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In Just Take My Heart, Mary Higgins Clark did something that's hard to do - she kept me guessing which of the bad guys was really the bad guy. Usually I can guess who the culprit is at least by middle of the book. But in Just Take My Heart I was kept guessing and didn't figure it out until the end. Whoot whoot, you go Mary for stumping me!
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When Natalie Raines, a famous actress, is found shot on her kitchen floor the police have no clues as to who could have murdered her. Finally after two years with no leads, Jimmy Easton, comes forward when he is arrested yet again for burglary. Jimmy tells the police that Natalie's estranged husband Gregg had tried to hire him two years before to off Natalie.
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Then comes the cat and mouse chase as the prosecutor Emily Wallace tries with her whole heart and soul to convict Gregg of the murder. Because how could Jimmy a known crook, who has spent more of his life in jail than out; how could he identify what Gregg's home looks like inside? And most importantly how would he know about one significant little detail, that no one else is familiar with, in the living room of Gregg's posh apartment house? There are no other explainations other than he went to Gregg's apartment to get the down payment to kill Natalie as Jimmy said.
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But wait, even though Gregg denies killing his wife, he stays as top suspect on the list when in frustration in a rigorous cross examination by Emily he reveals surprising and condemning information about the night Natalie died.
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Then enters Zach. Unbeknown to Emily her neighbor is a sought after serial killer who has evaded capture for years. And he has designs on her, especially after she rebuffs his friendship.
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Mary Higgins Clark weaves these characters into the story so masterfully that you are kept on the edge of your seat clear to the tantalizing end of the final paragraph. I love a good mystery and Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark not only stumped me but hooked me as well.
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FIVE STARS for Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark.
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~Joyce
Okay, now I'm going to have to read this book because you wrote such a convincing review.
ReplyDeleteThanks JoAnn for the compliment and the comment!
DeleteWell written, Joyce!
ReplyDeleteThank you Stacy! Appreciate the comment. :O)
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