a netgalley that I picked up because I had read some books by the author and the summary was intriguing. A married woman leaves her husband and starts investigating the disappearances of a child and a young woman in Baltimore in the 1960s. She's struck by the attention the missing white child receives compared to the black woman, and enthusiastically tries to get involved, partly for her sense of justice, but mostly because she sees a way to change her life. This was a fascinating picture of a city on the verge of substantial change, from the new opportunities for black policemen to young Jewish women trying to break away from the rules on marrying within the community. It felt real, perhaps most when the women characters talked about their problems getting into careers, and how they coped. I loved the picture of the hard bitten reporter who had taken over one of the women's bathrooms and converted it into her own office to find a way to adapt in an unwelcoming newsroom. It just didn't seem to have much of a sense of direction, and I got distracted from it several times by more pacey reads.

There are many different ways an author can grab readers from the very first page. Sometimes it's an intriguing first line that draws you in, sometimes it's a stark incident or piece of action that tractor-beams you straight into a propulsive narrative. And sometimes its something subtler but even more powerful (in the right hands): just the pure, mesmerising quality of the writing, the voice.

LADY IN THE LAKE, the latest standalone from the superb Laura Lippman, is a pretty great example of the latter. From the first lines we know we're in the hands of a master storyteller as we're enticed deep into 1960s Baltimore by the voice of Cleo Sherwood, a poor young black woman who's recalling the first time time she saw Maddie Schwartz, then a finely dressed Jewish housewife.

Maddie Schartz would go on to create a whole host of problems for a lot of people, including Cleo, who might have preferred to have been forgotten, despite all the tragedies in her young life.

Cleo and Maggie, two mothers in 1960s Baltimore, different in many ways but both shackled by prejudice. Both woman also hungered for more in their lives, and would risk a lot to chase it.

Perhaps too much.

Unlike Cleo, who goes missing and is rather forgotten and becomes the 'Lady in the Lake' when a body finally emerges from a fountain, Maddie Schwartz gets a chance to be more.

LADY IN THE LAKE follows a pivotal year in Maddie’s life as she flees her stable but stale marriage, trading affluence for independence, domesticity for a search for passion and meaning.

After helping the police find a missing white girl whose story filled the newspapers, Maddie is looking for another story to help her get a foothold in the male-dominated field of journalism, and turns her attention to Cleo, a black woman whose story has been left untold by the white press.

Lippman intercuts Maddie's narrative with rich vignettes, first-person perspectives from a variety of people that Maddie encounters along the way. These chapters really texture the novel and weave together to form a stunning portrait of Baltimore life in that era - the place and the people living in it.

The multiple perspectives also give the reader differing views on how Maddie and her efforts are seen by herself and others. Readers themselves may have mixed feelings about Maddie, and some of the decisions she makes. She is a complex, fascinating character, and has an interesting arc from bored and rather repressed housewife to independent, ambitious career woman unafraid of breaking rules. Throughout it all, Cleo lingers as a contemptful specter as Maddie throws stones into several ponds, oblivious to the dangerous ripples she may be creating in her pursuit of a story to make her name.

Overall, Lippman has forged a sublime, suspenseful tale that flows along so wonderfully that it perhaps obscures its own genius. I was reminded of watching a brilliant musician onstage, or perhaps a particularly special athlete on the field - in each case they can make things that are incredibly difficult look deceptively simple. There's a flow and ease because of their mastery, and we're so entranced but what we see or hear that it's easy to overlook the skill involved. Lippman is that level.

This is a stylish, rich tale from one of the crime genre's very best.

I've been wanting to read a book by this author for awhile now and the synopsis for this one sounded good. so I finally took the plunge. While this book can be classified as historical fiction, it also fits in the mystery and women's fiction genres. I ended up really enjoying this novel and look forward to reading other books by Laura Lippman.

It's 1966 and Madeline "Maddie" Schwartz. lives in Baltimore with her husband and teenage son. It might seem like she has it all but she wants more than just playing the role of dutiful housewife. In search of living a more meaningful life, she leaves her husband and eventually finds work at a local newspaper. She is on the low end of the totem pole there but she thinks the right story will get her some attention. Maddie is particularly interested in finding out what exactly happened to Cleo Sherwood, a young African American woman who was found dead in the fountain of a city park lake. However her eagerness to find out the truth could come at an awful price for some.

