I probably missed the finer points at the end of this book. I listened to only the first few minutes and the last few minutes of the last 1/3 of the book. It became tiresome. I hate plot lines that only work if you accept the central stupidity of the main character; particularly when that character is painted as a sharp business woman. It is a shame because this author is capable of better.

This was a strange tale. It started out a bit of a feminist rant, which was going to get boring even if true. I don't come to Audible to be morally improved, but entertained. It failed almost utterly to entertain me, apart from the final encounter, which was diverting for a few moments.

The rest is pretty sordid, as references to prostitution, "the life," tend to be. It is a nasty, brutal, usually short life. Men are pigs, yes they are.

The book was factually incorrect in that it plays out that there is a lot of money to be made in prostitution. There is, but nowhere near the figures that Heloise seems able to extract from it. The working girls almost _never_ earn what they work.

Weirdly enough, hearing Linda Emond's wonderful narration use the few cuss words within the text rather sounded like effluvium in a cathedral. Even Emond's talent could not bring the tale to life for me.

While I agree with the conclusions that Lippman makes overall in the book, and her post book notes, the book wasn't worth the time it took to listen to it.

I know some will be disappointed in that review, especially Lippman fans, but it was a 2, no more.



brendan

A middle of the road story--interesting enough to listen to, but the main character was kind of too remote and unfeeling, so it made it difficult to feel invested in whether or not she was discovered to be a madame or would live through the end. It was also uneven in that, she was supposed to be so smart, yet kept getting caught up in these compromising positions with men who overpower her. She may come out of it on her own in the end, but it's more of another circumstance she found herself in than one she created for herself.

The overarching storyline of her escort business and how she ran it, felt modern and was a little different than other books of this genre. I think that I would have felt more for her if she was married or seeking relationships outside of her business and her son. Though her son was supposed to be the central focus on her life, I didn't feel it in the writing. It was more just something that she said.

The narrator was a little weird--kind of stiff and definitely contributed to the remoteness that you feel about the character. She also made men sound....dumb...?

It wasn't so bad that I want my credit back....just wouldn't recommend to others.

I have listened to every Laura Lippman book on Audible. Truly, her writing and her characters are so very realistic. Add to that Linda Emond's totally perfect narration and it is a winning combination every time. I think the main character has a fascinating story to tell. I loved that a minor character from many other Lippman books makes a "cameo" appearance in this one.

The only thing I want is for Laura Lippman to write faster. I can never get enough!

I liked this book, but at times it was a little sad - as I realized that this probably someone's real story. Well written.

Clever story -- sort of June Cleaver meets Xaviera Hollander, and right in Maryland! Linda Emond is a jewel. She takes Lippman's perfect prose to the level of high art. This is one winning combo, especially for those who remember Maryland in the '70s.

Honestly this book is short. You will finish it quickly. I found it hard to pause to go do other things. I haven't read anything else by this author but this is a fun book.

this was a great and very thorough book. it's about scandalous issues and the pursuit of normality spun in a thrilling but somehow relatable way that keeps you interested in the entire time. best of all there's no cheap ambiguous ending, instead it's a complete and satisfying conclusion leaving me excited for the author's next books. very much well worth the credit.

The narration was absolutely on point. it was captivating and told the story with the correct tones and pace

I found this book interesting and entertaining (frequently I find I can only hope for one of the two) and the narration - once I got into the story - was very well done though not at all overdone. Great listen!