Word Count: 650Mary Higgins Clark does a great job of keeping the reader in suspense. Mary Higgins Clark introduces many characters that all could me suspects in the crimes she describes in this novel. “” was definitely one of her best works.
Dr. Susan Chandler, a clinical psychologist, is researching cases of missing women. On her daily talk show, she focuses on the case of Regina Clausen who disapeared on a cruise three years earlier. In Regina’s belongings, a turquoise ring with the inscription “You Belong to Me” engraved on the inside of the band is found. Carolyn Wells, a viewer, calls the show and says she recieved and identical turquoise ring from a man while on a recent cruise. He tried to persuade Carolyn to leave the cruise and rejoin it in another city. Carolyn agrees to meet with Dr. Chandler to discuss the turquoise ring. On her way to meet with Dr. chandler, Carolyn was pushed in front of a van. She is seriously injured and in a coma. Carolyn’s husband, Justin, is suspected of trying to murder her. Dr. Chandler thinks he may also have something to do with Regina’s disappearance.
Soon other people that are related to the case are mysteriously murdered. Hilda Johnson who witnessed Carolyn’s accident claims it was intentional. Hilda si murdered after she tells the police her side of the story. The next day on Dr. Chandler’s show a viewer named Tiffany calls and says her boyfriend bought her an identical turquoise ring. She cannot remember the exact location, but it was a shop in Greenwich Village. Tiffany also mentions that the day she was there a sharp dressed man came in and bought several turquoise rings. Soon both Tiffany and the shop owner are brutally stabbed to death.
In the meantime, Dr. Chandler is dating two people. One is a psychologist and guest on her show, Dr. Don Richards. The other is a wealthy man named Alex Wright. Certain facts are introduced about both of these men that lead the reader to beleive that one of them may be the murderer.
As Dr. Chandler gets closer to solving the case, she does not realize the danger she is in. While working late one night, she is hit over the head by a man, Alex Wright. This is the climax of the novel because the reader finally discovers who the killer is. Alex then admits to the previous murders. He also reveals the abuse he received from his stepmother while growing up. Killing the women is a release of rage for him. Alex now wraps Dr. Chandler up in a plastic bag to kill her. She saved herself by cutting the bag on a piece of broken glass. Dr. Chandler solved the case and saved her life;she also put a murderer in jail.
“You Belong to Me” points out the dangers vulnerable lonely women face. Mary Higgins’ Clark’s characters are definitely believable with the help of a present day setting in New York. “You Belong to Me” is a very suspenseful book in which the purpose is to mainly entertain. Mary Higgins Clark creates two evident conflicts in this novel, person vs. person and person vs. self. The conflict person vs. person is apparent when Alex is murdering he victims and when Dr. Chandler is working against him to solve the case. Person vs. self is a major conflict because his main targets are women who are lonely and have no self-esteem. This conflict is also shown when Alex reveals the emotional abuse his stepmother inflicted on him. “You Belong to Me” is a well-written book intended for young adults and adults, it is a must read novel.
