IT HAD TO BE YOU

4 stars out of 5

All the books in this series have been entertaining, and this one - the eighth - is no exception. Laurie Moran, producer of the "Under Suspicion" true crime TV show, is trying to work her magic despite ongoing squabbles with boss Brett Young and the show host, attorney Ryan Nichols. 

Laurie gets an opportunity to revisit the unsolved case of a wealthy couple who, while celebrating the college graduation of twin sons Ethan and Simon, were brutally murdered in their home a decade ago. Thanks in part to an eyewitness, the police - and just about everyone else - are convinced that one of the twins did the dirty deed, but there's insufficient evidence to bring charges (and besides, the twins are identical, so who's to say which one it was)? The twins themselves, once very close, have become estranged - mostly because each thinks the other one is guilty.

An intriguing case for sure; but convincing everyone involved back then to revisit unhappy memories isn't an easy task. But it's one Laurie has taken on many times in the past, and she manages to corral most of the still-living people to be interviewed for the show in the hopes that new evidence will turn up to make the cold case (and her TV show) hot.

As the investigation continues, with help from Laurie's former-cop father Leo Farley, secrets from the past are revealed - some dead ends, others not. The end is a bit of a mess, actually - and a little hard for me to swallow. The characters, though, seemed to have little problem with the outcome, so I guess that's what counts most. Laurie's family gets a boost or two as well, but that's a secret other readers will have to learn for themselves. So until next time, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. 

It Had to Be You by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (Simon & Schuster, April 2024); 268 pp.

WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN NOW?

4 stars out of 5

Although I'm fairly sure I read the late Mary Higgins Clark's Where Are the Children? many years ago (1975??), I have to be honest and say I don't remember a thing about it  - heck, I can't even remember where we lived that long ago, much less a book that's been superseded by hundreds of others I've read over the ensuing years. So I'm glad that this one, billed as a follow-up, has enough explanatory references to that one to keep me from being totally lost. But despite being thoroughly engrossing, it's not on my Top 10  list of favorite MHC books.

In part, that's because it's not a favorite topic; I've never really enjoyed reading about children who have been kidnapped, murdered or otherwise abused. But here we are, and in this case, history seems to be repeating itself. Speaking of repetition, I must say there's plenty of that here, although in fairness some is necessary so readers can relate both to this story and its predecessor. In that book, the two children of a young Nancy Harmon were murdered, and she was convicted of killing them. While she "got off" on a technicality (a good thing because she really didn't do it), few believed in her innocence, and ultimately she relocated from California to Cape Cod, remarried and had two more children, Mike and Melissa - who would themselves become the victims of a cruel kidnapper.

That was something like 40 years ago, and now grown-ups Mike and Melissa are leading their own lives - Melissa as a lawyer with a successful podcast, a relatively new husband she loves and a 3-year-old stepdaughter Riley she adores and Mike as a charter boat captain. They're all getting together to help their mother Nancy move to a swanky spot on Long Island. Readers soon learn, of course, that all this sweet bliss is about to turn sour.

And it does, when Riley goes missing right from under Melissa's nose as she sleeps in her mother's new house. Of course, for Melissa and Mike, it's sort of deja vu all over again - and for her husband Charlie, it's the continuation of a nightmare that started with the unexpected death of his first wife, Riley's mother, from a freak accident not all that long ago.

The police, though, follow a path similar to the one police carved with Nancy's case all those years ago; Melissa, the evil stepmother, must be the prime suspect (aided and abetted by all those awful experiences from her childhood). Even Melissa's good friend and podcast assistant, attorney Grant Macintosh, gets in on the act, but we've all heard about the road to good intentions. 

For the most part, Melissa second-guesses herself and everybody else with more fervor than I'd expect from a competent attorney, but then wishy-washy, questioning females just aren't my thing no matter what their background. The only characters who seem reasonably tuned into reality in this one are her brother Mike and her mother Nancy. As for the ending, well, once again not exactly what I'd expect from a successful professional, but there's something to be said, I guess, for Melissa's mantra that happiness is a choice. All in all, it's an enjoyable experience, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Where are the Children Now? by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (Simon & Schuster, April 2023); 288 pp.

YOU DON'T OWN ME

5 stars out of 5

Sometimes, you just want to sit back and be entertained - and this series, one of my favorites, never fails to satisfy. This one I finished in the equivalent of one day not long before the Thanksgiving holiday, providing a much-needed respite before my anxiety over whether the turkey and mashed potatoes will be done at the same time kicks in.

