Thursday, March 4, 2010

The Shadow of Your Smile-Mary Higgins Clark

The Shadow of Your Smile
Mary Higgins Clark
Simon & Schuster, Apr 13 2010, $25/99
ISBN: 9781439172261

Thirtyish Greenwich Village Hospital pediatrician Dr. Monica Farrell feels for her late dad, as he tried but was never able to trace who his biological parents were. Only one person living knows that, Olivia Morrow, an elderly woman who is dying. Monica is Olivia’s only blood relative and the octogenarian debates whether to tell her the truth or keep silent as the board of Gannon Enterprise demands as the founder of the firm was Monica’s great grandfather.

Feeling the right thing to do is tell the truth to her third distant cousin Monica; Olivia informs her physician and confidant Dr. Clay Hadley, a Gannon board member, of her decision. Clay has orders to kill her if she even hints at talking to Monica. Hit men are also sent to kill Dr. Farrell who might prove troublesome eventually as the heir to her grandfather’s enormous largesse. Board member Greg Gannon is being investigated for insider trading; his brother Peter is arrested for killing a blackmailer. Hadley and another board member Douglas Langdon are lining their pockets by skimming investment money of their clients. Monica knows none of these people are related to her, but someone wants her dead before she learns the whole sordid truth.

This series of events occur two generations earlier when a family member Catherine the nun became pregnant and gave her child up for adoption. Now her granddaughter is caught in the crosshairs of some malevolent people. Monica cares about her others as did Catherine while the Gannon board cares only about money and power at any cost to others. Fascinating and fast-paced, fans of Mary Higgins Clark fans will enjoy her latest suspense thriller.

Harriet Klausner

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