Laura Lippman Books

Prepare to meet the most seductively female and shockingly fatal femme fatales, brought to you by seventeen of today’s finest authors of mystery and suspense fiction. Award-winning editor Otto Penzler presents a collection of short, sizzling masterpieces filled with thrilling tales that showcase how sexy and fierce the 'gentler sex' can be. In 'Third Party', a party girl takes you on a wild ride through the Paris night, while Nelson DeMille's 'Rendezvous' plunges you into a Vietnam jungle where the deadliest scourge is a woman. Elmore Leonard introduces a Depression-era teenage gun moll in 'Louly and Pretty Boy', who loves Pretty Boy Floyd more than robbing filling stations. Lorenzo Carcaterra's 'A Thousand Miles from Nowhere' features a smart blonde seeking slow-simmered vengeance, and Michael Connelly's 'Cielo Azul' reveals how a nameless woman found dead in Los Angeles can be the most lethal prey. Other riveting tales include a scorned lover claiming an old fling's heart, a mysterious woman offering a tempting suicide pact, and a she-demon rising from the grave. These and many other bad girls cast their criminal spells through the powerful voices of Joyce Carol Oates, John Connolly, Thomas H. Cook, Jeffrey Deaver, and more, in stories as irresistible as the anti-heroines that blaze through their pages.

Secrets play a pivotal role in this gripping narrative, where the weight of hidden truths threatens to unravel lives and relationships. Characters are faced with the challenge of confronting their pasts, leading to unexpected revelations that change everything. As the story unfolds, the tension builds, exploring themes of trust, betrayal, and the complexities of human connection. The author skillfully weaves a tale that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eager to discover how far people will go to protect or reveal their secrets.

Would you sacrifice your life for the life of another? For someone you love?From the bestselling author of SUNBURNWinner of the Anthony Award for Best Novel

Edgar Award-winner Laura Lippman is developing a reputation as one of the most exciting new detective fiction authors in years. Now she delivers her most suspenseful novel yet, and places Baltimore's Tess Monaghan . . . In Big Trouble. First as a reporter and then as a p.i., Tess Monaghan has learned how to survive and thrive on the streets of Baltimore. But a new case will force her to confront her own past, and a man she loved and lost. It starts when she gets a newspaper photograph of her old boyfriend with a tantalizing shard of headline attached: In Big Trouble. The answers lie far from Baltimore, deep in a world of good-time music, old-fashioned ambition, and rich people's games. For Tess must find out what happened to a man she thought she knew, to a woman who may have changed him forever, and to the victims of a killer who dances to a different—and deadly—drummer.

Muriel Blossom, a former private investigator and middle-aged widow, embarks on a vacation on a Parisian river cruise that quickly transforms into a gripping international mystery. As the situation escalates, she finds herself uniquely positioned to unravel the deadly events unfolding around her. This highly acclaimed mystery showcases Lippman's signature storytelling and complex character development, making it a captivating read for fans of the genre.

A client named Ruthie -- who seems to know Tess's father a little too well -- asks the newspaperwoman-turned-p.i. to investigate a year-old "Jane Doe" murder and its grim aftermath. Ruthie's low-life brother, Henry, confessed to killing a teenager runaway over a bottle of glue -- and, a month into his prison term, he met the same fate as his victim. Following a precious few tantalizing clues, Tess sets off on a path that is leading her from Baltimore's exclusive Inner Harbor to the city's seediest neighborhoods. But it's the shocking discovery of the runaway's true identity that turns her hunt deadly. Suddenly a supposedly solved murder case is turning up newer, fresher corpses and newer, scarier versions of the Sugar House -- places that look sweet and safe...but only from the outside.

The story follows Bernadette "Bambi" Gottschalk, whose life of luxury with her charming husband Felix Brewer takes a dramatic turn in 1976 when he disappears to escape prison. Set against the backdrop of Felix's questionable business dealings, the narrative explores Bambi's struggle to maintain her life and care for their three daughters amidst the chaos of his sudden absence. Themes of betrayal, resilience, and the complexities of family dynamics emerge as Bambi confronts her new reality.

Tess Monaghan, a private investigator, unexpectedly becomes a bodyguard for a young actress amidst unsettling events on a TV series set in Baltimore. Tasked with protecting the spoiled star, Tess grapples with her own challenges while navigating a murder investigation that unveils hidden secrets. As the situation escalates, Tess must confront the potential devastation to her community and the lives of those she cares about, all while managing the chaos of the film crew's drama.

It's murder in Baltimore these days - and Tess herself might be next on the list . . . From the author of LADY IN THE LAKE and SUNBURNWinner of Edgar Award and Shamus Award