Reading a Mary Higgins Clark book is like slipping into an old, worn sweater. And while you know it isn’t the best sweater in your wardrobe, it’s certainly the most comfortable. You’ve had it for years and it isn’t going anywhere even when it’s pilled and worn.
I remember reading Where are the Children and Weep No More My Lady (which was my favorite book for many years of my adolescence.) I’ve read all her books, multiple times.
And I’ve mentioned on this blog that I’m not a fan of series? Yup, completely does not apply to Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke’s Under Suspicion Series. You Don’t Own me is number five.
From the Publisher:
“Queen of Suspense” Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke are back with their fifth book in the New York Times bestselling Under Suspicion series; when TV producer Laurie Moran investigates an unsolved murder, she becomes entangled in a web of long-buried secrets and begins to wonder if her own life is in grave danger as a mysterious stalker plots revenge.
When we last saw Laurie Moran, she had recently become engaged to her show’s former host, Alex Buckley. Since then, the two have been happily planning a summer wedding and honeymoon, preparing for Alex’s confirmation to a federal judicial appointment, and searching for the perfect New York City home for their new life together.
But then Laurie is approached by Robert and Cynthia Bell, parents of Dr. Martin Bell, a famously charming and talented physician who was shot dead as he pulled into the driveway of his Greenwich Village carriage house five years ago. The Bells are sure that Martin’s disgraced and erratic wife, Kendra, carried out the murder. Determined to prove Kendra’s guilt and win custody over their grandchildren, they plead with Laurie to feature their son’s case on “Under Suspicion,” ensuring her that Kendra is willing to cooperate.
Kendra has lived under a blanket of suspicion since Martin’s death, with the tabloid media depicting her as a secretive, mentally unstable gold-digger. Laurie’s show is a chance for her to clear her name. But unbeknownst to the Bells, Kendra has already refused once before to go forward with a re-investigation of her husband’s murder, and her statements to the contrary only add to the appearance of guilt.
But once Laurie dives into the case, she learns that Martin wasn’t the picture-perfect husband, father, and doctor he appeared to be and was carrying secrets of his own. And what does the web of lies ensnaring the Bell family have to do with a dangerous stranger, who gazes at Laurie from afar and thinks, What a pretty girl, I’m sure she’s going to be missed…?
You Don’t Own Me is the perfect, exhilarating follow up to the bestselling Every Breath You Take. The “Queen of Suspense” Mary Higgins Clark and her dazzling partner-in-crime Alafair Burke have devised another riveting page-turner.
My Review:
What’s not to love about a Mary Higgins Clark book? I have loved every page of the Under Suspicion series she teamed up with Alafair Burke to co-write. Ms. Clark is getting older, so I suspect she formulates the plots and Burke takes it from there, but I really have no idea. I probably shouldn’t speculate.
But You Don’t Own me is classic Mary Higgins Clark. The characters describe their outfits using works like “slacks” and “pant suits” that super make me think of my grandma. But it’s all part of the flavor of one her books.
There is always a bad guy who isn’t just in the background, he is watching his victim’s every move. There is always a smart, attractive but practical woman as the main character and an older woman always exists in the story. And she is always, always opinionated.
If you are a Clark fan, you won’t be disappointed by this one. I loved it. Every time I get my hands on a book of hers, it’s like returning home, or tomato soup and grilled cheese, or anything you can think of that makes you nostalgic.
Get your copy:
Women in Trouble Book Blog 
Leave a Reply