Readers of Ruth Ware’s It Girl or Karin Slaughter’s The Good Daughter will love Prom Mom by Laura Lippman.

Amber and Joe will forever be connected by their Prom night. Joe and Amber met in high school while she was tutoring him in French. The two begin sleeping together and when Joe breaks up with his girlfriend, Amber convinces him to take her to the prom. On prom night, Amber goes into premature labor giving birth and allegedly murdering their baby. Hoping to escape the scandal and after serving her time in juvenile detention, Amber leaves her hometown of Baltimore to begin her adult life. Joe stays in Baltimore and is now a commercial real estate developer married to Meredith, a successful plastic surgeon. But Joe and Amber are drawn together again when she returns to her hometown to open an art gallery.

Spanning the 1990s through the surreal years of 2020 and 2021, this slow building thriller leads to a shocking ending. The flawed characters have a codependent relationship while the plot builds and intensifies with each chapter. The result is a gripping novel full of secrets and surprises.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel.

This book has gotten a lot of praise, but I think I was not the right audience. I didn't find anything exciting or twisty about it. It was fairly boring and I was just ready for it to be over.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Laura Lippman never disappoints. I enjoyed this book and will be ordering several copies for my library.

I am a huge fan of her books and this one is definitely up there. It is a slow burn mystery that starts and ends with stunners. In the beginning we learn the meaning behind the book’s name, Amber becomes knows as ‘Prom Mom’ when she gives birth to an infant that subsequently dies on prom night, and there are many questions surrounding that night that are unresolved.

This is told in multiple POVs and dual timelines, that fateful night and current day, and I thought it was done well this way. I listened to this in one sitting as I was so curious where all of this was going to go, especially as things begin to spiral out of control, and then holy cow the ending. It snuck up on me and just left me stunned in a good way. The audio for this is wonderful and I was glad I listened to it for sure. As an FYI, I will note this is set during COVID which some may not be ready for. I do recommend it though, I loved this one and enjoyed it very much.

Thank you to William Morrow Books and NetGalley for the digital copy to review.

My Review:
Enjoyed!!!! I was looking for something different to read and boy this book was it. I have read this author before and she never disappointed so far so I thought why not try this one. Let me start off by saying these characters were something else. At times I really didn’t know what to make of them. They had a past trauma that connected them but also affected them in different ways later on in their life. None of them could really let it go and move on which is totally understandable but maybe they should have. If they did their lives may have been very different and not stuck. Ok next up is the blurb. The plot is always the driving force on why I choose a book. If the plot is not appealing to me I won’t read it or give it a second glance. This book had exactly what I was looking for when I was looking for it. I tend to be a mood reader so that book has to be what I want when I read it. Last but not least the ending. It definitely shocked the heck out of me. I didn’t expect that at all. I thought it was going to go one way but it went in the opposite direction in such a good way. The only criticism I would give this book is that at times I felt it veered off the path it was taking and I found myself saying why did the author add this or why did the author put this here. It was all over the place at times and wasn’t as cohesive as I would have liked it but otherwise I really liked this one. I would definitely recommend it.

In conclusion, the plot, the characters and all the twists in this book made this book an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 4 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️

Ooh. The slow build, the multiple POV’s, the manipulation. I really enjoyed this. I wouldn’t categorize this as a thriller or suspense, but it was definitely engaging. I sometimes got confused with who was speaking or the time frame, but overall really good. I will say that the nod to pandemic life was eerie. 2020 still feels like a fever dream. Lol

I always enjoy Laura Lippman’s books because each one is always so unique and you never know what you’re gonna get. Reading the description, I thought this one was going to be more like horror/thriller-ish but this book took a different turn. It was slower paced and described the characters relationships and thoughts very well, and dang the end got me! So many little twists at the end. I loved this book!

While this was not my favorite story (I don't think I am ready for stories in COVID times yet) I thought it was a great idea and well written.

I HATED JOE, was suspicious of Meredith and wasn't sure what Amber was up to... which is all part of what makes a great book. I love when I have strong feelings about the characters and can picture them in my head.

