Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I've been a Laura Lippman fan for a long time, and having lived in Baltimore for many years, I like seeing place names that are familiar in my fiction reading. This was generally a good and compelling story, though I thought the ending felt a bit rushed. The ending was also a huge twist, and very unexpected.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Thank goodness! Laura Lippman back to her usual awesomeness! She lost me with the previous two books, but really enjoyed this one. Twists and turns I didn’t expect, though it was definitely quite dark!

Thanks to NetGalley & Wm. Morrow for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When you read Laura Lippman, you know you're in the hands of a pro. Like her last book, Dream Girl, Prom Mom is carefully constructed, a giant house of cards just waiting for the author to give it a good puff of air. This story draws on the stories of my own teen-hood: girl, unknown to be pregnant by her peers, gives birth in a hotel room and kills the baby. In this case the girl is Amber Glass, and her prom date isn't her boyfriend, although they have been sleeping together. His name is Joe, and while the newspapers call Amber "Prom Mom," Joe is known as "Cad Dad," and damned if it doesn't fit. After her brief stint inside, Amber has moved away from "Smalltimore" to New Orleans and rebuilt her little life from scratch. Joe has been taken under his uncle's wing and given a real estate job that has left him flush. Now Amber is back in town after the death of her stepfather, and, inevitably, the two cross paths.

Lippman presents a masterclass in building slow-burn tension as Joe juggles his high-achieving plastic surgeon wife (who "helps him to be good" and whose talented hands are insured for millions), his mistress (who is edging towards stalkeresque until Joe and Amber, Joe's rediscovered confidante, concoct a plan), and the looming loan on his speculative purchase of a small shopping mall, complete just before global lockdowns in March 2020.

There's always a twist in thrillers these days, but with Lippman you know it'll be one you don't see coming, and you'll have to turn it over in your mind a bit to see what she did there. She's just that good.

Laura Lippman is a terrific writer, and I have enjoyed MOST of her books (although Dream Girl in 2021 was a surprise disappointment, but that may have been my own pandemic fatigue preventing my enjoyment of pretty much anything in 2021!). I loved 2019’s Lady In The Lake, and I was pleased to receive a copy of Prom Mom from William Morrow and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

The title refers to the protagonist, Amber Glass, who gave birth in a hotel bathroom the night of her high school prom. The baby was found dead (the cause isn’t quite clear at first), and there was a tabloid frenzy when Amber (the “Prom Mom”) and her date, Joe (“Cad Dad”) were nationwide sensations for a LOOOONG time (can’t you just hear Nancy Grace saying “Prom Mom”?).

Amber moved away from Baltimore, going to college in Florida then living in New Orleans for several years before she decides to go back to Baltimore in order to … what? Overcome her demons? Find and reconnect with or get revenge on Joe? It isn’t clear…yet. In any case, Joe is now a successful commercial real estate developer, married to the apparently perfect Meredith, a plastic surgeon. He and Amber reconnect, to put it politely.

There is some jumping around both in time (present day and flashing back to the time of the prom) and POV, with Amber, Joe, and Meredith all telling their stories. The real excellence comes out of the inclusion of the pandemic in the story, with Lippman using it to bring out issues around privilege and class, and to move the plotline along.

Amber and Joe get reacquainted – they actually go back where they left off, with Amber being one of several women Joe is sexually involved with. For me, there was a big ick factor, not because of the characters’ ethical and moral lapses, more because I just didn’t like ANY of them. Yes, there are reasons for their actions, especially the two women, but … ugh.

The story may be slow for some readers (my husband, usually a fan of LL’s, DNF this one), but for me it built to a somewhat surprising and in some ways satisfying conclusion. I won’t say it is one of her best – in fact, the morning after I finished it, I woke up and thought “I need to get back to Prom Mom and finish it,” then remembered the ending. TBH, the acknowledgement at the end and LL’s revelation about her personal situation was possibly more impactful than the story. But I still love her writing style, and will eagerly read her next book. Four stars.

Thanks for the review copy. I enjoy Lippman’s books. I look forward to reading more of her books. I thought the subject of the pandemic was handled well in this book.

This was such a LONG book for me. I was extremely intrigued by the plot but man oh man it took forever for me to become invested in the storyline. Once I was invested it moved a bit faster but I was hanging on by a thread to actually finish the book.

Prom Mom
by Laura Lippman
Pub Date: July 25, 2023
William Morrow
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I have read many of Lippman's books and she is the master of thriller and slow-burn mysteries.
The effects of Covid- the adjustment to normal, and the political climate are skillfully woven into this mystery.
This book is unique. Get ready for an outcome you won't expect.
I loved everything about this! A quick-read, lyrical prose, unforeseen twists and characters you'll love to hate. A classic Laura Lippman perfect for old fans and new.
4 stars

This was a thrilling read unlike anything I've read. Beginning with Prom Night 1997 when Amber gives birth in a hotel room, through the last page this narrative moves like a high-speed train. It is literally a "can't put it down" book, which is perfect for Summer vacation reading with a release date of July 25, 2023..

Amber leaves Baltimore for twenty-two years, but quickly finds herself back in Prom Date/Baby Daddy Joe's life when she returns. Prior to returning to Baltimore, Amber lived in New Orleans, which happens to be the place where Joe's wife Meredith grew up. There are tracks that connect throughout this book including the cities.

Told in alternating chapters between Amber, Joe, and Joe's wife, Meredith, each character holds onto secrets that lead to a stunning conclusion. This is a book I look forward to discussing with my Book Club to see where clues became apparent to them that all was not as it seemed.

Without giving anything away, reading this book is like waiting for the impact of three on-coming trains that are bound to crash into one another. What a thrilling ride and conclusion!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for allowing me to read the galley.

