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monicabach's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Good read but not very tense. Wasn’t something I couldn’t put down so it took me a couple weeks to get through it.
book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
Mary Higgins Clark and her daughter, Carol Higgins Clark, combine their talents in a new mystery series featuring the collaboration of the two writers’ lead characters – Alvirah Mehan, former cleaning lady who won the lottery and is now an amateur sleuth, and Regan Reilly, daughter of a famous mystery writer and a licensed private investigator. Regan’s mom, mystery writer Nora Reilly, sustains a broken leg in a household accident. Her hospitalization just three days before Christmas makes news, and gives a couple of kidnappers the perfect opportunity to nab Regan’s father, Luke Reilly.
This is an interesting and fun mystery. Of course, the reader always knows who the culprit is, but it’s fun to watch the police, Regan and Alvirah arrive at the solution. They have plenty of suspects and follow several wrong leads, but I found their thought process as they examined various clues and red herrings interesting.
I’ve never read anything by either of these authors before, so the characters were completely new to me. But I never felt lost and the way they come together seemed plausible. I also thought the writing was seamless; I certainly couldn’t tell if one section was written by Mary and another by Carol. All told, this is a quick, entertaining cozy with a satisfying ending. I think I’ll have to read something by each of these authors in the future.
This is an interesting and fun mystery. Of course, the reader always knows who the culprit is, but it’s fun to watch the police, Regan and Alvirah arrive at the solution. They have plenty of suspects and follow several wrong leads, but I found their thought process as they examined various clues and red herrings interesting.
I’ve never read anything by either of these authors before, so the characters were completely new to me. But I never felt lost and the way they come together seemed plausible. I also thought the writing was seamless; I certainly couldn’t tell if one section was written by Mary and another by Carol. All told, this is a quick, entertaining cozy with a satisfying ending. I think I’ll have to read something by each of these authors in the future.
chlojewell's review against another edition
2.75
but why did they tell us the kidnappers and exactly how they did from the very beginning ?? made the only interesting part of the story the characters they introduced
craftygoat's review against another edition
3.75
3.75. My first read from this author. Wanted something light & Christmas-y, & this did the trick. It seemed like an awful lot of characters, but since it's part of a series I haven't read, maybe we were supposed to already know some of them. I don't feel the need to read other books by the authors, but now I understand their appeal.
books4biana's review against another edition
4.0
Read this for the "Read a Holiday Themed Book" challenge and I'm kind of disappointed that it wasn't really anything more than a mystery that happened to take place at that time of year.
Don't get me wrong...it was fine reading. In fact, I think I might read some more.
Don't get me wrong...it was fine reading. In fact, I think I might read some more.
catherinenereader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
amymo73's review against another edition
4.0
My mom loved mysteries. And she loved Mary Higgins Clark. We both did. I remember reading Mary Higgins Clark myself, many moons ago.
At the library on Black Friday waiting for the local stores to open after we had already hit the mall early and had breakfast, I saw this book, along with The Christmas Thief, on the shelf. I needed something a little lighter in literary style after reading Joyce Carole Oates "Babysitter." And I miss my mom. Somehow, this felt perfect.
Thoroughly enjoyed this read. Loved the trouble that you saw coming with Alvin Luck and hoped that it wouldn't turn into to big of a subplot. But it was just the right amount, and helpful in the end, too.
At the library on Black Friday waiting for the local stores to open after we had already hit the mall early and had breakfast, I saw this book, along with The Christmas Thief, on the shelf. I needed something a little lighter in literary style after reading Joyce Carole Oates "Babysitter." And I miss my mom. Somehow, this felt perfect.
Thoroughly enjoyed this read. Loved the trouble that you saw coming with Alvin Luck and hoped that it wouldn't turn into to big of a subplot. But it was just the right amount, and helpful in the end, too.
j_lynn_a80's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0