The Cinderella Murder is the first book in the "Under Suspicion' series.Laurie Moran is a successful television producer who has this idea for a reality television show called 'Under Suspicion',which involves revisiting cold cases ,renacting key moments with the actual people involved and interviewing each of them thus shedding new light on the case.Owing to the huge success of the pilot episode (the first book which I havent yet read)she wants to go ahead with the case of a 20 year old beautiful Susan Dempsey,a college student and an aspiring actress which was shut years ago without being solved.Susan is on her way to the house of a movie director to audition for a part in his new film.However her body is found with a shoe missing in a park near the directors home.Noone at that particular time can provide any vital clues to solve the case and everyone including her roommate,a friend,her boyfriend and the movie director have perfect alibis,thus leading to the case being unsolved and it being dubbed as the Cinderella Murder.However her mother Rosemary is still searching for answers and agrees to be a part of the series.There are various suspects.Both,Susans boyfriend and her roommate quit college shortly after her murder.Her other roommate gets the part in the film Susan was to audition for the night of the murder.The movie producer who invites the roommate later that night.Her socially awkward computer lab partner who used to carry the torch for her and who along with a professor has now made it big in the tech world and to top it all a controversial church called Advocates of God which seems very suspiciously involved.It also doesnt help that Susans so called friend and roommate is behaving very reticent.How Laurie manages to get everyone on board and interview them after twenty years of the case being closed and finally track the murderer is what the book is about.
My views:The 'Under Suspicion'series is co-authored by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke and it is a winning combination.The classic Mary Higgins Clark charm is not lost.I loved the fact that it was a fast-paced page turner.It kept me up reading for a good part of the night.I normally try to solve the case myself when Im reading such books and that usually happens when I am halfway through,but this time I was wrong (maybe I am losing my edge or maybe the book is just better)The characters are all engaging and a lot of the book centers around them and their possible motives to kill.Laurie however kept revisiting her past far too frequently for my liking but that can be ignored.Advocates of God provides a creepy element to the story.I liked the twists and turns in the plot which are the trademark of a MHC novel.My only grouse is that there are just too many characters and they get introduced rather quickly,so you are compelled to read this book in one go,but then again you wouldnt want it any other way!So that too works in the books favor at some level.I liked it for the suspense and the pace.I think it is a perfect read for the holiday season.
I rate it a 3 out of 5.
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