Mary Higgins Clark-Biography

Author of Where are the Children? Stillwatch, Just Take My Heart

Feb 12, 2009
Vickie Britton

Mary Higgins Clark - Bernard Vidal

Mary Higgins-Clark has earned the title of America's Queen of Suspense. Her books are world-wide bestsellers, selling over 85 million copies in the United States.

Mary Higgins Clark is America's top-selling suspense author. For decades, readers have enjoyed her tense and tightly-woven tales of intrigue and mystery. All of her novels are still in print. Her first novel, Where are the Children?, is currently in its 75th printing. Her new novel, Just Take My Heart, will be released in April of 2009.

Mary Higgins Clark-Background Information

Mary Theresa Eleanor Higgins was born December 25, 1927 in New York. Her family was of Irish descent. The family owned and operated a successful pub until the death of Mary’s father left Nora Clark a widow with three young children to support.

Though Ms. Clark felt inspired to write at an early age, she held down many jobs. She worked as a secretary, copy editor and stewardess. In 1949, she gave up her career with the airline to marry Warren Clark. They had four children, Marilyn, Warren Jr., David, and Carol. In 1964, tragedy struck. Her husband, who had been in poor health for a number of years, suffered a fatal heart attack. Mary's mother-in law, who was visiting at the time, collapsed from the stress and died that same night.

Warren Clark’s death caused financial difficulties for the young widow. Mary turned to writing for a living. She worked as a radio scriptwriter and had also established herself as a successful short story writer. Her first novel, Where are the Children? became a bestseller and her career as America’s Queen of Suspense was launched.

Ms. Clark remarried twice. She now lives in Saddle River, New Jersey with her husband John J. Conheeney.

Best-Selling Suspense

After the publication of her first mystery novel, Where Are The Children? in 1975, Ms. Clark continued to pen best-sellers such as On the Street Where you Live and Before I Say Goodbye. Many of her plots deal with kidnapping and crimes involving children. Some storylines, such as Two Little Girls in Blue, also involve psychic phenomena, in this instance the telepathic communication between twins.

Her lead character is usually a strong and independent woman who uses her own wits to solve the mystery.

Two of her novels, Where are the Children? and A Stanger is Watching were made into film. Many of her short stories and other works were made for television. Ms. Clark has won numerous awards for her writing. She is very active in Mystery Writers of America and served as president in 1987 and has also served on the Board of Directors.

Ms. Clark’s Other Work

Ms. Clark is the author of an autobiography, Kitchen Privileges, which was published in 2002. She has published one nonfiction novel, Aspire to the Heavens, about George Washington, which was inspired by her days as a radio script writer, She has also written several collections of short stories, some in collaboration with her daughter Carol, and a children’s book, Ghost Ship.

Clark's daughter, Carol, followed in her mother’s footsteps and became an author. Mother and daughter have co-authored three lighter suspense novels with holiday themes, Deck the Halls, He Sees You When You're Sleeping, and The Christmas Thief. A new title, Dashing through the Snow, was released in November of 08.