From what I know about Mary Higgins Clark, this Alvirah & Willy series was very popular. This is the final of the eleven stories in this series. By my reckoning, this is a rather mundane last entry. I thought the plot vehicle (sumptuous cruise from New York to England) to be on the ho-hum side. This cruise was so lavish that it was compared to the Titanic (of course). Naturally, there is a priceless jewel -- with a curse.
Alvirah & Willy are a pair of light-hearted sleuths with a zinger backstory. They won the lottery a few years ago and are enjoying their wedding anniversary (43-years) on the exclusive QUEEN CHARLOTTE luxury liner. Because of the lack of violence and salty language, these stories are considered "cozy mysteries." These stories are also do not discover any deep truths or profound thoughts. They are just light reading.
It is soon obvious that Lady Emily (owner of the cursed, and priceless Cleopatra necklace) will have to die. There are lots of red herrings and possible murderers mixed into this brew. One of the more interesting characters is Celia Kilbride, a gemologist of wide repute. She is escaping New York, just after her ex-fiance is caught stealing money from her friends. Now, the ex-fiancee and con man blabs all to PEOPLE Magazine, implicating Celia in his dishonesty. The FBI will want to talk with her as soon as possible. She's on the cruise ship to lead discussions on gems and their history.
Sit back and prepare for some light fare. The red herrings and worried travelers keep the reader busy. Overall score = G+.
Alvirah & Willy are a pair of light-hearted sleuths with a zinger backstory. They won the lottery a few years ago and are enjoying their wedding anniversary (43-years) on the exclusive QUEEN CHARLOTTE luxury liner. Because of the lack of violence and salty language, these stories are considered "cozy mysteries." These stories are also do not discover any deep truths or profound thoughts. They are just light reading.
It is soon obvious that Lady Emily (owner of the cursed, and priceless Cleopatra necklace) will have to die. There are lots of red herrings and possible murderers mixed into this brew. One of the more interesting characters is Celia Kilbride, a gemologist of wide repute. She is escaping New York, just after her ex-fiance is caught stealing money from her friends. Now, the ex-fiancee and con man blabs all to PEOPLE Magazine, implicating Celia in his dishonesty. The FBI will want to talk with her as soon as possible. She's on the cruise ship to lead discussions on gems and their history.
Sit back and prepare for some light fare. The red herrings and worried travelers keep the reader busy. Overall score = G+.
i loved this book. i couldn't put it down and finished it in 1 day.
