Every Secret Thing

When I picked up "Every Secret Thing," by Laura Lippman, I expected nothing more than a formulaic novel about child abductions. Much to my surprise, this book turned out to be a deeply psychological page-turner with marvelously descriptive writing, dry humor, and intricate plotting. Now that I have finished the book, the highest compliment that I can pay to Ms. Lippman is that she reminds me of the great British novelist, Ruth Rendell. Why? Rendell has never been satisfied with the standard whodunit formula. She likes to examine the unexplored dark corners of the human psyche and the mystery is not always the centerpiece of her books. The people are."Every Secret Thing" begins with a tragedy. A little girl named Olivia Barnes is kidnapped and, several days later, she is murdered. Two eleven-year-old girls named Ronnie Fuller and Alice Manning are charged with the crime, and they spend seven years in juvenile detention facilities. When they are released, Ronnie and Alice are young women of eighteen. Before long, when another little girl named Brittany goes missing, Ronnie and Alice are once again under suspicion. There are so many things to praise about this book that it is difficult to pick one, but above all else, the character development is uniformly outstanding. We get to know each major and several minor characters intimately, as if they were our own neighbors. Lippman gives us a glimpse into the minds of Ronnie and Alice, two unhappy and lonely misfits with a tenuous grip on reality. We become well acquainted with Helen Manning, Alice's narcissistic and foolish mother, Nancy Porter, the cop who found Olivia's body and has been haunted by the case ever since, and Cynthia Barnes, Olivia's bitter and grieving mother whose life is devoted to seeing Alice and Ronnie destroyed. That the two girls responsible for killing Olivia should be set free to walk the earth is simply not an option for Cynthia, who has powerful political connections and is used to getting what she wants.As the story unfolds, a tale of psychological horror emerges that is truly chilling. When I turned the last page, I knew that I would be thinking about this book for some time to come, marveling at how Lippman mines so many themes so effectively, and how she makes us care deeply about the outcome of her story. Don't miss this unforgettable thriller.

Ace novelist Laura Lippman brings 20 years of experience as a reporter to every mystery she pens. Readers applauded "Last Place," "Baltimore Blues," and others for the author's compelling accuracy and to attention to detail. Her series starring the unsinkable Tess Monaghan won legions of enthusiastic fans as well as numerous literary prizes - the Anthony, Edgar, Shamus, Agatha, and Nero Wolfe awards. Not only do Ms. Lippman's novel chill with compelling authenticity but she excels in creating accessible, unforgettable female characters. Her characterizations soar in "Every Secret Thing," an astonishing story of children and crime. They are eleven-year-olds, fifth graders at St. William of York, and they are as different as night and day. Alice Manning is an obedient youngster, usually acquiescing to parental restraints. On the other hand, Ronnie Fuller, is an uneasy youngster, prone to angry outbursts. As an opener we read: "They were bare foot when they were sent home, their dripping feet leaving prints that evaporated almost instantly, as if they had never been there at all." The girls had been banished from a birthday party. As they meander toward their homes the pair see a baby carriage left unattended on a porch. Inside the buggy is a black baby. Dressed in pink the infant is all innocence, sleeping soundly, and the girls take the baby away. Now, segue to seven years later when Alice is released "by the State of Maryland for her part in the death of Olivia Barnes." How could such a serene July afternoon have ended in murder, much less the killing of a child by those who were children themselves? Who actually committed the crime; who was the bystander? And, that is the crux of Ms. Lippman's disturbing yet compulsively readable story. The lives of Ronnie and Alice have, in effect, been ruined yet there is more to come. Another child is abducted and eyes turn toward the pair who were found guilty of the earlier crime. Ms. Lippman has courageously taken on a difficult subject, one that the majority of our society would prefer not to acknowledge. She gave as her reason for tackling this issue: "I decided to give it my best shot, to shake people out of the smug complacency that says, `It can't happen here, it can't touch my family,' because anything can happen anywhere, to anyone." Her `Best shot" has resulted in a shocking tale told with grace and skill. - Gail Cooke

