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96th out of 3,368 books
—
7,801 voters
Where Are the Children?
Nancy Harmon long ago fled the heartbreak of her first marriage, the macabre deaths of her two little children, and the shocking charges against her. She changed her name, dyed her hair, and left California for the windswept peace of Cape Cod. Now remarried, she has two more beloved children, and the terrible pain has begun to heal -- until the morning when she looks in th...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
June 28th 2005
by Pocket Books
(first published January 1st 1975)
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I liked the story and it was an interesting concept. It had a good flow and I didn't feel that it was slow in any parts. Really, my only problem with the book had to do with the authors descriptions. For example, she would take the time to describe the main characters clothing which sounded like things my 60 year old mother would wear, not a 28 year old. And has anyone referred to jean as dungarees in the past 50 years? Also, her description of the characters 900 sq. ft. apartment made it sound...more
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* Mary Higgins Clark's second novel and her first suspense novel.
* Number 50 on the Mystery Writers of America's list "The Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time." This list also includes Agatha Christie's book, The Witness for the Prosecution. Oh, wait. That was a short story, not a novel. Memory is a funny thing, isn't it? Not only can it turn short stories into novels, I think it can turn novelty into greatness. My 30th Anniversary Edition of Clark's book includes an Introduction by Clark in whic...more
* Number 50 on the Mystery Writers of America's list "The Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time." This list also includes Agatha Christie's book, The Witness for the Prosecution. Oh, wait. That was a short story, not a novel. Memory is a funny thing, isn't it? Not only can it turn short stories into novels, I think it can turn novelty into greatness. My 30th Anniversary Edition of Clark's book includes an Introduction by Clark in whic...more
Sep 19, 2011
Lisa (Harmonybites)
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
No One
Recommended to Lisa (Harmonybites) by:
The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List
Shelves:
contemporary,
crime,
fiction,
horror,
mystery,
novels,
popular-fiction,
suspense,
ultimate-reading-list
The story involves an innocent woman, Nancy Harmon, who was at one point convicted of the murder of her two young children and sentenced to the gas chamber in California. Released on a technicality, the key witness had disappeared so she couldn't be retried. She dyed and cut her hair, changed her name, moved to Cape Cod and married and had two more children. And now, the secret of her true identity has come to light in her new community and her five-year-old son Michael and three-year-old daught...more
Mary Higgins Clark really was the earliest prototype of the gripping mystery. It was well written with a few good twists, and I loved the story and the fact that I could read it in less than three hours. There was minimal gore and yet the plot was still interesting and plausible. Take note, modern suspense authors who seem to feel that a novel without the most bizarre, bloody, insane quirks is no sort of novel at all. Yes, I mean you, Karin Slaughter.
Don't get me wrong, I really like Slaughter'...more
Don't get me wrong, I really like Slaughter'...more
This is the first book I have read by Mary Higgins Clark. It was about a woman who was accused or murdering her two children and then she moved to another state, changed her name and appearance, remarried and had two more children with her new husband. She thought all of this past was behind her when one day her picture appeared in the local newspaper on the anniversary of her first childrens murders (which also was her birthday)and exposed who she was and her past to all the locals now in her t...more
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Where Are the Children is about a woman who tries to escapes her past, but it ends up coming back to haunt her. The setting is in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Nancy Harman is the main character. Nancy has terrible horrific past that’s she tried to get rid by changing her appearance, lifestyle, and moves from California, to Cape Cod and gets Married and has 2 children. But when a news article is printed about a murder trial with a picture who suspiciously looks like Nancy, Nancy’s life starts to...more
I think I've gotten pickier as I've gotten older. I devoured Mary Higgins Clark's novels when I was in junior high and high school. I loved being a little scared and trying to figure out who the killer was. (I think that may have been a carryover from my elementary-aged love of Agatha Christie novels.) I didn't have as much fun with this one.
I picked up this book at the library because I hadn't read a novel like this in ages. And now I kind of remember why. As enjoyable as the story was (who doe...more
I picked up this book at the library because I hadn't read a novel like this in ages. And now I kind of remember why. As enjoyable as the story was (who doe...more
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Oct 27, 2010
Daniella
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of the genre.
Shelves:
mystery-and-suspense,
2010
There were a lot of things about this book that really annoyed me. Namely, the pervading attitude towards women. There was so much undisguised misogyny in these scant 290 pages that I was several times overwhelmed by the distinct urge to toss the book in the oven and turn that fucker on broil. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that it was a library book, so if I charbroiled it, I'd have to pay for the damn thing, which: a) I'm broke; and b) I refuse to pay a single cent for something s...more
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This book was disturbing and intense and shook me. I was all parts intrigued, riveted, consumed and wholly disgusted. I'm not sure I've ever read a book that page after page I wanted, sometimes needed, to put down because of the awful way it made me look and think about humanity and at the same time keep turning the page. I was possessed I needed to know what was going to happen, I was desperate to know if things would work out...
