Nancy Harmon has fled the heartbreak of her first marriage, the macabre deaths of her two little children, the hostile front-page newspaper stories and the shocking charges against her. She has changed her name, dyed her hair and moved house. Now, enjoying a new life with a wonderful husband and two beautiful children, Nancy feels she can at last forget her tragic history and start believing in second chances… Until the morning she looks outside for her little boy and girl, finds only one red mitten and knows the nightmare is beginning again…
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"This book really makes you NOT want to put it down! I finished this book in about two hours! You can't go wrong with a murder case gone wrong, and a kidnapping taking place in the hands of a worried mother of her children!"
— Annika (5 out of 5 stars)
“This classic was written almost forty years ago, but the plot—about a woman who is accused of killing her own children—is as timely and tense as ever.”
— O, The Oprah Magazine“Indescribably suspenseful…A special kind of terror.”
— San Francisco Chronicle“Will play on your gold-star susceptibilities while you hold your breath.”
— Kirkus Reviews" i love any mary higgins clark book. very suspensful and you can never put the dang book down! "
— Kelly, 2/19/2014" I read this awhile back, it was my first Mary Higgins Clark novel and it was enough to get me hooked. "
— Mindy, 2/17/2014" I did and didn't like it at the same time. It was a page turner- I kept wondering what would happen next. However, I found Nancy to be pretty pathetic and I predicted who was behind the children's disappearance fairly early. The child molestation angle made me feel creepy and uncomfortable. Not sure I would recommend it, but I am not bummed that I took the time to read it. "
— Erin, 2/6/2014" One of my favorite MHC books. MHC kicks ass and she's a fordham graduate. "
— Corinne, 2/1/2014" Can't get enought of MHC! "
— Kitty, 2/1/2014" Not my favorite, but I love Mary Higgins Clark! Well written and full of suspense. "
— Kelly, 1/30/2014" My favorite book by her. "
— Elizabeth, 1/24/2014" Typical Mary Higgins Clark book- twists and turns in the plot up to and including the final pages. Her books are always a quick read for me! "
— June, 1/24/2014" I love Mary HC books... totally predictable... but still a good read! "
— Mary, 1/18/2014" I loved this book. It was one of the first ones I read by Mary Higgins Clark and I was hooked from the beginning! "
— Teresa, 11/26/2013" Very good and very suspenseful it definitely kept me on the edge of my chair. I just couldn't put it down. "
— Mackenzie, 11/16/2013" Was about child molestation and I have a hard time with that. "
— Sandy, 10/28/2013" Read this book back in Junior High and remember really finding it interesting, but kinda disturbing because it involves children being kidnapped. "
— Rochelle, 10/17/2013" I wouldn't have read this book unless my sister gave it to me. It's probably the worst book I've ever read. Thanks, sis! "
— Dorre, 10/5/2013" Terrific, heart-pounding read. "
— Kathi, 7/5/2013" One of my first adult books -it spooked me for several days. "
— Suzanne, 5/30/2013" Worth reading, but not as good as some of her others. "
— brie, 5/3/2013" I thought this book was very fast paced and very well written. It only took me 2 days to read it. I love the plot twists at the end. great read! "
— Deborah, 2/8/2013" My first Mary Higgins Clark book. I liked it enough to buy a copy of every book that followed. I was on quite a mystery kick back then, and Ms. Clark was a definite favorite of mine. "
— Chelesbells, 1/21/2013" This book gets 3 stars with a caveat- I read it while I was in high school, and the 17 year old in me loved it. "
— Eliza, 11/21/2012" A Quick read, good mystery "
— Suzanne, 11/18/2012" Nice quick read. Not predictable yet when things came together you immediately were able to solve the puzzle and it ended nicely. I wanted to begin with her first novel and grow with her as an author. I will be reading more. "
— Dawn, 11/2/2012" This was my first MH Clark book. It even predates my list! "
— Zjourney, 10/27/2012" Page turning suspense! "
— Kirwan, 7/21/2012" A quick read. Just wish the main character wasn't made out to be so pathetic. "
— Sheela, 6/10/2012" Not one of my favorite books by Mary Higgins Clark, but still a good read. I felt like the end clues were kind of rushed, but loved the ending twist. Still a fan of Mary because she keeps you guessing til the very end. "
— Alilia, 5/26/2012" As usual Clark at her best. "
— Eileen, 4/7/2012" Definitely loved this book the first time I read it years ago. One of the first times I jumped into suspenseful fiction. "
— BJ, 2/17/2012" I couldn't put this book down. I read it from beginning to end in one day. "
— Mary, 7/1/2011" I read all of her books and enjoyed all of them. "
— Robin, 6/5/2011" A chilling mystery about kidnapped children and the persecution of their mother, who is a suspect in both their disappearance and the murder of her older children. Fast-paced with high suspense! "
— Marissa, 5/14/2011" Memories of summer reading in high school and college. One of my faves to read back in the day. Love a little murder mystery! "
— Brittany, 5/12/2011" I have always loved anything she wrote... and I have been reading MHC for years... fast paced easy read, sometimes more predictable then others... "
— Cori, 4/25/2011" The start of a great run! I came across this book in a Reader's Digest Condensed Books volume, and I was hooked! "
— Andrea, 4/24/2011" This is a good, simple mystery novel. There are a lot of characters but MHC creates a seamless story that is easy to follow. This a great book to travel with because, even though it starts slow, it's a quick read that holds your attention. "
— Norlisa, 4/22/2011" Awesome. my sister thought I was weird when I told her about it ; ) "
— Serene, 4/14/2011" I read this book in one sitting. A great suspense novel!!! "
— Jasmin, 2/24/2011" This was the first Mary Higgins Clark book that I have ever read and really enjoyed it. Looking forward to the discussion at the women's book club that I read this for. "
— Toni, 2/21/2011" This was a good book. It was the first Mary Higgins Clark book I have read. I enjoyed her writing style, and look forward to future reads. "
— Rachael, 2/15/2011" This was definitely a page-turner, and I read it in no time at all. It's hard, with books like this, to really develop the characters, so that was a bit unfortunate. The ending was a bit too tidy for me, as well. I enjoyed it, overall, though. Who doesn't love a good suspense/thriller? "
— Whitney, 2/4/2011" I always enjoy Mary Higgins Clark. Even though once you've read a few, they start to blend all together. Still a good read. "
— Kerry, 1/17/2011" I loved this book. It was one of the first ones I read by Mary Higgins Clark and I was hooked from the beginning! "
— Teresa, 1/11/2011Mary 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.
January LaVoy, winner of numerous awards for narration, was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine in 2019. She is an American actress best known for her character Noelle Ortiz on the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live. In addition to working extensively in narration and television, including roles on Law & Order and All My Children, she has worked on and off Broadway as well as in regional theater.