When they were very young, Melissa Eldredge and her brother, Mike, nearly died at the hands of a vicious predator. Decades later, Melissa is still haunted by terrifying nightmares. Despite her traumatic past, Melissa has made it her goal to think positively. She is an attorney and successful podcaster who recently married a handsome and devoted man, Charlie Miller. In addition, she is delighted to have a new stepdaughter, an adorable three-year-old girl named Riley. Everything is going well until, shockingly, someone abducts Riley while Melissa is sleeping. How did the perpetrator get into their home, which was locked? Why would someone want to kidnap this child? The police launch an investigation and organize search parties to look for the missing toddler.

Alafair Burke picks up the mantle of the late Mary Higgins Clark in "Where are the Children Now?" Burke fills us in on Melissa and Mike's backstories, so readers unfamiliar with the first book can read this as a standalone. Numerous red herrings keep us guessing, and the large cast of characters include Melissa's ex-fiancé, Patrick; her close friend, Katie; and Charlie's sister, Rachel, who makes no secret of her disdain for Charlie's new wife. In addition, there is a heartwarming portrayal of Mike and Melissa's warm relationship with their mother, Nancy, who sold her house in Cape Cod and is moving to a cottage on Long Island.

With Riley nowhere to be found, Melissa is alarmed when she realizes that the detectives handling the case suspect that she may have harmed Riley. Burke's opening chapters are engrossing, but as the novel progresses, it becomes increasingly convoluted and melodramatic. Considering her credentials as a lawyer, Melissa comes across as a gullible and none-too-bright heroine. The detectives are equally unimpressive, since they fail to conduct basic background checks on those who might be involved in Riley's disappearance. Burke has concocted a far-fetched and plot-driven tale of sociopathy, deceit, sadism, and greed. Be prepared to put logic on hold when you learn who did what to whom and why.
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I was so excited to get this ARC since I was a young mother when I read Mary Higgins Clark's biggest, best selling book, Where Are The Children? It was so good and was a book you really never forget. However, you don't have to read the first book to enjoy this one. They do a great job of giving you enough background information so you aren't lost. The children from that book are now grown. Melissa has recently married and has a 3 year old step-daughter. Mike has come up for the wedding and they are both helping their mother, Nancy relocate from Cape Cod to the Hamptons. I was heartbroken when Mary Higgins Clark died but this book written with Alafair Burke (an amazing writer!) was everything you could want in a great suspense book. Recommended! ( )

I just recently read where are the children because I heard that this book was coming out and I wanted to read that one and then read this one. So for me, it wasn’t a 40 year difference. It was only a few weeks. That worked out OK since I remember the first book quite well. This book is similar but different. There is a missing child and the Eldredge children are involved in it like they were in the first book when they were actually abducted. But in this book, the “bad guys” are much worse! I’m giving it 4 1/2 stars instead of five because I actually figured out who did it and why before the book ended, but that didn’t ruin my enjoyment of this book, which was a co/written book with Mary Higgins Clark just before her death, and Alistair Tucker, who is also a well known, and loved, author in her own right. The book actually takes place in just a few days, but the pace is brisk and it keeps turning pages. I got a little upset with Melissa, sometimes that she seem to be very high handed and pigheaded, and she made some poor judgment calls, but without those poor judgment calls, we wouldn’t of had a book if you are a fan of Mary Higgins Clark definitely read this, her last book. A literary world lost a master when we lost Ms. Clark. ( )

I have been a fan of Mary Higgins Clark ever since I can remember, She helped foster my love of a great suspense novel. Her books always kept me on the edge of my seat and were free of language which I always appreciated. I was so excited when I saw that a sequel to Where are the Children (which was always a fave of mine) was being released. It did not disappoint. The book grabbed my attention quickly and held it until the end. Let me just say that it was an ending I did not see coming.

Some might be wondering if it is necessary to read Where are the Children before reading this one. The answer is no. I have read it, but it had been so long that I didn't really remember much about it. There is enough of a summary of the first book in the beginning that readers will not be confused.

Thank you Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. ( )

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. ( )