I was surprised at how many different things the story was able to touch on such as race, religion, women in the workforce, the newspaper industry, and politics to name a few. For me what really drove the story was the mystery of Cleo Sherwood more so than the Maddie "finding herself" storyline. While Maddie's perspective was predominately featured, other characters, including Cleo gave their spin on events throughout the book. For the most part I liked this method of telling the story especially as it really demonstrated how Maddie's actions affected other people. However, a few characters really had nothing much to do with advancing the plot so even though the appearances were brief, they just felt unnecessary.

This is the type of book in which there is a little bit of something for everyone and what each reader takes away from it might be different. Definitely recommend especially if the 1960s Baltimore setting peaks your interest like it did for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

I have had this book for a while and decided to read it, but it's really not my kind of book. It starts off too slow and characters' problems are too first world. The book made me laugh because it's supposed to be about Jewish people, but the family that supposedly keeps kosher cooks with Campbell's mushroom soup...which is not kosher at all or pareve.

A pretty good mystery. I enjoyed that this has a historical aspect to it. However, the ghost voice in the narrative I could have done without. An entertaining read, but I prefer Lippman’s Tess Monaghan series.

I read this book on a plane trip and it kept me entertained the whole time. I can't believe I haven't paid more attention to this author! The story was cleverly plotted and engaging and I kept guessing until the end. Recommended!

I have always loved Laura Lippman, and this book is another solid read.

The book centers on middle aged Madeline, a Baltimore socialite living in 1960s Baltimore. By the end of the year, Madeline is divorced conducting a secret affair, and decides to become a newspaper reporter after finding a body and being interviewed. From her new life, Madeline latches onto the case of missing gorgeous woman who had been forgotten by the mainstream press due to her race and lifestyle.

The book is told through a series of vignettes which change the point of view every few pages and offer the reader insight into the main characters, Baltimore's history, or offer an insight into the world of human relations. Both Maddie and the missing woman, Cleo, offer differing views on so much, but have so many similarities as strong woman bucking the system they are forced into in the 1960s.

I found this book great. I loved the writing and the way Ms. Lippman drew realistic and interesting characters in just a few short paragraphs. I was so sorry to have to say goodbye to both women at the end of the book.

Thanks to the publisher, NetGalley.com, and the author for my advanced copy.

A very good book, fascinating and engrossing.
It's a good thriller and it's book with a fascinating description of a historical period.
I loved the well written cast of characters and the plot.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was introduced to Laura Lippman's writing via Sunburn, and I was excited to read Lady in the Lake. This thriller takes on complex themes like interracial relationships in the 60s, sexism, and more as told through a multi-narrator focus. It's a fascinating novel that is sure to captivate readers this summer.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to.

Maddie Schwartz, hiding secrets from her past, is unhappy in marriage.. Leaving her husband, she sets out on her own to realize her dream of being a writer. In doing so, she exchanges comfort for independence. Inadvertently she finds herself involved in reporting two Baltimore murders, one high-profile and one dismissed as nothing special. Through the multi-voices of her characters Laura Lippman slowly peels away the layered story of the victims, murderers, and all affected by these crimes. The reader follows twists and turns and is often surprised at how the story plays out. This standalone novel engages from the first page.

I enjoyed the writing style - the narrator was the deceased woman the main character was investigating. I'm new to this author - so I'm not sure if she usually has plot movement in the beginning of the chapter followed by a character revealing more about themselves. At times, I was confused as to why a character received additional time as they were not critical to the plot. I thought this book did a great job illustrating the social and political strife in the last 60s. Discovering how Cleo died seemed anticlimactic and did not feel like it was the focus of the book.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and writing style.

Getting through this book was an effort, a chore. I kept hoping something would click at some point. That never happened. I never felt connected to Madeline or Cleo, or any of the other many, many characters.

The book is written from the viewpoint of a different character each chapter, with the only continuous first-person accounts being Madeline and Cleo. I think this is an interesting way to write a book, but it just didn’t work here.

