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.

Lady in the Lake is a compelling and atmospheric mystery by Laura Lippman. We follow the story of Maddie, an ambitious, tenacious, and frankly unlikeable 37-year-old housewife in 1960s Baltimore who leaves her husband and starts a new career as a budding newspaper reporter. When the body of an African-American woman is pulled out of a lake, Maddie becomes obsessed with learning what happened to her, and this central mystery enables the author to explore issues of race and gender. Lippman plays with the structure in this novel – in addition to sections in the voice of the titular Lady in the Lake, many different minor characters are given their own short point-of-view sections. I thought the multiple voices generally worked well - often things they mention in passing become relevant to the story later, and they help to develop the historical context. The sections narrated by the Lady in the Lake effectively build a sense of menace, but I would have liked to hear more from her character. The ending didn’t completely work for me – loved the twists, but was left unsatisfied by the resolution of Maddie’s story in particular, which wrapped up a bit too neatly. I would recommend Lady in the Lake for readers looking for a mystery with an atmospheric historical setting, who don’t mind unlikeable characters, and who like when authors play with structure and alternating point of view.

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.

Beautifully written. Gripping and captivating. Left you hanging onto your seat while trying to peice the story together to figure out the mystery of the lady in the lake.
Realy enjoyed!!

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.

Mostly enjoyed this book. But I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters. While I did want to know the history behind “The Lady of the Lake” I would find my mind drifting as I was reading, instead of focusing on the story.

Pros: Likable and easy to read.

Cons: Almost a little too slow.

The Lady in the Lake, the title is pretty catchy but so is the plot. This book was so different from what I am use to reading, it was refreshing. I didn't like at first how the author switched back and forth to different characters but i grew to love it in the end. Maddie is actually a character i can relate to. She's selfish but in a way that doesn't make you hate her, she has been a wife and mom and is in a loveless marriage. She rises above the pettiness of those around her and she sticks to her gut. This is a great summer read!

This was a slow burn, character driven story. I did find the multiple narrators distracting and I didn't care for any of them.

Laura lippman never writes the same book twice; what's consistent regardless of the plot, is the acuity of her observations of people, place and milieu and the skill with which she renders them. In this, a character-driven mystery about a couple of unrelated Baltimore murders in the mid-sixties - the kind relegated to the back pages of the newspaper due to the race or class of the victim - she tells the story from so many perspectives that, like a Kaleidoscope, the reader is dizzy with the possibilities each new one presents . Introducing Maddie Schwartz, embarking on a new life at 37, whose accidental discovery of a murdered child propels her to an entry level job at a newspaper, lippman weaves her own journalistic experience into her progagonist's. Maddie is an avatar of her time, class and place - without even mentioning the winds of social change blowing through America then, it's not hard to understand her discontent with her marriage, fear of the approaching empty nest, and impulse to go where those winds take her . Yes, there's murder and mystery enough to keep the reader going, but it's more of a character study than a thriller. And in the highly capable hands of this writer, that's more than enough.

“Lady in the Lake” by Laura Lippman is a suspense novel set in 1960s Baltimore. The main character, Madeline Schwartz, is a recently separated housewife who begins investigating the disappearance of an African American woman named Cleo Harwood.

While I enjoyed the writing and the plot, the numerous narrators distracted from the story and messed up the flow of the novel. I feel like this book could have been so much more.

It's been a long time since I've read a Laura Lippman book. She's written some fantastic character-driven psychological suspense novels in the past, and I was eager to dig into this one. Just as I expected, Lippman's new book is more character-based than plot-driven. Lady in the Lake is set in the 1960's, during a time when biracial marriages were frowned upon and women were expected to be housewives. The protagonist, Maddie, has recently left her husband and is now doggedly pursuing a career in journalism. She's also having a secret love affair with a black police officer, which would have been a controversial, perhaps even illegal, situation in the 60's. After she helps uncover the dead body of a missing woman in her neighborhood, she becomes embroiled in a case that casts a wide net over the people of Baltimore.

The structure of this book was unusual. Most of the chapters deal with Maddie's investigation into the deaths of Tessie Fine and Cleo Sherwood. But almost every other chapter introduces the point-of-view of a new character, many of whom are connected in some way to the crime, but some of whom only make brief appearances in the novel. Then there are the chapters that are narrated by the titular Lady in the Lake, a black woman whose death is at the heart of the novel.

This is a slow-burning novel that may require patience from readers who are used to fast-pace action. But the curveball at the end makes everything worth it. Readers looking for character-driven suspense with a glimpse of 1960's Americana will find this book fascinating.

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

Lady in the Lake is a novel set in the mid 1960s in Baltimore. Amidst great social unrest and change, Maddie is about to radically change her life. She walks out of a two decade marriage to embark on a new career and relationship. Lippmann has an interesting approach to the narrative: she introduces different characters and reveals story sections from their perspectives. I thought the story was interesting: based on the murders of two young women, the author weaves her story around. Readers will enjoy the evolution of the story as well as the main characters.

Laura Lippman is one of my favorite authors. I imagine writing comes easy to her. She writes with what seems an effortlessness. While I didn't find 'Lady in the Lake' memorable, I did get through it quickly, enjoyed Lippman familiar prose, and was veritably transported to the setting she created. I found it a tad longer than it needed to be, and I didn't really like the main character. I found her less interesting than the "lady in the lake", but I still enjoyed the book overall.

This was a very interesting story, incorporating a mystery, an intriguing main character, multiple voices to drive the narrative forward, and absorbing flavors of an occupation, a time and a place. A 37-year-old woman leaves her marriage and strikes out on her own, carving out an eventual career in journalism. Curiosity and intrusive persistence enable her to pursue obtaining information about the mysterious death of a young woman. She is an early feminist who also very much deliberately manipulates men in her strong desire to develop her opportunities. Plot, character, and locale are very well developed. Recommended.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

How fortunate that I was to read this book early. I've been a fan of Lippman's Tess Monaghan series for years. Imagine my delight at discovering there was a connection from one of the characters in this book to Tess. This book takes place in the mid 1960's Baltimore. Madeline Schwartz is an ambitious reporter to be, chasing stories as she accidentally stumbles to find a dead body or 2. She has left her husband, something that women didn't really do back then, although divorce rates later soared as women yearned for independence. I was a little taken aback by the go getter attitude from the beginning and how she went a little too far investigation a murder. Nothing was as straightforward as it seemed, and I liked the twist near the end. I liked seeing other characters' perspectives as a reaction to coming across Maddie. As well as the point of view of Cleo. Baltimore was a changing city in 1966 and we know how things changed but things were certainly different then. Lippman captured the spirit of the times without really being around for that time except maybe as an infant. I have an urge to go read the Tess series again to get a glimpse of some of these characters later on.