Customer Reviews

The Night Awakens: A Mystery Writers of America Anthology

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

 

 

This book is so boring- ZZZZZZZ. It was very hard for me to finish. If you are going to buy a book, buy one that Mary Higgins Clark has written, not EDITED. Because this one is SLOW.

This is the second book of its type that I have purchased that is presented by Mary Higgens Clark. I think she has made a great choice in the selection of authors. Nancy Pickard makes a second appearance, and since I read the first book I have now purchased all of her books. The stories are great, and give you an insight into the style of the other authors. When Mary Higgens Clark does not have anything out at the moment it is a great way to find other authors BEFORE you buy their books.

When asked why her suspense novels always had an air of romance about them, author Mary Higgins Clark replied, "crime stories have been part of the human experience since Adam and Eve. Think about it. Only two people on earth, and she persuades him to commit a felony. They have two kids, and one murders the other. The die was cast for the rest of us." Perfectly logical. And such logic makes Mary Higgins Clark the perfect editor for a new group of suspense-filled, romantic mysteries in "The Night Awakens: A Mystery Writers of America Anthology."

These ten stories vary from murder and crime to tangled affairs of the heart and home, each offering its own puzzle. Every writer in the series delivers a polished performance with believable dialogue and impeccable timing. These tales are just perfect for light reading. The stories are great, and give you an insight into the style of the other authors. It is a great way to find and try out other authors.

-Sharon Galligar Chance

It's not Mary Higgins Clark you are reading which is dissappointing but the stories are pretty light and easy to read. Little suspense in most and the writers are not the best I've read.

I took this book on vacation and it was good for light reading around the pool. Two of the ten stories were rather boring, but the rest were entertaining and at least three (All You Need Is Love by Sarah Shankman; Afraid of the Dark by Nancy Packard; Sibling Rivalry by Brendan DuBois) were VERY good. Well, I felt I got [my money's] worth of entertainment out of it anyway.

I was a little surprised at the title of this book which seemed to indicate that Mrs. Clark had written it herself. I see that she put the stories together and must have critiqued them, but I love best those that she actually wrote. It was a good book to read however.

Light reading and not a bad choice to take with you for a long appointment or trip. Not a whole lot of suspense or mystery, but fairly enjoyable way to be introduced to a new author or two.

There were a couple of good stories here, and I even found one author to follow up on, so I guess it was worth the two bits I paid for the book and the few evenings of bedtime and bathroom reading spent on it. But most were middlin' at best and several were almost painful to read.

Part of the boredom factor is that only about half are actually mysteries or investigations, the rest simply involving crime in some form.

Just FYI, although others have pointed this out, none of the stories is actually by Mary Higgins Clark, if that's what you are looking for.

Buy it cheap and recycle it, or just borrow it.

this was one of the worst books i have read. i didn't even finish it. i guess if you like short stories that are not even written by mary higgins clark then read it. very dissapointing.