from her.
The author is well known and famous for her self-confident, independent and well situated female main figures, which have made a nice career, live in a nice surrounding and have at some point in their life been treated very badly by it. Well at least that one is given in this thriller.
Lane lost her husband after only a short year of marriage, and has a little girl who´s never seen her father. She loves her work, but her boss is a dragon and when she starts to work on two different projects, she soon discovers how cruel not only life can be but also the press. What I found the most annoying about her was the “I don´t know what to do” sentence that I was reading on almost every fourth page.
But I missed the inner strength. Instead Mary Higgins Clark created her figures very pale, unsecure and so hesitant – it was … I have no further words …
This has been the worst thriller by Mary Higgins Clark I´ve ever read. For some reasons I can´t get rid of the feeling, that this one wasn´t written by her – at least I have serious doubts. Maybe she´s done with her career as a writer, maybe this one was an exception and the next one will be great again, I don´t know. All I know is, I can´t recommend it. Sorry, but I just can´t.
July 30, 2015
As she has done before, Mary Higgins Clark writes about rich people (like herself). Financier Parker Bennett spent 13 years carefully building up a fund joined by many middle class, working class, and later on, well off people to 5 billion dollars then runs away with it into a new identity he had prepared at the beginning. There are several things I found unbelievable enough to take off a star. Here they are:
(1) He had the money put into a numbered Swiss bank account which was perfectly safe then opened another numbered Swiss bank account at the same bank and moved most of the money into that. Why? The original account was safe and changing to another account would draw attention. Clark seems unaware that Swiss banks now share info on private accounts with US officials.
(2) He wrote the old and new account numbers on a piece of scrap paper and taped it on the bottom of his wife's music box which she plays every day and when he left, he copied down the number to the old account instead of the new and left the paper taped to the bottom of the music box. Come on! No financier able to pull a careful 5 billion dollar theft would EVER put the bank codes on paper on the bottom of someone's music box and then leave it there to be found. He would know when he faked his death and the money was found to be gone, government authorities would search the house. He'd have that info locked up in a safe somewhere.
(3) He was carrying around his new ID and info on where he was going in his pocket and both his lover and his secretary managed to see it. Again, he would not carry this around for 13 years in his pocket. This would be locked in a safe or deposit box.
(4) He only changed his hair color and did nothing to change his looks so people on the island who read American papers could see his photo when stories run about the money.
Mary is getting a little lazy here with the plotting. The story follows the search for him and the money (no one believes he drowned in a boating accident he staged) and includes all sorts of rich, sleazy people and some of the poorer people who lost everything because of him-and might kill his family because of it.
(1) He had the money put into a numbered Swiss bank account which was perfectly safe then opened another numbered Swiss bank account at the same bank and moved most of the money into that. Why? The original account was safe and changing to another account would draw attention. Clark seems unaware that Swiss banks now share info on private accounts with US officials.
(2) He wrote the old and new account numbers on a piece of scrap paper and taped it on the bottom of his wife's music box which she plays every day and when he left, he copied down the number to the old account instead of the new and left the paper taped to the bottom of the music box. Come on! No financier able to pull a careful 5 billion dollar theft would EVER put the bank codes on paper on the bottom of someone's music box and then leave it there to be found. He would know when he faked his death and the money was found to be gone, government authorities would search the house. He'd have that info locked up in a safe somewhere.
(3) He was carrying around his new ID and info on where he was going in his pocket and both his lover and his secretary managed to see it. Again, he would not carry this around for 13 years in his pocket. This would be locked in a safe or deposit box.
(4) He only changed his hair color and did nothing to change his looks so people on the island who read American papers could see his photo when stories run about the money.
Mary is getting a little lazy here with the plotting. The story follows the search for him and the money (no one believes he drowned in a boating accident he staged) and includes all sorts of rich, sleazy people and some of the poorer people who lost everything because of him-and might kill his family because of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2019
This book is about a funds manager that takes off with all of the money. But what about the people that surrounded him daily? Was his family and people who worked for him involved in the crime or are they a victim of circumstance?
