Moonlight Becomes You - Mary Higgins Clark

[dudette]

Phew! I've finally managed to finish this! What a good book!

The author had obviously researched her subject well, and all the different twists were very well managed. The basic plot is as follows.. (from Nikkinaz' synopsis earlier; )

At a Manhattan party, fashion photographer Maggie Holloway is reunited unexpectedly with her former stepmother. Both women are thrilled to meet again, and quickly resume their friendship. But when Maggie arrives for dinner one evening at Nuala's home, she finds her dead. And stranger still, she learns that only days before her death, Nuala had changed her will, leaving everything to Maggie... The one condition is that Maggie occasionally visit an old friend, Greta Shipley, and it is when she accompanies Greta to visit Nuala's grave that she discovers something is badly wrong. When Greta also dies suddenly, of supposedly natural causes, Maggie's suspicions are only confirmed. What Maggie doesn't realize is that she, too, has become a target for the killer, and that each clue she uncovers brings her closer to a terrifying fate....


I found the writing clear and crisp, and I was able to follow it easily, although at times all the characters and their relationships to each other did get a tad confusing. This is my first MHC book, and found it quite good. I did wonder how plausible it would be for a stepmother to actually confide her suspicions as to the retirement home to someone she hadn't known for over 30 years. And I seemed to have missed why the murderer actually placed the bells on the graves.
It was a good suspense thriller, not letting the reader know who the perpetrater was until the last moment, the plot being very skillfully worked.
I think that her beginning where the killer has placed her in such danger especially good - a great way to maintain the reader's interest throughout the book.
Out of curiosity, I would read another of her books, but she's no Dick Francis. (my all-time favourite)

Did anyone pick up on the relevance of the Title of the book to its plot? I didn't, and not knowing it is very annoying...

[Pampered]

I started it yesterday, but did not get too far, as we had guests....

Will have to read it soon!

[Icecub]

Originally posted by dudette
Phew! I've finally managed to finish this! What a good book!

The author had obviously researched her subject well, and all the different twists were very well managed. The basic plot is as follows.. (from Nikkinaz' synopsis earlier; )

At a Manhattan party, fashion photographer Maggie Holloway is reunited unexpectedly with her former stepmother. Both women are thrilled to meet again, and quickly resume their friendship. But when Maggie arrives for dinner one evening at Nuala's home, she finds her dead. And stranger still, she learns that only days before her death, Nuala had changed her will, leaving everything to Maggie... The one condition is that Maggie occasionally visit an old friend, Greta Shipley, and it is when she accompanies Greta to visit Nuala's grave that she discovers something is badly wrong. When Greta also dies suddenly, of supposedly natural causes, Maggie's suspicions are only confirmed. What Maggie doesn't realize is that she, too, has become a target for the killer, and that each clue she uncovers brings her closer to a terrifying fate....


I found the writing clear and crisp, and I was able to follow it easily, although at times all the characters and their relationships to each other did get a tad confusing. This is my first MHC book, and found it quite good. I did wonder how plausible it would be for a stepmother to actually confide her suspicions as to the retirement home to someone she hadn't known for over 30 years. And I seemed to have missed why the murderer actually placed the bells on the graves.
It was a good suspense thriller, not letting the reader know who the perpetrater was until the last moment, the plot being very skillfully worked.
I think that her beginning where the killer has placed her in such danger especially good - a great way to maintain the reader's interest throughout the book.
Out of curiosity, I would read another of her books, but she's no Dick Francis. (my all-time favourite)

Did anyone pick up on the relevance of the Title of the book to its plot? I didn't, and not knowing it is very annoying...

well done dudette.....i have yet to receive mine from Amazon..should be here this week.....

[Pampered]

Am almost finished....a hundred pages or so. It's a really good book!!!!!!

[Pampered]

Ok, I finished this book last night. I have never read a book by Mary Higgins Clark before, and I was very pleasantly surprised by it. It got me from the first few pages, and I just HAD to finish it quickly.

She has a great style of writing - unlike any of my other authors, but I liked it.

I also do not understand how the title had any relevance to the actual book.

Quite often I can guess who the villain is, but this one had me guessing until the last 10 pages or so!

Good recommendation, Nikkinaz!

[Icecub]

Well...i finished mine this week, in a day!!

Anyway, i was quite intrigued by the bells they used to put on the graves in Vicorian times, do they still do that though??

Also i found it a good read, that Earl Bateman quite a weirdo with his fascination for funerals and his museum..

I found Maggie Holloway quite an interesting character to actually go out and do some investigating, she came across as a strong character.

I now have to finish Fire Baby and i think that would be a good discussion read!

[nikkinaz]

I have just finished the Mary Higgins Clark book - and as always a great book. She keeps one hanging right throughout the book and I always love a great opening such as the one she wrote in this book. As to the title of the book all I can think of is when someone pays you a compliment and says "Oh that dress really becomes you!" So I guess she was playing on these words (it is a little bit old fashioned) but they were saying the" Moonlight looks good on you!" i.e. on the grave Maggie was buried in. This is my opinion anyway. I loved the bits and pieces along the way referring to the old burial rituals, and the bells on the Victorian graves. I know this might sound morbid but I also think that cemeteries are interesting places especially the old ones.

This took me such a long time to FINALLY finish as I was busy with a few other books, and from now on I am going to read one at a time as I end up jumping around a lot.

Another book of hers I do recommend is A Stranger is Watching - this is rather exciting. I guess when one finds an author who becomes your favourite - they really stick ....!

[Jangar]

This must be one of the few MHC books I haven't read (YET !!!). I love her books and the fact that her research is normally well done, especially on the legal side (due to her daughter(s) working in the legal field).

If you want to read a really frightning story by her I recommend one of her earliest works (may have been her first) - "Where are the Children". A short story and perhaps a bit 'immature' compared to her later books but really really good.

I'm looking forward to reading 'Moonlight' soon

[Pampered]

Originally posted by Jangar
This must be one of the few MHC books I haven't read (YET !!!). I love her books and the fact that her research is normally well done, especially on the legal side (due to her daughter(s) working in the legal field).

If you want to read a really frightning story by her I recommend one of her earliest works (may have been her first) - "Where are the Children". A short story and perhaps a bit 'immature' compared to her later books but really really good.

I'm looking forward to reading 'Moonlight' soon

Thanks for the recommendation, Jan!

[dudette]

"Moonlight becomes you" was a hit for Bing Crosby in the 40's. Is it possible that it could be a reference for the old people who want a place in the retirement home?