|
Mary Higgins Clark is known worldwide for her suspenseful thrillers and she is considered one of the most popular and prolific writers in the genre. Her latest book, titled THE SECOND TIME AROUND, is a well-plotted tale about the discovery of a cure for cancer and the balance between the good and the evil that motivates the players with a stake in its development.
The novel begins with a stockholder's meeting that takes place "… two weeks [after] Nicholas Spencer, president and chief operating officer of Gen-stone had been killed in the crash of his private plane while flying to San Juan … his company expected to receive the blessing of the Food and Drug Administration for a vaccine that would both eliminate the possibility of the growth of cancer cells and bring to a halt the progression of the disease in those already afflicted-a preventive and a cure that he … was responsible for bringing to the world".
Unfortunately, soon after this celebratory event, "the headline proclaiming Spencer's disappearance was followed … by the announcement from the chairman of the board of Gen-stone that there ha[d] been numerous setbacks in the experiments with the vaccine and that it could not be submitted to the FDA for approval in the foreseeable future". This chilling news story "further said that tens of millions of dollars had been looted from the company, apparently by Nicholas Spencer."
Stockholders, both the rich and the ordinary who had invested their life savings in Gen-stone, lost everything. And since Spencer's body was not recovered, many believed he orchestrated his own "death" and that he was cavorting on a beach in some country with no extradition laws. Others, who may have believed that he really was dead, were at a loss to understand how this shining hero turned out to be a consummate con man and the miracle drug a fraud.
Marcia "Carley" DeCarlo, a financial writer, tells the story in the first person; later, her voice is joined by that of a madman who tells his side of the story in the third person. He is a murderer who seeks to avenge all the wrongs life has imposed upon him, especially the death of his beloved wife. She died in an accident while fleeing from their home, after an argument over the money he lost in Spencer's scheme. In a race to save lives and uncover the truth, Carley joins a team of writers who are assigned to write "The Nicholas Spencer Story" in a way no other publication has ever printed it.
THE SECOND TIME AROUND is chock full of colorful characters from all walks of life and whose only real connection to each other is Gen-stone. They are left with the sad bond that marks the wreckage of their lives in the aftermath of the drug companies' devalued stock.
We meet Spencer's wife, Lynn, a rich, self-absorbed, selfish and cold woman, who happens to be Carley's stepsister. We are introduced to Dr. Broderick, who participated in the very early experiments conducted by Nicholas's father, ones that comprise the primary work on the new drug. We meet people in the town where Nicholas Spencer grew up who are shocked by the accusations against him and outraged by what seems to be his betrayal. We are introduced to Vivian Powers, Spencer's personal assistant whose involvement with him exceeds her job description. We meet Marty Bikorsky, a man broken by his losses who finds himself the main suspect in a near fatal fire that burned the Spencer mansion to the ground. The CEO of Gen-stone, Charles Wallingford, and Adrian Garner, the head of the pharmaceutical firm, ready to market the cancer cure, hover like dark shadows over the narrative.
Throughout, Carley follows her instincts and uses her common sense as she put the bits and pieces of the puzzle together. She carefully investigates Nicholas Spencer's disappearance; who, if anyone else, could have stolen the money; the probability (or not) that the drug will really work; who is being framed and whom is doing the framing. Each step she takes not only brings her another clue but also puts her in danger. Nevertheless, this determined writer cum sleuth manages to maintain her integrity and vows she will explore every twisted path along her journey to discover the truth of the matter.
THE SECOND TIME AROUND is Mary Higgins Clark's twenty-seventh novel. Readers will find this book fresh and new whether they are reading her for the first time or have read all twenty-six others. Enjoy!
--- Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum
• Click here now to buy this book from Amazon.
© Copyright 1996-2009, Bookreporter.com. All rights reserved.
Back to top.
|
