If it’s the Friday before publication date, it must be time for Entertainment Weekly to give me a B+. (I’ve gotten the same grade for the last three books and have no complaints. Although, hey, I could take on some extra credit if that would make a difference.)
Another Thing to Fall
Laura Lippman
Mystery
Down-to-earth Baltimore PI Tess Monaghan signs on as the bodyguard for a spoiled starlet in town to film an inane new TV series. The show appears to be jinxed: Someone detonates a smoke bomb in the production office, the vain male lead claims his face cream was replaced by Nair, and a diligent young assistant is bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat. Aside from several nasty murders, Lippman has fun with her Hollywood material (she’s married to The Wire’s creator, David Simon), spoofing anorexic bimbo actresses and rampant showbiz ambition while cooking up a juicy whodunit. B+
ETA: My day began at 7:30 a.m., when I posted the previous entry to the Memory Project. It’s ending now, at 10 p.m., as I send an email to a website that requested some info. It wasn’t all work — I had a dentist’s appointment! — and I managed to have a marvelous dinner of baked sweet potato and romaine salad, but now I have to clean the kitchen and go to bed.
June,
You’re right, I consider that high praise indeed. Almost as good as being compared to Rob Hiaasen, my favorite Hiaasen. (Check out his story in Baltimore Noir.)
Oh, hell, Laura – you’re always an A+ for me – so a pox on EW.
I luuuuuuuuuv Carl Hiaason, am not familiar with his brother except for Baltimore Noir. But wait, I got to see both of them back in the old Bibelot days. Remember Bibelot? Hey, that’s where I saw David Simon, too. I was a big fan of the book, Homicide and later the TV show. Whatever happened to Detective Pemberton? I can hardly wait for your book to hit the shelves. I have all of your books in hardcover except the first three. You could say that I am collecting Laura Lippman books!
Laura, there’s nothing wrong with Rob Hiasson. It’s just that Carl’s books came to mind. It would be a spoiler to mention the first time I thought that. Do funny genes run in the family? I’ve enjoyed plenty of Rob’s writings in the Sun and we own Baltimore Noir, but I can’t recall a book. If he has books,tell me and I’ll head over to the former Bibelot.
For non-Baltimoreans, the Bibelot reference is an inside joke. This wonderful local bookstore chain was run into the ground by the owners (squandered their money–didn’t put it into the business) and sorely missed by all lo these many years later. Barnes and Noble just doesn’t have the same cache’.
Rob doesn’t have a novel out . . . yet. It’s only a matter of time. A special talent.
Sounds good enough to read!
Peg, you do want to read it. I’ve just finished the ARC I won. Because of the Entertainment Weekly review, it is not a spoiler to say that a couple of times I thought of Carl Hiassen. I don’t think Laura is insulted by that statement.
Laura, do you think points were taken off because the reviewer thought your close source could be counted as cribbing?
Oh yeah, I’ll read it. Cribbing schmibbing. Just a good inside track, I’d say. Laura, great interview of your SO yesterday on NPR.
I didn’t think readers of Entertainment Weekly read books.
Particularly books that are intelligent and not by crappy pulp writers.
Another pre-conceived notion bites the dust.
I look forward to being the 1st on my block to read ATTF.