Just what I needed! I knew I was in for a good read when Amy recommended What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman. Amy has been cautious about her book recommendations ever since The Stolen Child incident and heartily encouraged me to buy What the Dead Know when we were at Quail Ridge Books a few months ago. I will spare you the details of the two times that I bought and lost this title since then before finally holding onto a copy long enough to read it.
Maybe read isn't the right word. How about devour! Today was one of those Sundays where despite the sunshine and clear skies, I just wanted to nestle in and read a book. I am too much of a book snob to really go in for "mass market paperbacks," but I made an exception because of Amy's recommendation. And what a great exception!!!
One afternoon in the mid-70's, two sisters take the bus to the mall and are never heard from again. As the tale unfolds from the current and past perspective, we learn more about the girls, their parents, the police officers involved in the case and other stories tangential to that of "the Bethany sisters." Lippman has a skill with this story that is not often found in books packaged this way. Usually the "mass-market" fare is formulaic and predictable. The way this story is told brings the reader into the mystery, making you question if YOU are picking up on all of the clues. Lippman doesn't insult the reader's intelligence with cardboard cutouts of characters. She complicates the story with subplots that may not be essential to the story, but are essential to developing the fully fleshed-out characters that populate it.
Lippman apparently thinks highly enough of her readers to dedicate the book to them AND to clarify some details at the end. She believes her readers are smart enough to pick up on subtleties and recognize inconsistencies in the writing. I picked this book up at about 9 this morning and happily turned the last page at around 6:30 this evening.
Simply put? A day well spent!
Di
since I too loved the Stolen Child too, here's another excellent title; "The Double Bind" ... thanks for the b-day wishes for Ms J
Posted by: Andrea | June 01, 2008 at 10:05 PM
HUGE sigh of relief!!!
Posted by: amy | June 02, 2008 at 07:37 AM