Almost 3 months ago, #1 New York Times bestseller and queen of suspense, Mary Higgins Clark passed away on January 31, 2020.
Born and raised in Bronx, New York, Clark’s writing career began after her husband’s death when she wrote radio scripts to make ends meet while raising her children. Her first novel was not in the suspense genre that she later became known for, but rather it was a biographical novel about George Washington. The idea for this novel was inspired by a radio series she was writing titled, “Portrait of a Patriot.” It was originally published in 1969 by Meredith Press under the title, Aspire to the Heavens. While it did not garner the same attention as her later works, a member of the Washington family discovered the piece and re-issued it in the early 2000s with the title Mount Vernon Love Story.
The turning point in Clark’s career, was the publication of her first suspense novel published by Simon and Schuster in 1975. Where are the Children? became a bestseller and is currently in its 75th edition in paperback format.
Clarke received numerous awards, honors, and recognition from her writing and Catholic contributions locally and globally. Some of her novels she co-authored with her daughter, Carol Higgins Clark and others were collaborated with crime novelist Alafair Burke.
It is inspiring to know that something like radio scripts could be the start to a novel-writing career and transitioning to short stories could ultimately launch that career. Clark faced rejection head on but displayed her first acceptance letter for a short story in Extension Magazine in 1956. Every writer has their own journey. Mary Higgins Clark’s journey was unique and she will be missed in the world of publishing.
If you’re looking for quarantine reads, here are some of her most popular works:
- Where Are the Children
- A Stranger is Watching
- While My Pretty One Sleeps
- Loves Music, Loves to Dance
- All Around the Town
- A Stranger is Watching
- Kiss the Girls and Make Them Cry
To see more of her works, visit Clark’s website.
Were you a Mary Higgins Clark Fan? Let us know in the comments below!
Looking for a different type of read? Check out our new series: The Social Distancing Life.
Rachel Slaiman is a published freelance writer of several articles in both print and online as well an editor and copy editor of aspiring author’s manuscripts. She is currently the co-recording secretary for the WNBA and co-chair for the Brooklyn Book Festival. Rachel holds a B.A. in Communications and a M.S. from Pace University. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and writing short stories.