Five years earlier, a prominent physician is murdered - shot just as he returned home from work. His emotionally distressed wife, Kendra, was upstairs sleeping; no one saw the shooting take place, and the killer was never found. Now, the doctor's hoity-toity parents, who are convinced their daughter-in-law somehow masterminded the murder, are demanding that Laurie Moran, producer of the popular TV show "Under Suspicion," feature the case on the show. Years ago, Laurie turned down their offer, largely because Kendra refused to cooperate.

For whatever reason, she's on board this time around; so while Laurie is still a bit reluctant, she agrees that the show must go on. In the middle of trying to gather background information and people to interview, she's making plans to marry her fiance Alex, a district attorney who's about to be sworn in as a federal court judge, and find a new place where she, Alex, and her young son can live.

Quickly, she learns that what appears on the surface isn't necessarily true. Kendra has some serious issues, and her dead husband had some secrets of his own. Digging deeper, Laurie finds herself in danger as well, but is it related to the doctor's murder or something else? Good question, but one for me to know and you to find out by reading it for yourself. Another good one!

You Don't Own Me by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (Simon and Schuster, November 2018); 288 pp.

EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE

4 stars out of 5

I've now read four of the authors' Under Suspicion series, and quite honestly, I've enjoyed every one. Some of my enthusiasm, I know, comes from the media angle; I spent years in the industry, albeit on the print side of the desk - so if it involves news reporting, I'm all in. That said, holding my interest goes well beyond the setting; a solid story and relatable characters need to be in the mix as well.

And they are. Mind you, I'd call all these books lightweights when it comes to blood-and-guts type action; in this case, there's just one murder - a mega-wealthy businesswoman is tossed off the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If that's not your style, you may want to pass; but that's perfectly okay with me. What's not, though, is that the romance parts in this one go way beyond sappy (for the most part accounting for my rating of 4 stars instead of 5). The rest of the story, though, held my attention throughout.

Here's the deal: Laurie Moran produces a popular TV show titled, appropriately, "Under Suspicion," which opens new eyes on cold cases. Although it's been only three years since that aforementioned woman took a header off the museum roof and the case in theory remains under investigation, Attorney Ryan Nichols, who replaced Laurie's now-estranged love interest, Attorney Alex Buckley, as the show's host, is hot to trot on taking it on. Ryan, as it turns out, is friends with and believes to be innocent the primary suspect in the case: The 20-years-younger fiance of the murdered woman, Virginia Wakeling. 

Laurie is reluctant at first - partly because she misses Alex terribly and is no fan of Ryan - but when further investigation reveals that several of the victim's family members, including a daughter, son and son-in-law, may have had means, motive and opportunity as well, she capitulates and the game is on. Aided by her father, Leo Farley, retired NYPD first deputy commissioner who now serves on an anti-terrorism task force, she begins to obtain requisite permissions, line up interviews and secure background footage for what looks to be another hit show.

But not everyone is thrilled at the prospect of airing dirty linen on TV - most notably the killer, who, needless to say, is dead set on remaining unidentified. If that means stopping Laurie dead in her tracks, so be it. Beyond that, if Laurie is able to survive all that befalls her and an hour later chow down on dinner and drinks (God forbid losing a reservation at a fancy restaurant), bless her heart. That kind of  intestinal fortitude makes me reasonably certain she'll make it to another day and another book - and I'll be waiting to read it.

Every Breath You Take by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (Simon & Schuster, Novembeer 2017); 305 pp.

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY KILLER

4 stars out of 5


This is the third book in the Under Suspicion trilogy, and it's a good one (as are the first two, both of which I read). The only thing that threw me for a loop is the ending - which was confusing and made me wonder what I missed. And alas, if this really is a trilogy, I guess I'm never going to find out.

As in the previous books, Lorie Moran is the producer of Under Suspicion, a reality TV show based in New York that showcases cold cases. This time, Casey Carter parks herself in Laurie's office after being released from prison, where she served 15 years. She was convicted of manslaughter in the death of her well-known philanthropist and well-connected fiance Hunter Raleigh III, and over all those years she's vehemently denied her guilt. Because Casey claims to have been in a drug-induced sleep in the living room while her fiance was shot upstairs in his bedroom, she's been dubbed the "Sleeping Beauty"killer."

But if Laurie will agree to do her story on the TV show, Casey believes, her innocence can be proved once and for all. Laurie is apprehensive, but Casey persists - even bringing in case files and naming five possible suspects who had motive and opportunity to kill Hunter. Learning that others, including Casey's mother, are apprehensive about putting the spotlight back on Casey, Laurie's doubts increase.

