The Lippman List

My favorite read from my vacation was Laura Lippman's new Tess Monaghan mystery the superbly titled, Another Thing to Fall (I had forgotten the title was from Shakespeare-I was thinking it was referring to another thing to lose, not about giving into temptation). Since busting out last year with the Quill Award winning NYT bestseller, What the Dead Know, it seems like Lippman's been on a bit of a streak. Pairing her hot hand and backstage experience with the Baltimore movie and TV world makes for, in my opinion, the best Tess yet. In its honor I offer the following



Top 10 Reasons to Love Tess



10) Great quotes. A smart mouth who's almost never at a loss for a sharp retort, Tess often expresses things that I have to agree with. The extraordinary thing is I feel compelled to respond out loud. Some faves from this one were Tess' decision that she'd rather be called an asshole than a bitch (amen Sister!) and her very apt characterization of "Field of Dreams" as a male weepie (I recall a 'discussion' with my ex-husband on that very subject).

9) Tess is tough but not unbelievably so, capable but not unrelatable. It helps that we've seen her learning curve as both a PI and as an adult.

8) In great detective tradition, Tess is personally messed up but not completely so (see above).

7) You can read one Lippman right after the other, I know cause I did it last fall. It may not sound like much but it's certainly not true of all series, mystery or no,
and is a tribute to Tess' likability. She's just good company.

6) Good colorful supporting cast. I recently read and enjoyed Cornelia Read's mysteries and wondered if she took her cue (rich deb best friend anyone?) from the Tess books.

5) I like that Tess has a longterm love and that Lippman shows the bumps and hiccups that happen with that relationship along the way.

4) Tess is a foodie, an athlete, a music lover and has a double digit size-what's not to like?

3) Tess almost always rescues herself which I think is key with a female protaganist.

2) Tess is a hometown girl imbued with a love of Baltimore down to her bones. If you love a place the way she does, even if it's not the same place, you'll get it.

and the number 1 reason to love Tess

1)Bold and boisterious? Sounds like a hoyden to me!