Pretend You Don't See Her

Pretend You Don't See Her

Queen of Suspense Mary Higgins Clark brings us another New York Times bestselling novel that she “prepares so carefully and executes with such relish” (The New York Times Book Review) about a witness to a murder who finds that what she’s seen might make her the next casualty. Mary Higgins Clark sends chills down readers’ spines with the story of Lacey Farrell, a rising star on the Manhattan real estate scene. One day, while showing a luxurious skyline co-op, Lacey is witness to a murder—and to the dying words of the victim. The dying woman is convinced that the attacker was after her dead daughter’s journal—which Lacey gives to the police, but not before making a copy for herself. It’s an impulse that later proves nearly fatal. Placed in the witness protection program and sent to live in the Minneapolis area, Lacey must assume a fake identity, at least until the killer can be brought to trial. There she meets Tom Lynch, a radio talk-show host whom she tentatively begins to date—until the strain of deception makes her break it off. Then she discovers the killer has traced her to Minneapolis. Armed with nothing more than her own courage and clues from the journal, Lacey heads back to New York, determined to uncover who’s behind the deaths of the two women—before she’s the next casualty. At once seductive and frightening, Pretend You Don’t See Her is the “mistress of high tension” (The New Yorker) at her ingenious best. Katy Kelly USA Today Pretend You Don't See Her should come with a warning. Start it in the evening and you'll be reading way late into the night.... This one is well worth the lost sleep. The New York Times Book Review The built-in risks, mystery, and strain of living under cover provide just the right foundation for the many-layered plot of Mary Higgins Clark's latest novel...." Ruth Coughlin Detroit News The chase is on, with the story line zipping along at comet speed.... What's amazing is how expertly Clark manages to keep us hooked time after time, and even better, create new plots, each as fresh as a mountain stream. The #1 New York Times bestselling author Mary Higgins Clark wrote over forty suspense novels, four collections of short stories, a his­torical novel, a memoir, and two children’s books. With bestselling author Alafair Burke she wrote the Under Suspicion series including The Cinderella Murder , All Dressed in White , The Sleeping Beauty Killer , Every Breath You Take , You Don’t Own Me , and Piece of My Heart . With her daughter Carol Higgins Clark, she coauthored five suspense novels. More than one hundred million copies of her books are in print in the United States alone. Her books are international bestsellers. Chapter 1 It was the week after Labor Day, and from the steady ringing of the phones in the offices of Parker and Parker, it was clear to Lacey that the summer doldrums finally were over. The Manhattan co-op market had been uncommonly slow this past month; now, finally, things would start to move again. "It's about time," she told Rick Parker as he delivered a mug of black coffee to her desk. "I haven't had a decent sale since June. Everybody I had on the hook took off for the Hamptons or the Cape, but thank God they're all drifting back into town now. I enjoyed my month off, too, but now it's time to get back to work." She reached for the coffee. "Thanks. It's nice to have the son and heir wait on me." "No problem. You look great, Lacey." Lacey tried to ignore the expression on Rick's face. She always felt as though he were undressing her with his eyes. Spoiled, handsome, and the possessor of a phony charm that he turned on at will, he made her distinctly uncomfortable. Lacey heartily wished his father hadn't moved him from the West Side office. She didn't want her job jeopardized, but lately keeping him at arm's length was becoming a balancing act. Her phone rang, and she grabbed for it with relief. Saved by the bell, she thought. "Lacey Farrell," she said. "Miss Farrell, this is Isabelle Waring. I met you when you sold a co-op in my building last spring." A live one, Lacey thought. Instinctively she guessed that Mrs. Waring was putting her apartment on the market. Lacey's mind went into its search-and-retrieve mode. She'd sold two apartments in May on East Seventieth, one an estate sale where she hadn't spoken to anyone except the building manager, the second a co-op just off Fifth Avenue. That would be the Norstrum apartment, and she vaguely remembered chatting with an attractive fiftyish redhead in the elevator, who had asked for her business card. Crossing her fingers, she said, "The Norstrum duplex? We met on the elevator?" Mrs. Waring sounded pleased. " Exactly! I'm putting my daughter's apartment on the market, and if it's convenient I'd like you to handle it for me." "It would be very convenient, Mrs. Waring." Lacey made an appointment with her for the following morning, hung up, and turned to Rick. "What luck! Th