Mary Higgins Clark Books in Order
See every Mary Higgins Clark book in order, with quick summaries, coauthored series, reading order guides, and tips on where to start her classic suspense.
Last updated: June 7, 2026
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Publication Order
70 books
Aspire to the Heavens / Mount Vernon Love Story
by Mary Higgins Clark
1968
A fictional portrait of George and Martha Washington, this early novel follows Washington from uncertain young officer to reluctant president, focusing on his marriage, home at Mount Vernon, and the private love story behind public history.
Where Are the Children?
by Mary Higgins Clark
1975
Nancy Harmon, once accused of killing her first two children, has built a new life on Cape Cod with a new family. When her young son and daughter vanish, echoes of the past return and she must race to find them while proving her innocence.
A Stranger is Watching
by Mary Higgins Clark
1977
Two years after his wife’s murder, Steve Peterson supports the death penalty for the convicted killer—until his young son and a TV reporter are abducted by the real murderer and hidden beneath Grand Central Terminal in a deadly countdown.
The Cradle Will Fall
by Mary Higgins Clark
1980
After a late‑night car accident, prosecutor Katie DeMaio glimpses something sinister in a passing van. Her investigation into a respected fertility doctor uncovers chilling experiments and puts her own life in danger.
A Cry in the Night
by Mary Higgins Clark
1982
Divorced single mother Jenny MacPartland marries charismatic painter Erich Krueger and moves to his isolated Minnesota farm. As his behavior grows possessive and his obsession with his dead mother emerges, Jenny realizes she and her children may not be safe.
Stillwatch
by Mary Higgins Clark
1984
TV journalist Pat Traymore moves to Washington, D.C., to profile a powerful senator poised to become vice president and to live in the Georgetown house where a childhood tragedy occurred. Anonymous threats and buried political secrets quickly turn deadly.
Murder in Manhattan
by Mary Higgins Clark
1986
An anthology of New York–set crime stories by Mary Higgins Clark and other mystery writers, including Clark’s own “Lucky Day.” Each tale uses a different Manhattan neighborhood as the backdrop for intrigue, chance encounters, and sharply turned endings.
Murder On The Aisle
by Mary Higgins Clark
1987
Set in the world of theater, this short suspense piece follows the fallout when a glamorous evening at the movies turns into a crime scene, exposing jealousies and rivalries that have been simmering just offstage.
Terror Stalks The Class Reunion
by Mary Higgins Clark
1987
Former teacher Kay Crandall returns for a high‑school reunion expecting nostalgia, not danger. When an obsessed ex‑student kidnaps her, determined to make her his captive bride, Kay must outthink a madman to survive.
Weep No More, My Lady
by Mary Higgins Clark
1987
When her glamorous actress sister Leila dies in an apparent suicide at an exclusive spa, Elizabeth Lange refuses to believe she jumped. As she digs into Leila’s last days, jealous colleagues and hidden obsessions emerge, and Elizabeth becomes the next potential victim.
Caribbean Blues
by Mary Higgins Clark
1988
A shared‑world mystery aboard a Caribbean cruise, this anthology’s title story by Mary Higgins Clark drops readers into a floating resort where jewel thieves, con artists, and unsuspecting passengers collide in close quarters.
Double Vision
by Mary Higgins Clark
1988
In this eerie short thriller, Caroline Marshall still mourns her twin sister, murdered five years earlier. When the killer returns on the anniversary to finish the job he botched, Caroline must untangle her sister’s secrets to stay alive.
Death on the Cape and Other Stories
by Mary Higgins Clark
1989
A varied story collection featuring airline hijinks, eerie nightmares, and several Alvirah Meehan capers, including one where the lottery winner returns from England to find a Broadway actress’s body in her hotel wardrobe.
The Anastasia Syndrome and Other Stories
by Mary Higgins Clark
1989
This collection pairs the novella The Anastasia Syndrome, about a historian whose search for her origins unleashes a dangerous split identity, with four shorter tales exploring obsessive love, psychic bonds, premonitions, and mothers fighting for their children.
