Piece of My Heart
by Mary Higgins Clark; Alafair Burke
Simon & Schuster
You Like Them
General Fiction (Adult)
Pub Date 17 Nov 2020 | Archive Date 17 Nov 2020

I have read all the mysteries out together by this duo. This one was not one of my favorites. I could give the reasons why but mostly it was the tired build-up of the story. I will not recommend it to my patrons, but we will buy it because they love to read Mary Higgins Clark. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

3 stars

Awww this is my 48th Mary Higgins Clark novel and Under Suspicion #7 ~ yep I am a fan!
MHC was a true inspiration ~ writing and doing what she loved to do for so many years.
True her mysteries were definitely scary in the old days not so much recently but I still loved her stories! Although this wasn’t scary it was a page turner!

Additionally, I like co-author Alafair Burke. I read "Wife" and really liked it. I need to put some of her other novels on my TBR list.
In this story our Laurie and Alex have set a wedding date.
Alex’s brother Andrew and his wife Marcy, their son Johnny and twin daughters Chloe and Emily have traveled from DC to the Hamptons for the wedding.
Timmy, Laurie’s son and his new cousins are getting along such great and have headed to the beach with a sitter. However, 7-year old Johnny goes missing. After an all-out search the wedding is postponed and Laurie as well as her retired deceive Dad set out to find who abducted little Johnny.
Leo Farley, Laurie’s Dad fears that the kidnapper mistaken Johnny for Timmy and is out to pay back Leo for sending him to prison 18 years ago for the murder of Lou Finney.
(Hmmm is it just me or have you mystery fans noticed how Mystery Authors sometimes have the names of characters with the same initial e.g. Amber. Ashley, or Beverly, Breanna, or Brittany? In this case Leo and Lou!
I figure it is to keep us ’whodunit’ fans alert and to pay attention to details!! )
Back to the case …. Another fear is that Johnny’s biological mother took him.

A few twists and turns. A nice enjoyable cozy

I have really enjoyed this series. Wonder if Ms. Burke will continue?

Want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 17, 2020

Alafair Burke is better than this and Mary Higgins Clark used to be better than this. Its a shame that two women who have done so much for the murder mystery genre have managed to put together such a sad, misogynistic, mansplainy, law enforcement glorifying, silly book.

Its like they had a bingo card for all the cliched murder tropes and tired stereotypes that I thought we were long past in this day and age and gleefully checked them off as they went. Delicate, traumatized women who can't do a damn thing unless a man holds their hand? Check. Victim blaming (so much victim blaming)? Check. Outdated ideas about everything from drug addiction to adoption? Check. Glorifying horrendous tactics by the police to get a collar? Check. Ladies realizing that all they really need in the world is a designer wardrobe and a good man to tell them what to do!? Check, check, check.

I not only disliked this book, it made me genuinely angry.

Another good mystery in the Clark/Burke partnership. Having read all the books in the series, this wasn't one of my favorites but it was a good entertaining read. Love how all of the same characters are back in this latest book. I enjoy reading books with reoccurring characters! Fans of MH Clark and/or Alafair Burke will enjoy this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.

A reliably good mystery in the Laurie Moran series. As Laurie is about to marry Alex Buckley, a strange kidnapping intrudes on their plans. The victim is Alex’ nephew. Laurie and her father pursue the kidnappers with plenty of red herrings thrown in.

I am wondering if this series will continue now that Mary Higgins Clark has passed away. This was no one of the best in this series.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.