True Mary Higgins Clark fans are going to absolutely love this novel - and will not be able to put the book down, until the very last page! Alafair Burke is outstanding - she brings Nancy, Michael, and Melissa back and weaves an emotional and involved story that stays true to the original characters that launched Ms. Clark's career. With a story that mirrors Michael and Melissa's kidnapping, Ms. Burke puts Melissa in Nancy's position of missing a child... and does so expertly. The story is fantastic - and there are many Easter Eggs for MHC fans to enjoy throughout the novel. It's a must read! Thank you to Simon & Schuster for an advanced reader copy of this book - the opinions expressed are my own.

This book was amazing!! I honestly didn’t know this was a sequel to another book. I was able to read it and understood what I was reading. I wasn’t wondering what was going on in the book. Like some others. I’m definitely going to Recommend this book to other readers

Wow! This was such a throwback for me, as the original book was the first suspense, mystery book I had ever read… So every visit was definitely top of my list.

I don’t wanna give anything away if you have read the first one you’re going to love this and if you haven’t jumped right in.

Mary Higgins Clark does it again!!! I have read most of her books and let me tell you she is truly amazing writer. I always think about her books. They always leave me wanting more. I read the Where Are The Children years ago so when I saw this was coming out I knew I had to read dit and I wasn't disappointed. If you are a Mary Higgins Clark fan this is another must read!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read this arc in advanced. I'm so grateful!

Wow!!! This was fantastic! Now most times when a sequel comes out you really should read the book before but not with this one. It wouls help but is not required and can be understood. There is enough information given to help you understand the story line.

Four decades after the orginal kidnapping of Melissa and Mike, Melissa is getting married to her dream husband. Not to mention helping raise his beautiful daughter and finally getting over the trauma she experienced as a child. Everything is going smooth until Riley her step daughter goes missing from the house. After hours or searching and suspicionwls new information is discovered and Melissa is now under a spotlight. In order to save herself and Riley she does anything she can to clear her name. Will it work??

This book was a perfect follow up to the first book and captured me. It was a quick pull in and helped me to keep my mind running. I truly didnt know how it would end until the last two chapters but some suprises were thrown in there!! I absolutely love Mary Higgins Clark and this was right up there with one her best. I recommend this to everyone and would love to read again!!

The last book by the Queen of Suspense! I was so excited to read this book. Mary Higgins-Clark is the author that got me into reading. And Alafair Burke is a new favorite of mine, who has a similar writing style to Mary Higgins Clark.

Where Are the Children was published originally published in 1975. It is not a prerequisite to read Where Are the Children before this, we’re brought up to speed, although it’s such a great book I would highly recommend it. (It is her highest selling book)

In this gripping sequel, danger has found this family again. This book features the children of Nancy Harmon, Melissa and Mike. Melissa, who is newly married and now a step-mother to Riley, is still not fully healed from the trauma of the past. Now she faces heart-break and threat once again when her step-daughter Riley goes missing. Nancy, Mike, and Melissa are once again under suspicion and fight to find Riley safe and sound.

This book is a harkening to classic Mary Higgins Clark mysteries, fast paced and real. It’s wonderful to have a continuation on this story.

My thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, Mary Higgins Clark, and Alafair Burke

I am a huge Mary Higgins Clark fan, Where Are The Children was my first Clark read and I absolutely loved it. This sequel did not disappoint. I re read Where Are The Children right before diving into Where Are The Children Now to refresh my memory and the two books flow so well together even though the sequel was written so many years later and with the help of Alafair Burke. This book had me guessing right down to the very end, I never expected the huge plot twists. Just when I thought I had things figured out, I was pleasantly proven wrong. I love how Mary’s legacy will live on through this stellar novel. Thank you for the opportunity to read it early!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this latest by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke prior to publication. This book is a continuation of a story written by MHC a lot of years ago and that book kind of set up the thriller genre. While this is a good book, it is not a page turner to me. Or simply, I turned the pages to see how it ended, with no real interest in the story. The story seemed to drag on as Melissa came up with idea after idea of who took Riley. The twists were unexpected and sometimes farfetched. I did not anticipate all of the ending twists, though. All in all, a good read but won't make my favorite list for the year.

I have just recently purchased and read Where Are The Children? . . .  a thriller published back in 1975 that has long been on my TBR wish list. I’m so glad I finally did because it felt like a new release and I thoroughly enjoyed all of the fast-paced, roller-coaster suspense popping off of every page.

