Before I Say Goodbye by Mary Higgins Clark

Val Penny ♦ March 6, 2013 ♦ Leave a comment

Mary Higgins Clark was born on December 24, 1927 in the Bronx, New York, USA. She published her first short story in 1956. When she was widowed in 1964 she had five children to care for so she decided to try her hand at writing books. Clark was president of Mystery Writers of America and has an award named for her.  I chose to read the book Before I say Goodbye because I had never read anything by this acclaimed author before.  I really enjoyed the book and found it easy to read.

The story is a mystery thriller revolving around a young woman named Nell who is investigating the mysterious circumstances of her husband’s death when she receives a message from a medium claiming to be his channel.

Nell MacDermott learns that her husband, Adam Cauliff, and three of his business associates have died in an explosion of his new cabin cruiser.  She is devastated but also racked with guilt because the last time she saw Adam, they had had a quarrel over her plan to run for the congressional seat previously held by her grandfather.  She had told Adam not to come home.

As the investigation into the boat’s explosion proceeds, Nell finds out that it was not an accident. Nell is swayed by her great-aunt, Gert, to see a medium claiming to be in touch  with Adam’s spirit.  Nell consults the medium, who transmits messages to her with instructions from Adam. The story reaches a powerful climax during Nell’s final encounter with the medium, in which she learns the terrible truth about the explosion a truth that could cost her her life. The twist at the end of this was clever and I certainly did not see it coming! I highly recommend Before I Say Goodbye.

Valerie Penny