It may have been the simplest obituary in today's New York Times. It was succinct, with simply a name, dates of birth and death and the details of the wake and funeral. It was a little lost among the longer obituaries that had a number of paragraphs and a photo.
This was the woman known in life as "The Queen of Suspense," Mary Higgins Clark. Beginning in 1975 with the publication of her first suspense novel, "Where Are the Children," she published over 50 suspense books that sold an amazing cumulative total of over 100 million books. All were bestsellers and all are still in print.
Mary Higgins Clark left the world and us, her readers, with a legacy of decades of reading pleasure, for which I am most grateful. But it's the final sentence of her obituary that may tell those of us who never met her, her true legacy. We are asked to "perform an act of kindness for someone in need." If the millions of us who read one of Mary Higgins Clark's novels performed just one kind deed in her memory, that kindness would light the world.
My prayers are with Mary Higgins Clark's family and with her family of readers throughout the world. Is anyone else a fan of her writing?
What is your favorite Mary Higgins Clark novel? I'm going with her first and still my favorite, "Where are the Children?"
As ever, thanks for visiting and happy reading!
Great minds! When I heard of Ms. Higgins Clark's death, "Where are the Children?" was the first that came to my mind. Prayers for all who loved her.
ReplyDeleteDo you know I have never read "Where are the Children"? I didn't realise it was her first. I'll get a copy. Thanks for the heads up. I too am sad to see this talented woman pass.
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