I read 'Where Are the Children?' probably 25 years ago. I enjoyed that book. So, I was excited when I was selected for an ARC through Netgalley for 'Where Are the Children, Now?'.

It started out slow to me. In fact, around the 30% mark, I thought about DNFing it. I'm so glad I didn't. I could not put it down once I hit the 60% mark. In fact, I finished it after midnight this morning. Who needs sleep, right?

Mark and Melissa have struggled in different ways, since they were kidnapped as children. Mark has faced it and dealt with his feelings, but Melissa has ignored it and lived a 'be happy life'. She has a True Crime Podcast.Melissa has meet a guy and gets married within a few months. Everything is going great in her life. Then, her step-daughter goes missing. She is thrown into reliving her childhood.

How much does she really know the man she married? Is someone from her podcast stalking her? What is really going on? My jaw dropped when I got answers to these questions.

Thanks to Netgalley, Simon Schuster and Clark for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

🙃 Happy Reading 🙃

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When I saw this book pop up, I was immediately excited to read it! I love all of the collaborative works between these two authors and am a true fan of following characters over time.

In "Where Are the Children Now?" we get to see Melissa and Mike all grown up and dealing with their shared past in entirely different ways. Melissa's life motto is a strong "choose happiness" and she has made quite a name for herself as an author and podcast host. Mike is a boat captain in the Caribbean and seems to want to talk and sit in the feelings of their past far more than Melissa is able to tolerate. They are brought back together for both Melissa's wedding as well as their mom's sale of their childhood home. While preparing for the sale and move for their mother, Melissa's new step daughter goes missing.

I had started this book a few days ago but as soon as I got to the missing child part, I finished the rest of the book in one sitting. I had to know how the story played out. I had several characters that just didn't feel right and I was suspicious about their behavior but I still missed my guesses by a bit. The mark of a good suspense/thriller for me is struggling to predict the ending and that was true for me in this book.

Thank you for the review copy of Where are the children now? This is a great addition, and homage, to the enduring work of Mary Higgins Clark. This can stand alone from Where are the children should you be newer to MHC or following Alafair Burke's work but hey... treat yourself to some classic earlier MHC books.

What works is the connection to suspense, to tension, that these thrillers always generate and the placing of a familiar theme, indeed from MHC's first book from the 1980s, into present day lives and contexts while honoring the character driven focus that I feel is always present in a Mary Higgins Clark book. This one invites readers to care not just about the mystery but about the backstory and the characters. I always loved this author's work for the attention to character development along with plot development and Alafair Burke does justice to this style.

Sequel to Where Are the Children?
I wanted to like it more than I did. The plot was good, if improbable. The main character's repression of her childhood trauma was believable and lent credibility to the situation. The ending was unexpected, yet satisfying.

While I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book.

I have loved Mary Higgins-Clark for as long as I can remember. Her mysteries were some of the first "grown up" books that I started reading. When I saw this one available as an ARC, I put my name on the list and kept my fingers crossed. When I noticed that she had help writing this book, my hopes were a little lowered. I've been burned by "ghost writers" filling in for amazing writers before (VC Andrews anyone??) But this book stayed so true to the MHC style of writing, I would have never known that she didn't write the whole thing herself. It was a beautiful follow-up to one of her best selling books. Usually I don't love the "continuation" stories like these, but this one was so well done. The coincidences were written into the story and made it part of the mystery. I simply loved it.

Five stars for this amazing book for sure. If you loved "Where are the Children" you will love "where are the children now" =)

I was so excited but actually a little nervous to read Where Are The Children Now? but I was pleasantly surprised that this book delivers all the suspense! I don’t think I have ever read the original, which is why I was debating whether or not I should read it, but it wasn’t super confusing and you could definitely read this sequel as a stand-alone book. Melissa and Mike, the children from the first book, are now all grown up and Melissa has a stepdaughter who is kidnapped. It brings back all sorts of feelings and flashbacks, but besides her own trauma, she is terrified for her little girl. It kept me on edge and I did not predict the ending! A fast paced read and great writing, I was really impressed and would definitely recommend.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

Melissa has finally found the love of her life, Charlie, with a bonus of a beautiful 3 year old little girl. She has a very satisfying career as a high profile lawyer. Perfect ,until one day little Riley is suddenly missing from the playground. How can this all be happening again!
Melissa is the most likely suspect and she is trying her hardest to put all of the people and times together before time runs out for Riley. She is trying to find the woman who talked to her right before Riley disappeared but no one will believe her.
Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke are true story tellers. The suspense is gripping.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for gifting me a digital ARC of the sequel to Where Are the Children? by the wonderful Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke - 5 nostalgic stars!

