On graduating from high school, she went to secretarial school, so she could get a job and help with the family finances. Born and raised in the Bronx, her father died when she was eleven and her mother struggled to raise her and her two brothers. Mary Higgins Clark's fame as a writer was achieved against heavy odds. Many of her other works, novels and short stories, were made into television films. Two of her novels were made into feature films, Where Are the Children? and A Stranger Is Watching. She is co-author, with her daughter Carol Higgins Clark, of four holiday suspense novels Deck the Halls (2000), He Sees You When You're Sleeping (2001), The Christmas Thief (2004) and Santa Cruise (2006). Her first children's book, Ghost Ship, illustrated by Wendell Minor, was published in April 2007 as a Paula Wiseman Book/SimonandSchuster Books for Young Readers. Her memoir, Kitchen Privileges, was published by SimonandSchuster in November 2002.

Her first book, a biographical novel about George Washington, was re-issued with the title, Mount Vernon Love Story, in June 2002. She is the author of three collections of short stories, The Anastasia SyndromeandOther Stories (1989), The Lottery Winner: AlvirahandWilly Stories (1994) and My Gal Sunday: Henry and Sunday Stories (1996). She is the author of twenty-six previous suspense novels, Where Are the Children? (1975), A Stranger Is Watching (1978), The Cradle Will Fall (1980), A Cry in the Night (1982), Stillwatch (1984), Weep No More, My Lady (1987), While My Pretty One Sleeps (1989), Loves Music, Loves to Dance (1991), All Around the Town (1992), I'll Be Seeing You (1993), Remember Me (1994), Let Me Call You Sweetheart (1995), Silent Night (1995), Moonlight Becomes You (1996), Pretend You Don't See Her (1997), You Belong To Me (1998), All Through the Night (1998), We'll Meet Again (1999), Before I Say Good-Bye (2000), On the Street Where You Live (2001), Daddy's Little Girl (2002), The Second Time Around (2003), Nighttime is My Time (2004), No Place Like Home (2005), Two Little Girls in Blue (2006) and I Heard That Song Before (2007). Her next suspense novel, Where Are You Now? will be published by SimonandSchuster in April 2008. alone, her books have sold over 85 million copies. Mary Higgins Clark's books are world-wide bestsellers.

Stillwatch by Mary Higgins Clark