My Gal Sunday

by Mary Higgins Clark

Imagine Nick and Nora Charles with a taste for politics and none for gin, and you'd be pretty close to Mary Higgins Clark's Henry Parker Britland IV and his attractive young wife, Sandra O'Brien Britland, known as Sunday. Henry, possessor of an enormous inherited fortune and known as one of America's sexiest men, has just finished his second term as president of the United States and is happily retired at 44, puttering around his New Jersey country estate. Sunday, who bootstrapped her way up from a modest working-class background, is a junior congresswoman with a reputation for smarts. The two met, romantically enough, on the eve of Henry's leaving office, fell madly in love, and were married six weeks later. In this collection of four pleasantly readable stories, the sleuthing duo catch the murderer of a statesman's flashy amour, endure Sunday's kidnapping and mastermind her rescue, solve the 34-year-old mystery of the disappearance of a foreign prime minister from the Britland family yacht, and reunite a ransomed boy with his parents at Christmas. Of the four, "They All Ran After the President's Wife" may be the best plotted, and has a particularly amusing McGuffin in the character of a caviar-loving terrorist. While the suspense is on the mild side throughout, the romance is lighthearted but sincere, and the occasional flashes of wit are dryly appealing. It's a bonbon, to be enjoyed for its brief sweetness. --Barrie Trinkle

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Short Stories, Romance

206 pages, Paperback

First published October 22, 1996

About the author

The #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.

Reviews

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Gal Sunday is a compilation of short stories about a husband and wife; he a former President, she a sitting Congresswoman, that get involved in political intrigues and murder investigations. Clark has had a very successful career writing suspenseful narratives that flow organically. Here, she continues that trend in a what at first might seem contrived, but follows a very natural development for thrilling narratives. And how fascinating that a former President might be married to a sitting Congresswoman (hmmm, seems plausible and very familiar.) I enjoyed this series of stories and felt swept away by Clark’s writing (which I have enjoyed for a very long time.) I might be a little bit bias, but I recommend these stories. They were fun mysteries that thrill.

[Shaun · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like to think I can enjoy the occasional "mindless" read just as much as the next gal...but unfortunately My Gal didn't do it for me.

Comprised of four novelettes, the book features crime solving duo Henry Parker Britland IV and his lovely new bride Sunday. Unfortunately, the hunky ex-president and the feisty congresswoman were too rich, too pretty, too charming, and just too much in love to be anything short of annoying.

However, reading this I was reminded of a popular show from the '80s, Hart to Hart, that ran from 1979-1984 and was followed-up by eight made for TV movies, airing between 1993-1996. This book was published in 1996...so who knows.

Not awful (the writing was fine and the stories were what they were), just not my kind of "fluff," at least not anymore (I actually remember liking Hart to Hart back in the day--of course, I was ten).

[Veronica F · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's your typical Mary Higgins Clark mystery. Little bit of love, but nothing gushy. Little bit of mystery,  but nothing dark. Little bit of action, but nothing heart pounding. Good fairly quick read. 

[Shaelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 3hr listen , this audiobook was perfect for what I was craving.The two MCs are a husband and wife, amateur sleuths, he's an ex president, she's a congresswoman - quite similar to Hart to Hart the 80s TV series with Robert Wagner, less action and more mystery - it had a few short stories about 30- 45 minutes long very simple plots and characters if you're looking for deep , complex this is definitely not it, but it more then satisfied my craving for 80s detective stories, was easy to stop and start no heavy issues and a bit cheesy but I expected and even wanted that . So if that sounds like fun pick this one up, I listened through my Scribd app. 4stars for scratching my 80s cheesy mystery itch !!

