I read this thriller as an advanced reader's copy from Netgalley. I have mixed feelings about this book. It was similar to eating a bowl of Doritos, enjoyable while you are eating it, but afterwards you're not sure why you bothered. It wasn't a bad book, just not especially memorable. From the publisher: "Now, more than four decades since readers first met Nancy and her children, comes the thrilling sequel to the groundbreaking book that set the stage for future generations of psychological suspense novels. A lawyer turned successful podcaster, Melissa has recently married a man whose first wife died tragically, leaving him and their young daughter, Riley, behind. While Melissa and her brother, Mike, help their mom, Nancy, relocate from Cape Cod to the equally idyllic Hamptons, Melissa’s new stepdaughter goes missing." It just required too much suspension of reality for me. I will say it is a fun read, and perhaps come with a surprise or two. I just can't say it is a necessary read.

Initially, I was a little skeptical about where they could take the plot from Where Are the Children? However, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it dug its hooks into me and never let go. Mary Higgins Clark wrote over 50 novels in her lifetime. Where Are The Children Now? is the sequel to Where Are The Children? which was Mary Higgins Clark's debut novel originally released in 1975. Almost 50 years later, Mary Higgins Clark with the assistance of Alafair Burke, revisits these beloved characters and sends them on a new adventure.

When Missy and Mike were children, they were abducted and subjected to abuse at the hands of Nancy's ex-husband. Nancy was able to rescue her children then. However, their past has a way of influencing their present. Missy is determined to leave the past in the past, while Mike is concerned about what she is repressing. Missy is a well-respected lawyer turned podcaster whose primary focus is on injustice in the criminal justice system. After she successfully helps a client overturn their conviction, Missy is skyrocketed into fame. Fame comes with its own problems, especially in the form of internet trolls.

Missy is set to get married to Charlie, whom she met in grief counseling after her father passed away. They haven't known each other long and Charlie has a young daughter named Riley. Everyone is concerned about Missy but she seems to be happy. After the wedding, Missy and Mike help Nancy pack up and move to Long Island to be closer to Missy. The move goes smoothly, but one day Missy takes Riley, her new stepdaughter, to the park. At the park, she is verbally attacked by a stranger. Missy and Riley head back to Nancy's new cottage and take a nap. However, it will be a decision Missy comes to regret as she is forcefully shaken awake by her brother Mike asking where Riley is. Missy is soon prime suspect number one, and Charlie has cut off communication with her.

As Missy struggles to prove her innocence she quickly starts to realize something isn't right. Not everyone is who they say they are. Could she have accidentally hurt her stepdaughter due to her struggles with insomnia? Or is someone else trying to frame her? If so, who, and more importantly why? Missy refuses to back down and puts herself in danger to find the truth. In the end, her main priority is her stepdaughter, and preventing her from suffering the same abuse she faced as a child.

What I loved:
+Revisiting old characters in new stages of their lives.
+Fast-paced, on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller.
+True crime podcast angle

What I didn't love:
-Not enough fleshing out of the criminal character's change in identity
-Missy's blind trust in a stranger seems to be in direct contradiction with her personality and past trauma

Part of the reason I was skeptical about reading this sequel, is that Mary Higgins Clark passed in 2020 and isn't around to help write these books anymore. However, I do believe the introduction mentions that she helped flesh out the idea for the story prior to her passing. Where Are The Children Now? very much reads like a classic Mary Higgins Clark novel. There are so many threads to follow, breadcrumb trails, and red herrings to avoid. Just when I thought I might have figured it out, there would be another twist to keep me on my toes.

Bottom line: I absolutely loved Where Are The Children Now? Mary Higgins Clark is a comfort author to me. I know what to expect when I sit down with one of her novels. This one did not disappoint. Be sure to read Where Are The Children? before you read Where Are The Children Now? to truly understand the trauma Nancy, Missy, and Mike are battling with.


Details:
Publication date: 4/18/23
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Page count: 284

Thank you to NetGalley for the free advanced reader's copy of Where Are The Children Now?

Melissa (Missy) and her brother Michael (Mike) were taken by Don Harmon as children. After growing up Missy became a prosecutor and Mike a captain of a boat. Missy took time off from the prosecutor’s office and was investigating cold case files online. The tragedy of being taken as children was used against Missy by people that were affected by one of her previous court cases. The story kept you guessing as to who was involved in taking her stepdaughter Riley after she was married to Charles Miller. As new things came to light the intrigue kept you going to see how it was going to end.

