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A review by kateivy
All Around the Town by Mary Higgins Clark
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Growing up, I read MHC all the time, and this was one I remembered vividly.
Here's the thing: this isn't great. The characters are quite flat; they are simply archetypes: the hardboiled detective, the compassionate therapist, the young lawyer. There is no development, nor is there any real mystery. A reader can very easily figure everything out, and the climax is literally on the last page.
But, I couldn't stop reading. I blew through it. It wasn't nearly as problematic as I thought it would be. I get why my 10 year old self was so intrigued, but now that I've read many other mysteries and thrillers, I'm not sure MHC will do it for me anymore.
Here's the thing: this isn't great. The characters are quite flat; they are simply archetypes: the hardboiled detective, the compassionate therapist, the young lawyer. There is no development, nor is there any real mystery. A reader can very easily figure everything out, and the climax is literally on the last page.
But, I couldn't stop reading. I blew through it. It wasn't nearly as problematic as I thought it would be. I get why my 10 year old self was so intrigued, but now that I've read many other mysteries and thrillers, I'm not sure MHC will do it for me anymore.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, and Rape