I have read a number of Mary Higgins Clarke’s books and
although I don’t consider her the best author her books are an easy read and
this one was in the same category as the others I have read. Whilst she is
described in the inner blurb as ‘America’s Queen of suspense’ I personally wouldn’t
place her much higher than a Viscountess.
Plot:
Celia Nolan has a dark secret about something that happened when
she was a child in her home, not that she was called Celia back then. Something
that left her mother dead and her step father wounded. Now twenty four years
later her new husband, Alex, has a surprise for her – he has bought a house for
her but as they pull up to it Celia’s blood runs cold….
Celia is not happy, understandably, not only has the house
and garden been vandalised but also there is that nosy neighbour and
also her step-father is still living in the area, not that he recognises her now
– or does he?
Other things begin to go wrong, horribly wrong and all
things begin to point towards Celia as the guilty party. Can she prove her innocence,
protect her son and keep her marriage to Alex intact and find out the truth
about her father’s death after so many years have passed...?
What I thought of it:
Well as a novel it does sort of work but I did find it
rather too predictable and at times a little dull. The characterisations I
found to be a little lacking in a number of the characters and some were
perhaps a little under used. Although I do think that the character of Marcella
Williams is a good one as I think we all know someone who is as nosy and
gossipy as she is. Also depicted is how pushy the press are and how they will
stop at nothing to get what they think is a scoop – even when it is
questionable on moral grounds. There is also the appearance of what may be
described as ‘the neighbours from hell’ as far as Zach Willet is concerned –
lots children and one of them playing drums at all hours.
Whilst it is perhaps rather predictable and it is clear what
or who caused Celia’s father’s accident I do think that the reaction Celia has
to everything that happens since she returned to her childhood home has been fairly
well written as I think that many things going wrong at the same time to the
same person would rattle anyone.
I do, however, think some of the settings are perhaps a
little light on detail and there isn’t much in the way of suspense being built
up. It is like it is all ‘I wandered through the house and tripped over the
dead body lying there officer, honest I did’. This is one of the faults I find
in Clark’s writing I feel her ability to build suspense it somewhat lacking. All
but perhaps one of the deaths it is obvious a mile off that they are going to
end up dead and where and how the bodies are found are rather lazily written.
There is a final twist towards the end of the novel which
was unexpected but it does sort of tie everything together and remove some of
the implied coincidences within the novel. Although, I do think that more could
have been made of this which would have made a better ending. I got the
impression that writers block was beginning to set in and the thought was ‘it’s
an ending’ and it was left there.
Although I can’t say I was all that impressed with the novel
it is a quick easy read and probably perfect for a holiday read. As I bought it
a few years ago from one of those mail order book clubs I can’t recall exactly
what I paid for it.
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