Thank you Net Galley for my arc. This story checks in with the Eldridge Family forty years after the kidnapping of Missy and Mike by their mothers’ first husband. Missy has recently been married to a man whose wife died in a tragic accident leaving him and their three year old daughter behind. When Missy’s stepdaughter goes missing and there are too many similarities to her kidnapping for it to be a coincidence. Missy and Mike must use their own experience to help find her before she suffers the same trauma or worse.

I had not read the original 1st book in the series but didn’t find it necessary in order to follow this book. This was a fast read with a storyline that draws you in!

Excellent job on the sequel to one of my favorite Mary Higgins Clark books Where are the Children? I went into this book with low anticipation than I would had MHC wrote it, but I was wrong to think it because Alafair Burke did an outstanding job! It kept me on the edge of my seat and enjoyed the rehash of the first book! This poor family has suffered enough when Nancy was accused of killing her two children. When that case was dismissed, she remarried and had two more children. Mellissa and Mike were kidnapped and just moments from being killed. Several decades later Nancy watches her daughter Melissa experience the same heartbreak when her stepdaughter Riley is taken without a trace.
The scenes have a cliffhanger at the end of each chapter MHC style, which I love! Excellent writing and I was not disappointed in this thriller!
Thank you NetGslley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I have not read the authors previous book Where Are the Children? This novel begins with the children who are now adults that have struggled to put their kidnapping in the past behind them,. Melissa has married again and has found happiness with her husband, Charlie, and his 3 year old daughter, Riley. Melissa’s world is turned upside down when Riley disappears and she is considered a prime suspect.
This novel is a page turner and with excellent twists.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

REVIEW TO FOLLOW.

“Where all the Children Now?” is a great sequel to the original “Where are the Children.”
This story follows Missy and Michael years after they were abducted by their mom’s ex-husband. Missy is newly married to Charlie and he has a wonderful little girl. It is not long after the wedding that Missy’s past comes back to haunt her. As Missy works to solve the mystery she learns things that she just might not want to know.
This book keeps you at the edge of your seat and keeps you guessing all the way through. Highly recommend to all fans of “Where are the Children”

When I was at the age where I was moving from reading Teen books to Adult books many, many (MANY!) years ago, Mary Higgins Clark’s “The Cradle Will Fall” was my first Adult suspense book. I have read every one of her books since. I did go back and read Where Are the Children before tucking into this book since it had been a good 40 years since I had read it. I am glad I did because it helped fill in the backstory.
This book was typical Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke. With this being a sequel to an incredibly popular book, and the final one of a very illustrious career, I’m sure the pressure was on. I was not disappointed. It did not take long to get into the story and having just read the first one, I quickly connected to the characters and got hooked into the suspense.
There were of course the typical twists and turns and a mid-direction or two. And maybe it was a little predictable, but I don’t feel that it detracted from the overall enjoyment of this story.
Thank You MHC for many years of wonderful reading.
I was very happy to have received an advance copy from Netgalley and Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to read this since I’m such a fan of the first book. Burke does an incredible job continuing Clark’s legacy in this installment. It was just as thrilling as the first one and fans of the originals or just fans of the suspense genre in general.

What a great story! It was quite fast paced and very intriguing. Having read Where Are The Children back in the 70’s, by my favorite author Mary Higgins Clark, I was so excited to see where this tale was going to take me. Oh, and take me it did. The suspense was powerful and kept me turning pages well into the night. The ending could have gone in several directions, and it was more thrilling than I ever imagined. A wonderful tribute to Mary Higgins Clark, and Alafair Burke honored her memory.
Thank You to NetGalley, The Author and the Publisher Simon and Schuster for allowing me to read this advanced copy., for my honest review.

As a lifelong fan of Mary Higgins Clark, I JUMPED at the chance to read this book, especially since I remember reading the original 'Where Are the Children?' when I was younger. However, to refresh my memory, I reread it before I read this sequel, and it brought me right back into the world of Nancy, Missy, and Michael. Thankfully, this sequel is very loyal to the original world, and does a wonderful job of refreshing the characters in their present adult status.

I worry about modernizing stories in such a way that precludes their timelessness that is characteristic of Mary Higgins Clark's storytelling; including concepts like podcasting may be too modern for some readers whom even now are hesitant to jump into technological advances.

I do find that the trademark twisty-turns are still present in this story, and I was still surprised almost to the end of the book (I did say I was a lifelong reader - I was able to predict a few things with the skillset that being a Clark reader provides!). I definitely enjoyed this book, and the voice of Mary Higgins Clark was felt throughout.

