Customer Reviews

Do You Want to Know a Secret ?

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

By now y'all know Mary Higgins Clark is the ex-mother-in-law of our author here, Mary Jane Clark. Many speak to the similarities of style -- a dashing (and gorgeous wholesome single mom, young widow, and accomplished professional) leading lady who overcomes all odds; enough violence and suspense to entertain and befuddle; and a nice clean ending we can all feel good about. Well hopefully that could be said about many a good book. The differences I see are more interesting. First the venue -- set mostly in the surrounds of a major news network, midst the tribulations of the early morning shows and anchor broadcasts at night, we certainly get (ala the movie "Network News") plenty of up close looks at the pressured lives on the news set. In the best tradition of write about what you know about, MJ speaks from personal experience as a producer and writer for CBS News. Indeed, Dan Rather gets a cameo mention in the story, as he does in the acknowledgments up front for his encouragement to the author. I just hope the romances reported among many co-workers aren't quite that prevalent, although as we know, propinquity is a powerful force (said Zelda to Dobie...).

Second, we get a pretty good story line. The first shocker is the apparent suicide of a famous anchor, followed thereafter (but paced well) by the murders of his doctor and his secretary. Even the most dense of us realize the connections, though the trained newshounds seemed to miss it. A big surprise at the end serves up a murderer I dare say few suspected more than a page or two before the unveiling, so high marks for suspense.

Third, and of course not as welcome, we do get an awful lot of characters, relationships, AIDS pleas, disease causes, snippets of events, changes in scenery, etc.; to me, all that clutter gets a little tiresome. Certain loose ends never do get wrapped up, and I'm not even sure that a major subplot, the campaign machinations of a presidential candidate, really advanced the basic story line that well. I also personally disliked chopping the book up into 141 (!) chapters - do the math, they span 302 pages, so that's like two pages each. And the last 35 span only 25 pages, so we're down to barely more than the "sound bites" so lovingly quoted throughout.

So - for her first outing (of four to date), not bad. Clean things up, simplify a little, give us a little longer reading stretch with out raising and lowering the curtain a hundred times, and we might have something here. I'll at least move on to number 2 - "Do you promise not to tell?". And you?

I was at a book sale when I spotted Mary Jane's 3 first novels. I decided to buy them because I had read all of Mary Higgins Clark's novels and Mary Jane's books reminded me of Mary Higgins Clark. I decided, why not, the worst that can happen is that it is a boring book and the best that could happen is that I discover another great author like Mary Higgins Clark, James Patterson and Philip Margolin. Was I glad I did. This first novel was a bit slow at the beginning but it had enough suspense to keep me reading and the ending surprised me. I was happy to find out that Mary Jane has quick, snappy diaglogue with a mix of characters that keeps you guessing. Needless to say, her writing keeps getting better. Yep, the other two books were even better.

Eliza Blake, tv anchorwoman , is grieving over the death of her husband when her news partner, Bill Kendall, is found dead, apparently a suicide..........or was it???? Everyone has secrets to hide in this book, and the author knows how to play with our emotions..........I found this to be a realistic and exciting read, packed with twists and surprises....reminiscent of her (ex) mother-in-law, the great Mary Higgins Clark! Enjoy yourself with this one....she's an author to watch for!!

Mary Jane Clark is one of my all time favorite authors. I own every book in hard & soft cover. I even troll for the foreign editions. Not many come close to the awe-inspiring Mary Jane Clark.

I have been hooked on Mary Jane Clark since the Summer of 2000, when I picked up the nail-biting suspense soaked Do You Promise Not to Tell? I was 22 & kicking it by the pool, drenched in SPF, soaking up the sun & frantically searching for amazing reads while out of town stuck in a place that rolled up their sidewalks by 8:00 7:00 p.m. ~ I'm being a bit generous.

Mary Jane Clark saved me from turning into a listless baked potato in Bumpkinville. Thank you, MJC!!!

To this day, I still think about the main character, Farrell Slater. For me, that is the indelible mark of a gifted scribe. Creating characters so real you wonder about them long after you close the book. Mary Jane Clark does that with each & every high octane thriller.

Do You Want to Know a Secret? is a sharply designed spine-chiller.

Mary Jane Clark is a masterful storyteller. She weaves thrillers infused w/fireworks so powerful you feel like you have just stepped into the intense, unforgettable, hold-you-breath scene she has created & have become the main character.

Ms. Clark knows her stuff. Mary Jane Clark's distinct, accelerated prose allows readers an insider's glimpse of the broadcast-news business as the fictional KEY News takes you along for one adventurous ride.