This book made me question the abilities of man on every level. Th...more
This book made me question the abilities of man on every level. Th...more
Mysteries are either hit or miss, for both the author and the reader. You want to try to solve the ending, but you don’t want the answer jumping off the page. However, you don’t want to be so surprised at the end that it would have been impossible to figure out on your own. It is challenging for a writer to give all the clues without the answer written across the page.
It was the beginning of the school year and I was ready for an amusing book to start the year off. Having read and watched many...more
Haven't read any of Mary Higgins Clark's books in quiet a while. After reading this one I realized again why I love her writing. Throughout the whole book I was trying to figure out who the kidnapper/murderer was and what happened to Mack. Every time I thought I was right I was proven wrong. Her books are so easy to read and flow nicely through the chapters.
I came across this book when I was in high school. I borrowed it, read it and returned it the next day...
I was horrified, chilled and appalled at the way the main female character was treated, but equally amazed and thrilled at the ending which allowed her to twist the dirty deeds of her tormenter back on herself.
One of the reasons this subgenre became so popular was that until the 1970s (and the movie "The Burning Bed") very few people were willing to admit that a man could hurt his wife. In th...more
I was horrified, chilled and appalled at the way the main female character was treated, but equally amazed and thrilled at the ending which allowed her to twist the dirty deeds of her tormenter back on herself.
One of the reasons this subgenre became so popular was that until the 1970s (and the movie "The Burning Bed") very few people were willing to admit that a man could hurt his wife. In th...more
This was the first Mary Higgins Clark book I read. I was in 6th grade at the time now I always love a Mary Higgins Clark book. I like to read her books right after I've read a really long book or one that took lots of concentration. Not that her books are no brainers, but they are just very addictive to read, well written and are defiantly a page turner, even if sometimes the ending of the 'who done it' is a bit obvious. This story is about a woman who was trialed for the death of her two childr...more
Dec 07, 2009
Anqelica
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people interested into suspence
Recommended to Anqelica by:
my english teacher
In the novel "Where are the children" written by Mary Higgins Clark, is set in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The author experiences a bad past life. She tries changing her life by moving to another place. Also marries another man. Everyone thought she murdered her first two children. She moves and begins her new life when , she thought is was going well and her to other kids Michael and Missy and kidnapped. She goes outside and sees Missy's mitten but didnt think anything about it because shes always...more
Jul 07, 2009
Suryati
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mary-higgins-clark,
novel
Mencekam, sejak awal cerita ini sudah berhasil menghadirkan rasa mencekam, terkadang ngeri terasa, kebayang deh kalau kehidupan kita sehari-hari diawasi oleh seorang pembunuh yang menunggu waktu untuk beraksi kembali. Ngeri membayangkan kehidupan Nancy yang dihantui ketakutan karena menjadi korban pedofili dan penghancuran mental justru oleh suaminya sendiri dan harus hidup menghadapi tuduhan pembunuhan anak-anaknya sendiri. Ketakutan yang memuncak terjadi lagi setelah dia kembali harus kehilang...more
May 08, 2013
Shane Malcolm
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
novels-and-novellas
My first time reading MHC, even though she started writing just a couple of years before I was born. This is her first novel, and I raced through it. Very well paced, suspenseful, with a great twist. She definitely crams A LOT of characters into a short space, and interestingly, we get background information on most of them, even ones who appear literally on just one page. Not sure if this is a trademark of her style, but I do plan to read another one of her thrillers. This book also deals with...more
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Oct 16, 2011
Katie E
added it
This book by Mary Higgens Clark was absolutely outstanding! I would definitely recommend it. It was very suspenseful and keeps you reading. I don't like reading much, and this book kept me interested through the whole thing! Nancy Harmon, the main character was from the west side of the U.S. She had the picture perfect life until being convicted for murdering her two children. She later moved to Massachusetts and married and had two more kids. Its her birthday and she thinks her kids will be oka...more
This was my first MHC book. As usual it took me a few chapters to really get into it. I would prefer a book to grab me so quick in the beginning that I dread putting it down to even eat. Not so much here.
However, I knew there was potential. The book as a whole was very good. It got better and better at the end which is always a bonus. I was somewhat confused as to who all the characters were and found myself constantly re-checking their details. She does some strange flashbacks where you aren't...more
However, I knew there was potential. The book as a whole was very good. It got better and better at the end which is always a bonus. I was somewhat confused as to who all the characters were and found myself constantly re-checking their details. She does some strange flashbacks where you aren't...more
this was a good book, very quick read. I enjoyed it a lot. ididnt want to put it down once i started because i was afraid of what i would be missing. i read it in one day. the only down side t this book was tht one i started reading it i realized that a long time ago i had seen the movie. but that was ok bcause the book was still really good. from what i can remember the movie stayed very close to the book and was very well done but still i think this book had a lot od places in it that the movi...more
I always love a Mary Higgins Clark book. I like to read her books right after I've read a really long book or one that took lots of concentration. Not that her books are no brainers, but they are just very addictive to read, well written and are defiantly a page turner, even if sometimes the ending of the 'who done it' is a bit obvious. This story is about a woman who was trialed for the death of her two children, and was sentence to death but the trial was acquitted due to a key witness running...more
This is a farely small book but I read it with in hours...and when I put it down, I was so scared...I held my girls a little tighter....
