Mobbed

March 28, 2011
In Clark's overly complicated 14th mystery featuring New York City PI Regan Reilly (after 2010's Wrecked), Reilly's mother, "well-known suspense writer" Nora Regan Reilly, asks Regan to join her in Bay Head, N.J. Nora is concerned about eccentric 78-year-old Edna Frawley, who's sold her house on the Jersey shore and is about to hold a big garage sale. The sale's prize items are personal possessions of movie actress Cleo Paradise, who recently rented the house, then left suddenly with a note to Edna authorizing her to do whatever she wanted with whatever was left behind. Life imitates art as a stalker begins leaving Cleo dead flowers, just as in her latest film, You Don't Bring Me Flowers, Alive or Dead. The action shifts perspectives to introduce a legion of people who wish the star dead. Cleo is so underdeveloped that few will be waiting with bated breath for the identification of the creep threatening her.