[Zach Paulson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever heard of a president that was so good that the people wanted to break the law in the constitution so that he could stay in office? Well Henry Parker Britland IV was that president. He was very good at negotiating and he married the perfect lady. This book is made up of four mysteries and muy favorite one was about Henry and his wife Sunday and they bought back the old Britland yacht the Columbia. This yacht has been in his family for years and was a party boat for presidents for years. The last time before his family sold the yacht the prime minister of a Central American country was found missing. Henry blamed it on himself because he was with him and then left. The Prime Minister gave him something in an envelope that night and told him to keep it safe for him. That night after Henry went to sleep someone stole the envelope and his journal of what happened that night. To find out what happens next pick up this book in the library. I promise you'll never put it down.

[Erika Pensaert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Vlakke en ongeloofwaardige personages, conservatief Amerikaanse setting, voorspelbaar plot. Ik heb nochtans al MHC boeken gelezen die ik wel goed vind.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read a number of Mary Higgins Clark's books and I have to say this is one I struggled with the most - without give too much away (I think in fact its all in the intro to the book) that this is more of homage to the romantic thriller stories of years gone by.

The book consists of 4 stories which pretty much follow the same formula which is not the issue more that the characters involved are rather too perfect, too idealistic and two dimensional in my eyes. As a result this really didnt challange me which is both a surprise and a disappointment since some of her other works had me guessing the last page (as well as invested in the characters too).

So yes I guess this book was a disappointment to me probably because I have read so much better in other books.

[Robbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Desi Rosenberger o'connell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Mary Higgins Clark. But I was not thoroughly impressed with My Gal Sunday. The fact that it was split into 3 different stories disappointed quite a bit.

The story in which she was kidnapped I feel could have been fleshed out a bit more or perhaps even contained the entire book. Perhaps if her figuringing out the true murderer involving Henry's friend led to her kidnapping.

But no, this is not a book I would exactly recommend. Unless you are an avid reader of MHC as I am and you read all her books no matter what.

[Diana Nagy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little stories that include the president's new wife Sunday. Some of the stories good some of the stories great. Mostly great! Really quick read as you're unable to set it down throughout each story. Very enjoyable. Wouldn't mind reading another similar story set book by Mary Higgins Clark. Liked that it had the same person in each story.

[Debbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This collection of shorts about an American ex-President and his darling Congressman wife will suffice if this is the only book left in the hostel book swap and there is time to kill at a coffee shop. Even then, the minutes might be better spent people watching.

[Vanessa Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been a while since I’ve read a Mary Higgins Clark book eh? Well, blame it to my never ending reading list, which usually doubled whenever I finish a book. This time, since I manage to be productive and read all five books in my reading list early than what I expected, and since the opportunity were so good to me, I was able acquire a book of MHC! And who am I to decline the offer eh? It is MHC we are talking here, which I boldly admitted that I’m a big fan! Hehe

This is actually just a short read, just about 206 pages overall. But just like her other book that I’ve read, The Anastasia Syndrome and other stories, this book also comprises of not just one story, but four short stories! But unlike the Anastasia Syndrome, this book totally deserved my 4-star rating. But what’s also great about this book is that it features MHC’s new husband and wife team of sleuths. But unlike Alvirah and Willy Meehan, these two new couples we’re uhm, I would say the younger version of the latter, quite interesting eh? But unlike her previous books, this one has quite a handful of words that I need to consult my friend Meriam D for its meaning.

And having mention about the four short stories in just this one book, I’m making a break-down of this book starting from the first short story to the next.

A CRIME OF PASSION

In this story, we’ve got to learn more about the newest sleuthing duo of MHC. And oh lala! One of the America’s sexiest man eh? That’s quite a catch, haha. This first story also serves as the introduction of this sleuthing duo.

Honestly, I find it a bit dull. Maybe because I’ve just read a teeny weeny romance story and switching to suspense is quite a rush, haha. As what the title says, it definitely is a crime of passion. Henry’s (main male character, which is also the previous president of America) close friend and political ally was the prime suspect of killing his young lover, which was shot 3 times in his library. Which he even managed to have a good night sleep in his bedroom after leaving Arabella (the victim) bled to life in his library.