While My Pretty One Sleeps
by Mary Higgins Clark
1989
Neeve Kearney, owner of an upscale Manhattan boutique, is stunned when her difficult but influential client, a fashion writer, is found murdered. As Neeve searches for answers among designers and socialites, she uncovers secrets someone is desperate to keep buried.
Loves Music, Loves to Dance
by Mary Higgins Clark
1991
Best friends Erin and Darcy help a TV producer research personal ads, treating it as a lark until Erin is found murdered, wearing one dancing slipper. Determined to catch the “dancing shoe” killer, Darcy puts herself directly in his sights.
All Around the Town
by Mary Higgins Clark
1992
College student Laurie Kenyon is accused of killing her English professor but has no memory of the crime. Kidnapped and abused as a child, she developed multiple personalities, and now her sister and a psychiatrist must uncover what really happened before it’s too late.
Lucky Day
by Mary Higgins Clark
1992
This short story traces Alvirah Meehan’s fateful lottery win and the troubles that follow as opportunists and criminals swarm. Her street smarts and Willy’s steady presence help them navigate sudden wealth without losing themselves.
I'll Be Seeing You
by Mary Higgins Clark
1993
Reporter Meghan Collins, still grieving her father’s mysterious disappearance, sees the face of a dead Jane Doe in the ER that looks exactly like her own. Investigating the double leads her to a fertility clinic and a web of stolen identities.
Remember Me
by Mary Higgins Clark
1994
Still mourning her young son’s accidental death, Menley Nichols accompanies her lawyer husband and their baby to a rented Cape Cod house called Remember House. Strange events echo an old tragedy and make her fear history is about to repeat itself.
The Lottery Winner
by Mary Higgins Clark
1994
A linked collection of stories about Queens cleaning woman Alvirah Meehan and her plumber husband Willy after her lottery win. Sudden wealth brings kidnappers, jewel thieves, and con artists, but Alvirah’s sharp eye and big heart keep landing her on the side of justice.
Bad Behavior
by Mary Higgins Clark
1995
Edited by Mary Higgins Clark, this anthology gathers twenty‑two crime stories in which teenagers, fractured families, and small acts of rebellion slide toward violence, highlighting how ordinary misbehavior can sometimes conceal something far darker.
Let Me Call You Sweetheart
by Mary Higgins Clark
1995
Prosecutor Kerry McGrath visits a plastic surgeon with her daughter and notices several women who share the same eerily perfect face, identical to a decade‑old murder victim dubbed the “Sweetheart Killer.” Her curiosity about that face puts her on a collision course with a killer.
Silent Night
by Mary Higgins Clark
1995
On Christmas Eve in New York, seven‑year‑old Brian chases the thief who stole his mother’s wallet and his father’s cherished St. Christopher medal, only to fall into the orbit of an escaped convict. As snow falls, family, police, and a remorseful sister race to find him.
Moonlight Becomes You
by Mary Higgins Clark
1996
Fashion photographer Maggie Holloway reunites with her beloved former stepmother, only to arrive in Newport and find her murdered. Inheriting the Victorian house, Maggie notices a disturbing pattern in recent deaths among elderly women and realizes she’s next on the list.
My Gal Sunday
by Mary Higgins Clark
1996
Four linked stories introduce Henry Parker Britland IV, a youthful former president, and his congresswoman wife Sunday. Between political intrigues, kidnappings, and missing dignitaries, the glamorous couple turns their honeymoon‑phase chemistry into an informal crime‑solving partnership.
Pretend You Don't See Her
by Mary Higgins Clark
1997
Manhattan real‑estate star Lacey Farrell witnesses a client’s murder and hears the woman’s last plea to protect her dead daughter’s journal. After entering witness protection, Lacey discovers the killer has tracked her down and that the missing pages hold the key to the truth.
