Baltimore Blues (Tess Monaghan Novel, 1)

Lippman's honest appraisal of Baltimore is tempered only by her obvious love of the city. I've lived in Baltimore, and while it gets into your heart in a short time, it's also a tough love. Baltimore has a high murder rate and more social problems than you can shake an oar at. Lippman does not flinch at either of these things, particularly the murder rate. We overhear cops putting money in a betting pool as to the number of homicides that will happen this year. Yes, this sort of thing happens. One of those murders lands in Tess's lap, and following her attempts to solve it is a fascinating ride. There's no wonder there have been nine books. Tess is a fine mind, and not bound by some higher morality that seems to afflict only the detectives of fiction - she does what she needs to do, without endless navel-gazing as to The Meaning Of It All. The mystery is a good one, with multiple layers. But the real star is Lippman, a writer and reporter. Tess is a real person and a clear reflection of Lippman, with enough idealism to balance the natural cynicism. It's a good mix, and a familiar one. And unlike the standard mysteries lining the shelves of your local bookstore, this one isn't entirely wrapped up in a neat bow. Sometimes the real bad guy gets away, and sometimes all the questions aren't answered. No one knows that better than a reporter. Read the full review at CultureGeek: http://bellevillenewsdemocrat.typepad.com/culturegeek/2007/09/bookgeek-baltim.html

The worst part about this book is it made me nostalgic for home. Having grown up in Baltimore, but now gone for 30 years, Lippman's descriptions of neighborhoods, downtown, accents, and Ft. McHenry (home of the Star Spangled Banner--as Tess repeatedly notes), brought back great memories. Tess is an unemployed reporter, living with her aging hippie aunt, having an affair with a still employed reporter, and pouring her heart into rowing (it is nice to see a detective type who stays in shape doing something other than running or lifting weights!). She agrees to help a friend, by snooping on his fiancée to see if she's cheating on him. But, of course, things get complicated, and Tess ends up in the middle of a three ring murder mysteries (two, actually), which implicate some of the most powerful families in the City. All this, while keeping up her exercise, having a second affair, delving into far too many people's lives for her own good, a visit to Maryland's death row, at least two attempts on her own life, and seeing her lover killed before her very eyes. Lippman keeps us moving along, has great twists and turns, and yet keeps us laughing all the way. I can't wait to read the whole series--but I may just have to work in a trip back "home" to Baltimore!

i'm so glad i was given a copy of this book. as a native baltimoron, now living in san francisco, i was stoked to read such a wonderful mystery that takes places in and around real places i know and love in my home town. this book is just as wonderful for non-baltimorons. i must admit, the second in the series, "charm city", although quite good, did not live up to the first book. no worries, the following two, "butcher's hill" and "in big trouble", are amazing. i just received the newest in the series, "the sugar house" (i must be crazy about the series to actually blow the extra cash to buy it in had cover). i look forward to cruising through it on my upcoming flight to baltimore. thanks again laura. my only regret is that i'll never get to buy a cocktail for the extrordinary tess monahan during one of my occasional drunken evenings in fells's point or south balto.

Ms. Lippman writes some of the most intelligent, funny, strong characters I've read in a long time. The Baltimore setting makes her books a nice answer to her competitor, Lisa Scottoline, who does similar books set in Philly.

If you like a mystery with an intriguing protagonist, read Laura Lippman. Her heroine is deliciously flawed, smart, unself-aware, brave and fun, and comes surrounded by an ensemble of equally interesting pals, relatives and enemies. What is the book about? Rowing and rivalry and rage. About ability and disability and personal bests. About the poison of secrets. The real star of the book, though, is Baltimore. The book has such a strong and varied sense of place that I can't wait to go there, and I know that when I arrive, it will seem like an old friend. I'll read anything Laura will write, and only regret she doesn't publish two books a year.