Product Description

In a riveting thriller, worldwide bestselling suspense writer Mary Higgins Clark brilliantly weaves the mystery of twin telepathy into a mother's search for a kidnapped child, presumed dead.

When Margaret and Steve Frawley come home to Connecticut from a black-tie dinner in New York, their three-year-old twins, Kathy and Kelly, are gone. The police found the babysitter unconscious, and a ransom note from the "Pied Piper" demands eight million dollars. Steve's global investment firm puts up the money, but when they go to retrieve the twins, only Kelly is in the car. The dead driver's suicide note says he inadvertently killed Kathy.

At the memorial, Kelly tugs Margaret's arm and says: "Mommy, Kathy is very scared of that lady. She wants to come home right now." At first, only Margaret believes that the twins are communicating and that Kathy is still alive. But as Kelly's warnings become increasingly specific and alarming, FBI agents set out on a desperate search.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38505 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-20
• Released on: 2007-03-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 416 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Bestseller Clark is at her best when writing of crime against children, as shown in this chilling tale of kidnapping, murder and telepathy. Before leaving for a black-tie affair in New York City, Margaret and Steve Frawley celebrate the third birthday of their twin girls, Kathy and Kelly, with a party at their new home in Ridgefield, Conn. Later that night, when Margaret can't reach the babysitter, she contacts the Ridgefield police. The frantic couple return home to find the children missing and a ransom note demanding $8 million. Though the Frawleys meet all the conditions, only Kelly turns up in a car along with a dead driver and a suicide note saying that Kathy has died. But Kelly's telepathic messages from her sister keep telling her differently, and Margaret won't give up hope. Even the most skeptical law enforcement officers and the FBI, who pursue suspects from New York to Cape Cod, begin to believe Kelly is on to something. Clues from ordinary people lead to a riveting conclusion. Rivaling Clark's debut—Where Are the Children?—this suspense thriller is certain to send terror into the heart of any parent. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Clark's thirty-third book revisits the subject matter of her first (Where Are the Children? 1975), addressing every parent's worst nightmare, the abduction of children. Steve and Margaret Frawley return to their new house after a night out on the town to discover that their three-year-old twins, Kelly and Kathy, have been kidnapped. The kidnappers are demanding an $8 million ransom. As the executives at the company where Steve works debate paying the ransom, the three kidnappers, Lucas, Clint, and Clint's unstable girlfriend, Angie, wait for instructions from the plot's mastermind, who identifies himself only as the Pied Piper. Steve's company agrees to pay the ransom, but the Pied Piper's plan goes awry when Angie decides she wants to keep Kathy and shoots Lucas, leaving a fake suicide note claiming he accidentally killed Kathy. Although she is grateful to be reunited with Kelly, Margaret can't accept the loss of Kathy and clings to Kelly's assertion that she is in psychic communication with her twin. Clark's latest novel lacks the nail-biting suspense of some of her previous ones, but given how the subject matter dovetails with that of her first popular novel, expect interest. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"Riveting....Rivaling Clark's debut, Where Are the Children?, this suspense thriller is certain to send terror into the heart of any parent."

-- Publishers Weekly

Customer Reviews

Better than her most recent novels.
I have not cared much for Ms. Clark's recent novels, but this one grabbed from the start and kept me turning pages! Clark creates a thrilling tale of suspense that manages to mix murder, kidnaping and telepathy into a very good suspense thriller. Two 3 year old twins are kidnaped but after the parent pay the ransom only one twin is found, and a suicide note from the driver who delivers the one twin, claims the other twin is dead. But wait a second! The returned twin claims her sister is not dead, as she is receiving telepathic messages from her! Of course at first the authorities refuse to believe the little girl, but soon the law officers are off the little girl in an action packed adventure to find her sister. And to top it all off the book has an ending that will blow you away!. I imagine parents of young children will find this book particularly chilling. So if you have not been too happy with Ms. Clark's recent efforts you might give this one a try.

Suspenseful Story of Kidnapping and Twin Telepathy
I was once a huge fan of Mary Higgins Clark, but several books ago tired of her young woman in jeopardy theme and said "no more." However, the buzz on this one lured me back one more time and I'm glad. She returns to the subject she did so well in her very first (and still the best) novel, "Where Are the Children?"

Two beautiful three-year-old twins are taken from their home while their parents are at a party and the baby sitter is overcome by the kidnappers. It's every parent's worst nightmare and MHC excels in showing the anguish Margaret and Steve Frawley feel when Kelly and Kathy are abducted from their own bedroom. The most interesting part of this story, however, is the telepathy the three-year-olds have. When one twin is returned safely and the other one is feared dead, only Margaret believes Kelly is communicating with the still-missing Kathy. But soon the police, FBI, and everyone involved becomes a believer and a desperate chase from New York to Cape Cod ensues.

The chapters are brief and riveting, the characters well-defined, and the suspense all-encompassing as readers experience the trauma and abuse inflicted on the children by the kidnappers. There are lots of red herrings and only the savviest reader may figure this one out before the finale.

Not a thing is believable in this sad excuse for a thriller...
I have only read a few of Mary Higgins Clark's books and this will no doubt be my last. After eagerly waiting two weeks for the book at the library, I finally got it and spent the whole day reading it. I am very thankful not to have spent my own money on it.

The characters are just not realistic. The twins are supposed to be three years old yet their verbal skills are far more advanced and would be more applicable to a first grader. Their "twin talk" between each other is more like a "super telepathic psychic connection" as even though they are separated great distances, they hold conversations with each other just by speaking aloud and they share each other's injuries and sickness. In addition, they can both see what the other sees.

There are a number of characters who have vital clues to the children's kidnapping, but for silly and often implausible reasons, they brush off their feelings as absurd and never bother to involve the police. When a young store clerk believes she knows who the kidnapper is and where the children are located, she never bothers to contact the authorities. Later, when she really has proof and knows that she was probably right all along, she still does not contact the police or FBI, but goes off on her own to the kidnapper's home to check it out herself! Several characters decide to wait before contacting the police or they have convenient distractions that prevent their calling.

Like a cheap horror film, the plot was predictable and the characters' behaviors ridiculous and unbelievable. I literally found myself wanting to yell at the people to stop being so damned stupid and just do what any decent, normal person would do in the same situation.

All in all, it was an extremely disappointing read and there is nothing to recommend it.