All Through the Night
by Mary Higgins Clark
1998
On Christmas Eve, Alvirah and Willy Meehan search for a stolen church chalice and help a young woman whose baby was taken years before. Their investigation winds through Manhattan charity parties and tenements, bringing together two long‑separated families.
The Body in the Closet and Plumbing for Willy
by Mary Higgins Clark
1998
An audio collection featuring two Alvirah and Willy stories: in one, a corpse turns up in a hotel closet; in the other, a routine plumbing job pulls Willy into danger, giving Alvirah two more chances to play amateur sleuth.
You Belong To Me
by Mary Higgins Clark
1998
Radio psychologist Susan Chandler warns listeners about dating safety, then becomes convinced a serial killer is targeting single women on cruise ships, giving each a ring engraved “You Belong to Me.” Her show turns into both a lifeline and bait for the murderer.
The Night Awakens
by Mary Higgins Clark
1999
A true‑crime anthology associated with Mystery Writers of America, this volume collects essays and stories about real and fictional cases of violence against women, exploring how unsolved crimes continue to haunt families and communities.
The Plot Thickens
by Mary Higgins Clark
1999
In this charity anthology, Mary Higgins Clark and fellow mystery writers each spin a tale that must include a thick fog, a thick steak, and a thick book. The result is a playful mix of crime stories built around a shared storytelling challenge.
We'll Meet Again
by Mary Higgins Clark
1999
Convicted of killing her HMO‑executive husband, Molly Lasch serves six years in prison while claiming not to remember the night of the murder. After parole, she enlists her journalist friend Fran Simmons to investigate, uncovering medical fraud, betrayal, and a killer still at large.
Before I Say Good-Bye
by Mary Higgins Clark
2000
When columnist Nell MacDermott’s architect husband dies with three colleagues in a yacht explosion tied to a major development project, questions of corruption and sabotage arise. A medium claiming to channel her husband’s messages pulls Nell into a dangerous search for the bomber.
Deck the Halls
by Mary Higgins Clark
2000
In this Christmas collaboration with Carol Higgins Clark, lottery‑winner Alvirah Meehan teams up with PI Regan Reilly when Regan’s father is kidnapped just before the holidays. Ransom notes, family tensions, and Manhattan traffic create a fast, festive rescue race.
He Sees You When You're Sleeping
by Mary Higgins Clark
2001
Selfish playboy Sterling Brooks dies in a freak accident and finds himself stuck in limbo. To earn his way into heaven, he must help a troubled young girl reunite with her fractured family before Christmas Eve runs out.
On the Street Where You Live
by Mary Higgins Clark
2001
After a stalking ordeal and divorce, lawyer Emily Graham buys her ancestral Victorian house in Spring Lake, New Jersey. A skeleton found during renovations, clutching a bone wearing Emily’s family ring, links long‑ago disappearances to a modern killer who is watching her.
Daddy's Little Girl
by Mary Higgins Clark
2002
At seven, Ellie Cavanaugh testified against a wealthy nineteen‑year‑old she believed killed her older sister. Twenty‑two years later he is paroled and claims innocence, pushing Ellie—now a reporter—to reopen the case and confront both a possible miscarriage of justice and a dangerous man.
Kitchen Privileges
by Mary Higgins Clark
2002
Clark’s memoir traces her Bronx childhood during the Depression, the loss of her father, years as a Pan Am stewardess, early marriage and widowhood, radio‑script work, and the long path to writing *Where Are the Children?* and the suspense novels that followed.
The Second Time Around
by Mary Higgins Clark
2003
When biotech CEO Nicholas Spencer’s plane disappears after his company’s anticancer vaccine fails and investors lose their savings, financial reporter Carley DeCarlo—his skeptical stepsister‑in‑law—is assigned the story. As she digs into corporate secrets, someone will do anything to stop her.
Nighttime Is My Time
by Mary Higgins Clark
2004
Historian Jean Sheridan returns to her elite high school for a twentieth reunion, only to see classmates die under suspicious circumstances. A taunting fax about the child she gave up for adoption and a killer dubbed “the Owl” make her realize she is the final target.
The Christmas Thief
by Mary Higgins Clark
2004
When the giant Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is hijacked as part of a jewel‑heist scheme, Alvirah Meehan and Regan Reilly follow the trail to a snow‑covered Vermont lodge, untangling cons, old grudges, and holiday chaos.
No Place Like Home
by Mary Higgins Clark
2005
At ten, Liza Barton accidentally shot her mother and was branded a child killer. Years later, living under a new name, her husband unknowingly buys her childhood house as a surprise, and someone begins framing her for a fresh series of deaths.
Santa Cruise
by Mary Higgins Clark
2006
Alvirah and Willy join Regan and Jack Reilly on the maiden voyage of a holiday‑themed cruise ship. What should be a floating party turns tense when con artists, a missing "Santa," and a dangerous fugitive all surface at sea.
Two Little Girls in Blue
by Mary Higgins Clark
2006
Twin three‑year‑olds Kathy and Kelly are kidnapped for ransom; only Kelly returns, while the kidnappers insist Kathy is dead. When Kelly begins insisting her sister is alive and communicating with her, their mother follows those strange clues in a desperate search.
Ghost Ship
by Mary Higgins Clark
2007
In this illustrated children’s story set on Cape Cod, Thomas finds an old belt buckle on the beach and meets Silas, a cabin boy from a ship lost centuries ago. Their brief friendship lets Thomas glimpse courage and adventure on the high seas.
I Heard That Song Before
by Mary Higgins Clark
2007
As a child, landscaper’s daughter Kay Lansing overheard a blackmail conversation in the Carrington mansion the night a young woman vanished. Years later she marries heir Peter Carrington, long suspected in that disappearance, and begins to fear her husband’s past is repeating itself.
Dashing Through the Snow
by Mary Higgins Clark
2008
In the small town of Branscombe, New Hampshire, four coworkers unexpectedly share a winning lottery ticket. As greed, envy, and old secrets flare and people go missing, Alvirah Meehan and Regan Reilly must uncover who is willing to kill for the jackpot.
Where Are You Now?
by Mary Higgins Clark
2008
Ten years ago, college student Mack MacKenzie walked out of his New York apartment and disappeared, calling home only once a year on Mother’s Day. His sister Carolyn finally vows to track him down, uncovering ties to missing women and secrets in their privileged circle.
Just Take My Heart
by Mary Higgins Clark
2009
When Broadway star Natalie Raines is murdered, a small‑time criminal later claims her estranged husband hired him to do it. Assistant prosecutor Emily Wallace takes the case, unaware that her seemingly helpful neighbor has a dark past and a disturbing interest in her.
The Shadow of Your Smile
by Mary Higgins Clark
2010
A dying nun reveals that a world‑famous heiress may have had a secret child, threatening a powerful family’s control of a vast art‑world fortune. As lawyer Monica Farrell investigates, she stirs up old hatreds and becomes a target herself.
I'll Walk Alone
by Mary Higgins Clark
2011
Two years after her toddler son was abducted from Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, interior designer Alexandra Moreland is still searching. Now someone is stealing her identity and planting evidence that she harmed her own child, forcing her to confront a chilling impostor.
The Magical Christmas Horse
by Mary Higgins Clark
2011
In this gentle Christmas picture book, young Johnny visits his grandparents’ farm and is captivated by a beautifully carved wooden horse stored in the barn. A holiday surprise turns the treasured toy into a symbol of family love and tradition.
The Lost Years
by Mary Higgins Clark
2012
Biblical scholar Jonathan Lyons is murdered after claiming to have found a letter written by Jesus. His daughter Mariah must clear her Alzheimer’s‑stricken mother, locate the missing manuscript, and discover which of her father’s colleagues is hiding the truth.
Daddy's Gone A-Hunting
by Mary Higgins Clark
2013
An explosion at a family‑owned antiques business nearly kills Hannah Connelly and leaves her sister Kate desperate for answers. As Kate probes old scandals, a long‑ago baby’s disappearance, and financial pressures, she realizes someone will kill to keep the past buried.
I've Got You Under My Skin
by Mary Higgins Clark
2014
Widowed TV producer Laurie Moran launches Under Suspicion, a reality show that reenacts cold cases, starting with a socialite’s unsolved “Graduation Gala” murder. As she gathers the original guests on camera, she must also watch for the man who once threatened her own family.
The Cinderella Murder
by Mary Higgins Clark
2014
Laurie Moran’s show tackles the decades‑old murder of Susan Dempsey, a brilliant student found dead in a Hollywood canyon instead of at the audition she never reached. Reuniting suspects and witnesses on set brings long‑hidden motives and a watching killer to light.
All Dressed in White
by Mary Higgins Clark
2015
A distraught mother asks Under Suspicion to revisit her daughter’s disappearance on the eve of a lavish destination wedding. Laurie Moran brings the bridal party, jilted groom, and family to the same resort, hoping the cameras will finally reveal what happened to the missing bride.
Death Wears a Beauty Mask and Other Stories
by Mary Higgins Clark
2015
A collection of early and later work, including the title story about a model whose final fashion shoot turns lethal, plus Alvirah and Willy adventures and previously hard‑to‑find suspense tales.
The Melody Lingers On
by Mary Higgins Clark
2015
Interior designer Lane Harmon works for the wife of a disgraced financier who vanished after a massive fraud. While helping refurbish the woman’s new home, Lane suspects the fugitive may still be alive—and that people around them know more than they admit.
As Time Goes By
by Mary Higgins Clark
2016
TV anchor Delaney Wright covers the trial of a woman accused of killing her wealthy husband while secretly searching for the birth mother who gave her up. As both stories entwine, Delaney discovers that the past she longs to know is tied to a deadly secret.
The Sleeping Beauty Killer
by Mary Higgins Clark
2016
Years after Casey Carter is convicted of killing her wealthy fiancé as he slept, she insists she was framed. Featuring her story on Under Suspicion, Laurie Moran must decide whether Casey is a wronged woman or a manipulative killer while someone works hard to keep the truth hidden.
All By Myself, Alone
by Mary Higgins Clark
2017
Jewelry expert Celia Kilbride escapes a scandal by lecturing on a luxury ship’s maiden voyage, sharing the trip with a legendary cursed diamond and its difficult owner. When the owner is murdered at sea, every passenger becomes a suspect.
Every Breath You Take
by Mary Higgins Clark
2017
During a glittering gala at New York’s Met, a wealthy widow falls—or is pushed—from the museum’s rooftop garden. Laurie Moran’s team restages the event for Under Suspicion, uncovering jealous relatives, art‑world rivalries, and a stalker who may strike again.
I've Got My Eyes on You
by Mary Higgins Clark
2018
Teenager Kerry Dowling is found dead in her backyard pool after a party. Suspicion falls on her boyfriend and a shy neighbor, while her older sister Aline teams with a young detective to sift suburban grudges and uncover the real killer.
You Don't Own Me
by Mary Higgins Clark
2018
Laurie Moran profiles the unsolved shooting of a famous physician whose controlling behavior extended far beyond his marriage. As filming begins, anonymous threats and unnerving videos suggest someone close to the case still wants his widow, and the truth, silenced.
Kiss the Girls and Make Them Cry
by Mary Higgins Clark
2019
Reporter Gina Kane pursues accusations of sexual harassment at a powerful television network. When women who planned to come forward die in apparent accidents, she realizes she’s up against a predator protected by money, lawyers, and a willingness to kill.
Piece of My Heart
by Mary Higgins Clark
2020
While Under Suspicion investigates the disappearance of a toddler from a family’s Hamptons birthday party years earlier, Laurie Moran also faces a tragedy close to home. The case weaves together sibling rivalries, a violent storm, and the devastating cost of one terrible decision.