Cliche. That is the word I would use to describe this novel. It is unfortunate too because there is a story here but the cliche characters ruined it. It seemed like every character was borrowed from other works. We had the interior decorator that channeled Meryl Streep from The Devil Wears Prada and the likable assistant which I believe was also a staple of the aforementioned movie. (I never saw it.) It did not stop with these two examples. Whether it was the wife who was still devoted to her criminal husband or the government agent that was falling in love with a character just by observing her, this book felt too paint by the numbers. As for the story, I was interested to find out who knew of the conspiracy and who was innocent and that is why I gave this two stars.
This is your typical beach read book. Too bad it fell flat. If the author put any kind of effort into her characters instead of checking off a check list, this could have been a really enjoyable novel as the story is relevant in today's society.
Cliche. That is the word I would use to describe this novel. It is unfortunate too because there is a story here but the cliche characters ruined it. It seemed like every character was borrowed from other works. We had the interior decorator that channeled Meryl Streep from The Devil Wears Prada and the likable assistant which I believe was also a staple of the aforementioned movie. (I never saw it.) It did not stop with these two examples. Whether it was the wife who was still devoted to her criminal husband or the government agent that was falling in love with a character just by observing her, this book felt too paint by the numbers. As for the story, I was interested to find out who knew of the conspiracy and who was innocent and that is why I gave this two stars.
This is your typical beach read book. Too bad it fell flat. If the author put any kind of effort into her characters instead of checking off a check list, this could have been a really enjoyable novel as the story is relevant in today's society.
June 29, 2015
I am pretty solidly an MHC fan, and even though all of her books have certain similarities (30-ish beautiful, successful woman as a main character, someone who holds a key to the mystery if only they can remember, etc.) I have really liked her books, and have been sucked into the mystery and suspense, and I was excited to read her latest book. I was underwhelmed by this one though. I had a tough time getting into the story, and, because of how it was set up, I wasn't entirely sure what the mystery was (it seemed like the audience pretty much knew everything). It was more a question of if/when/how a crook would be found out. I did start to get interested in the last 3rd of the book, as a bit more information came to light and the big finale happened, but I had to struggle through a bit of the book before getting there. All in all, this book was okay, but not what I've come to expect from the Queen of Suspense.
August 20, 2015
Extremely formulaic! I could tell that this wouldn't be the best of Clark's books by the end of chapter one. I had everything figured out by page 100. The author repeatedly used the same phrases over and over again. It truly felt like she had a "Write a mystery book template" and she just filled in the blanks. The characters were bland and one dimensional and the reader never really gets to know any of them in any real depth. The writing was pretty bad I hate to say. It was just very immature. Definitely not something worthy of a New York Times top 25. I started out rating this 3 stars but while writing this review I think it needs to be bumped down to 2 stars. Not recommended. Skip it and move on to something better.
August 16, 2016
MHC always gets a "like" from me. I looked forward to her new book coming out each year. Yes, each one fits a mold, a pattern, a whatever. But she writes so well. It goes down so easily, so smoothly, and ironic-given-the-murderous-theme so sweetly. This one is no different. Very entertaining. Was a perfect beach read. My only complaint is that MHC does indeed have to learn to write more appropriate inner and outer dialog for the female 30-something main character that she favors. For example, 20- or 30-somethings do not call their pants "slacks." It is "pants" or - maybe - "trousers" if they are feeling a bit playful. It can start to sound like dialog from a 1970s TV drama. But, nonetheless, Ms. Clark, I love you. You are indeed the Queen of Suspense.
September 22, 2017
Having just spent a week in the heavy atmosphere of Seveneves, I needed something light and quick to cleanse my mental palate.
This was pretty standard issue MHC, I enjoyed it up to the overly silly ending.
This was pretty standard issue MHC, I enjoyed it up to the overly silly ending.
June 26, 2015
meh. typical Clark; names have changed but plot arc now seems very formulaic compared to her earlier works. Maybe Clark should retire.
October 26, 2015
Another quick, good read from the Queen of Suspense. I do feel that her earlier books had more suspense and intrigue.
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