July 8, 2004

ON MY BOOKSHELF

‘Cry in the Night’
By Mary Higgins Clark

Megan Herzing, 24,
substitute teacher

Almaden “implant” Megan Herzing has bannered many a nickname in her day, from Schlegel, the striking substitute teacher’s maiden name, to ‘The Golden Foot’ in her soccer-goal scoring days at Cal-Poly San Luis Obisbo. One can imagine Herzing was even the recipient of several other jeers, coined by the myriad suitors to South San Jose’s most eligible bachelor, Adam Herzing.

But the name Megan claims to cherish most is that of Herzing, received on Feb. 6 this year, when Schlegs took the pot, marrying the Leland graduate at a ceremony in Newport Beach.

“I was pretty excited to marry Adam,” said the newest Herzing, of her new life as Adam’s other half.

Yet, since what reportedly will be remembered as a fairy tale wedding, it’s been a whirlwind of events for the newlyweds. After enduring a honeymoon in Maui, the couple re-packed their bags and headed overseas, this time across the Atlantic, for four months filled mostly with Adam’s work in Germany. It was then that Herzing realized the truth behind marriage.

“I had to sacrifice my job as a P.I.,” she said. Prior to Adam’s European employment, Megan had worked for a private investigator, learning the intricacies of espionage. “I really enjoyed it,” she continued. “Cases would come in and I felt like I was making a difference. It was like living in a mystery novel.”

Now uprooted out of her home near Newport to live and find employment in San Jose, Herzing is relegated to reading mysteries rather than living them. Most recently, Herzing read Mary Higgins Clark’s “Cry in the Night,” a book that is described as Higgins Clarke’s best, most provocative novel yet.

In “Cry,” Higgins Clark illustrates a harrowing account of psychosis and misguided love. Protagonist Jenny MacPartland is working in a New York art gallery when she meets the gallery’s most famed painter, Erich Krueger.

However, after Krueger falls in love with the divorced mother of two, it becomes apparent that the situation really is too good to be true. Suspiciously, the painter invites MacPartland to stay with him on his farm in Minnesota.

There, the truth about Krueger’s work, past and intentions becomes crystal clear in the darkest sense.

“I would recommend the book,” explained Herzing. “At first you think it’s a total love story, but then you find out it’s all just really twisted. Jenny is sort of blinded by love and Krueger’s this raving psycho. It definitely filled my mystery quotient. I love being scared.”

As for marriage, “it’s amazing,” exclaimed Herzing. “It’s worth giving up life in the fast lane, working undercover. I’ll always miss that time in my life, but I know I have a good thing. I want this.”

—By Justin Petersen