Where Are the Children Now?
by Mary Higgins Clark
2023
Decades after their childhood abduction, Melissa and Mike Eldredge help their mother Nancy relocate from Cape Cod to the Hamptons. When Melissa’s young stepdaughter disappears under eerily similar circumstances, they must confront old trauma to save her before history repeats itself.
It Had to Be You
by Mary Higgins Clark
2024
A later entry in the Under Suspicion line, this novel finds Laurie Moran and her team reopening another emotionally charged cold case tied to love, betrayal, and a public humiliation that ended in a shocking death.
Where should I start?
If you want her classic psychological suspense: Where Are the Children? → A Stranger is Watching → All Around the Town
If you like family secrets and domestic drama: Remember Me → No Place Like Home → The Second Time Around
If you’re in the mood for a series to binge: I’ve Got You Under My Skin → The Cinderella Murder → All Dressed in White → The Sleeping Beauty Killer
If you love holiday mysteries: Silent Night → Deck the Halls → Dashing Through the Snow
If you’re shopping for younger readers: Ghost Ship → The Magical Christmas Horse → All Through the Night
Author bio
Mary Higgins Clark was born Mary Theresa Eleanor Higgins on December 24, 1927, in the Bronx, in a close-knit Irish American family above the neighborhood bar her father ran.
When he died suddenly while she was still a child, money grew tight and her mother took in boarders with “kitchen privileges.” Those years of listening to strangers’ conversations and watching her mother improvise under pressure later became the emotional bedrock of her fiction.
As a teenager she worked the switchboard at a Manhattan hotel, eavesdropping on guests and filing away scraps of dialogue. After secretarial school she joined Remington Rand, then followed a long‑held dream and trained as a Pan Am stewardess, flying to Europe, Africa, and Asia. Travel widened her sense of setting, but she also knew she wanted to write.
In 1949 she married Warren Clark, a neighbor she had known for years. While raising five children in New Jersey, she wrote short stories in the margins of the day and finally sold one, “Stowaway,” in 1956 after a long string of rejections. The sale was modest, but it confirmed that the pages she was typing before dawn could reach readers.
Tragedy struck again in 1964 when Warren died of a heart condition, leaving her a widowed mother of five. To keep the family afloat she wrote radio scripts for a historical series about American patriots and learned how to tell a complete story in four tightly focused minutes. Out of that research came her first book, a George and Martha Washington novel published as Aspire to the Heavens, later retitled Mount Vernon Love Story.
Her life changed with a suspense manuscript she wrote in those same early‑morning hours. Published in 1975, Where Are the Children? became a runaway paperback hit and showed her that domestic life, buried secrets, and the fear of losing a child could power a gripping thriller. From then on she stayed with suspense, often centering the story on an ordinary woman thrust into extraordinary danger.
Over the next four decades she wrote dozens of bestsellers, from stand‑alone novels like A Stranger Is Watching, All Around the Town, and Loves Music, Loves to Dance to recurring‑character books about lottery winner Alvirah Meehan and television producer Laurie Moran. She enjoyed collaboration too, coauthoring Christmas mysteries with her daughter Carol Higgins Clark and the Under Suspicion series with crime novelist and law professor Alafair Burke.
Her books rarely relied on graphic violence. Instead she built tension out of witness statements, family arguments, newspaper clippings, and the small details that make people feel real. She liked to say that many plots began with a simple “Suppose?” and that her job was to keep readers turning pages while they asked what they themselves would do.
Clark received numerous literary honors and honorary degrees, served as president of Mystery Writers of America, and remained closely involved with her alma mater, Fordham University, where she earned a philosophy degree in midlife. A committed Catholic and active volunteer, she also lent her name to an annual award for suspense fiction.
She continued publishing into her nineties. When she died in Naples, Florida, in 2020, she left behind more than fifty novels, millions of copies in print, and generations of writers and readers who had learned, from her work and her example, that resilient characters and clean, patient storytelling never go out of style.
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