After delving into that well-crafted narrative, you can imagine my excitement at the opportunity to read an early copy of this upcoming sequel. I am so pleased to say that Where Are the Children Now? is a solid follow-up to the original story. A respectful rendition MHC would certainly be proud of. I highly recommend reading both books in sequence to get the full impact of the events, to properly savor all of the characters and their progression. Both are must-reads for fans of mystery.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of Where Are the Children Now? for my unbiased evaluation. 4.5 stars

Spectacular read! For lovers of Mary Higgins Clark this book does not disappoint! This duo wrote a book you can’t put down! Every time I thought I had it figured out there would be an added twist or complication and I would have to work at figuring it out again. One of my top favorite reads for 2022!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley, Mary Higgins Clark, Alafair Burke and Simon & Shuster for hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

Where Are the Children Now is a preposterous tale which asks the reader to suspend belief and imagine that the kidnapping of children from three generations of the same family over a 40 year period is entirely plausible. There are a plethora of characters and situations depicted and it would be difficult for any reader to determine who the culprit is. Despite my reservations about the plot, the novel is easy reading and compels the reader to continue to the wholly unexpected conclusion.
I thank NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

I have always been a huge Mary Higgins Clark fan and was very excited when I got the opportunity to read the sequel to Where Are the Children – the sequel being Where Are the Children Now? As in the first story, there is a child gone missing. Who abducted Riley?
There are some unexpected twists in the story. It is every bit as good as the prequel. I truly enjoyed reading it, racing through the pages to find out who did it. You will not be disappointed in this one.
Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

Let me start by saying it's important to remind yourself that this wasn't written by the same Mary Higgins Clark who wrote Where Are the Children back in 1975. As long as you go into the book with that knowledge firmly planted, you're going to love the book! I thought the author did a fine job of reminding us what happened in the first book so you don't need to go back and reread Where Are The Children if you don't want to.

Melissa and Mike are survivors living with the types of posttraumatic stress that come from going through something so terrifying at such a young age. Melissa chooses happiness above all else, while Mike has his feet on the ground a bit more firmly. Neither is wrong; they're doing what works for them, but Mike questions if Melissa's mantra really is working for her.

They're helping their mother move after the passing of their father, and mixed up in the middle of that is an unexpected wedding for Melissa and her new love, Charlie. Charlie comes as a package deal with his daughter Riley after losing her mother just a year ago. They met and bonded over their grief, fell in love, and were engaged to be married rather quickly.

Melissa is happy now, married to Charlie and with their daughter, Riley. She can't shake how much she misses her ex-finance Patrick even though he broke it off abruptly and unexpectedly. She's happy to make her new life with Charlie and Riley and her new podcast. Remember Patrick, he's important in the story.

And then Riley disappears while Melissa sleeps, and Melissa and her family are thrown back into the same nightmare her mother lived forty years ago.

What happens next is filled with twists and turns in the true style of the Queen of Suspense, but unlike most of her books, I figured it out long before our poor Melissa did. With her life on the line, Melissa must decide if choosing happiness is the right thing to do, and she must decide instantly.

This book stands by itself in plot, pacing, and characters. Regardless of who wrote it or how it tied to previous books, this is one you don't want to miss if you like a heroine with grit who is determined to be happy.

This was a very good book it was classic Mary Higgins Clark even though she didn’t write it . It had me on each of seat and reading late into night to see what was going on and what would happen . Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher to read this book early and review it

Fantastic sequel to Where are the Children? I did not expect the twists in the last part of the book. Great collaboration between the two authors.

The question Mary Higgins Clark penned more than 40 years ago is now answered. Nancy Harmon's children have escaped the horrors they faced while abducted. While Melissa focuses on the future, Mike regularly brings up the taboo subject in order to deal with his demons.

By all appearances, Melissa has the perfect life. Recently married with an adorable stepdaughter and a thriving career, she's the picture of happiness. That's until nightmares begin to haunt her days as while she's sleeping.

When Riley goes missing, Nancy's family is thrust again in the spotlight. Has history repeated itself or is a copycat kidnapper playing a cat and mouse game with the Harmon's? Readers will find themselves unable to sleep, instead paging through the novel to discover the truth.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #WhereAreTheChildrenNow in exchange for an honest review. It was bittersweet reading the novel after losing the Queen of Suspense. While living in NYC, I would travel to New Jersey for her book signings as she was an award-wining person as well as author. Each year she greeted my mother and I fondly and made each reader feel special. Always the most elegant woman in the room, her spirit shined brighter than her jewelry.

Moving on from her death, revisiting her 1975 novel, felt like coming home. My mom introduced me to Mary Higgins Clark's books and it's a fitting end of the chapter. Fans of the author's novels will find snippets of past books in the text as well as reliving her affiliations.

