I've Got You Under My Skin

I am going to take a minute and go in the "way back" machine. When I was young I hated reading. *GASP* ....I know. When we had to read in school I would buy "cliff notes" because I refused to read a whole book. THEN, when I got married (which was a loooong time ago...hehe) I had a friend who had always loved reading. We had been friends since we were six, and she was always trying to get me to read a book. ONE day, my husband was working late and going to school and I thought "I want to read a book". I almost thought I was having an out of body experience, because I had never uttered those words before. My friend immediately said, "I have just the book for you. You like mysteries, so let me bring this book to you.". I finally agreed, and picked up my very first MARY HIGGINS CLARK book, and never looked back. So why the "way back" machine. It was a MARRY HIGGINS CLARK book that got me to read, and I loved the book so much I read every single one of hers that had been released. She will probably always be one of my favorite authors, because in my head she is the one who brought me to the realization that reading is FANTABULOUS..(it's a word, because I like it..heheh).Okay, now back to reality...What I love most about Higgins books are that she has so many characters. It makes me have to really keep my thinking cap on the whole time, which I love. I have learned that it is easier to write the names down on a piece of paper now, so that I don't have to go back and try to remember who they were. I am getting smarter...heheheHer books are always full of mystery, and excitement. Whenever I start one of Higgin's books it's very hard to put it down. This one was no exception.Laurie suffered a terrible loss. Her husband was murdered and the murderer threatened to come after her and her son next. She lived in constant fear of her and her sons lives. Her father a retired cop vowed to protect his daughter and his grandson with everything he had. Laurie's son was a witness to the murder when he was 3 and had to live with the memory of seeing his father gunned down.Laurie is a producer of reality TV, and decides to try and launch a new reality show about a murder that had happened 20 years ago. She got all of the former people involved to participate in a reenactment, and the story really gets interesting then.I love how Higgins connects all of her characters. It's always mind blowing to me. You know that they have a little connection but when the story unfolds you realize every one has a secret and they all share part of the same secret. It's amazing.Her characters are always so great. I always, and I mean always think I know who the killer is, and EVERY TIME, I am wrong. Every single time. Dang she is good. hehehe. In this book there happen to be two bad guys, and one was obvious and the other wasn't. There were two stories going on at the same time, which made it even more exciting for me.One story was about Powell and the murder of his wife Betsy. That is the premise behind the show that Laurie is doing, called Under Suspicion. While uncovering the facts that went along with the murder, there is also the story of Laurie's husbands murder. Like I said, there was a lot going on.I loved this story. It was exciting, and the characters were great, and complex. Some of them were just down right nasty human beings, and Higgins does a great job of writing a villain! Some of them were sweet, and kind, and I felt their struggles along with them.It's amazing to see the story, and the characters come together. There are twists and turns, that kept me wondering who the "real" murderer was and who the victims were. It's just so great :)!I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give anything away, but if you like mystery, and suspense...you will like this book. This may be one of my favorites of Higgins. I think I might say that after every book though...hehehe.Source: I bought this book for myself off Amazon. I am not affiliated with Amazon in anyway and was not compensated for this review. These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.

I couldn't put this book down! This book keeps you guessing from beginning end. Mary Higgins Clark keeps you in suspense!

A superb mystery, that kept you thinking that it was each of the main characters who could have been the murderer. Great characterization and writing style.

The development of the characters and setting was easy to follow. I personally appreciated the clean language without degrading base phrases. I also liked the way the authors let the readers know how each character was doing at the end, especially Claire. I thought it was Isabelle but it wasn’t, so glad!

Usually w MHC, I can't put her novels down. This wasn't the case for I've Got You Under My Skin. Imo, it briefly started out exciting, then quickly went down to 'ok'. It took a long semi interesting build until the last few pages - which were the most interesting of the whole novel. Too bad it was only about 3 pages worth.

I’VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN, a novel by Mary Higgins Clark. Twenty years ago, Betsy Bonner Powell, wife of Wall Street financier, Robert Nicholas Powell, was murdered following a graduation gala at the Powell mansion for Betsy’s daughter Clair and her three closest friends and fellow graduates. Clair, her three friends and to a lesser degree the stepfather and the housekeeper have been under suspicion as persons of interest throughout this lengthy period. All suspected each other and all had personal reasons to dislike the murder victim. Lourie Moran, producer of the popular reality TV show, Under Suspicion, returned to the site of the crime to interview the suspects and others for her show with the hope of shedding light on the aging unsolved murder and possibly even flushing out the killer. Along with the graduation gala story a parallel scenario also plays out. Five years ago, Laurie Moran’s husband, Greg, a physician, was murdered in cold blood by a gunman while playing with their three-year-old son, Timmy, in a neighborhood park. The press named the killer Blue Eyes because Timmy as young as he was could only identify the gunman by the color of his eyes. Timmy did remember, however, that as the killer ran off he shouted, “Tell your mother that she’s next. Then it’s your turn.” The author does a masterful job of weaving both stories together while keeping story lines separate. Higgins Clark developed her characters well. From the very start the reader is exposed to the personal lives of each participant. As the story moves along the author gradually increases tension through the story’s fast changing scenes. Under My Skin is not a complicated “who done it” mystery; in fact, its simplicity might be one of its attractions and allows the reader to follow the logic and wily scheming of the chasers and the chased. Don’t let the simplicity of the plot fool you though; the story has as many twists and sharp turns as an Alpine slalom course right to the very end. I very much enjoyed the story and heartily recommend it. I rate the book a 5.

