Just Take My Heart

April 27, 2009
Perhaps overcompensating for her lethargic renderings of other Higgins Clark thrillers (e.g., Where Are You Now?
), Jan Maxwell picks up pace smartly. The narration is a shade frenetic in the beginning, as Maxwell breathlessly introduces the key players (the murdered actress, Natalie Raines; her husband—and chief suspect—Greg Aldrich; assistant prosecutor Emily Wallace; and her serial killer stalker, Zach Lanning) in an overly upbeat chirp. The quick tempo works better as the plot slogs through procedural matters. All of the men, however, sound too much alike and the women's voices also blur at key points. These flaws aside, this audio book proves entertaining summer listening. A Simon & Schuster hardcover (Reviews, Mar. 30).

March 30, 2009
In this intense novel of suspense from bestseller Clark (Where Are You Now?
), the obvious suspect in the shooting murder of famous actress Natalie Raines at her Closter, N.J., home is her husband and theatrical agent, Gregg Aldrich, whom she was divorcing. Gregg never wavers from his innocent plea, but Bergen County assistant prosecutor Emily Wallace nails his conviction thanks to the evidence of an ex-con, who testifies Gregg tried to hire him to kill Natalie. Clark neatly details the courtroom proceedings, though of more dramatic interest is a subplot involving oddball serial killer Zach Lanning, who's been stalking Emily while pretending to be a good neighbor. Clark slowly reveals that Emily's recent heart transplant has given the attorney extra sensitivity to Natalie's past. As Emily's doubts about Gregg's guilt grow, the action hurtles to a surprising if abrupt resolution.

Assistant Prosecutor Emily Wallace is excited about the high-profile murder case her boss has assigned her and works hard for a conviction. But did the handsome husband really shoot his wife? Narrator Jan Maxwell treats this thriller too lightly, at times robbing the story of its suspense. While delivering her version of a thug's speaking style, she stops short of putting real muscle into her voice. Likewise, her portrayal of the accused's anguish over his unfair treatment by the court and the press never reaches a credible level of pathos. Trying to figure out whodunit is the best part of any Mary Higgins Clark novel, and the author, thankfully, doesn't disappoint to the extent that her narrator does. R.L.L. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine