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The Shadow of Your Smile Audiobook
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(3.00) - 4,137 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Queen of Suspense Mary Higgins Clark brings us another New York Times bestselling novel that she “prepares so carefully and executes with such relish” (The New York Times Book Review) about the search for identity by the daughter of a man adopted at birth, who may be the inheritor of his large fortune.
At age eighty-two and in failing health, Olivia Morrow knows she has little time left. The last of her line, she faces a momentous choice: expose a long-held family secret, or take it with her to her grave.
Olivia has in her possession letters from her deceased cousin Catherine, a nun, now being considered for beatification by the Catholic Church—the final step before sainthood. In her lifetime, Sister Catherine had founded seven hospitals for disabled children. Now the cure of a four-year-old boy dying of brain cancer is being attributed to her. After his case was pronounced medically hopeless, the boy’s desperate mother had organized a prayer crusade to Sister Catherine, leading to his miraculous recovery.
The letters Olivia holds are the evidence that Catherine gave birth at age seventeen to a child, a son, and gave him up for adoption. Olivia knows the identity of the young man who fathered Catherine’s child: Alex Gannon, who went on to become a world-famous doctor, scientist, and inventor holding medical patents.
Now, two generations later, thirty-one-year-old pediatrician Dr. Monica Farrell, Catherine’s granddaughter, stands as the rightful heir to what remains of the family fortune. But in telling Monica who she really is, Olivia would have to betray Catherine’s wishes and reveal the story behind Monica’s ancestry.
The only people aware of Olivia’s impending choice are those exploiting the Gannon inheritance. To silence Olivia and prevent Monica from learning the secret, some of them will stop at nothing—even murder.
Clark’s riveting novel explores the juxtaposition of medical science and religious faith, and the search for identity by the daughter of a man adopted at birth.
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""The Queen of suspense" does it again. This book draws interests in the first pages and keeps you guessing until the very end. Mary Higgins Clark's books are always enjoyable easy reading yet exciting, can't put down books. "
— Arleen (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Clark skillfully mixes spiritual questions with down and dirty deeds.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“With a gentle tone and patient hesitancy in her voice, Jan Maxwell reads the forty-third book by the Queen of Suspense...[She] adds her own strokes to the aural canvas with her careful pacing and sincere portrayals of the characters.”
— AudioFile -
“Clark’s twenty-ninth novel is peopled with a rich cast of eccentrics, dastardly dudes, a forthright heroine, and a conflicted hero who will keep readers turning the pages as a master storyteller deftly weaves the past and present together.”
— RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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A USA Today bestseller
The Shadow of Your Smile Listener Reviews
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6/13/2022
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" Very predictable, and kind of choppy. It was OK, but not great. The concept sounded great when I read about it, but I was disappointed. "
— Nieca, 2/14/2014 -
" another good summer, light read. "
— Tinytextiles, 2/12/2014 -
" Another great Mary Higgins Clark mystery. I liked this one especially because the killer was not a creepy psychopath. It was more of a "murder for hire" situation. "
— Jenny, 1/30/2014 -
" One of the better Mary Higgins Clark books, though flawed. A decent mystery as to one of the killer's identities. One storyline -- the Catholic one, surprisingly -- gets no resolution. I recommend imagining Detective Tucker as Chris Tucker; it makes for an engaging read. "
— Ben, 1/26/2014 -
" Very slow at the beginning and it took me awhile to get into it but at the end I couldn't put it down. "
— Pauline, 1/20/2014 -
" This one was like the old Mary Higgins Clark books and I enjoyed it. "
— Sandy, 1/18/2014 -
" Typical Mary Higgins Clark. Fast moving, entertaining, but not too much brain power required. A good book to fill a couple of nights. "
— Amberlori, 1/18/2014 -
" Kept your interest. "
— Joanne, 1/15/2014 -
" this was my first Mary Higgins Clark novel. It was left at the beach house where I was staying so I picked it up. It was a great beach read. The characters and story were interesting. "
— Maam, 1/8/2014 -
" This is a story about secrets in a family; a grandmother on her death bed wanting to tell the truth; being murdered by her attorney; but in the end the truth comes out and a most deserving grand daughter inherits the family wealth. "
— Rdrunner04, 12/19/2013 -
" I'm not finding myself liking Mary Higgins Clark as much as I used to. Not sure if this is because she has written with her daughter and taken on more of her style, which I am not a fan of (too simplistic? not sure but it just isn't as interesting to read). "
— Alayna, 11/19/2013 -
" This is (I think) my first MHC book and I won't be reading any more. What drivel. The characters' internal monologues are laughable and the dialogue is atrocious. "
— Erin, 10/27/2013 -
" I love her books. This one was very fun, a good mystery and lots of twists and turns. Great summer read. "
— Gail, 9/21/2013 -
