Read a book you can read in one calendar day.I know that this book is not literary in any way, and it is probably not as good as most books I gave three stars to, but I'm giving this a 3.5 because, you know what?just so we're clear.I know these books are cozy mysteries. I know they are predictable. I know that I have read 80% of this woman's collected works and can guess the whodunit at like 20%. I know that the writing isn't good. Guess what?Because I breezed through this cozy mystery in less than one day, and it was fun. I enjoy Mary Higgins Clark probably because she was the first "adult" author I had ever read. My mother and grandmother both read and loved her books and passed them all down to me. I still like to pick up the rare ones I haven't read, and even though I know what will happen, they serve their purpose which is to entertain me.I feel that everyone who reads has a set of criteria with which they judge books. Characterization and originality are very high up on my list. I also believe that everyone who reads has those books that are exceptions. Mary Higgins Clark's books are my exceptions. The characters are cut-outs, the dialogue is crap, and there is nothing in this book that you can't find in any cozy mystery anywhere else on earth. But I read them anyway.Menley is a successful children's author with a hotshot lawyer husband and a new baby girl. They decide to rent a summer house on Cape Cod with an interesting and spooky history and busybody neighbors. Menley's husband Adam grew up on Cape Cod and all his friends are still there including the local real estate agent, Elaine whose past is intimately connected with Adam's. Elaine convinces Adam to take on a high-profile murder case involving a sketchy accident involving an heiress, Vivian, and her new blue-collar husband Scott, who may or may not be responsible for her death. While Adam is tied up with the case, Menley decides to do some research for her next book which she hopes to set on Cape Cod. She begins to dig into the history of her own rental, "Remember House" which is starting to give off some creepy vibes. These chilling and creepy nights she spends alone begin to tear her down and memories of her toddler son's death come flooding back to her in crippling panic attacks. Add to that whispering neighbors, folks with secrets to hide, and a possible killer living down the beach, Menley starts to look a little cray cray as she tries to find out what happened in her house and also what happened to Vivian.This is the perfect kind of book to start out a vacation, which I did, and I also believe it to be one of Clark's better novels that I've read. I enjoyed Menley as a character, and her struggle to be a new mom while still suffering from the PTSD of losing her son in an accident which she feels responsible for added a nice dimension to the mystery. Nothing mind-blowing here, but it was pleasant. And pleasant adds a half star even though the writing and story can leave much to be desired at times. SO THERE.
Menley Nichols will never forgive herself for her 2 year old son’s death. Even though it was an accident, Menley has been blaming herself for his death and hasn’t stopped having nightmares and thoughts of suicide. Married to a high-profile criminal lawyer, Adam Nichols, her marriage begins to fall apart. Trying to save his marriage, Adam decides to rent a house in Cape Cod taking Menley and their baby Hanah there. Menley, taking advantage of the situation, decides to write a book about the house they rented called Remember House. The house has its own ghosts and it was built in the eighteenth century by a sea captain for his bride. In the meantime, Adam decides to defend Scott Covey suspected for murdering his young and wealthy wife who drowned in a strong squall. Menley becomes friends with an Alzheimer’s victim who holds a few answers to Scott Covey’s wife’s murder and also to the Remember House ghosts. Amidst the ghostly happenings in the Remember House and things happening out of place, the book is a good read. There are still quite a few characters involved in the whole book but not as many as one of Mary Higgins Clark’s previous books that I have read. The characters in this book were easier to follow.
Do You like book Remember Me (2007)?
Mary Higgins Clark illustrates suspense and deception with perfect ease.This is my first high-school book read, and I thoroughly enjoyed, right from the beginning until the very end. She reels more and more suspense into her novels with the turn of every page, making it impossible for you to keep the book the down. The unique combination of haunts, ghostly feelings and a detective criminal story line, makes this story a memorable one.I will surely remember you ;)Wonderfully written, can't wait to read the others.Three cheers to Mary!
—Angelica Watson (psst! amrutha)
This is one of my favorite MHC! A young couple moves to a new town and into a house full of its own character. The wife is trying to overcome memories from a past tragedy, while trying to balance herself to be a good wife. At times I times I didnt like the wife's character, just because of her mouseiness, but was able to ignore this due to other aspects of the book pulling me into the story line. Strange things happen in the house which leads her to seek out the history. The story takes you to another era where a man and woman are seperated. The woman paces the balcony known as a widows walk looking for him to return from the sea. The house it's self becomes as much of a slowly unraveling mystery as the story within her life. Being an avid reader, I'm quick to figure out the end and continue reading to see if I was right. I never saw the ending to this book coming.If your looking for a book that takes you to a small coastal home town where you can practicality smell the sea air, with a town full of history and a haunting house type suspense, this book is for you!
—Kathleen
After reading two other books, Let Me Call You Sweetheart and Where Are You Now? by the same author the suspense of this book was not that surprising. Relating those two books i wished the person whom i blindly guessed should not be the culprit but unfortunately that person was. But the story was unexpected. (view spoiler)[ I guessed Elain could be the culprit (of course a blind guess) but never thought Scott would be guilty. That boat on the photograph was a nice theme but the story could have been written better. (hide spoiler)]
—Anjuthan
