Good book; great reader!

Laura Lippman's novel was good, really good, and had I not been driving, I would have read it on the page. But the reader took it to a 5. Linda Emond was perfect; she was interesting, had good variation in the voices and, remarkably, did not feel the need to overact. And she knows how to pronounce English words, something many professional narrators seem singularly unable to do. I'll be buying the book to read for myself, and will be actively searching for more narrations by Linda Emond.

8 people found this helpful

Pleasantly Surprised

Linda Eamond is an outstanding narrator and takes the slice of life novel that covers from Baltimore from the 1960's to the present,and presents a riveting story. I was at first dissapointed that I hadn't chosen a 'Tess Monaghan' mystery -- but this was so well written and presented that the slower story line didn't disapoint me.

8 people found this helpful

Rough Start

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It took a little while to get started, but once the story started to roll, it was great.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

I think the Narrator did a wonderful job!

4 people found this helpful

What a wonderful writer, a wonderful story teller

I love Laura Lippmann and I'm glad she's so prolific. Her plots are interesting, but her characters are totally involving and many layered. Plus she's brave to write on such a touchy subject, race. She's the only "mystery" writer who, for me, approaches Ruth Rendell in terms of craft. Ive liked all the books, both "Tess" and non-Tess (my favorite is still "I'd Know You Anywhere.") Linda Emond is her perfect partner. A subtle, marvelous reader.

4 people found this helpful

Good book, Good Reader

Very interesting story based in a richly complicated Baltimore which becomes as much of a character in the book as the protagonist. There is a central mystery that propels the story with a healthy momentum, however by the end we are more interested in the characters and where life has lead them. Interracial friendships and relationships are deftly handled without shying away from their stickiness. The reader has a good, unobtrusive voice. My only complaint is the ridiculous electric keyboard splices between chapters which interrupt the momentum of the book, have nothing to do with the mood of the story and just have to go. I felt bad for the author every time they kicked in. Still, a good book, a good audible experience.

4 people found this helpful

not worth the time or book credit

this book failed to make me care about the plot and/or characters.

not worth listening to.

want a great read/listen?
try middlesex, water for elephants, riding lessons, flying changes, a thousand splendid suns.

4 people found this helpful

Boring

This story was slow and boring. I like Laura but sometimes she can be long-winded. There's not a lot of dialogue as much as there is summarization of thoughts throughout the whole book. Characters say one sentence, then the rest of the chapter is random thoughts about that sentence.

I also like Linda Emonds voice, it's pleasant. But there are no voice changes between characters. Overall this was a boring story.

1 person found this helpful

Laural Lippman can do no wrong

I am a Lippmanite, except for "Don't Look Back", she has managed to keep me engrossed in everything I have read from her so far. "Life Sentences" is another one of her works of art.

1 person found this helpful

Recent Lippman fan

I enjoyed this story mainly due to the complex female characters created by the author- most suspemse novels with female leads tell the story of 20-somethings who don't have any depth or substance to them and whose biggest accomplishment is finding a suitable lover. These characters are mainly in their forties and fifties, with real world experiences, mistakes in their love lives and careers, tackling middle age in all different ways. This is what kept me interested.
The plot line moved a little slowly, and left me a little unfulfilled at the end, and the weird transition music DID NOT suit the story at all. It is jarring and ridiculous. Please take that out- completely unnecessary.
Otherwise, if you enjoy Laura Lippman novels- her tendency to include an element of race and literature woven into interesting plot lines- you will enjoy this one.

Not what I expected

I usually love all of Lippman books but this one didn’t do it for me...it was too drawn out and no real mystery.