Mary Higgins Clark Net Worth

What Was Mary Higgins Clark's Net Worth?

Mary Higgins Clark, a celebrated author of mystery and suspense, had a net worth of $140 million at the time of her death in 2020. She sold over 100 million books in her lifetime in the U.S. alone. Mary published 51 books, and each one was a bestseller in the U.S. and several European countries. Her success earned her hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties and advances. In 2011, she received a $64 million advance covering her next four books, equating to $16 million per book. Clark's career took off with her first suspense novel, "Where Are the Children?" in 1975, which was adapted into a feature film in 1986. Several of her novels have also been adapted into TV movies. Additionally, she was part-owner of the New Jersey Nets and produced the 2003 TV movie "A Crime of Passion." In 2011, she was inducted into the Irish America Hall of Fame. Mary Higgins Clark passed away of natural causes on January 31, 2020, at the age of 92.

Early Life

Born Mary Theresa Eleanor Higgins on December 24, 1927, in The Bronx, New York, Mary was the daughter of Luke Joseph Higgins, an Irish immigrant, and Nora C. Durkin. She had two brothers, Joseph and John. Tragically, Joseph died of spinal meningitis while serving in the Navy. From a young age, Mary showed a passion for writing, penning her first poem at 7 and writing short plays as a child. The family owned an Irish pub, but financial difficulties during the Great Depression forced Mary to help with the household bills by working as a switchboard operator. Following her father's death in 1939, the family lost their home and moved into an apartment. Eventually, Mary earned a scholarship to the Villa Maria Academy, where she nurtured her talent for writing. She later attended Wood Secretarial School and began her professional career.

Career

Mary's professional journey began as a secretary in Remington Rand's internal advertising division, where she also modeled for brochures alongside future star Grace Kelly. She then worked as a flight attendant for Pan American Airlines before giving up the job to marry Warren Clark in 1949. Mary later studied writing at New York University. Her breakthrough came in 1964 when she started writing radio scripts. Following her husband's sudden death, she focused on writing full-time. Her first novel, "Aspire to the Heavens," was published in 1968. She hit gold with her second novel, "Where Are the Children?", which gained immediate success. Subsequent works such as "A Stranger is Watching," "A Cry in the Night," and "While My Pretty One Sleeps" further solidified her place in the literary world.

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Throughout her career, Mary diversified her writings into children's books and various series. Her crime novels were adapted into TV movies by La Sabotière, and in 2019, an anthology series was announced. Between 2014 and 2020, she co-wrote the "Under Suspicion" series with Alafair Burke. Mary also wrote the "Alvirah and Willy" series, which crossed over with her daughter Carol's "Reagan Reilly" series.

Personal Life

Mary married Warren Clark in 1949, and they had five children: Marilyn, Warren Jr., David, Carol, and Patty. After Warren's death in 1964, Mary remarried Raymond Ploetz in 1978, but the marriage ended in annulment in 1986. Subsequently, she married John J. Conheeney in 1996, and they remained together until his death in 2018. Her daughter Carol Higgins Clark followed in her footsteps, becoming a notable mystery writer.

Death

Mary Higgins Clark passed away on January 31, 2020, in Naples, Florida. Simon & Schuster confirmed the news, tweeting, "She passed away peacefully this evening at the age of 92 surrounded by family and friends." She was laid to rest at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.

Awards and Honors

Mary's extensive list of accolades includes France's Grand Prix de Littérature Policière (1980), the Deauville Film Festival Literary Award (1999), the Spirit of Achievement Award from Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine (1994), and the American Irish Historical Society Gold Medal of Honor (1993). Additionally, she won the Horatio Alger Award (1997), the Bronx Legend Award (1999), and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor (2001). Mary was awarded 18 honorary doctorates, served as president of the Mystery Writers of America in 1987, and was named Grand Master at the Edgar Allan Poe Awards. She was also a Dame of Malta, a Dame of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, and a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters.