Under Suspicion Solves Another Case

Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke's The Cinderella Murder (2014), is an "Under Suspicion" novel. A fictionalized made-for-TV version of Serial,  Under Suspicion is TV producer Laurie Moran's brainchild--a cold-case program that revisits unsolved crimes by recreating them with all the parties involved in the case--inspired by her own trauma. The program's debut led to the cold case being solved and had huge ratings.

Rosemary Dempsey appeals to Laurie to take on her daughter's twenty-year-old case, known as The Cinderella Murder, for her next TV special with the hope that Laurie can produce the same result. Susan Dempsey was a beautiful and talented UCLA student and aspiring actress. She was found dead wearing only one shoe in a park near the home of then hot-shot, now Oscar-nominated Hollywood director with whom she was was set to audition.

The plot revolves around the goings-on of Laurie's team as she prepares the production of the show along with those of the suspects involved with Susan's case. The suspects include the famous director Susan was meeting, her actor boyfriend, her two roommates, the founders of a multi-billion computer company, and the leader and some members of a religious cult.

The Cinderella Murder is fast-paced and engaging, though a bit convoluted with the cult aspect of the plot. I figured out the murderer pretty early on but the motive, which eluded me, kept me interested in the mystery. Laurie's story, along the people who make up her personal life, added another layer of interest that entices me to read more so that I can find out how her personal story evolves.

Not being too familiar with the mystery genre or Mary Higgins Clark's style / novels, I quite enjoyed The Cinderella Murder.

This is a CBR8 crossposted review.