Mary Higgins Clark to Collaborate With Alafair Burke on New Novel

Posted on June 18, 2014

Simon and Schuster announced that internationally bestselling author Mary Higgins Clark has teamed up with bestselling crime author Alafair Burke to write a collaborative novel. Ms. Clark, who has sold more than 100 million copies of her books in the U.S. alone, and Ms. Burke are busy writing The Cinderella Murder which will be published in November, 2014.

Jonathan Karp, President and Publisher of Simon & Schuster had this to say about the deal: "This suspenseful collaboration is going to produce a lot of sleep-deprived readers." Marysue Rucci, Vice-President and Editor-in-Chief of Simon & Schuster said, "Mary Higgins Clark's astonishing talent and popularity are bar none. We’ve long wished we could clone her! This exciting collaboration with the wonderfully talented Alafair Burke is the next best thing " So far as we know no actual cloning program is underway in the Simon and Schuster basement, but who knows what might be possible in the future.

The Cinderella Murder will be a sequel to I've Got You Under My Skin. Television producer Laurie Moran will continue her investigations into cold case murders. In this novel Laurie delves into the case of a beautiful UCLA college student whose body turned up in the Hollywood Hills. The murderer was never found. She discovers that there a number of people who don't want the case reopened and finds herself in danger.

The collaboration is an interesting one. Alafair Burke has written ten novels, including her most recent thriller All Day and a Night. She is the daughter of author James Lee Burke. Ms. Burke is a former prosecutor and teaches criminal law at Hofstra University. We think her background will give an interesting, edgy twist to the storytelling style and look forward to seeing the finished product.

Mary Higgins Clark has teamed up with her daughter Carol Higgins Clark to write five books, but this is the first time she's collaborated with a non-family member. She said, "I am delighted to be embarking on my first continuing series with Alafair Burke -- a gifted and bestselling author." Ms. Burke sounds pretty excited about the project saying, "I am so honored to be collaborating on this exciting new series. working with Mary Higgins Clark has felt like a master class in the creation of suspense."