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All Around the Town
by Mary Higgins Clark
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Pocket Star (1993-02-01)
ISBN: 0671793489
EAN: 9780671793487
Dewey Decimal #: 813.54
Mass Market Paperback: 341 pages
SKU: 1298
Condition: Good
Comments: Binding: Softcover. Condition: Good. Slightly creased binding.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
Mary Higgins Clark, the Queen of Suspense, crafts a terrifying story of murder and obsession with "a slambam finish" (Los Angeles Times Book Review).ALL AROUND THE TOWNWhen Laurie Kenyon, a twenty-one-year-old student, is accused of murdering her English professor, she has no memory of the crime. Her fingerprints, however, are everywhere. When she asks her sister, attorney Sarah, to mount her defense, Sarah in turn brings in psychiatrist Justin Donnelly. Kidnapped at the age of four and victimized for two years, Laurie has developed astounding coping skills. Only when the unbearable memories of those lost years are released can the truth of the crime come out -- and only then can the final sadistic plan of her abductor, whose obsession is stronger than ever, be revealed.
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Customer Reviews
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Fast paced, lots of Clarkisms
Rating  (4)
Date: 2008-10-11
If you've read Clark and have enjoyed her work previously, then you will most likely find yourself enjoying this book as well.
Clark is a very fast paced writer, she doesn't bother with any characterisms or back stories that are unrelated to her specific theme, which is always an event, usually a murder.
Her characters are always extremely sympathetic and that is what brings Clarks readers back to her again and again, she writes about people that you can sympathize with, or that you can feel sympathy for.
In this book, who could not feel for a four year old child who is abducted and abused and continues to suffer from her experiences into adulthood? The songs and hymns that are replayed in her memories are extremely frightening and have a creepy effect.
I think MPD (multiple personality disorder)is also represented quite well here on a very general basis ofcourse. It's never quite so easy, but it does show cause and effect.
There were two things I found rather mediocre...and that is her choice to make the abductor an evangelist. I found this rather uninspired and felt she could have done far better in that estimation and something that I have found rather annoying (but for Clark and her characters it is something convenient) is the fact that Clark's "killers" are always clever enough to pull off the act of murder, and show traits of antisocial disorder and psychopathy, so inevitably they are able to keep their secret safe until they are confronted by law enforcement or investigators with what is always circumstantial evidence and they always confess. They offer little resistence and just tell all! So simple, so convenient and completely unrealistic. That part of Clark's writing is recurrent and annoying for me. I am sure detectives would love for crimes to work out the way they do in Clark's novels. They wouldn't have to do much if they did.
Other than those few annoyances, I enjoy her stories and appreciate her pace and the fact that she writes about characters you grow to care for.
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Fun!
Rating  (3)
Date: 2008-09-28
I admit it. I often make fun of Mary Higgins Clark, but the truth is that I'm a closet fan, and this is one of my favorite's that she has written. It's a spooky idea as it delves into the idea of multiple personalities--always great for a blast of a murder! Clark does an excllent job of handling multiple characters, and this is one of her strongest mysteries.
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A Classic Novel of Suspense
Rating  (5)
Date: 2008-06-09
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
I started reading Mary Higgins Clark books with my grandmother, and from my 4th grade on, we were swapping Mary Higgins Clark books back and forth between one another. This one is probably my favorite, however. I re-read it from time to time (as with most of her books, this is a VERY fast read) when I am looking to read an exciting book, or feel like reading about Multiple Personality Disorder.
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I liked this book!!
Rating (4)
Date: 2007-06-13
This book has two mysteries in it. The first mystery is who kidnapped Laurie and will they be caught. The second mystery was if Laurie was a murderer.
Mary Higgins Clark did a really good job of developing the characters of Laurie and Sarah. I really liked the way Clark showed us how the different personalities of Laurie took over and how they protected her. Laurie was oblivious of what her different personalities did while they controlled her. What really made the story come to life for me is that even Laurie didn't know if she was guilty and wanted answers herself.
I didn't really care for how the kidnappers, Bic and Opal, were able to come back 15 years later and every little plan they had to frighten Laurie was unrealistically productive. I guess it added to the story line but I admit to rolling my eyes when everything went the way Bic and Opal needed it to.
All in all there were great twists and great characters.
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FIRST TIME MHC READ....LOVED IT!
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-07-11
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This book was great. It had several short chapters that all ended in suspense. I am normally a person who takes time reading books, but this one kept me on the edge of my seat, and I finished it rather quickly. MHC describes the child's abuse in enough detail for you to understand the pain that the child went through, but not so much that it was horribly disturbing (in my opinion). I would read more MHC books in the future! GREAT BOOK!
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