" Since I've read the Dutch translation I'm not sure if that is where it went wrong, but this does not have the quality I am used to. I've always liked the combination of romance and suspense, but this is written/translated soo poorly, I had to force myself to finishing it. "
— Froggie, 8/25/2013 -
" Typical MHC plot & style. Was a nice & easy read. :) "
— Rhonda, 8/6/2013 -
" Light easy summer read. "
— Kristine, 6/25/2013 -
" Not one of her better books, but still a clean, entertaining - yet mindless - read. She provides a good break from some of the heavier stuff I've been reading... "
— Jessi, 5/29/2013 -
" I usually really like Clark, her books are easy fun reads but this one took a while to get into, and the charactors didn't ever really grab me. Finally with about 50 pages left I started to actually enjoy it. Maybe it is me and my crazy life right now but definitely not one of my favorite of hers. "
— Missy, 5/11/2013 -
" The plot of this book isn't too bad, but the writing, grammar and phrasing needs a lot of work. I struggled with the fact that a lot of the book just didn't 'flow'. I even found myself re-writing and editing in my head as I read so that it made more sense. Will be avoiding this author in the future. "
— Chelsea, 4/9/2013 -
" THE worst writing ever, bar none, but the story was slightly interesting. "
— Christy, 1/16/2013 -
" Maybe it's just because I read this after a really well written book, but it seemed a little juvenile to me. Not great writing, and not terribly memorable, but I did like it. "
— Amber, 12/27/2012 -
" A classic Mary Higgins Clark book! Makes you question what is really important in life and what really matters. "
— Scoobyyatto, 12/17/2012 -
" First book I read on my Kindle. Love being able to turn the page without putting down my coffee! And the story was a pleasant read. "
— Katie, 9/16/2012 -
" It's been a while since I've read a Mary Higgins Clark book. Loved it! I've forgotten how suspenceful her books are. "
— Lori, 8/9/2012 -
" Didn't finished...wasn't as interesting as some of her books... "
— Gaets, 7/4/2012 -
" I love how each chapter tells the story from a different characters perspective "
— Jean, 10/6/2011 -
" Always a fan of Mary Higgins Clark, I haven't enjoyed her recent books as much as her older titles. This book changed that trend for me and I really enjoyed this read! "
— Jana, 10/1/2011 -
" Mary Higgins Clark pumps out her novels and they are pretty formulated but they're always entertaining. "
— Anita, 9/7/2011 -
" Classic Mary Higgins Clark! Grabs you from the first page and keeps you in suspense to the last page!!!! "
— Sherri, 5/17/2011 -
" Enjoyed is a lot a page turner. "
— Elvis, 5/13/2011 -
" Another great suspense novel revolving around a long-held family secret. Takes place in New York. Won't want to put it down! "
— Cool, 5/12/2011 -
" Good for an airport read, and that's just what it was! "
— Jessica, 5/11/2011 -
" Another excellent book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I found the ending wasn't as strong as the first part of the book, and became predictable at the end, but still a good read. "
— Mary, 5/8/2011 -
" A quick, easy read. I used to read a lot of Mary Higgins Clark back in high school, and just happened to come upon this one the other day, and realized it's one I hadn't yet read. "
— Mitzi, 5/7/2011 -
" Can't get enough of Mary Higgins Clark! I have read all of her books, except the latest. "
— Becky, 5/2/2011 -
" An overabundance of character perspectives did not allow for an emotional connection with them. "
— Katie, 5/2/2011 -
" typical Mary higgins clark - easy and quick read with a female protagonist...don't you worry though, she gets a man in the end! "
— Stacy, 5/1/2011 -
" this was a good story but it could have been better if it had been a bit longer...being a mystery it just seemed to wrap up to quickly for my taste but even so i would recomend all to read this book..there is still enough suspence in this book for all to like.. "
— Peter, 4/30/2011 -
" Didn't finished...wasn't as interesting as some of her books... "
— Gaets, 4/29/2011 -
" I always like Mary Higgins Clark and look forward to the next book out. This is her usual fare of mystery and romance and clean writing. I like her plot development from the beginning of this one and it just keeps on moving. "
— Kathi, 4/26/2011 -
" This book has earned 3 1/2 stars. I have not read a Mary Higgins Clark book in quite awhile and it felt like I had reconnected with an old friend. The mystery/suspense stories throughout the book were great. "
— Kelli, 4/26/2011
About Mary Higgins Clark
Mary Higgins Clark (1927–2020) was the author of worldwide bestsellers that sold more than one hundred million copies in the United States alone. Twenty-one of her books reached the #1 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. She was chosen by Mystery Writers of America as Grand Master of the 2000 Edgar Awards. An annual Mary Higgins Clark Award sponsored by Simon & Schuster, to be given to authors of suspense fiction writing in the Mary Higgins Clark tradition, was launched by Mystery Writers of America in 2001. She was the 1987 president of Mystery Writers of America and, for many years, served on their board of directors. In 1988, she served as chairperson of the International Crime Congress.
About Jan Maxwell
Jan Maxwell is an American stage and television actress. She made her Broadway debut in the musical City of Angels and has been nominated for two Tony Awards and two Drama Desk Awards. She won the 2005 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Her Broadway credits include Sixteen Wounded, Match, and The Dinner Party. She is the sister of Obie Award–winning playwright Richard Maxwell.