Carol Higgins Clark Books

The picture on this book is what caught my attention. I know they say not to judge a book by it's cover, but with so many book choices out there that's how I pick a good book. After reading the back description, I took it home and kept reading until the book was done. It is enjoyable and can be read in one or two days. This book is about a couple, named Regan and Jack, who are on their first anniversary. While they are staying at the Cape, a woman named Adele goes missing. She's presumed to be dead. A mystery unfolds when a man has taken Adele captive. Will someone find her or will she be murdered by the man who has taken her prisoner? Will Regan and Jack be able to save her? Read this book to find out!

After Wrecked, I went to a used book shop to search out more Carol Higgins Clark. I wasn't able to find her first book "Decked," but I did find her second book called "snagged." This book is about the main character, Regan Riley, who is vacationing down in Florida with her parents. She's a bridesmaid in a wedding and her father is in town on a business convention about funeral services. The bride's uncle invents a panty hose that is impossible to snag. There's a panty hose convention going on at the same hotel as the funeral convention. Someone is in town to kill "Uncle Richie," for his pantyhose invention. Regan, a detective, is by Uncle Richie's side trying to unfold the mystery before he is murdered. Will she succeed in saving his life or is it too late?

This book is the first collaboration with her mother, Mary. Carol and Mary have since then, written several together around the holidays. In this book, Regan is planning to go away for the holidays to Hawaii with her parents. An unfortunate event happens when her mother breaks her leg. They are unable to go on their trip. Regan's father is abducted in his limosine by a disgruntled employee. Finding out about her father's disappearance, Regan begins searching for his whereabouts. Regan is Carol Higgins Clark's detective who teams up with Alvirah who is a crime solving character from Mary Higgins Clark novels. This is where Regan meets her future husband, Jack Reilly. Will they be able to solve the mystery with the hints her father leaves during the ransom calls? Can they find him before Christmas or will the kidnappers get too impatient and kill him?

The book starts out with a man, named Sterling,waiting to get into heaven. He's been waiting for fifty year to be seen by the council. When he's finally seen, the council tells him that he was selfish and he needs to accomplish some deeds on earth in order to be accepted through the gates. He has to find people in need and comes across a little girl. Her Christmas wish is to be with her father and her Grandma Nor. They are key witnesses in putting two men behind bars. Sterling is the only one that can somehow reunite this family.

Personally, it was a slower read. There isn't very much suspense and it seemed a little too familiar of a story line. I'd have to say it's not my favorite out of the Mary and Carol collection. This is also the only book not containing Regan Riley and Alvirah Meehan.

This is the second book that features Regan and Alvirah. Although the third in their Christmas books. The duo and their families plan to go to Vermont before Thanksgiving. Alvirah invites a fellow lottery winner Opal to go with them. She had lost all of her money in a scam business. The man who was sent to prison claimed he didn't have any of the money so they weren't able to retrieve any of the losses. He was released from jail and goes in search for his hidden gems. It happens to be in a tree chosen for New York. It unfolds a mystery where they need to search for a missing tree and look for Opal who had disappeared.

Overall this was a short read. I enjoyed the first book they wrote together better. It had a little more suspense. I would have liked to read more about Regan and her fiance Jack.

This is the fourth holiday publication of Carol and Mary. Alvirah wins a trip on a cruise ship and is given two extra guest rooms. Jack, Regan, Luke, and Nora come along for the Caribbean cruise. Taking place toward the end of December, two con men hop aboard without the guest's knowledge. Is the ship haunted by the former ship owner or is there more involved than meets the eye? What is the truth behind people being injured on the cruise?

This book is my favorite of the collaborative series so far. From the beginning it kept an interesting story line. If you want to read one of these holiday books, I would highly recommend starting with this one. It is very well written and the ending isn't rushed.