Ms. Clark holds nothing back as she siphons her searing topics from bona fide headlines.

Do You Want to Know a Secret? is a tightly knit whodunit with nonstop action, a suspenseful plot that packs a wallop & absorbing characters.

Eliza Blake is one of the most empowering characters formulated. She is authentic, delightful, charming, intelligent & stunning. Eliza is one of my absolute favorite fictional characters ever constructed in story land. She is the type of woman every girl should aspire to be ~ honest, compassionate, brilliant & real. No Hollywood-doll here. Eliza is definitely as far from a Holl-doll as one could get & it is refreshing since she is in the public eye. She never gets bratty on or off camera. Eliza is a kindred spirit. She evokes emotions. I laughed & cried along with Eliza. I felt her anger & frustration. I rooted for her. I cied with her. I understood why she was the person she was & why behaved the way she did.

All of the characters were magnetic. Range was so richly developed you just wanted to know more about him. Mac was an intriguing, smart hero who is flawed which makes him engaging & endearing. Janie is simply adorable.

Do You Want to Know a Secret? is a must read book for readers of every genre.

Ms. Clark kept me guessing right up to the last page-turning stimulating climax.

I devoured this in one sitting ~ I do this w/ all of her books. Which can be a horrible habit, since I have to wait until the following Summer for the next Mary Jane Clark roller coaster ~ & do it all over again.

The author writes well, but rarely have I read a book that left so many "untied" loose ends. There were many hints throughout the book as to who the bad guy/gal was, but most of these hints were never resolved one way or another. Unless I missed something? For example, what was the deal with "the mole"? They mentioned it several times and then . . . nothing! And what about Pete Carlson? Did he spill the beans about Joy and Bill at the convention? Did he remain as anchor or did Yelena finally get rid of him? And what about the homeless guy stealing the animal doorknockers?? Can someone please tell me how that fit in with the rest of the book? Or did it? Were all of these simply "red herrings," or did the whole plot just go right over my head? (I sincerely would like someone to explain this book to me - I'm not kidding.)

I started the book last night, and couldn't put it down until 4 am, but at least I finished it! It was a good storyline, I enjoyed getting a simple glimpse into the media world. It also gives you a good peek into the corruption behind campaigns and politics in general. I really liked the characters in this book, although each one, in my opinion, could have used some more depth. The only reason this book doesn't get 5 stars is because as you read it - you start to feel that the second half of the book <with extra emphasis on the last quarter of the book> was completely RUSHED. I really don't like a sudden closing to a book. However, it really does keep you guessing until the last couple of pages. I just feel that it could have had MORE of an impact, and MORE of that "UMPH" had the story been written at the same speed throughout. I do recommend this book for anyone who just wants a good book to read. If you're looking for something you will remember for life - this isn't going to be it. But if you're looking for a pleasant way to spend a nice afternoon - - - by all means, try reading Mary Jane Clark's "Do You...etc." Final word: I believe her mother-in-law, the OTHER Clark, would be quite proud of her ex-daughter in law. The woman can write. However, given her talents, I wish she would learn to write in her own style, instead of in the familiar style of the OTHER Clark.

Do You Want To Know a Secret is a well-written book that entertained me throughout the whole novel. It was about a few newscasters who all had secrets that could ruin their reputations. However, their secrets get out. Unfortunately, they don't know how or who told. There are characters in this book who aren't the people that everyone thought they all knew. This book has many twists and turns that keeps you on the edge. I enjoyed this book very much. If you are looking for an exciting and wonderful book then read this.

If you like Mary H. Clark books, you'll love books by Mary J. Clark. "Do you want to know a secret" is full of suspense with a surprising twist ending. Eliza Blake is a popular co-anchor for KEY news. She has a 4 year old daughter and is starting to get over her husband's death. One day, the anchor, Bill Kendall, is found dead in his apartment. The autopsy shows suicide, but what made him do it? Read this book and find out.

Mary Jane Clark has given us a mystery filled with riveting twists and turns. And her descriptions of the Sacred Heart Cathedral left me thinking a trip to Newark would be interesting!?! Perhaps like Mary Jane Clark's book, the city offers more than one would expect. I'm looking forward to reading her next book. Thanks reader from NJ for clearing up the reader from Florida's disturbing misunderstanding of Catholic compassion.

This is amry Jane Clark at her best. I never saw the end coming! It is a fantastic book, lots of twists and turns. Let's hear it for Mary Jane Clark!