I couldn't put this down! I completed it in two days. There were more suspects than you could shake a stick at and the true killer ended up being a real surprise. In addition, there was the mystery of who killed Laurie Moran's husband and threatened her and her son. It was a real page turner and the characters were well rounded and with the exception of a few, you felt sympathy for them. I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to read the others!

I couldn't keep it down. Wanted to know the end. Read it with in 24 hours of the purchase. Great!

well I had not read any of this authors books before although enjoyable I found some times a little slow nut i did read it all but will look for another book to try again i wont give up

The reader is kept in suspense until the very end of the novel. Very interesting and well written. I would rcommend it highly.

Worum geht es? (Ohne zu viel zu verraten)------------------------------------------------------Laurie Masons Mann wird erschossen. Der Täter flüchtet unerkannt mit der Drohung, als nächstes Laurie, danach ihren Sohn zu töten.Eigentlich sollte man meinen, dieser Aufhänger liefere bereits genug Spannung für einen Krimi. Doch diese Geschichte erzählt das Buch eigentlich nur am Rande. Um ehrlich zu sein, das Buch würde auch ohne dieses Spannungselement funktionieren - vielleicht sogar besser.Denn erzählt wird vor allem folgende Geschichte: Vor 20 Jahren wurde Betsy Powell ermordet. Die geschah genau in der Nacht nach der Party, die Betsy und ihr Mann Robert zur Feier des Collegeabschlusses ihrer Tochter Claire und ihrer 3 besten Freundinnen gaben. Alle Personen im Haus hatten einen Groll gegen die Gastgeberin, doch konnte der Mörder nie identifiziert werden. Laurie Mason möchte im Rahmen einer Fernsehserie über ungeklärte Mordfälle alle Verdächtigen am Tatort zusammenbringen und die entscheidenen Stunden neu durchleben lassen. Natürlich wird die psychische Belastung dabei für einen von ihnen unerträglich....Wie wird erzählt?---------------------Mary Higgins Clark steht für absolut spannend geschriebene "Who's done it's". Mehr sollte man von dem Buch nicht erwarten. Es wird kein psychologisch differenziertes Portrait geliefert, keine Gesellschaftskritik, keine Milleustudie. MHC ist kein Mankell, keine Elizabeth George und keine Anne Perry. Das ist nicht die Absicht des Buches oder der Autorin und wer solches sucht, sollte weiter suchen.Geliefert wird aber leichte und packende Krimikost. In extrem kurzen Kapiteln wechselt MHC die Perspektive zwischen der meist recht großen Zahl handelnder Personen. Auch in den Täter versetzt sie den Leser, ohne zu viel zu enthüllen. Gerade dieser rasche Szenenwechsel kann sehr viel Spannung erzeugen, weil er die Möglichkeit vieler "Cliffhanger" bietet. MHCs handelnde Personen stammen aus der amerikanischen Oberschicht, meist aus dem New Yorker Raum. Der Leser - vermutlich meist "die Leserin" - erfährt viel über die Garderobe der Hauptpersonen. Und meist tritt auch ein gutaussehender, wohlhabender Junggeselle in das Leben der weiblichen Hauptfigur.Alle diese ihre Standardelemente liefert MHC auch hier. Neu ist die Tatsache, dass hier eigentlich 2 Geschichten über die Person Lauries miteinander verwoben sind. Wobei mich das unverknüpfte Nebeneinander dieser beiden Handlungsstränge eigentlich eher störte. Ich denke, es hätte dem Buch gut getan, wenn MHC auf die persönliche Bedrohung Lauries durch ein zurückliegendes Problem verzichtet hätte. MHC hätte dann mehr Raum für die Entwicklung der spannungsgeladenen Szenen bei der Rekonstruktion des 20 Jahre zurückliegenden Mordes an Betsy Powell gehabt. Auch hier hätte sich am Ende eine gefährliche Situation für Laurie ergeben können.Stärken und Schwächen (Ohne zu viel zu verraten)---------------------------------------------------------------Das Buch ist wieder einmal ein absoluter "Pageturner", das muss man MHC lassen. Sehr gut entwickelt sie auch für die 6 beteiligten Verdächtigen Motive, so dass der Leser fast jedem den Mord auch wirklich zutrauen würde und hin und her gerissen ist, mitzuraten, wer Betsy denn nun wirklich auf dem Gewissen hat. Dieser Teil des Buches ist absolut gelungen.Was wirklich erschreckend schwach ist, ist der Schluss. Aus heiterem Himmel macht "the killer" etwas, das in dieser Form dem, was "the killer" gerade vorher noch selbst reflektierte, krass widerspricht. Danach häufen sich noch 4 Seiten unglaubwürdiger Zufälle - und Schluss.Wie gesagt, es sind nur die letzten Seiten, die so erschreckend schlecht sind, vorher ist das Buch wirklich das, was man sich von einer netten Urlaubslektüre erwarten würde. Leider ist es halt bei einem Krimi der Schluss, der den Gesamteindruck entscheidend mitprägt. Und hier ist es so, dass das Ende des Buches einem den ganzen Spaß an der Geschichte verdirbt, weil es einfach nur hingeschludert und mit unplausiblen Zufällen vollgestopft ist. An allem außer den letzten 10 Seiten kann man aber sehr wohl auf's Trefflichste seinen Spaß haben.Noch etwas?----------------MHC ist immer zu empfehlen, wenn man ein Buch sucht, mit dem man sein Englisch etwas auffrischen kann. Sie ist leicht zu lesen und eben unheimlich spannend. Auch dieses Buch kann man zu diesem Zwecke absolut empfehlen, gerade auf dem Kindle mit eingebautem Wörterbuch.

Recuerda un poco las tramas de Agatha Christie.Mantiene el interés durante toda la lectura.Es una autora que nunca decepciona.