"Every Secret Thing" is Lippman's first standalone novel, a thriller dealing with children who commit crimes, the reasoning behind their criminal behavior, and the adults they ultimately become. Alice Manning and Ronnie Fuller are convicted at the age of 11 of murdering a small child, who is the granddaughter of a powerful black judge in their community. They are incarcerated in separate juvenile facilities for seven years, then released with warnings to stay away from each other. Ronnie, who has always been looked upon as the "bad girl," tries to engage herself in as normal a life as she can have. Alice, on the other hand, always considered the "good girl" who was simply following Ronnie's lead, seems to be content to stay at home or take long, mysterious walks. Shortly after their return, small girls begin to disappear for short periods. When a young interracial girl is kidnapped, the police begin to focus their investigation on Ronnie and Alice. With the Tess Monaghan series, Lippman has become known for her witty dialogue and realistic characters, but "Every Secret Thing" proves her ability to delve into more complex, darker characters. Her portrayal of Alice's mother is fascinating, as well as her depiction of the former, then present, mental states of Alice and Ronnie. She weaves past with present as she tells the story of what happened with the baby Alice and Ronnie are accused of murdering. A fascinating look at a dark subject and a book which proves Laura Lippman is an author who herself stands out.

I just finished Laura Lippman's latest (how's that for alliteration?) and what a stunner! _Every Secret Thing_ is a stand-alone novel, not part of the Tess Monaghan series, and it's more of a "portrait of a community" sort of a book than an outright mystery, although it certainly has a strong mystery driving the plot. I'd hesitate to say "breakout book" because I think she broke out long ago, but as I read, I couldn't help but compare the experience to that of reading Dennis Lehane's _Mystic River_, which I still firmly believe is one of the best American books of the last ten years. And I do think that _Every Secret Thing_ is on par with that book. The story is narrated from multiple viewpoints, including those of a pair of now teenage girls, just released from juvenile detention after serving seven-year sentences for their parts in the kidnapping and death of a baby, the granddaughter of a locally-famous black judge. Ronnie Fuller and Alice Manning have had their lives irrevocably changed, and when another child of mixed race disappears soon after their return home, the girls become prime suspects, after their names are leaked to the press and to the police. At first, we feel sympathetic toward poor Alice, the "good" girl whose life was ruined by the inexplicable actions of the "bad" Ronnie, but as the story goes on, our sympathies are drawn more and more to Ronnie as the secrets of what happened seven years before, and what is happening now, are revealed. Set in Baltimore, the story is as much about developing character studies of the girls, their families, the police, the press, and so forth, as it is about solving the mystery. The book also presents a portrait of the racism and divisions inherent in society, not just black vs. white, but rich vs. poor, and so on. There are great passages about the struggles faced by homicide detective Nancy Porter, who found the dead baby many years ago and who is now assigned to the new investigation, that are worthy of _Homicide: Life on the Street_ or _The Wire_. Lippman draws deft portraits of both Sharon Kerpelman, the public defender who feels she failed Alice in the earlier case, and Mira Jenkins, the reporter who sees this story as her chance to "move downtown." And Cynthia Barnes, the mother of the murdered baby, is a fully-shaded character who sees the possibility to get some sort of revenge on the girls, who she feels should have been tried as adults. This is a gripping story, full of tension and emotion. It has moments of sadness and moments of humor. It's a great book by a great writer and I'd be surprised if it isn't nominated for the major awards in the field this year. Very highly recommended.

The Last Place knocked my socks off as the best Lippman book yet. In comparison to Every Secret Thing, it's Lippman's second best book (and best Tess). Every Secret Thing is a whole new level of writing for Lippman. Every Secret Thing is dark, exploring, questioning, and powerful. Some Tess fans may be disappointed by the tone of this book -- it may be darker than they prefer -- but they won't be disappointed by the quality of writing or the story. It's not Tess, *and* it is still very, very good. I thought about this book for a long time after I read it.