Before I Say Good-Bye

by Mary Higgins Clark

2001

Status

Available

Publication

Pocket Books (2001), 416 pages

Description

Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:A young woman probing into the mysterious circumstances of her husband's death receives a message from a medium claiming to be his channel in Mary Higgins Clark's #1 bestselling thriller, Before I Say Goodbye. When Nell MacDermott learns that her husband, architect Adam Cauliff, and three of his business associates have died in an explosion of his new cabin cruiser, she is not only devastated but wracked with guilt. The last time she saw Adam, they had a bitter quarrel over her plan to run for the congressional seat long held by her grandfather; she had told him not to come home. As the investigation into the boat's explosion proceeds, Nell learns that it was not an accident but a bomb. Despite her skepticism, Nell is swayed by her great-aunt Gert, a believer in psychic powers, to see a medium claiming to be Adam's channel. While trying to unravel the threads of Adam's past and his violent end, Nell consults the medium, who transmits messages to her with instructions from Adam. The story reaches a powerful climax in Nell's final encounter with the medium, in which she learns the truth about the explosion�??truth she can't be allowed to live and te… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Kathy89
Fast read. Man married into a political family is on a boat that blows up after having a fight with his wife. She soon learns that he had things to hide. Very suspense episode when she's locked in the burning building. Parallel story about a man who worked for him and the consequences on his family.
LibraryThing member drebbles
Nell MacDermott is devastated when her husband, Adam Cauliff, dies in a boat explosion. Her grief is made worse because she had quarreled with Adam the day before he died about her desire to follow in her grandfather's footsteps and run for political office. When people start questioning whether
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Adam was involved with shady real estate deals, Nell struggles to clear his name before it ruins her political chances. She reluctantly uses the help of a psychic who claims that Adam is speaking to her from another world. But the digger she deeps, Nell finds out much more about Adam than she expected in her search for the truth.

This was a disappointing thriller. The characters are bland. Nell's running for political office seems to be simply a plot device, as there's little talk of politics in the novel. Adam appears only briefly before he disappears and is so obnoxious that it's hard to believe Nell would marry him. Dan Minor, a doctor looking for his long lost mother, is the most interesting character in the novel and I would have enjoyed the book more if it had been about him and not Nell.

This book could have used a good editor. Parts of the plot make no sense. Nell has show signs of psychic ability, including seeing her dead parents and auras around people, yet when her aunt pressures her to go see a psychic, Nell says she doesn't believe in psychic ability! Early on Lisa Ryan calls Nell; several chapters later Lisa has to call Nell's grandfather because she doesn't have Nell's phone number! And Nell twice has the same conversation with two cops about a safety deposit box key. This was so annoying that it ruined the flow of the book and the story lost all credibility for me. Finally, I figured out the twist early on, but it was never fully explained how it was carried out and several plot threads were left hanging.

For devoted Mary Higgins Clark fans only.
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LibraryThing member midkid88
I really enjoyed this book and have read it several times, it stills turns out to be the same ending though. When Nell's husband dies in a boat explosion, her life changes in moments and is convinced to go see a psychic. When given instructions from her husband through the psychic, things start to
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heat up, but can she follow the instructions and stay alive?
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LibraryThing member askum
I found this to be a quick read.
LibraryThing member Buffy-Tinkes
Loved this book by Marry Higgins Clark, it had a slight tinge of the occult which i loved!!!! You follow Nell as she deals with on tragedy after the next, at the age of ten Nell lost her mother in father in a horrible plane crash. Raised by her grandfather who was a political new york giant she
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developed a hunger for the political limelight. After meeting Adam Nell's life changed, and after three years of marriage she faces her worst fear, Adam is killed in a boating accident along with his secretary, and two other members of the currant building project he was working on. However an eyewitness saw someone get off the boat before the explosion, and Nell has yet to get a visit from Adam like she did her parents after their death. She is desperate to hear from him especially with all the new allegations that he was the head of something illegal. Was Adam the cause of the explosion did he escape? Why!!!! Follow Nell as she goes on this journey.
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LibraryThing member Jjean7
Another very exciting thriller with great characters from this author....A love story, politics, mistakes, and even a little supernatural written in.... Holds your interest to the very end...And has a "Surprise" ending.....
LibraryThing member christinejoseph
typical her — but good

When Nell MacDermott learns that her husband, architect Adam Cauliff, and three of his business associates have died in an explosion of his new cabin cruiser, she is not only devastated but wracked with guilt. The last time she saw Adam, they had a bitter quarrel over her
Show More
plan to run for the congressional seat long held by her grandfather; she had told him not to come home.

As the investigation into the boat's explosion proceeds, Nell learns that it was not an accident but a bomb. Despite her skepticism, Nell is swayed by her great-aunt Gert, a believer in psychic powers, to see a medium claiming to be Adam's channel.

While trying to unravel the threads of Adam's past and his violent end, Nell consults the medium, who transmits messages to her with instructions from Adam. The story reaches a powerful climax in Nell's final encounter with the medium, in which she learns the truth about the explosion--a truth she can't be allowed to live to tell.
Show Less

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2000-04-01

Physical description

6.75 inches

ISBN

9780671004576

Barcode

1602948
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