Melissa, a successful lawyer and now true crime podcaster, is newly married to Charlie and stepmom to 3-year-old Riley. Melissa and her brother, Mike, were kidnapped when they were small children but thankfully found. Their mother, Nancy, was accused of murdering her first two children as well as Melissa and Mike, but was eventually cleared. Now it seems like history is repeating itself - while Melissa, suffering from insomnia due to her unresolved past trauma, naps, Riley disappears. Soon Melissa is the prime suspect.

While you certainly don't need to have read the book that started Mary Higgins Clark's illustrious writing career, it's the perfect re-read before starting this sequel. There is a lot going on in this book but the short chapters and crisp writing keep you glued to the pages. Didn't expect that ending but all the twists are neatly resolved. So fun to revisit these characters!

Can history repeat itself? How many coincidences are too many? That is the question the police are trying to figure out. Melissa is the daughter of Nancy Harmon who was featured in Mary Higgins Clark's original "Where Are the Children". In this standalone sequel co-authored by Alafair Burke, Melissa gains a stepdaughter through marriage...only to awake to find her missing. Just like her mother before her, Melissa is suspected of having a role in the kidnapping.

While her posts on social media are drawing out a troll, Melissa's publicist thinks it's good for business. But Melissa has her suspicions about who the lurker is. As a true crime podcaster, Melissa uses her research skills and the memory of her own kidnapping as she comes to the conclusion that not everyone around her is telling the truth.

The characters are so well developed you'll feel like you know the whole family - Nancy, Mike (Melissa's brother who was kidnapped along with her), Kate, Charlie and even Patrick, Melissa's ex. The pacing is just tense enough to keep you reading and guessing along with Melissa. And the ending is just short of heartbreaking.

Kudos to Alafair for keeping MHC alive in our minds and hearts.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this fascinating read.

This story is the sequel to "Where Are the Children" by Mary Higgins Clark. The story continues with the character Nancy from the first book. A little background to that character, Nancy was convicted of killing her two children and was later released because of a mishap. She moves away from her home and starts anew. She remarries and has two more kids. Those two children turn up missing and she has to do whatever she could to get them back.
The new story continues with Nancy's journey and her now grown children. Melissa is her daughter, and she is married to man that has a daughter. Soon, Riley her stepdaughter goes missing. This event floods Melissa's mind with all the memories of her own abduction. She needs to come to terms with this so she can save her stepdaughter. Brilliant storytelling and a clever continuance of already established characters. Alafair Burke did an amazing job following this storyline and it's a thrilling ride.