At first, I already have guessed that it’s not Tommy (Henry’s close friend and political ally) who killed the poor Arabella. But I was curious on who the heck was the culprit. And dang! The story came too fast that I was left surprised by the sudden exposure of the real culprit. But I just realize that it’s just a short read with four short stories in it. So the idea of delaying the exposure of the culprit is already out of the picture.

So far, this story isn’t one of my favorites of all four short stories, but it still managed to spook me.

THEY RAN AFTER THE PRESIDENT’S WIFE

This story is longer than the first short story. And what I notice was the unnecessary blabber. Haha, I’m already very eager to read the suspense part so that is why I’m so looking forward to read the action part than to read a dull blabber. (me being so impatient haha)

As obvious as the title says. This story started when Sunday (main female character and Henry’s wife) was kidnapped by an unknown culprit. This story is quite challenging for they all have no clue on how to find her. And I was so touched on Henry’s undying love for Sunday. My oh my! Who knows that America’s sexiest man could be that charming?

So far, the only concern that I find in this story is the blabber part.

HAIL COLUMBIA!

This book is all about the disappearance of an honorable politician Garcia Del Rio which took place when Henry was just twelve years old in a yacht named Columbia. This story is going to be interesting on how MHC will going to write this story for obviously, the crime was taken place a long time ago.

But dang! I never thought it could be this interesting. My oh my! MHC manage to amazed me in just this short read huh. So far, this book is my favorite of all the four short stories.

MERRY CHRISTMAS / Joyeux Noël

As the title goes, this one’s talk about Christmas. At first, I was a bit doubtful if I’m going to enjoy this short read, for it’s no secret that I was never a fan of MHC’s holiday books. But in all fairness, this book is quite a, uhm, how do say this?Well, this story is heartwarming. Imagine if you’re a mother and found out that your beloved son was kidnapped? (beware: this one’s going to be a bummer ehe) But fortunately, the kidnapped act gone wrong.

And this little boy, Jacques, found its way to the sleuthing duo that made the way for this little boy to be reunited to his parents. I think it’s a great choice to end this book eh?

So that’s it guys. That’s the reason behind my 4-star rating. If you happen to read this story, then please feel free to share how you find it on the comment area below.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars!

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[Megan Rector · Rating 1 out of 5]

What insufferable nonsense.

[Paula Ratcliffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Gal Sunday Review
This book was written by Mary Higgins Clark, it is the sleuthing team of Henry Parker
Britland IV, a loved former President with close ties to the government and his new bride of over a year Sunday who is beautiful, smart, and seventeen years younger. Henry and Sunday make a formidable team of sleuths–and never more so then when they set out to solve crimes occurring among their friends in political high society.
The first crime involves a congressman friend of theirs who is being charged of a crime he can’t recall. While they race to save their friend they learn more than they want to about the killer.
In the second crime Sunday has been kidnapped and Henry is forced to back to the White House and race the clock to rescue his beloved wife, before her time is up.
The Next story deals with a yacht named the Colombia that Henry and his bride purchase through an auction over bidding Angelica De Rio who has papers hidden on the yacht talking about some evil things she had done to her spouse.
In the last mystery a couple goes on a honeymoon and comes home to find their son Jacques has been kidnapped. They are informed not to alert the police. Henry and Sunday stumble upon the boy while trimming their tree for Christmas. The kidnappers have lost their claim to the boy when a car accident sends the boy running as far from them as possible.
I think these stories are great they give you a glimpse of what can happen outside politics.

[Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, now that, (as the old song has it), June is busting out all over, it's
time to seriously consider a completely non-serious beach or barbecue read
that will leave you with a smile and let you move onto the next book without
delay. This is a super-quick read of four loosely connected stories about two
amateur sleuths-a husband and wife team. He's a former U.S. president;
she's a congressional representative.

All four of these stories are absolutely free of profanity or sexual
descriptions, and while none of them are profound or deeply moving, all of
them are a delight to read to one degree or another.

In the first story, the ex-president and his wife, Sandra, (nicknamed
Sunday) must determine how the girlfriend of the secretary of state died.

