What a merry dance this one lead! (Loves music, Loves to dance - Mary Higgins Clark)

Member Name: MandyMinx

Product:	Loves music, Loves to dance - Mary Higgins Clark
Date:	15/12/03 (938 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great story, Great suspense, A great read

Disadvantages: none

When a friend needs help collecting data for a TV programme she is planning on personal ad dating, Erin and Darcy are more than happy to help her out by answering ads and going out on a few dates with some of the guys. It's a bit of a laugh and gets them out socialising, not that either of the girls need to use the personal columns to get dates. Erin is a jewellery designer, she's just landed the job that will take her from unknown artist to elite designer and things for Erin could not be better. Darcy is into interior design and business is flourishing. The daughter of celebrities, Darcy has none of the airs and graces that usually accompany such an upbringing and lives quite comfortably by herself.
The two are very close friends and have been since childhood. They know each other well and do almost everything together, so when Erin suggests that they answer the same ads it comes as no surprise to Darcy.

The guys that place the ads in the personal columns are often not all they make themselves out to be. Liars, adulterers, conmen, those desperate for a free one night stand and the shy 'mummy's boy' types. The ads hide many secrets about the people who put pen to paper to write them, some should be pitied, some exposed, some place the ads for a laugh and others for more sinister reasons.
There are all sorts of weirdos lurking between the pages of the personal ads, weirdos and a serial killer called Charley.

When Erin goes out on a date and doesn't come back, it is up to Darcy to find out what has happened to her and that means delving deeper into the seedy world of personal ad dating.





I first came across this thriller in my doctors waiting room. I was waiting for my appointment and while browsing through one of the womans magazines that was on display I found a section of this book that was being serialised in the magazine. I definitely liked what I read but as with most doctors waiting
rooms, the book was way out of date and there was no way I was going to get to read the other issues and finish the story. I remember leaving the surgery, resolving to buy the book and finish what had been a thoroughly enjoyable read.


A few months back I read my first Mary Higgins Clark thriller. It was called On the town and I remember being quite disappointed with it. I found that the killer was all too obvious from very early on in the book and it was only the sub plot that kept me reading to the end. I had made up my mind that Higgins Clark was definitely not for me, when at the back of the book I noticed a list of all the books she had written prior to this one and Loves Music, Loves to Dance was one of them.
Recognising this as the book I had read the small section of I went straight to Amazon and ordered it, although I have to say after the one I had just finished, I was not quite as keen as I had previously been.


It is with pleasure and a good deal of literary satisfaction that I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that where On the Town failed to captivate me, Loves music, Loves to dance most definitely did.
The difference was immediately evident. Where the former left thundering great hints as to who the murderer was, this book was so much more subtle, so much more clever. We are introduced, very early on in the story, to Charley, our serial killer. We are left with no doubt what his intentions are and how twisted his mind is. What is very cleverly hidden is Charley's identity. We are introduced to various characters who might, or might not be Charley. Each of them has their own problems, each of them their own quirky behaviour but is it quirky enough to turn them to cold, calculated murder? Each of them has something to hide, but just how much they are hiding is something we have to decide for ourselves.

This book really makes you think about some of the dangers that lurk behind the pretty words that so
me people can write. I receive E- mail from dating agencies and people I don't know, often. It makes you wonder if the person you are talking to is really the person you think they are. This is a very current issue used in this book, which, in my eyes, makes it all the more scary.

Did I work out who the killer was, as I had in the previous book? Well yes, but this time it was a hunch and I was anxious to read to the end to see if I was right. I actually let out a great big "Yes!" when I turned out to be right. It was actually a really satisfying feeling because the red herrings that were tossed between the pages definitely had me questioning my reasons for seeing this person as the killer.



The characters were strong. Although we only meet Erin very briefly, she is introduced with such care that we genuinely want to know what has happened to her. I think this is very important, seeing as much of the book centres around her fate.
Darcy is a strong and determined woman and I think sometimes a character can be so strong that the reader forgets what a vulnerable situation they are in. Mary Higgins Clark is careful to share with us the vulnerable side of her heroine, making her much more realistic and much easier to relate to.
Our Serial killer is a truly scary guy. Higgins Clark paints a haunting picture of this person and is careful to show us that there is no remorse for the deeds that have been done. The cold and calculating movements of this madman, leave us in no doubt about the danger that the other characters in the book are in.


Loves music, Loves to dance has all the qualities a good thriller should have. It keeps you on your toes. The plot twists and turns without venturing into the realms of the unbelievable. The characters are realistic and I really did like our heroine and cared what happened to her. It was the sort of book that made you want to shout out loud when you saw the main character putt
ing herself in a potentially dangerous situation. All the pieces of the puzzle fitted together at the end of the book, leaving no frayed edges or unanswered questions. The writing is strong and confident, the story flows beautifully.


I would definitely recommend this book. It's not a long book, but didn't leave me feeling as if the author had edited large chunks to make it this size. Everything needed to make it a great read is there, believe me.
This is a great little book. Suitable for anytime reading. Beware though. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down.

I find myself torn now between the two I have read. One excellent, the other not so good. I think I shall have to read another to make my mind up.



Thanks for reading.

Mand xx

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