I read this novel when it was all the buzz. Not only was it a bestseller, but Clark's own story was intriguing. This was the first mystery, thriller written by this "late bloomer." Clark was pushing 50 at the time, and I was curious about her novel, which was a runaway success. At the time I was very disappointed that Clark's storyline relied on brutally murdered children and an extremely weak heroine, who had to be rescued. Not much of a heroine at all. That, however, was more the norm at the t...more
I've always been a fan of Mary Higgins Clark and this is one of her earlier books that I've meant to get around to reading but somehow never have until now. Though her writing isn't as polished in this one as it is in her later books, she still does a very nice job of weaving a plot and pulling you in.
She's also one of the few authors who can weave a mystery that I can't usually unravel by halfway through the story, and though this plot had some minor holes at the end and is more simplistic tha...more
She's also one of the few authors who can weave a mystery that I can't usually unravel by halfway through the story, and though this plot had some minor holes at the end and is more simplistic tha...more
Nancy (Harmon) Eldredge moved to Cape Cod from California to escape a haunting past: her children Peter and Lisa were murdered, and she was accused of and tried for their deaths. Over six years, she has remarried and created a new life for herself, complete with a home, husband, and two children. But, on her 32nd birthday, that all changed when her two children (Mike and Missy) were kidnapped and her past and true identity were revealed in the local paper. Now, Nancy must face her past and force...more
This is actually the 3rd time I've attempted to read "Where are the Children?", and they always say 3 time's the charm. The other 2 times, it just didn't work out. I was busy and didn't have a lot of time to read, so I just returned the book. This time, I was determined to finish it.
It seems silly that it took 3 times for me to finish this book because it's so easy to read. The chapters are short, and really, the book is pretty short too. It was suspenseful and had in interesting plot that reall...more
It seems silly that it took 3 times for me to finish this book because it's so easy to read. The chapters are short, and really, the book is pretty short too. It was suspenseful and had in interesting plot that reall...more
Clearly a classic if only because this was the book that launched the career of Mary Higgins Clark. Clark's letter to her readers at the beginning of this novel is worth the read. The book is a little over 250-plus pages and an easy read, I read it in less that twenty-four hours! Clark does a wonderful job of telling a captivating story in a very short timeline. There tends to be a lot of minor character introduced throughout the book, which makes it difficult at times, but this classic is well...more
This one I actually stole from the hotel I was staying at in Turkey, because I'd finished all of my other books and just couldn't stand the thought of a four hour plane ride without something to read. I chose it only because it was in English so I didn't have any expectations for it.
There were too many characters to keep track off. Although it was a great written detective story with a kind of complicated plot and a twisted ending, there just was too many characters. I can't emphasize this enoug...more
There were too many characters to keep track off. Although it was a great written detective story with a kind of complicated plot and a twisted ending, there just was too many characters. I can't emphasize this enoug...more
There are three different types of crime novels: The ones in which you read from the perspective of the murderer and you know from the beginning who it is but all the other characters in the plot do not have a clue. Then there are the ones where you are in the same position as all these characters and the third form is when you get some bits and pieces of information of the murderer throughout the story but nothing really concrete. Where are you now is one of those crime stories. There are some...more
The name of my book is " Where are the Children " by Mary Higgins Clark. Nancy Harmon moved to Cape Cod to escape her former life. She was accused of killing her two children, Peter and Lisa, and was put on trial. When she was found not guilty, she fled California to cape cod, hoping to leave the tragedy behind her. In Cape Cod, she meets Ray who was a realty salesman. They get married and have two children together. Everything seems so perfect and their life seems like it cant get any better, u...more
Where Are the Children is a suspenseful book that not only has you gripping at the edge of your seat, but also gives you the feeling of anticipation, fear, and sorrow for the characters involved. On the morning of Nancy Eldridge's birthday, her two children disappear while playing outside of their home. Nancy frantically searches for them and soon the whole town of Cape Cod is on the look-out for the Eldridge children. However, this tragic event unlocks a grueling secret that Nancy is faced to r...more
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| Bouchercon? | 2 | 23 | Sep 10, 2012 08:52am | |
| I cant remember the title or author of this book! | 5 | 59 | May 26, 2011 12:58pm |
Mary Theresa Eleanor Higgins Clark Conheeney, best known as Mary Higgins Clark, (b December 24, 1927 in the Bronx, New York) is an American author of suspense novels. Each of her twenty-four suspense novels has been a bestseller in the United States and various European countries, and all of her novels remain in print as of 2007, with her debut suspense novel, Where Are The Children, in its sevent...more
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“Exposed to the world for what she was; numbed with worry and fear; trying to answer the question... The same question the police had thrown at her over and over seven years ago.....Where are the Children?”
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