ᴀs ᴀ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ᴄʀɪᴍᴇ ғᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏʜ ʀᴇsɪᴅᴇɴᴛ - ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʀᴇᴍɪɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀsᴇ ᴏғ ʙʀᴏᴏᴋᴇ sᴋʏʟᴀʀ ʀɪᴄʜᴀʀᴅsᴏɴ. ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴀ sʟᴏᴡ ʙᴜʀɴ ғᴏʀ sᴜʀᴇ. ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴏғ ᴀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴀʟɪᴛʏ ɪssᴜᴇs, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴘᴀʏs ᴏғғ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ. ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴊᴏᴇ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪ ᴀᴍ sᴜʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ. ɪ ᴀʟsᴏ ғᴇʟᴛ ᴇxᴛʀᴇᴍᴇ ᴇᴍᴘᴀᴛʜʏ ғᴏʀ ᴀᴍʙᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀs ʀᴏᴏᴛɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ʜᴇʀ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜᴇɴ sʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴍɪsᴛᴀᴋᴇs. ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴀs sᴜsᴘᴇɴsᴇғᴜʟ ᴀs ɪᴛ ᴜɴғᴏʟᴅs, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴜʀɢᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪɴɪsʜ ʟɪɴᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴡᴀs ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ.

ɪ ᴀʟsᴏ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇғᴇʀᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴄɪʀᴄᴇ ᴀs ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ʙɪɢ ғᴀɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴏɴᴇ! ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴠɪᴅ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛs, ʙᴜᴛ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛs ʀᴇʟᴇᴠᴀɴᴄᴇ.

📖 ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ @williammorrowbooks @customhousebooks ᴀɴᴅ @netgalley ғᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʀᴄ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ 📖

Thank you William Morrow for the review copy of Prom Mom; I also received a physical copy from the publisher via Bibliolifestyle book tours (the cover is truly amazing).

Prom Mom is a slow burn examination of how you can try to be done with the past but the past indeed isn't done with you. Amber, the Prom Mom, had a lot taken away from her after a prom night tragedy but has made a life for herself... but it's a pathway setting herself up to be back in her prom date's path. Joe, less impacted by the tragedy, leads a privileged life but one that's about the shatter. Is Amber back to help him... because he might be about to make a big ask.

I am a fan of Laura Lippman and enjoyed this examination of fairly toxic people who are on a kind of collision path, whether they know it or not, and this is the kind of book you can read to see how it all comes together (and read quickly at less than 300 pages, which really works for a satisfying slow burn as the plot doesn't lose focus). There are some twists and turns but it's the end that brings it all together.

My one note is that, as much as I liked the character driven story, I really found I wanted the end and how it came together to be more developed, almost making that the starting point or midpoint of the story so I got more time to savor the way the plot unfolded.

Recommended for fans of the author and readers who like a slow burn kind of revenge plot.

Ummmm….huh?! I like a good page-turning, slow-burn, mysterious thriller as much as the next person - however - this was a miss for me. It tried to do to much. None of the characters were relatable or likable or even remotely people I would hold sympathy or compassion for. The story was silly at times - stretching my willingness to believe what was happening to the point that I couldn’t do it.

Reading Laura Lippman’s new psychological thriller Prom Mom was like rubber-necking a car collision on the freeway, slowing down while driving by to peer at the smoke, fire, and ambulance, and wondering if the drivers survived. That is to say the experience of reading Prom Mom was intense, gripping, and made me feel slightly queasy even as I refused to put the book down.

I knew I was in for a pulpy car-crash of a novel based on the book’s premise—Amber secretly gives birth in a hotel room on the night of her high school prom and the infant doesn’t survive; two decades later, the paths of “Prom Mom” and “Cad Dad” cross again when Amber finally returns to her hometown. This set up was intrinsically fascinating and horrifying to me. And these feelings were compounded by the fact that the second half of this novel transpires during Trump’s election and the pandemic. Plus, the book’s cast includes more than one psychopath!

While I wouldn’t describe Prom Mom as a “feel-good” read, it was a well-written and deftly-plotted page turner, full of interesting observation about human behavior and social norms (especially with regard to parenthood). I literally could not put this book down and was rewarded with some major WTF twists at the end. Definitely recommend if you are looking for a psychological thriller!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC! Prom Mom is out now.

The premise for this book was different than anything I had read, and so I
was pretty excited to read it. I went in expecting a thriller, but it was a very slow read and I felt nothing happened the entire book. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. There is a bit of a “twist” in the last few pages, but I saw it coming. And with that said, I’m not sure I really understood the ending. This one wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for a chance to read this book early!