There was a surprise twist at the end, and while I wasn’t anticipating it, I just didn’t really... care.

* I received a free digital copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I will review this on Amazon July 25, 2019

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I love suspense/thrillers but this one wasn't one of my favorites. For me there was two much jumping back and forward between characters and found it hard to follow. Overall the storyline was a good one, just didn't work for me as much as I would have liked for it too.

I'm sorry to say I didn't enjoy this book at all. It started off with promise - the voice of the ''lady in the lake'' - then we are introduced to Maddie - a disgruntled housewife who has left her husband of 20 years to attempt a shot at being a reporter. The story meandered from one voice, then another , then another...the end result being that at the halfway point in the book I was ready for giving up and throwing it against the wall! I persevered and boy, how I wish I hadn't. Time I can never get back! Sorry Laura Lippman - this one just didn't do it for me. Usually Laura, you have me in your thrall, but not on this occasion.

I haven’t read many Laura Lippman’s books but this one hooked me in completely. It’s a slow burn noir novel and I loved the world and the characters.
I enjoyed how every time a new character was introduced the following chapter would be in the voice of that character which not only ended up giving insight into the thoughts of the character but also giving an insight into the minds and atmosphere of the time making for compelling storytelling!
There are some interesting twists especially at the end which left me thinking and appreciating the story more.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was like a relay as the characters passed the baton, which in this case was the perspective. It was a little strange at first and a bit confusing but once it became clear that the book was written with multiple view points, some reoccurring and some one-off, it became exciting and the anticipation grew for who would be next. The book covers a couple different murders and the difference of importance between the two. But the main character, Maddie is definitely the one who seems to be lost and on her way to finding herself as the story meanders on into places unexpected. Very well written, pacing is perfect and the twists and turns keep it exciting. The character development for the reoccurring characters is great and the periphery characters are given just enough light to make them feel real. A roller coaster of emotions here and Maddie takes the reader along on the journey of determination, searching, and investigation of her life, relationships and career. Looking forward to what else this author has in store!

I love every word Laura Lippman has ever written. I believe I've read every one of her books, all the way back to her private detective series starring Tess Monaghan (who I miss). Lady in the Lake is a bit of a departure for Lippman. I'd describe this as a character study mashed with classic noir. The protagonist is Maddie Schwartz, a late-30s housewife who upends her life when she leaves her marriage and strikes out on her own, eventually pursuing a career in journalism. As with most (all?) Lippman's novels, the book takes place in Baltimore. The timeframe is the mid-1960s. Intertwined with Maddie's story are two mysterious deaths, one of a school girl and another of a young black woman with a secret life. The latter story, that of Cleo Sherwood, is told through Maddie's eyes as she searches for the truth but also from Cleo's own perspective.

Lippman's writing is fantastic, with realistic dialogue and deep character development. I thoroughly enjoyed Lady in the Lake and highly recommend it. I did take one star off because nearly every other chapter switches to a new character's POV, many of which I found superfluous (like the baseball player).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of Lady in the Lake.

I'm a big fan of the author's previous books so I was stoked when I received a Kindle ARC to review.

Maddie Schwartz is a dissatisfied housewife in the 1960s who leaves her husband and takes a job, for the first time, at a Baltimore newspaper.

When a body is found floating in a fountain, Maddie can't help but get involved in the investigation; who is she? How did this happen? Who killed her?

I really enjoy Ms. Lippman's writing and it definitely applies here.

The structure of the book was a little unusual in that minor and secondary characters offer their perspective and opinions on how they knew or were involved in some way with the murdered woman.

This was a bit distracting because I was looking for a straight forward procedural from Maddie's point of view.

The big reveal of the killer and how the case was quickly resolved was a downer but there is a twist at the end that was pretty good.

I didn't like Maddie; I actually found her kind of annoying and a bit of a whiner but I enjoyed the story overall.

I've read most of Laura Lippman's books and this is one of the best. There's a mystery bookending the story but this novel is really about a woman breaking out of her stereotypical life as the world changes around her in the 60's. Baltimore is almost always a character in Lippman's books. In this book she reminds us that the Inner Harbor hasn't always been the upscale tourist area it is now.