Mary Higgins Clark

Mary Higgins Clark, America's "Queen of Suspense," is the #1 best-selling suspense writer in the United States, where over 50 million copies of her books are in print. Her books are worldwide bestsellers, published in translation around the world. The #1 fiction best-selling author in France, she received the Grand Prix de Literature Policiere in 1980 and The Literary Award at the 1998 Deanville Film Festival. Clark was chosen by Mystery Writers of America as Grand Master of 2000 Edgar Awards. She was the 1987 president of the Mystery Writers of America and, for many years, served on their Board of Directors. In May 1988, she was chairman of the International Crime Congress.

Clark's new suspense novel, "Before I Say Goodbye", was published by Simon & Schuster. She is the author of 21 bestsellers: "Where Are the Children?"; "A Stranger Is Watching"; "The Cradle Will Fal"l; "A Cry in the Night"; "Stillwatch"; "Weep No More My Lady"; "While My Pretty One Sleeps"; "The Anastasia Syndrome & Other Stories"; "Loves Music, Loves to Dance"; "All Around Town"; "I'll Be Seeing You"; "Remember Me"; "The Lottery Winner: Alvirah & Willy Stories"; "Let Me Call You Sweetheart"; "Silent Night"; "Moonlight Becomes You"; "My Gal Sunday: Henry and Sunday Stories"; "Pretend You Don't See Her"; "You Belong to Me"; "All Through the Night" and "We'll Meet Again."

Clark's fame as a writer was achieved against heavy odds. Her father died when she was ten and her mother struggled to raise her and her two brothers. Upon graduating from high school she went to secretarial school to get a job and help her mother with the family finances. After working for three years in an advertising agency, she became a flight attendant on Pan American Airline's international flights. She married her neighbor, Warren Clark, nine years her senior, whom she had known since she was sixteen. Soon after her marriage, she started writing short stories, finally selling her first to "Extension" magazine, after six years and forty rejection slips.

After her husband died in 1964, Clark was left with five children to support. She decided to write books. Every morning she got up at 5:00 AM and wrote until 7:00 AM, when she had to get the kids ready for school. Her first book was a biographical novel about George Washington, Aspire to the Heavens. "It was remaindered as it came off the press," she says of her first try. When she decided to write a suspense novel, Where Are the Children? became a bestseller and marked a turning point in her life and career.

With her newfound success she decided to do some things she always wanted to do. She entered Fordham University and graduated summa cum laude in 1979 with a BA in philosophy. She has subsequently received sixteen honorary doctorates and numerous other awards. Clark is an active advocate and participant in literacy programs.