It's been so many years since I read the original novel that it took me awhile to get into the story. I struggled to remember what happened. to Nancy as well as Melissa and Mike. Once readers catch up, get ready for a wild ride of emotions. Even when you think you've discovered the truth, proceed with caution as there's danger ahead.

I read the original Where Are the Children? But Where Are the Children Now is much more sinister, nerve wracking and brilliant!
Mary Higgins Clark is one of my all time favorite authors and the addition of Alafair Burke to her splendor is just incredible.
I stayed up all night reading reading; Where Are the Children Now?
#WhereAretheChildrenNow

I really enjoyed reading this book. It kept me thinking the entire way through! I rate it 4 out of 5 stars!

WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN NOW?
BY: MARY HIGGINS CLARK & ALAFAIR BURKE

Having read right before reading this suspense-mystery-fiction called "Where Are the Children Now?," by Mary Higgins Clark, and Alafair Burke, I had mistakenly read the first best selling title called, "Where Are the Children?," by this same Author, thinking that was my Net Galley commitment. That happened to be the book that put suspense fiction on the map. It sold millions of copies in all formats, and was the prequel to this new collaboration with Alafair Burke that had the bones of the prequel interwoven with this new contemporary mystery that had me on the edge of my seat, as it was so good I read it in one sitting. The bestselling prequel was so successful that David Foster Wallace included it in his college syllabus. However, this joint work can be read as a standalone. That being said, having read the phenomenally previous ground breaking first one, enhanced my reading experience of this sequel to which I had insight to these characters backstories, and their childhood traumas of the protagonists.

Melissa is grown up and has just gotten married to Charlie, whom she had only just met ten months before in a grief therapy group. Melissa's brother thinks that she got married much too quickly. The brother and sister remained close after having been abducted as children with their mother Nancy Harmon as the main suspect. They were rescued and history sort of repeats itself only this time it is Melissa's step-daughter three-year old Riley who disappears. Thus begins a masterfully written stunning new suspense fiction, which is also a psychological thriller with a returning cast and some new characters that keep the reader entranced because it is timely and has several different threads giving this new novel a nod to the cult classic that was written decades ago, but is still widely read.

There are several red herrings magically and masterfully weaved throughout the plot development to keep the reader's attention and I was unable to guess who the culprit was. The plot has an interesting amount of complex deviations in Melissa's professional life to keep me intrigued and I was pleasantly surprised who took Riley. Mother and daughter in this case Nancy and Melissa both find themselves as suspects. Melissa joined the grief therapy group over the loss of her father Ray. She and Charlie both have exciting careers that add to the richness of this thrilling story. They are just newly married when tragedy strikes. Melissa is a likable character so it is mind boggling why Charlie's sister Rachel refuses to attend Melissa's and Charlie's wedding, and keeps her visits with her niece Riley separate from this new happy family of three. Nancy is moving from the house her children grew up in at Cape Cod where their family after undergoing a similar heart ache thrived with the loving Ray as the family patriarch. He has passed away since the first book was exploring their early childhood and now Melissa and her supportive brother are adults. Melissa was an attorney and her brother splits his time living the Island life and home locally. By the conclusion of the book I realized just how all of the pieces of the puzzle come together with various other characters.

This is my first time reading one of Alafair Burke's novels and I was so impressed by this duo of two Author's skilled narrative and brilliance in keeping me breathless, that I am happy to have discovered that each Author has several prior novels for me to enjoy. I hope that they are as wonderfully written as this was. It is always fun to discover talented Authors so I can look forward to reading their previous work when looking for great writing to curl up with a book especially in the cold Winter season that is upon me as was permeated in both of the above titles atmospheric setting.

Publication Date: April 18, 2023

Thank you to Net Galley, Mary Higgins Clark, Alafair Burke and Simon & Schuster for generously sharing with me this outstanding ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#WhereAretheChildrenNow? #MaryHigginsClark #AlafairBurke #Simon&Schuster #NetGalley

This new book from Mary Higgens Clark and Alafair Burke kept me turning page after page guessing who had done it until the very end! Picking up with some familiar characters from Where Are the Children, the author rebirths the story by focusing on the children of the infamous Nancy Harmon, Mike, and Melissa.

Melissa is grown, and she is finally getting the ending she deserves. After her traumatic childhood, she met and married a man with his own trauma, and they're preparing for their own happily ever after. Excited to step into the role of wife and stepmother, while helping her mother Nancy relocate to the Hamptons, Melissa's new stepdaughter goes missing, and Melissa and her brother must work together to find and save the little girl. Together they'll do anything to keep her alive. Will they find her? Where is Riley? Who has taken her? You'll be on the edge of your seat trying to figure it out.