In another story, Sunday is kidnapped, and she must send an encoded clue in
a video message to her frantic husband. Another story involves a long-ago
assassination on a haunted yacht, and the final story is a delightful
Christmas tale that involves a young abandoned child and his reunion with
his family.

None of these stories will leave you in tears or shouting with jubilation.
They're fun, quick reads that are refreshingly squeaky clean and will occupy
precious little of your reading time. They're good enough to help you drown
out the oft-repeated stories of that obnoxious uncle at the family picnic,
but they don't require so much concentration that you can't focus on
anything else. It's a great summer read.

[JD Waggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really, I'd give this a 3.5 of 5 stars, because it's just a warm fuzzy of a book. The erudite crime-solving team of Sunday and Henry is built sort of on the romance of the Kennedys, the political savvy of the Clintons, and the American love for old British connections. And it goes from there; there's very little depth or suspense, but you still wish it had been you to marry this wonderfully unreal man. And so what if all of the villains are outrageously dim and predictable? That's okay, Henry will save the day with his gal Sunday by his side! Sigh. It helps that I rather adore radio drama and am quite sad that I was born long after its golden age; I can totally see myself getting as involved in My Gal Sunday as little MHC was. A fluff book, and one that's sufficiently fluffy enough that I think I'll hang on to it. Besides, the adult in me is highly amused by all of the now-outdated politics and the references to the way the White House worked that are absolutely no longer viable in the new millennium. Ah, the 90s. Halcyon, no, but definitely a different kind of broken.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my introduction to Mary Higgins Clark. I will say I didn't fall in LOVE with this little collection of short sleuthing, but it was a fun group of quick mysteries--very readable. And I enjoyed it enough I may look up another of her full-length books. I liked the main characters, but it isn't too surprising they manage to find the baddies when they have been literally gifted with everything an author could pull out of their arsenal: political position and power, good looks, intelligence, wit, curiosity, wealth, true love, etc., etc. ;) My one real critique is that if an author has to keep telling you how in love the lovers are, they aren't imbuing the book with enough actual chemistry between the characters.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've missed the Hallmark Channel movie version last year, then the print version is waiting for you. In Mary Higgins Clark's My Gal Sunday, she wrote to use about a dynamic due that was two of a kind. Meet Henry Parker Britland IV, a newly retired former President, who was youthful, popular and wealthy, and his new bride, Sunday, who was newly elected to Congress. For this couple of sleuths, they came out to help solve high-society crimes in politics from a cold cold case to a kidnapping. And that would bring them all the way back to the White House in Washington D.C.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book contains four short stories about a young, perfect, good-looking ex-president and his younger, just as perfect and good-looking wife, who is a congresswoman. The characters in this dynamic duo seem to have no flaws. In addition to being the greatest president who ever lived (after having been elected in his mid-thirties), he now can solve mysteries with his equally talented wife! Totally unrealistic but an ok way to pass the time.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast quick read of several short stories. Henry Britland IV is a beloved former President, who married a real cute girl, seventeen years younger than himself, after he left the White House. She is a Congresswomen who has down to the earth roots, and is smart, and kind as well as being beautiful. Together, the two of them find themselves in situations where they have to right the wrongs, or, as Mary Higgins Clark puts it, "they make a formidable team of sleuths".

[Cindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm listening to this one on tape right now. I got it from the library because I remembered enjoying it a few years ago.

I don't know why. The main characters are the most perfectly perfect couple in the history of the world with perfectly perfect lives. I want to smack them both. Who cares what happens to either one of them? I need to get another book on tape and return this one!

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn't care for this "Couple". Too cute and too predictable and totally unbeleivable.

[M. Schilling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it. Easy read.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked all the short stories. The characters Henry and Sunday were very likable.

[Melmo2610 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this collection of stories. I like Sunday and Henry as main characters a lot and their mysteries are interesting. Fun listen.

[Rick Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mary Higgins Clark was inspired by the 1940s radio drama, Our Gal Sunday, about a country girl who marries a British aristocrat. In her version, it's an American aristocrat: The young and popular former President of the United States, who is married to a newly-elected congresswoman from a blue-collar background in Jersey City. And of course, this couple-who-has-everything solves crimes together.