TL;DR: I mean…if the title hasn’t already sold you, maybe my glowing review of the latest from Laura Lippman will. Because I really loved #PromMom, the story of a woman who returns to the town to reclaim her identity and confront the prom date from her youth who destroyed her life. It’s part STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, part NORMAL PEOPLE, and if you’ve read Lippman before, you know exactly what you’re goin to get: morally grey characters, razor-sharp writing, slow-burn drama, and in the case of Prom Mom, an ending that will break your neck from “twistlash” (my new term for twist whiplash, and in this instance I found myself clamoring to reread this one from the beginning).

This was such a complex plot and the writing was perfection but I wish it had a faster pace. The cast was effective and great I just felt like it was slow in some places that distracted from the story.

This book was wild!! It’s dark and will leave you speechless. I could never figure out just where this story is was headed and it definitely kept me on my toes.

This one is going to sit with me for a while. I’m sitting here trying to digest the many layers this book has that help to breathe life into the plot and the characters. The dangers of not teaching young women about their bodies and how to listen to them. The injustices of the juvenile detention system. The myriad ways in which white, cisgender males of any age can get away with nearly anything with just a wink and a smile and after all this time women still fall on their knees to please them. How women and couples have to constantly justify their decision to remain childless time and again. The ways in which we sometimes don’t know the people we love and trust the most until we’re forced into spending all of our time with them. The ways in which some people can be changed by time and others can’t. The ways in which some people just can’t stop: they need to be stopped.

You have to be ready for the pacing in this book because it moves fast. Not only does it switch between May of 1997 and the “present day” of the book (which is between September 2019 and May 2021), but in the present day events of the book the POV switches between the three main characters: Amber (the titular “Prom Mom”), Joe (the boy who took her to prom who is now a commercial real-estate salesman and married to a plastic surgeon named Meredith), and Meredith (said plastic surgeon). Not only that, but page time isn’t wasted by easing in and out of POV transitions; Lippman simply drops in and out of each character with a solid paragraph shift. The shift is always defined enough that you definitely know which character you’re with, but I love that no time is wasted with trying to make the shift more gentle for the reader, because this book isn’t gentle in any way at all. This book is jarring. The reading experience matches.

Part of the appeal of this book is that it takes place over COVID quarantine and into the 2020 presidential election. This forces the characters in these books to ask ethical, moral, political, and cultural questions both of themselves and others and to come clean about how they feel about certain issues. It shows the definite divides between the three main characters and what their priorities are in life. It makes all of them more interesting and multifaceted while forcing them into tighter and tighter corners as the plot progresses.

It’s a brilliant book that had me ravenously turning pages from start to finish.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Review/Crime Thriller/Literary Fiction/Murder Thriller/Psychological Fiction/Psychological Thriller/Suspense Thriller/Thriller/Women’s Fiction

"Prom Mom" by Laura Lippman is a riveting and thought-provoking novel that delves into the complexities of motherhood, societal judgment, and the quest for truth. Inspired by a true event, the story follows a woman who becomes known as "Prom Mom" after giving birth at her high school prom and leaving her baby in a trash can.

Laura Lippman's novel is an emotionally charged and introspective read that will resonate with readers who appreciate stories that tackle real-life dilemmas with sensitivity and nuance. "Prom Mom" is a thought-provoking and poignant tale that prompts us to question our assumptions and consider the deeper implications of our actions. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a compelling and empathetic exploration of the human condition.

Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow and Goodreads Giveaway for gifting me both a digital and physical ARC of the latest thriller by Laura Lippman - 5 stars! I'm a huge fan of Lippman's books but I think this is my favorite so far - definitely a must read!

In 1997, Amber convinced Joe to take her to the prom. Joe was popular and a year ahead of Amber in school, who was smart but not popular. Joe's mom hired Amber to tutor him in French and they began a secret relationship. Prom night ends horribly, with Amber accused of killing her newborn baby in a hotel room, where Joe never bothered to check in on her, instead going off with another girl. In 1999, Amber has reinvented herself in New Orleans, and is successful in curating art exhibits. Circumstances bring her back to her hometown of Baltimore, and she decides to open a gallery there. But Joe and Amber can't stay away from each other, even though Joe is happily married.

I loved this book and the slow burn, character-building tension that leads up to the ending you won't see coming. The characters are realistic, deep, and exhibit many different sides, showing that not everything or everyone is black and white. This book also incorporates Covid perfectly as a plot theme, putting the characters into the social and financial issues of that time while treading lightly over the deaths and political issues, showing both the similarities and differences of how people experienced that time. A must read!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this arc. This was my first read by Laura and I wasn’t the biggest fan of it. The flow of the story was very slow and I’m not a fan of covid mentioned in books or being the main focus of a book.