What the Dead Know
by Laura Lippman
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Book Reviews of What the Dead Know
Book Review: The dead should have never told me.
Summary: 2 Stars
"...never again will they have any share in all the happens under the sun"...After reading this editing blunder in the opening Biblical quotation, I was uneasy about what was to come (even if it wasn't necessarily the author's fault).
Prior to reading _What the Dead Know_, I had never read a Lippman novel. I find her writing to be "heavy-handed" (not sure if I can explain what that means) and her prose to be too contrived. Like most authors, there are narrative asides, but many of Lippman's asides are too random and distracting. An aside should be natural and smooth with the rest of the narrative, not make a reader overly aware of the author's writing efforts. Most of the novels I read, I find myself agreeing with the narrator, but throughout the novel I disagreed with the narrator's statements/opinions.
Many of the characters are steroetypical and flat...The lesbian (or possibly lesbian) lawyer Gloria Bustamante (bust a man? was the name really that symbolic!?) made me immediately think of Gloria Allred--Lippman couldn't even come up with an original first name. Infante was so stereotypically male (womanizer) that it felt like the female author was trying too hard to write from a male point of view. (Oh, and who uses the term "police", as in "I always wanted to be a police when I grew up" or "He is a police"...If the author wanted to be PC and not use the term "policeman", why didn't she write "police office". It may be a small detail, but it drove me nuts b/c it was repeated throughout the book.)
I didn't mind the timeline of the novel--it wasn't hard for me to follow, especially since the author tells you prior to each section if that section is going to be past or present.
The twist at the end wasn't bad--I'll admit I didn't see it coming, but I definitely should have. But the woman claiming to be a Bethany sister was so unsympathetic to me that I didn't really care what happened at the end of the book.
Book Review: Not about the Lyon case
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a good story. Several of the characters are cliches, but as mystery genre writing goes this is better than average. The use of the "a police" idiom is incredibly annoying, and the prose is occasionally tone deaf. But it is a very well-plotted, clever story - more about family and forgiveness than crime, real or fictional.
As someone who has some direct knowledge of the tragedy that inspired this novel (and as someone who would not normally read a mystery novel), I want everyone to be aware that this in no way "parallels" or "is based on" the Lyon case. Beyond the year and the setting in Maryland, and that it involves two sisters and a shopping center, there is no resemblance whatever between this story and the facts of the Lyon case. Even more different than the facts of the case are the actual people involved. As the author makes clear, a sudden memory of the Lyon case provided an idea for a book. That's all.
I don't think the publication of this novel is of any interest to the Lyons one way or another; readers don't need to be offended on their behalf. I have not asked them about it (and won't), but with what they have been exposed to and endured from people in the last 33 years this should not even register. It is inspiring that they (and the Montgomery County police involved) are much sturdier and resilient people than these fictional characters.
Don't begrudge the author using 1975. It is about that time, which was the author's youth, and the characters belong there.
Book Review: made for TV movie in a book
Summary: 2 Stars
For fans of such detective television shows as "Cold Case" and "Without a trace" Laura Lippman's "What the Dead Know" will satisfy the beach reader set. Anyone who wants a deeply inspiring mystery should bypass this entirely. Like a good wine I was looking forward to reading this author and anticipated a twisting turning plot with a satisfying ending. What I got however was a "two buck chuck". I cared little for the characters who seemed so self-involved I wondered if they even knew they were part of the plot line. The main character has no name and no existence and we travel her path with some curiosity and empathy. I liked her, but it didn't help that the rest of this forgetful cast seemed in the way of her journey. Ms Lippman dumbs the reader down with lots of course language and sexual overtones. It make sence that Det. Infante would see the world as jaded and obsene, but everyone? I found myself skimming over their continuous chattering trying to find the string to the end of the mystery. I wanted this to be good. I just didn't need to wade through the trash to find the jewel. Which I knew was there, I just couldn't see it. Next time I'll just watch "Cold Case" and fast forward through the commercials. Try "The Thirteenth Tale" if you want a good deep mystery about sisters. It is more than a great Merlot, its sublime. Will I try Laura Lippman again? Someones going to have to convince me.Book Review: Penelope should get her own book
Summary: 4 Stars
*POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
This about my 10th Lippman book and I have to rank it up there with "Every Secret Thing" as among her best. I admire the author for making demands of the reader. She not only shifts between six or more points of view, she moves back and forth through 30 years of time. In one chapter, it's not completely clear for pages whose point of view you are reading.
Using Occam's Razor, I half-surmised Heather's identity. But the payoff is not really that revelation, it is how the abduction really happened. It's a mind-blower because it fits so much better than the working theory. It makes you want to reread the book and see how all the clues were there for you to see all along. As with all fine mysteries.
Heather's adult characterization is off-putting. I didn't mind. With her background, it was easy to see why she is a deft liar (on some things), a narcissist and uncaring of the feelings of others. This tough cookie looks out for herself. Her survival instinct is full throttle all the time.
Laura's Lippman's strengths are in plotting and characterization of women. Her men come off a little half baked. Dave's fate seemed to be for plot purposes.
BTW, when it comes to tracking down someone living in places unknown under a secret identity, Penelope wins the prize.
Book Review: I want to know what the dead know...
Summary: 4 Stars
OK, first, a caveat - though I'm a Philly girl, my husband's family is from Bawlmuhr, so I've heard a lot about this author and have more than a passing knowledge of the local flavor. I think that probably added to my enjoyment of the book. Additionally, I could see where someone who doesn't know the Baltimore area might lose a bit of the book.
That being said, the story line of the thriller is quite a new one - for me. I'm not a huge reader of the crime fiction genre, but sisters disappearing and one reappearing 30 years later? I wanted to know very early on how this panned out.
The twists and turns of this book did keep me hooked, and I really enjoyed the denouement. The plot did hold up to expectation.
There were some drawbacks to the book, though. I found the long backtracks into the side characters (the parents, the detectives) rather uninforming and, mostly, not interesting. I ended up skimming or skipping a bit here and there just to keep to the main plot. Some of those bits were rather large. And yet, I don't feel if I missed much. That's not really a good sign.
Over all, a very good premise and a mostly good read, with (in my opinion) a little too much filler.
(*)>