All Around the Town

Laurie was only 5-years old when she was kidnapped. Two years later, she was let go, but she had blocked out everything from the time she was with her abductors. When Laurie is in the early 20s and her sister Sarah, a lawyer, now in her late 20s, their parents die. More trauma. Laurie is now in college and has a good relationship with one of her professors, but when he is found murdered, signs point to Laurie. She doesn’t remember.

It wasn’t fast paced, but many psychological “thrillers” aren’t. This was much about the psychology. Really interesting read; I imagine the author would have had to do a chunk of research on this. I’ve not read much about it; I think I have only one other book tagged multiple personality disorder, show more which is actually surprising as I do find it fascinating. show less

Its been forever since I've read a MHC novel and I found a couple in one of my book boxes that I don't remember reading, this was one of them.

I really enjoyed this. I appreciate this type of thriller, told from perspective of both the victim and the " villain". The vast majority of suspense/thrillers are mystery "who done it "plots, this change of pace is always nice.

A fast read, that kept my interest to the very end.

I’m so torn on her books. The plots are always interesting, which I think is what keeps me coming back, but there is just something, that I can’t put my finger on, that is missing. They just don’t have the same allure as some of my favorite authors. I read them, and they are “good” but I never feel like I’d rather stay up and keep reading to find out what happens instead of going to bed. Usually I know whether I like a book or not, and if not, I know why, but not hers. There’s something missing, I just can’t put my finger on it.

The story: girl has multiple personalities and did/did not commit murder. On so many levels this book is lame. I remember my high school english teacher advising that writers should never end a story by saying, "And then Mary woke up." Ending a story by finding out the whole thing is a dream is a big cop-out. I think that my english teacher would have applied the same cop-out label to Mary Higgins Clark's All Around the Town. Unless you are a very creative writer, the multiple personality conundrum is pretty boring/mundane. And MHC is not a "very creative writer" at least in this instance. Can you say, "Formulaic Writing?"

I think the worst thing about this novel is that MHC didn't do much research into multiple personalities. Maybe she show more just figured watching Sybil was enough? However, the fact that multiple personality disorder is a terribly serious disease doesn't seem to receive the literary treatment it deserves. I think this is aptly demonstrated at the very end of the book. I think that All Around the Town could have had some redeeming value had MHC done some research into multiple personality disorder. Maybe, in addition to a mystery, the reader could have learned more about this serious medical condition. show less

All Around the Town recooked the dry and tasteless politically correct plot--young girl gets kidnapped by evil pedophile, suffers mental trauma in the form of multiple personality disorder, and undertakes therapy to purge herself of disabling memories in hopes of becoming healthy and happy once more. Clark adds a few twists to the story in the form of an interesting but predictable murder mystery. With superficial characters the reader can't relate to and almost no noticeable research on the topic of dissociative identity disorder, All Around the Town is disappointing, to say the least. However, if the reader is looking for a quick read to settle down for the night, the story is entertaining enough.

From Amazon:

When Laurie Kenyon, a twenty-one-year-old student, is accused of murdering her English professor, she has no memory of the crime. Her fingerprints, however, are everywhere. When she asks her sister, attorney Sarah, to mount her defense, Sarah in turn brings in psychiatrist Justin Donnelly. Kidnapped at the age of four and victimized for two years, Laurie has developed astounding coping skills. Only when the unbearable memories of those lost years are released can the truth of the crime come out—and only then can the final sadistic plan of her abductor, whose obsession is stronger than ever, be revealed.

My Thoughts:

This is an intense journey into the dark world of child abuse and Multiple Personality Disorder. The story show more will grip your attention and not let go until the last page is finished. Anyone who enjoys a well turned mystery will certainly like this book. show less

Somehow or another I lost the original annotation of this in the ether. I probably haven’t read a Clark novel in over 30 years and it was good for a change. I was surprised that it was a graphic as it was. Actually there was more implication than description. A young girl was kidnapped and kept for 2 years by a sicko preacher and his wife. She is now is college and is trying to not to remember what happened to her. When the young woman is accused of killing her English professor, the sister gets her to a psychiatrist who discovers that she has developed multiple personalities to deal with the abuse she suffered as a child.