Amber Glass has a past. She was a good sweet high school girl who fell pregnant by the popular Joe Simpson. No-one knew she was pregnant and on the night of her prom she gave birth to a premie infant who died. Joe was not there as he was still enjoying the party.

She was dubbed the "Prom Mom" and served time in prison. Now she is all grown up and has decided to return other hometown. She is fixated with Joe and he seems to have a fixation back, despite being happily married.

This book is fast paced and will keep you engrossed the whole way through to her end plan.

I really liked this book. You might expect with a title like Prom Mom that you’ll be reading a gossipy, salacious tale, but this book uses the premise of a teenager giving birth in a hotel room on prom night to make observations and commentary on privilege, society and men in general.

Most of the story takes place in the present, beginning in 2019 when Amber, this titular prom mom, returns to Baltimore. Her prom date Joe is married to Meredith and the narration gets us into each of their heads. Lippman doesn’t judge her characters, but that didn’t stop me from doing it. Well, judging them and being very curious about their motivations. Joe sure sees himself as a blameless victim in many in events of his own making. But he thinks he’s the hero and Amber is still e amorous with him 20-plus years later.

We get several flashbacks filling in the story of how Amber and Joe became prom dates. In the present tense, Amber and Joe get reacquainted and soon we’re into 2020 and dealing with the pandemic. I hadn’t expected that but I’m finding more and more authors are tackling it in their fiction.

I’d say that Covid is actually used really well in the story and again highlights issues of class and privilege. It’s focuses more on the circumstances the characters find themselves in due to the pandemic more than the tragedy and becomes an effective tool to move the plot forward.

I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop the whole book and think it definitely built to a satisfying conclusion. There were was one revelation at near the end involving Meredith that felt a bit out of left field and unearned, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend.

Laura Lippman's writing style is not one to miss! I loved the plot of this book and how everything tied together nicely at the end.

While I enjoyed the hell out of this book, the characters and pacing especially, and was relieved to find that the prom thing was more of an influence on future events than a feature, that final twist left me a little cold.

I loved everything about this! A quick-read, lyrical prose, unforeseen twists and characters you'll love to hate. A classic Laura Lippman perfect for old fans and new.

I was so sad that I didn’t absolutely love this. This was my first book by this author who I had heard SO many good things about.

This book was just okay for me. I found it to be very very slow until the ending. Meredith’s character was really annoying to me.

I was hoping for a page turner & a far more exciting plot twist with this book.

What an interesting story - a noir tale but with a contemporary suburban setting. An unpopular high school girl becomes notorious when she falls ill at the prom and goes back to her hotel room where she gives birth alone after her date goes out partying. The baby didn't survive, and after a spate of headlines the two teens go on with their lives. Years later, their paths intersect again, with complicated consequences.

While none of the characters is terribly likeable, they are weirdly compelling even as the ... prom dad? ... in middle age digs himself deeper and deeper into a hole, yet remains certain everything will turn out fine because he's the kind of privileged male who never has to pay for any of his mistakes. In a sense, that's the main driver of the tension in the book. How far can he go out on a limb before it comes crashing down?

While it has the logic of noir, it's very much a novel of the present moment, pandemic and all.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Amber Glass gave birth to her baby on prom night in a hotel bathroom. Her prom date, and expected father, Joe, had no inkling of the pregnancy.

Years later, Amber and Joe rekindle a relationship; however, Joe is now married to a prominent doctor.

The story jumps from past to present, slowly sharing what happened on prom night and what’s going on presently.

I didn’t really connect with any of the characters as they all came across as unlikeable, except for maybe Amber.

Prom Mom by Laura Lippman. Pub Date: July 25, 2023. Rating: 3 stars. This novel started out strong with a backstory that is crazy, wild and over the top. Two high schoolers, one tutor to another student, start a romantic relationship under the radar. Amber gets pregnant, Joe takes her to prom and ditches her in the room as she gives birth. Joe did not know she was pregnant, Amber is charged and her life is never the same. Years later, Amber shows back up in their hometown to open a gallery and Joe and her re-connect. The story is bizarre, Joe is an unlikeable character and Amber is dull but in the background using her brains to manipulate Joe. He is married, but has affairs. What happens next is anyone's guess, but someone else is going down and pay back for what Amber had to go through is next. I thought this novel started out strong, was slower in the middle, but finished strong. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley #prommom

Love any book that Laura writes and this on didn’t disappoint at all! I will once again wait on the edge of my seat for the next one! Highly suggest anyone pick her books up!

WOW. I requested this title based off of the description, and a new-found desire to read things that reflect our current pandemic-scarred reality, and it did not disappoint in the slightest! This is the story of Amber, the unwitting "Prom Mom" who, in 1997, gives birth to a premature baby at her prom, and Joe, the "Cad Dad"/Prom Date/Not quite boyfriend, and the consequences that follow. The action primarily takes place in the modern day, 2019-2021, and the knowledge that the pandemic is coming, and then of what it will actually be like, is a fun little aside for the aware reader. The other main characters are Meredith, Joe's surgeon wife, and Jordan, his colleague/mistress, and neither are exactly what you think the are. This book was a thrill ride from start to finish, and definitely kept me guessing all the way through. Secondary characters such as Amber's parents, Joe's mom, and Miss Margaret only show up sparingly, but help to give us a searing portrait of who these people really are. I will highly recommend this to all who like a twisty mystery/thriller, particularly one that so accurately mirrors our pandemic realities. For fans of Megan Miranda, Mary Kubica, Andrea Bartz.

Laura Lippman never ceases to amaze. What a maze I’d deceit to enjoy. I never saw the resolution coming, and as always, she has the knack and talent to make it all so human. Throw in the pandemic, and it’s a perfect, modern thriller. I loved it. Bravo