REVIEW: THE CINDERELLA MURDER, BY MARY HIGGINS CLARK & ALAFAIR BURKE

 

This book was featured as my First Book of 2015, hosted by Book Journey.

 

Laurie Moran, TV producer of a new show, Under Suspicion, has plans to feature a twenty-year-old murder as the next installment in her series. The unsolved murder of Susan Dempsey, dubbed “The Cinderella Murder,” because her body was found with only one shoe next to it, has gleaned the interest of her boss at the studio as well. But only after she has done considerable pitching and with the promise that some of the more noteworthy participants will be available.

This was a Hollywood story, in a sense, since Susan was a student at UCLA and a budding actress, who on the night of the murder, was supposed to go to the home of Frank Parker, a director, for an audition. She was a no-show.

Why did Susan’s roommate Madison show up so quickly to take her place? And why had Susan’s body been found in Laurel Canyon Park, minutes from the director’s home, when her car was at the university?

As Laurie and her crew begin investigating the possibilities in preparation for the show, several more questions present themselves. What, if anything, connects Susan’s murder with a cult-like organization called Advocates for God, which has enlisted none other than Susan’s ex-boyfriend, Keith Ratner? How is the leader of that group, Martin Collins, involved in a secret that Nicole, one of Susan’s old roommates, has been keeping for many years?

The Cinderella Murder: An Under Suspicion Novel was more than a Hollywood story, as there were many references throughout to a highly successful technological company launched by a former student and friend of Susan’s, Dwight Cook, and their former professor, Richard Hathaway. How does this multimillionaire dollar company tie in to what happened to Susan?

Secrets seem to be coming out of the woodwork as we move quickly through the short, terse chapters that made this novel a true page-turner, with the stunning reveal building up with a heart-pounding intensity that literally made it impossible for me to stop reading. Recommended for all fans of the author and those who enjoy murder mysteries. 5.0 stars.

MY FIRST BOOK OF THE YEAR: 2015

It is that time again, folks!  Our First Book of the Year, 2015, will go live tomorrow, so I’m posting this, and getting ready, set, go!

Drum roll, please!

My first book….is from the Queen of Suspense, Mary Higgins Clark, & Alafair Burke:

The Cinderella Murder.

 

 

 

 

I have been priming the pump for this one by reading a couple of MHC’s other books in the past few weeks, including the prequel to this one:

I’ve Got You Under My Skin, the first book in the Under Suspicion series. (Click for my review).

 

Blurb for The Cinderella Murder:

In a first-time collaboration, “Queen of Suspense” Mary Higgins Clark partners with bestselling author Alafair Burke to deliver a brand new suspense series about a television program featuring cold case murders.

Television producer Laurie Moran is delighted when the pilot for her reality drama, Under Suspicion, is a success. Even more, the program—a cold case series that revisits unsolved crimes by recreating them with those affected—is off to a fantastic start when it helps solve an infamous murder in the very first episode.

Now Laurie has the ideal case to feature in the next episode of Under Suspicion: the Cinderella Murder. When Susan Dempsey, a beautiful and multi-talented UCLA student, was found dead, her murder raised numerous questions. Why was her car parked miles from her body? Had she ever shown up for the acting audition she was due to attend at the home of an up-and-coming director? Why does Susan’s boyfriend want to avoid questions about their relationship? Was her disappearance connected to a controversial church that was active on campus? Was she close to her computer science professor because of her technological brilliance, or something more? And why was Susan missing one of her shoes when her body was discovered?

With the help of lawyer and Under Suspicion host Alex Buckley, Laurie knows the case will attract great ratings, especially when the former suspects include Hollywood’s elite and tech billionaires. The suspense and drama are perfect for the silver screen—but is Cinderella’s murderer ready for a close-up?

Together Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke deliver an exciting publishing event: the start of a thrilling new series guaranteed to keep you guessing until the last suspenseful page.

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I am very excited to start reading this book.  And I am very eager to see what the rest of you have chosen to launch your New Year.

Come on by and share your thoughts and your offerings!  And Happy New Year!

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