I was provided an advanced copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts:
If your a Mary Higgins Clarke fan like I am you will want to pick this up or if you read her book Where are the Children that came out In 1975 which I still have a copy of pick this up. This story is a continuous of that story but now the children are grown and history seems to be repeating itself a little when a child goes missing. I so miss MHC’s books that when I seen this on netgalley I had to request it and thank you Netgalley for letting me read this I am happy to see her writing still being used and that Alafaire Burke continued on with this story. The original story got me hooked on reading MHC’s books and like before I didn’t figure out who did what until the end
You don’t have to read Where are the Children to read this one. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did

Mary Higgins Clark was one of my all-time favorite authors. It was a sad day for her readers when she passed. That being said, this book, Where Are the Children Now, is an awesome sequel to the book that put her on the map. Assisted by Alafair Burke, this sequel continues Mary’s writing style faithfully. Nancy’s children are now grown and living their own lives. Melissa has just married a widower with a small child. Riley is kidnapped while taking a nap, and all of the memories for Nancy, Melissa, and Mike come flooding back. Things go from bad to worse, when details of Melissa and Mike’s abduction become the focus of the investigation instead of the missing child. The twists and turns and especially the endingin this book are spectacular! I couldn’t put it down. Highly suggest that you read this book – it is amazing! A great tribute to a wonderful author, who will truly be missed. Thanks to NetGally for the ARC of this book.

Alafair Burke delivers a long-awaited sequel to Mary Higgins Clark’s first classic psychological thriller with “Where are the Children Now?”

Taking place 40 years after the disappearance of Nancy Harmon’s children in “Where are the Children?,” son Mike is now a boat captain and daughter Melissa is a criminal justice reform advocate and newly married with a 3-year-old stepdaughter Riley.

When Riley is kidnapped, Melissa and her family find themselves reliving the horrific events of their family’s past. And when she finds herself under suspicion, Melissa finds herself wondering whom she can truly trust.

Burke brilliantly weaves together a thrilling plot filled with twists and turns, all in the same voice and style as Mary Higgins Clark. She blends together the two stories seamlessly, using the same techniques the classic mystery writer with whom she has previously collaborated with uses.

Besides being a great story, which is due out April 18, she also manages to fill “Where are the Children Now?” with some good themes, like the past never leaves; what is happiness?; overcoming trauma; and learning whom you can trust.

Five stars out of five.

Simon & Schuster provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Although I reread the first book before reading this one, they did a great job of catching you up/refreshing your memory of the first book. I like how they adapted the plot to reflect the change in times since the first novel. Melissa being a podcaster was a great nod to that and I like that that wasn’t the focal point of this story. The case she covers on her podcast (although fictional) is very similar to Kyron Horman’s real life disappearance and as a true crime fan- I enjoyed the subtle nod. Also, I loved that they included characters that were outside of the core family from the original novel. As I began, I thought I had this fully figured out and was disappointed. I kept reading in hopes I was wrong and boy was I!!! Loved loved loved how fluidly things unfolded. Sometimes authors add twists that don’t fully connect all the dots or don’t seem relevant, but this all came together beautifully. As a long time Mary Higgins Clark fan, I am curious how much was written posthumously. Alafair Burke is a great author and I think their work together speaks volumes to their skills.


📖 ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ @simonbooks ᴀɴᴅ @netgalley ғᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʀᴄ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ 📖

4.5 rounded up to 5 ⭐️ for Where Are The Children Now?

Mary Higgins Clark was one of the first adult authors I read when I was a teenager and her books started my love for mysteries and thrillers. I remember reading Where are the Children? in high school, so this was such an amazing opportunity to get an advanced copy of the follow up book.

Burke did an amazing job honoring the first book and I thought it was a great, fast paced thriller. I liked the characters, the story and the twist. I don’t think anyone would need to go back and read the first to enjoy this one either!

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book!

I love this author so much. I was so excited to get my hands on this book and I couldn't put it down at all. I highly recommend this book. Cover fits the story. I always loved the way this author writes and I can't wait to see if more is coming or not. 5 star book.

I fell in love with Mary Higgins Clark when I read the original Where Are The Children when it first came out, and I think I have read every book she wrote. I enjoyed the Under Suspicion series co-written with Alafair Burke but for some reason I have never read any of her other books, an error i plan to correct soon. This book is an excellent follow-up to the original with history repeating itself with a grown up Melissa. I could definitely feel the presence of the Queen Of Suspense here. The writing flows and is as readable as Ms Clark's books are. It grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let go until the twisty end (at 4AM in my case). The suspense builds slowly as we get to know our characters and then really ramps up at the end. Congratulations Ms. Burke. I think the Queen would be very proud of you.

You would never know this was written by Alafair Burke and not Mary Higgins Clark herself, it was that good. It flowed so nicely with its predecessor, where are the children? This one was unputdownable, I stayed up much too late to finish it. The characters were well shaped and the storyline was 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.