Besides that, she has another concern in that she's just lost her trusted and popular on-air host, lawyer Alex Buckley, who's also her boyfriend. Laurie's boss brings in Ryan Nichols, a former federal prosecutor whose know-it-all attitude rubs Laurie the wrong way right from the start. But finally, when Casey mentions a tidbit that wasn't in evidence nor mentioned at trial, Laurie decides Casey just may spent 15 years in jail for a crime she did not commit.

Of course, Casey and her capable crew gather information from the five suspects Casey mentioned as well as other family members, a few of whom reluctantly agree to be interviewed. As the facts begin to come together, though, Laurie starts to suspect Casey may not be as innocent as she claims.

Everything comes together at the end, of course (well, except for the part I mentioned at the beginning). Other than that, it's an intricately woven, intriguing story that won't give you nightmares and makes me sorry to see the series come to an end.

Check out my reviews of the first two in the series:

The Cinderella Murder

All Dressed in White


The Sleeping Beauty Killer by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (Simon & Schuster, November 2016); 320 pp.

ALL DRESSED IN WHITE

5 stars out of 5

Every now and then, I just want to sit back and be entertained. Mind you, I still want a good whodunit - I'm just not in the mood for blood and guts, big guns blasting in the desert or super-heroes (or heroines) who can take down a dozen martial arts professionals with one hand tied behind their back and the other in a cast.

Enter Mary Higgins Clark, who's pretty much guaranteed to come through on that score, and this one - the second in the Under Suspicion series co-written with Alafair Burke - fills the bill nicely. It's well written in what I'd call "civilized" language, has a well-thought-out plot and believable characters and held my attention throughout. 

Like its predecessor, The Cinderella Murder (which earned 4 stars from me, BTW), this one features New York reality TV show producer Laurie Moran, who's trying to settle on the cold case to showcase in her next investigative series titled Under Suspicion. Just as she's about to make her pick, she's visited by the still-distraught mother of an almost-bride named Amanda who disappeared on the eve of her wedding in Palm Beach five years ago. The mother pleads with Laurie to do a show about her daughter, and after some checking around, Laurie agrees it's a great idea. So, she and her team head to Florida to recreate the pre-wedding activities at a posh hotel, reeling in members of the wedding party to be interviewed by show host (and Laurie's love interest) attorney Alex Buckley.

The actions and emotions of all the wedding participants are put under the microscope as Laurie, helped by her retired-cop father, start digging deeper into what really happened. As might be expected, just about every character comes under suspicion at one point or another right up to the end, when the murderer is revealed. I didn't guess the identity of the culprit beforehand, but neither was I surprised since they all had reason to at the very least dislike Amanda and most also had means, motive and opportunity.

If you like murder on the lighter side - even once in a while, like me - give this one a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

All Dressed in White by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (Simon & Schuster, November 2015); 271 pp.

THE CINDERELLA MURDER

4 stars out of 5

This book brings together two best-selling authors who have teamed up to write "An Under Suspicion Novel" - which some say (and the subtitle suggests) is the beginning of a new series. If that's the case, count me as a bandwagon-jumper when the next one is published.

"Under Suspicion" is the title of a reality TV show produced by Laurie Moran and her team. The pilot for the series, which revisits cold case crimes through reenactment, focused on the murder of Laurie's own husband and was a great success. Now, she's found a topic for the second, the so-called "Cinderella Murder" of a talented UCLA student named Susan Dempsey some 20 years ago. First up, though, she must convince her boss that it's worth the time and, most importantly, financial investment.

She does that by looking at the evidence and asking questions; why, for instance, was one of Susan's shoes missing when her body was found (hence the moniker "Cinderella Murder")? Why does Susan's mother fervently believe her daughter's cheating boyfriend killed her? Is there a connection with the leader of a controversial mega-church? Needless to say, finding the answers is appealing to her boss, but it isn't until top attorney Alex Buckley, who served as the host/interviewer in the pilot, agrees to return that Laurie gets the go-ahead and a production budget.

As one might expect, production doesn't quite go as planned, with twists and turns and more than one new murder. In fact, there aren't a lot of big surprises anywhere in the plot, from who's going to bite the dust next to a blossoming love interest to whodunit. I also noticed a couple of what I'll call inconsistencies along the way - facts that are presented in one manner and contradicted a couple of chapters later - leading to my rating of 4 stars instead of 5.

That said, this is  murder on the lighter side (meaning hardly any blood and guts and no messing with my head) - something I've come to expect from Higgins Clark. It's a quick, enjoyable read that was exactly what I needed after reading some heavy-duty, mind-bending thrillers.

The Cinderella Murder by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (Simon & Schuster, November 2014); 320 pp.