Formulaic. In the case of the vast majority of frothy mystery writers (think Janet Evanovich or Sandra Brown), “formulaic” not only describes the plot but also comments on the nutritional value.
Mary Higgins Clark, very much like Agatha Christie before her, takes formulaic and makes it comforting (no gratuitous violence – are you following, James Patterson?), empowering (strong female characters – are you listening, Stuart Woods?) and fun (yes, Robert Crais, it doesn’t have to be intense from cover-to-cover, we can have some fun along the way).
Unlike Christie and her Miss. Marple, Higgins Clark does not repeat characters, but her strong leading women are almost interchangeable: brilliant lawyer, dedicated doctor, passionate marketer, etc. And her plots are very linear: meet an amazing but troubled lady, see impending doom, run into a series of men of shady backgrounds and intents, someone is murdered, woman is in peril, pick which of the men will harm and which will help, love triumphs.
Spending time with Mary Higgins Clark is like having high tea with a gentle, yet spunky maiden aunt. You don’t want to make a habit of it, but every time you go and she pours into her tea that little “strengthener” from the flask she keeps in her brocade handbag, you wonder why it is so long between visits.