Rating: 
Summary: Ex-Baltimore reporter,Tess Monaghan, solves strange murder
Review: Baltimore lives in the capable hands of this author. Another in her fine series about a budding P.I. with a host of well-limned, quirky, friends and family, and ex racing greyhound, Esskay. Hired to shadow the fiancee of a friend, Tess decides to manipulate the outcome and thereby meddles where more experienced wouldn't tread. Pandemonium and murder result. Fun, interesting and well worth the price.
Rating:
Summary: Promising debut of a fun female sleuth
Review: Five stars for atmosphere -- I've never been to Baltimore but Lippman provides a terrific sense of the place in this her debut novel. Tess Monaghan is a native of the city and gives many wonderful insights as she unravels the mystery of who killed a prominent attorney.Four stars for characters -- Tess is a delight. She has much of the humor of Davidson's Goldy, Evanovich's Stephanie Plum or Grafton's Kinsey Milhone. I look forward to getting to know her better in further episodes. The supporting cast is very interesting also, particularly Tess' aunt Kitty who runs a feminist cum childrens bookstore. Three stars for plot-- this one takes a while to get rolling. The final 100 pages are very promising. It took me awhile to sort everything out. A very good first effort.
Rating:
Summary: Promising debut of a fun female sleuth
Review: Five stars for atmosphere -- I've never been to Baltimore but Lippman provides a terrific sense of the place in this her debut novel. Tess Monaghan is a native of the city and gives many wonderful insights as she unravels the mystery of who killed a prominent attorney. Four stars for characters -- Tess is a delight. She has much of the humor of Davidson's Goldy, Evanovich's Stephanie Plum or Grafton's Kinsey Milhone. I look forward to getting to know her better in further episodes. The supporting cast is very interesting also, particularly Tess' aunt Kitty who runs a feminist cum childrens bookstore. Three stars for plot-- this one takes a while to get rolling. The final 100 pages are very promising. It took me awhile to sort everything out. A very good first effort.
Rating: 
Summary: Feels Like Baltimore
Review: Having written a novel myself, "The Other Part Of Me", set in Howard County (just to the west of Baltimore) I was anxious to see if "Baltimore Blues" captured the feel of the Baltimore that I know and love. Ms. Lippman did that and more. Her book hits Baltimore dead-center, but more than that her book offers up a story that takes hold of the reader after just a few pages and never lets go.
Rating: 
Summary: Baltimore Blues: Baltimore's first mystery series?
Review: How is it that Baltimore, which plays host to the NBC show "Homicide," did not have its own mystery series until now? (It has had, however, the 43 Light Street, the romance suspense novels published by Harlequin, and its share of one-time appearances in thrillers.) I don't know. But even if there had been a dozen Baltimore-based books, I would have set my debut here. Baltimore is what I know and what I love. Troubling, tormenting and strangely beautiful. I have lived here, on and off, for 30 years. Unlike my character, Tess Monaghan, I've managed to hold onto my job at the only newspaper in town. But stay tuned. That could change after the next book, "Charm City," comes out next fall. It's about a one-newspaper town, a retired racing greyhound and a story that's too hot not to cool down.
And now a bit of Baltimore trivia: Even when H.L. Mencken had New York jobs, such as editing the American Mercury, he kept his home in Baltimore. He always said he couldn't imagine a better place to live. Who am I to argue?
Laura Lippman, jroll@erols.com
Rating:
Summary: Charming
Review: I finished Laura Lippman's Baltimore Blues last night, and I was pleased with the overall story and its characters. In brief, Tess Monaghan is a former reporter, struggling to find employment when her rowing friend asks her to check up on his fiancee. Tess reluctantly accepts because she needs the money and because she cares for her friend. Unfortunately, Tess suspects that the fiancee is having an affair with her boss, a disreputable lawyer with a reputation for defending the scum of humanity... at least, before he's murdered. The prime suspect is Tess's friend, and now she's out to uncover the real killer. The story is pretty straightforward with a fairly likable cast of supporting players. What really makes this book successful, however, is not the story or the characters, but rather the setting -- Baltimore, which becomes a character in it of itself. Lippman, a reporter for the Baltimore Sun and long-time resident of Charm City, clearly knows her territory, making full use of various known landmarks as well as unknown neighborhoods and traditions. It's a richly layered guide to Baltimore that only touches on the wealth that the city offers. Ultimately, what really nagged me, though, was my own proximity to Baltimore. When I read other mysteries and the author takes great care bringing location into the story, I'm often impressed with the detail and character of those settings. As a writer, part of me often speculates -- are these real places or did the author make them up? Now, having read Baltimore Blues and dabbling in local color, I must confess that it's rather strange to read about places I've been to, or could get to within a half hour's drive. When Lippman actually mentions my own county, including a town not far from where I live, I had to pause and remind myself that Baltimore Blue was just fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Charming
Review: I finished Laura Lippman's Baltimore Blues last night, and I was pleased with the overall story and its characters. In brief, Tess Monaghan is a former reporter, struggling to find employment when her rowing friend asks her to check up on his fiancee. Tess reluctantly accepts because she needs the money and because she cares for her friend. Unfortunately, Tess suspects that the fiancee is having an affair with her boss, a disreputable lawyer with a reputation for defending the scum of humanity... at least, before he's murdered. The prime suspect is Tess's friend, and now she's out to uncover the real killer. The story is pretty straightforward with a fairly likable cast of supporting players. What really makes this book successful, however, is not the story or the characters, but rather the setting -- Baltimore, which becomes a character in it of itself. Lippman, a reporter for the Baltimore Sun and long-time resident of Charm City, clearly knows her territory, making full use of various known landmarks as well as unknown neighborhoods and traditions. It's a richly layered guide to Baltimore that only touches on the wealth that the city offers. Ultimately, what really nagged me, though, was my own proximity to Baltimore. When I read other mysteries and the author takes great care bringing location into the story, I'm often impressed with the detail and character of those settings. As a writer, part of me often speculates -- are these real places or did the author make them up? Now, having read Baltimore Blues and dabbling in local color, I must confess that it's rather strange to read about places I've been to, or could get to within a half hour's drive. When Lippman actually mentions my own county, including a town not far from where I live, I had to pause and remind myself that Baltimore Blue was just fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Great Discovery
Review: I just "discovered" this author and I am fast becoming a die-hard fan. This is not the best book in the series, but it is a wonderful beginning and Tess only gets better. If you are looking for an entertaining read this series is highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Great Discovery
Review: I just "discovered" this author and I am fast becoming a die-hard fan. This is not the best book in the series, but it is a wonderful beginning and Tess only gets better. If you are looking for an entertaining read this series is highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A definite must-read!
Review: I picked this book up in Baltimore over Christmas, my first visit there. I found Baltimore Blues to be very accurate in its descriptions of the city. Ms. Lippman's style of writing paints a clear, colorful picture of this wonderful city. If you would like to visit Baltimore, but just don't have the opportunity, READ THIS BOOK!!! It's the next best thing!
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