The whole thing is very rich. And very white. Almost to the point of ridiculousness.

The book is a collection of four short stories.

The first is a straight-up cozy mystery, with an old friend famed for murder. It's fairly engaging, but the short length doesn't really give it the space it needs to develop false trails and red herrings, and the whodunnit turns out to be pretty much whoyouexpecteddunnit.

The second story is a kidnapping thriller with Sunday abducted by what appears to be an international terrorist organization. Standard damsel-in-distress fare, with a villain whose actions don't really make any sense, and you're (I guess) supposed to chalk all of that up to "well, he's crazy".

I liked the third story, which involved a very cold case and some international political drama involving a fictional Latin American country. It did rely a bit on male protagonist Henry Parker Britland IV being something of a child prodigy in the past (because of course he was), but the villains were fallible in ways that made sense, and the backstory was intriguing.

Last up was the best of the collection, a Christmas story involving a lost child and a kidnapping plot gone wrong. Again, interesting and fallible villains helped this, along with the fact that it did not fit as much int standard mystery/thriller plot tropes as the other stories do. It was charming and sentimental in a good way.

You'll probably get more out of this if you enjoy the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous details that fill up the story. I appreciated the colorful descriptions, but not is the romantic way they are clearly intended. The rich sleuth couple has the vibe of the old Hart To Hart TV series, with he two main characters having a fun rapport and some witty dialogue. The balancing of real and fictional politics is handled well.

[Anthony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mary Higgins Clark (1997) MY GAL SUNDAY
New York. Pocket Books Fiction

⭐️⭐️ 2 out of 5 stars

The sleeve reads, "A dashing ex-president and his young congresswoman bride become an irresistible sleuthing duo in four acclaimed stories from the #1 New York Times bestselling Queen of Suspense.
Henry Parker Britland IV—wealthy, worldly, and popular—is enjoying an early retirement. His new wife, Sunday—as clever as she is lovely—has just been elected to Congress in a stunning upset victory that has made her a media darling. Henry and Sunday make a formidable team...and never more so than when they set out to solve baffling high-society crimes. From a long-unsolved case they reconstruct aboard the presidential yacht to a kidnapping that brings Henry frantically back to the White House, the former president and his bride engage in some of the most audacious and original sleuthing ever imagined.
Only Mary Higgins Clark can so seamlessly meld spellbinding suspense, wit, and romance. My Gal Sunday is entertainment of the highest order."
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Not my favourite MHC book to be fair 😭 she's only human. We're all allowed a dud from time to time.
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#MaryHigginsClark #MyGalSunday #Book #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads

[Toni Wyatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four suspenseful short stories involving an ex-president and his new wife.

The first story is about the former Secretary of State being accused of murdering his girlfriend.

The second story involves the kidnapping of the President’s new wife, who also happens to be a Congresswoman.

The third centers around an old case which involved the murder of a foreign leader.

And, the last is about a missing child.

These were all okay. A bit dated, but still enjoyable. 3.5 stars rounded down.

[Jo · Rating 1 out of 5]

.5 really. An abomination. By making the couple so perfect they have no flaws to dislike, Mary created her most unlikable characters yet. One story had potential, but the whole mystery was given away through exposition halfway through. The .5 is for the fashionista terrorist, who I enjoyed.

[alexia_fse FESTE · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 nouvelles toutes différentes les unes des autres et qui suivent des moments de vie de Henry ancien président des usa et sa femme sunday.

J’ai beaucoup aimé le fait que les quatre nouvelles tournent autour de ces deux personnages car on s’attache à eux et on adore les voir ensemble !!

Mais je mets 4 parce que c’est vrai que certaines nouvelles allaient assez rapidement et je ne suis pas non plus hyper fan de ce format :/

Mais les histoires étaient bien, les enquêtes sympathiques et j’adore toujours autant le style de Mary Higgins Clark !!!