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

So here is the deal. There are authors that write several books but seem to drift away in the wind. Then there are those that stand the test of time. Have you ever read the list of previous novels by an author and were amazed that you had read and remember parts of the plot. That is a talent indicator. Mary Higgins Clark fits the latter description. Of course I had read the original Where Are The Children. So I eagerly grabbed a copy of her latest titled WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN NOW. Any fan of this hugely talented and popular author would do the same. Reading the front portion of this book there is that list. As I read down that list my smile just kept getting bigger and bigger. So many wonderful books. So many wondrous memories.
Which one would you think of first. I immediately thought of bells on coffins, gravesites – bells that did not have a clapper. Moonlight Becomes You, of course. Gruesome picture provoking. Mary Higgins Clark at work.
Now onto her newest novel. Supposition is that there is still someone out there making children disappear. And the supporting cast are survivors of the first book. Alive but scathed.
Melissa Eldridge is an attorney who specializes in getting justice for her clients. Chosen because the system did not manage their case fairly, in Melissas opinion. She had most recently had a judgement reversed for her client charged with the murder of the husband. Strangely enough there is still a cloud over her client’s innocence.
Now Melissa has a podcast where she discusses these cases. In her own history there is still a case with a dubious outcome. The kidnapping of Melissa and her brother Mike when they were young children. They survived but face lingering issues. Melissa now experiencing disturbing dreams. Mike wants to get passed that time. Both adults with successful careers and Mike cannot understand why Melissa cannot move on. Until he realizes she is now having these dreams.
Problem is those dreams include folks from the present. Does that mean they are now in peril. Is there still someone out there who is capable of preying on young children like them. Are Melissa and Mike still in the sights. Between her work, her new family and nightmares Melissa is a victim of heckling from an online troll of her social media. Unsettling to be sure but is there also something sinister about.
We meet several new characters that have a decidedly odd connection to the siblings. As the paths somehow converge or cross, we are brought into a new drama. The stage is cleverly, carefully, and dramatically set by the master of drama and crime Mary Higgins Clark and her co-writer Alafair Burke.
Enter Jayden Kennedy and his girlfriend Julie. Jayden has just taken advantage of an opportunity to rent his home for a month through a group. Jayden needs the infusion of cash. He puts his faith into the company that organizes these rentals and is off to spend the next month at Julie’s. So very innocent. But those that know Mary Higgins Clark know that nothing is innocent or irrelevant. Everything and everyone have a role albeit fringe or central to the plot of WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN NOW.
By chapter eight you are fully vested. Armchair detectives will flex their muscles. Moments where you need to yell oh no do not do that. I admit to being quite vocal reading crime novels especially when well-crafted as WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN NOW.

The story travels seamlessly back and forth from the siblings past to the present. If you have not read the first book Alafair Burke does a wonderful job filling in much needed details. But I would be remiss in not suggesting reading it. Fans of Mary Higgins Clark thought the story of Where Are The Children had come to a startling beautifully written conclusion. WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN NOW does a fabulous job of reminding us that children victims of crimes suffer from the trauma for long perhaps forever.

melissa and mike were abducted when there were children. Now, forty years later melissa is married to a widower who has a little girl named riley. as melissa and mike are moving there mother to the cape, riley get abducted with eerie similarities to melissa and mikes case. is melissa losing it? she looks like the most likey suspect.

melissa never wanted to remember what happen to her and mike, but her memory is forcing its way to the front of her thinking. thanks netgalley for a wonderful read. sorry for the delay in reviewing the book.

Where are the Children Now, by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke is a complex mystery with multiple characters and an ideal follow-up to Mary Higgins Clark’s original story, Where are the Children? Burke does an amazing job of continuing the story in the same vein as MHC, but also adding her own stylist touches.

This story starts with Melissa, a character from the previous book, who has suddenly remarried and has a young step-daughter who is kidnapped on her watch. Theories fly, speculations arise, and Melissa’s horrific past re-emerges. This story admittedly has some fantastical elements that potentially make it just beyond believable, but it’s a fun ride anyway.

Alafair Burke is unafraid to give graphic details that create a stressful atmosphere and a captivating thriller. She has a way of making you feel for the characters, while still also being fully invested in the heart of the mystery. Where Are the Children Now is a tension-packed, quick reading, enthralling story that leaves the reader flipping pages to see how things will play out and I had a great time reading it. I look forward to seeing what comes next with these releases.

Nancy's children Mike and Melissa are now grown.
Melissa is now married to a widow who has a 5 year old girl named Riley. However..Riley goes missing and things go for twists and turns...surprises that weren't expected.

This was a very good read.
4 star read.

I want to thank Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Where are the Children Now is the tepid follow-up to Mary Higgins Clark's 1976 classic, Where Are the Children by the late Clark and bestselling author Alafair Burke.

It's been 40 year since Melissa and her brother ,Mike, were kidnapped then rescued by their mother, Nancy. Melissa is now a lawyer and a successful host of her own true crime podcast. She is also engaged to her fiancé and excited over being stepmother to Charlie's daughter, Riley.
After Melissa marries Charlie, she finds her in the same situation as her mother when Riley goes missing. Melissa also like her mother is accused of being behind Riley's disappearance. Melissa along with her family the police try to track down Riley. Melissa is now on the side of the fence which makes her even more determined to bring Riley home.

Everything is here that is expected in Mary Higgins Clark novel such as a strong heroine with a big heart, men with questions motives, and the finale where the culprit is revealed.

The problem is that there is no sense of danger or suspense. The original source is one of the most terrifying books that I ever read.. Here the story moves at comfortable pace, which makes more of a leisurely read then a gripping thriller.

There may been a lot of reasons why Clark decided to follow-up to her breakout title. She could've had a broader scope for both her characters and story.

Where Are The Children Now is yet another example of follow-up that does nothing more then makes you want to go back and read the original source material.

Where Are the Children Now? Is an intense follow-up to her book Where Are the Children? It follows the story of Melissa who had a horrible thing happen to her when she was abducted and abused as a toddler and she is going through something similar to her mom when her step-daughter, Riley, goes missing and she is one of the top suspects.

This story had lots of twists and turns. You spend the entirety of the book trying to figure out who did it. Where is Riley? Is she ok? One of the intriguing things about these books is you are given the answers throughout the book if you can catch them. She leaves you in suspense until the very end. You must guess the answers, but did you guess every part of it or did something evade you. Although, this writing style can be confusing for some since it does jump around between characters, I find I like reading from everyone’s point of view. It all ties together nicely in the end.

I gave this a 4/5 stars and will definitely read more by her as I have in the past. I would recommend for anyone who likes suspense and likes to try and figure out who did it.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
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I loved the first book in this series, that I read years ago. I had to reread it to refresh my memory! I was excited to read this book when I found out about it! I did really enjoy it! Did not disappoint! I would definitely recommend this book!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC! The author did a fabulous job revisting the characters from the first story. This is definitely an edge of your seat, do not stop reading mystery/thrill ride. The author did a great job honoring the original author of the first book.
Will recommend!

When Mary Higgins Clark passed away, I was so sad thinking I would just have to rely on her extensive body of work for my mystery enjoyment. Luckily, this gem was in the works! Where Are the Children Now exemplifies why Mary Higgins Clark was the “queen of suspense.” Her coauthor-ship with Alafair Burke only serves to make her stories even better. As a sequel to her first and best selling book Where Are the Children, this book takes the reader on just as many twists and turns. I admit I devoured it in a day because it was so hard to put down.

The mystery is laid out in Mary Higgins Clark’s signature fashion introducing all the characters including the mysterious would-be killer’s point of view. In the first book, Melissa and Mike were children and the victims of a cruel kidnapper. Now all grown up, Melissa is a successful attorney with her own podcast and getting ready to marry. Devastated after her father’s death, she agrees to go to counseling to not only deal with her grief but also the unresolved issues of her kidnapping. This is where she meets her future husband whose wife died in a tragic accident in Norway and is survived by two year old daughter Riley.

Despite her brother’s misgivings, Melissa marries Charlie and takes on the role of stepmother. When Riley goes missing in circumstances eerily similar to Melissa’s own kidnapping, she’s viewed as the number one suspect. In a race against time, Melissa tries to use every means necessary to find her stepdaughter and prove her innocence before it’s too late.

I have to say this mystery pulled me in and kept me guessing the whole time. The authors do a fantastic job casting suspicion on everyone, even Melissa herself. The suspense builds and builds until the dramatic, shocking conclusion that I honestly didn’t predict. It’s a fantastic sequel to the original and a must read for Mary Higgins Clark fans.

Don’t worry if you haven’t read the original Where Are the Children, this can definitely be read as a standalone. The authors do a fantastic job providing enough detail from the previous novel that readers can easily be brought up to speed. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are completely my own and voluntarily given.

Content warning: mentions of child abuse, mild infrequent swearing, mild violence.

I have always loved Mary Higgins Clark. Her books were amongst the first I started to really get into as a teen. This book is the sequel to "Where are the Children". It kept me guessing until the end with some shocking surprises. There is a lot going on in this book and the past is influencing the present situation. There are lots of secrets and lies