The Shadow of Your Smile

By: Mary Higgins Clark

Narrated by: Jan Maxwell

In The Shadow of Your Smile, worldwide best-selling author Mary Higgins Clark weaves a spellbinding thriller revolving around a long-held family secret that threatens to emerge and take the life of an unsuspecting heiress.

At age 82 and in failing health, Olivia Morrow knows she has little time left. The last of her line, she faces a momentous choice: expose a long-held family secret, or take it with her to her grave.

Olivia has in her possession letters from her deceased cousin Catherine, a nun, now being considered for beatification by the Catholic Churchthe final step before sainthood. In her lifetime, Sister Catherine had founded seven hospitals for disabled children. Now the cure of a four-year-old boy dying of brain cancer is being attributed to her. After his case was pronounced medically hopeless, the boys desperate mother had organized a prayer crusade to Sister Catherine, leading to his miraculous recovery.

The letters Olivia holds are the evidence that Catherine gave birth at age seventeen to a child, a son, and gave him up for adoption. Olivia knows the identity of the young man who fathered Catherines child: Alex Gannon, who went on to become a world-famous doctor, scientist, and inventor holding medical patents.

Now, two generations later, 31-year-old pediatrician Dr. Monica Farrell, Catherines granddaughter, stands as the rightful heir to what remains of the family fortune. But in telling Monica who she really is, Olivia would have to betray Catherines wishes and reveal the story behind Monicas ancestry.

The Gannon fortune is being squandered by Alexs nephews Greg and Peter Gannon, and other board members of the Gannon Foundation, who camouflage their profligate lifestyles with philanthropy.

Now their carefully constructed image is cracking. Greg, a prominent financier, is under criminal investigation, and Peter, a Broadway producer, is asuspect in the murder of a young woman who has been extorting money from him.

The only people aware of Olivias impending choice are those exploiting the Gannon inheritance. To silence Olivia and prevent Monica from learning the secret, some of them will stop at nothing....even murder.

Clark's riveting new novel explores the juxtaposition of medical science and religious faith, and the search for identity by the daughter of a man adopted at birth.

©2010 Mary Higgins Clark (P)2010 Simon & Schuster

Wonderful book

Keeps you on your toes the whole time, you wonder what’s gonna happen next! Such a great read!

Enjoyable - for the most part

What made the experience of listening to The Shadow of Your Smile the most enjoyable?

The medical aspect and the child involved

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Shadow of Your Smile?

Knowing that good would trump evil

Which scene was your favorite?

When Monica found the letters

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

Parts of it seem to drag on more than necessary however it was enjoyable and I purchased another book by the same author that I just began to listen to.

Excellent Read!!

Excellent book read aloud very well. I love how descriptive she makes the characters. most of all I love how she doesn't give away who did it until the end.

Love her

She is one of my fave writers! I've read just about all her book. this one was very good

Great

Loved this story. I really enjoyed listening to this story. It was so interesting. I liked the characters.

Not her best

There was no mystery here. You know all of the big reveals a long time before they are revealed to any of the pertinent characters. And each one of these reveals are made in first person confessions. It is all told rather than shown.

I felt like all of the action in this book was people thinking about their crimes or their planned crimes rather than seeing them doing anything. It left very little room for intrigue.

Loved It.

The storyline was great. I was sad when I finished. Great read. The narration was exceptional.

Excellent story and narration!

I was captivated by this story and awed by the performance of the narrator. Wonderful writing by MHC and inspired work by Jan maxwell

Another good one

Very good story! It kept my interest from the beginning. I recommend it and I love the reader.

Another great book!

I am listening to MHC’s books now and love all of them. I occasionally watch a film based on her books. It’s always a pleasure👏