Jane Clark (born 1954; Jane) is an American author of two series of suspense novels. Her first twelve books are media thrillers influenced by her three decades of experience in

broadcast journalism Broadcast journalism is the field of news and journals which are broadcast by electronic methods instead of the older methods, such as printed newspapers and posters. It works on radio (via air, cable, and Internet), television (via air, cable, ...

. She plots murder mysteries investigated and solved by the characters who work at KEY News, the fictional television news world she has created. Her next series is ''The Wedding Cake Mysteries'', featuring an actress-turned wedding cake designer who gets involved in murder cases which threaten to prevent ceremonies.

Early life

The daughter of a special agent with the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...

who uncovered Russian

espionage Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangibl ...

during the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

and, later, worked on kidnapping and extortion cases, her interest in suspense started at an early age. She attended

Immaculate Heart Academy Immaculate Heart Academy (IHA) is an all-girls college preparatory private Roman Catholic high school located in Washington Township, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The school colors are blue and white, and the school's athletes ...

Washington Township, Bergen County, New Jersey Washington Township, officially the Township of Washington, is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 9,285, an increase of 183 (+2.0%) of the 2010 census coun ...

, graduating in 1972. With the goal of working in television news, she graduated from the

University of Rhode Island The University of Rhode Island (URI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Kingston, Rhode Island, United States. It is the flagship public research as well as the land-grant university of the state of Rhode Island ...

with degrees in

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...

and

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

. She started her professional career as a desk assistant at

CBS News CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio service CBS. CBS News television programs include the ''CBS Evening News'', ''CBS Mornings'', news magazine programs '' CBS News Sunday Morning'', '' 60 Minutes'', and '' 48 H ...

headquarters in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, eventually becoming a producer and writer.

Present

Clark resides in

Hillsdale, New Jersey Hillsdale is a borough in the New York City metropolitan area in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 10,219,Fragile X Syndrome Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disorder characterized by mild-to-moderate intellectual disability. The average IQ in males with FXS is under 55, while about two thirds of affected females are intellectually disabled. Physical features may ...

, the most common inherited form of

developmental disability Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions, comprising mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, espe ...

. Mary Jane supports the FRAXA Research Foundation, a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

that supports

scientific research The scientific method is an empirical method for acquiring knowledge that has characterized the development of science since at least the 17th century (with notable practitioners in previous centuries; see the article history of scientific m ...

aimed at finding a treatment or a cure for the condition. Clark's former mother-in-law and sister-in-law are the well-known American authors

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

and

Carol Higgins Clark Carol Higgins Clark (born July 28, 1956) is an American mystery author and actress. She is the daughter of suspense writer Mary Higgins Clark, with whom she co-authored several Christmas novels, and the former sister-in-law of author Mary Jane ...

, respectively.

Books

Key News * 1998 ''Do You Want to Know a Secret'' * 1999 ''Do You Promise Not to Tell'' * 2000 ''Let Me Whisper in Your Ear'' * 2001 ''Close To You'' * 2002 ''Nobody Knows'' * 2003 ''Nowhere to Run'' * 2004 ''Hide Yourself Away'' * 2005 ''Dancing in the Dark'' * 2006 ''Lights Out Tonight'' * 2007 ''When Day Breaks'' * 2008 ''It Only Takes a Moment'' * 2009 ''Dying for Mercy'' Wedding Cake Mysteries * 2011 ''To Have and To Kill'' * 2012 ''The Look of Love'' * 2013 ''Footprints in the Sand'' * 2014 ''That Old Black Magic''

References

External links

Mary Jane Clark Official Website

Book Reporter Interview

Authors on the Air
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Jane 1954 births Living people 20th-century American novelists American mystery writers American thriller writers Immaculate Heart Academy alumni People from Hillsdale, New Jersey University of Rhode Island alumni Novelists from New Jersey Novelists from New York (state) 21st-century American novelists American women novelists 20th-century American women writers Date of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American women writers Women thriller writers Women mystery writers