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Mystery/Thriller Book ReviewsPage Six of SixYou Belong to Me by Mary Higgins ClarkSimon and Schuster, April 1998.Hardcover, 317 pages. ISBN: 0684835959. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Regina Clausen, a successful 43-year-old investment banker,
set off on a world cruise on a luxury liner and
never came back. Her disappearance after she disembarked
for a detour through Hong Kong baffled the scores
of police and private investigators hired to find out
what happened to her. Three years later, the Clausen
disappearance is the subject of a talk radio show called
"Ask Dr. Susan" hosted
by former attorney and current psychologist Dr. Susan
Chandler. One of the callers to the show identifies herself
only as "Karen" and says that she has information which
might shed some light on the Clausen disappearance. On a cruise two years
ago, she met a man she became interested in who asked her
to leave the cruise ship. He gave her a ring with the inscription
"You Belong to Me." She reconciled with her estranged
husband and never met the man. Karen agrees to bring
her evidence to the radio station. But before she can get
there, she is pushed in front of an oncoming car
and lapses into a deep coma. Worried and suspicious,
Susan decides to investigate further. When another woman
dies, Susan is forced to conclude that the killer is alive and
is determined to keep his identity hidden at any cost -- including
Susan's life. Nevertheless, Susan launches her investigation
and sets out to trap a killer who preys on the loneliness of women.
You Belong to Me is a stunning and dramatic suspense tale which grips the reader from the chilling opening paragraph. With a fascinating plot line which resonates with dark overtones and a lovable and intriguing heroine, this latest offering from the Queen of Suspense is a must-read for anyone who loves a spine-tingling, entrancing tale, excellently told. Zen Attitude by Sujata MasseyHarperCollins, June 1998.Paperback, 312 pages. ISBN: 006104444X. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Japanese-American antiques dealer Rei Shimura enjoys
her life in Tokyo with her live-in love, Hugh Glendinning,
an international lawyer. When Hugh's good-for-nothing
younger brother lands on their doorstep and Rei purchases
an ancient tansu (chest of drawers) for far more than it's worth,
her troubles are only just beginning. It seems that the tansu
is not quite what it seems and that a number of people are
willing to kill to get their hands on it, especially after the con man
who sold her the tansu in the first place is found murdered
before Rei can speak with him. The mystery centers
around a Buddist temple where Rei is beginning to learn
more about Zen Buddism in between dodging attempts
on her life and trying to salvage her rapidly-deteriorating
relationship with Hugh. During her adventures, Rei is
determined not to give up her beloved home in Tokyo
or the life she has worked so hard to build in the
foreign land she has come to love.
Zen Attitude is a fascinating second mystery from the author of The Salaryman's Wife. Rei is a unique and forceful heroine whose life makes for fascinating reading, even without the excitement of the mystery plot. The contrasts between old and new Japan are revealed throughout the story in the settings (the beautiful and ancient temple and the ancient festival vs. the customs of modern day executives) and in the attitudes and actions of the characters (the formal behavior of Rei's Japanese relatives vs. her American longing for independence and action). A fresh and intriguing read which will only whet readers' appetites for more entries in the series. --Claire E. White Mystery Reviews Page One | Page Two | Page Three | Page Four Page Five | Page Six Click Here to Return to the Book Reviews Index ** To visit the archives of mystery books reviewed in The IWJ, please click here. |