Helpful Score: 2
Writing and plotting are much better in this second installment in the Tess Monaghan series of books. Characters are still just as interesting and crazy as before with some new additions and minor characters. Additionally, the mystery unfolds much better overall. If you're a cozy fan, this is a series to invest in.
In the second book featuring Tess Monaghan, Lippman brings the city of Baltimore (the good, the bad and the ugly) to life. Tess is very likeable, a former reporter turned P.I. The mystery itself is well written and had me guessing up until the very end. I look forward to more Tess Monaghan mysteries.
Helpful Score: 1
Tess Monaghan returns with more mayhem and murder in Baltimore. Whitney, an employee of the Baltimore Beacon-Light, recommends her best friend, Tess, for a job at the newspaper. A hot story that shook the whole city was moved from the newspapers holding computer to the newspapers production line and printed. No one admitted to this breach of security and Tess was told to investigate.
The next day, the object of the expose is dead -- Wink Wynkowski, a local businessman who made good in Baltimore and was trying to bring a professional basketball team to the city. The newspaper fears that the family will sue them for printing an article that led to Winks obvious suicide.
In the meantime, Tesss Uncle Spike is beaten in his bar and is rushed via ambulance to the hospital; hes in a coma for most of the book. The oddity is that Uncle Spike told his assistant to give a live greyhound (Esskay), to his niece, Tess. She cannot understand why the dog is hers shes never had or been interested in owning a pet.
Tess finds herself attracted to one of the newspaper editors; this brings up conflict in how she feels about her live-in boyfriend, Crow who is 6 years younger than she. As Tess becomes more interested in Sterling, she refuses Crows request that they commit to each other.
Laura Lippman must love Baltimore; descriptions and landmarks are mentioned on virtually every page. If I visited the city, Id know quite a bit about Baltimore because of Lippmans descriptions and impromptu history lessons.
Lippman gives the side characters quite a workout in this book: Whitney and Tess have some serious words (that, in retrospect, clear the air between them); Tess and poetry-spewing, ace reporter Kevin Feeney are alienated for considerable time and Tess and Crow reach a serious stalemate.
Theres quite a bit going on in this story; looking for the person who caused the devastating article to be printed almost moves to the back burner because of all the personal interactions along the way.
4 stars
The next day, the object of the expose is dead -- Wink Wynkowski, a local businessman who made good in Baltimore and was trying to bring a professional basketball team to the city. The newspaper fears that the family will sue them for printing an article that led to Winks obvious suicide.
In the meantime, Tesss Uncle Spike is beaten in his bar and is rushed via ambulance to the hospital; hes in a coma for most of the book. The oddity is that Uncle Spike told his assistant to give a live greyhound (Esskay), to his niece, Tess. She cannot understand why the dog is hers shes never had or been interested in owning a pet.
Tess finds herself attracted to one of the newspaper editors; this brings up conflict in how she feels about her live-in boyfriend, Crow who is 6 years younger than she. As Tess becomes more interested in Sterling, she refuses Crows request that they commit to each other.
Laura Lippman must love Baltimore; descriptions and landmarks are mentioned on virtually every page. If I visited the city, Id know quite a bit about Baltimore because of Lippmans descriptions and impromptu history lessons.
Lippman gives the side characters quite a workout in this book: Whitney and Tess have some serious words (that, in retrospect, clear the air between them); Tess and poetry-spewing, ace reporter Kevin Feeney are alienated for considerable time and Tess and Crow reach a serious stalemate.
Theres quite a bit going on in this story; looking for the person who caused the devastating article to be printed almost moves to the back burner because of all the personal interactions along the way.
4 stars
