Baltimore Blues

Tess Monaghan, Book 1

De: Laura Lippman

Narrado por: Deborah Hazlett

Unemployed at 29, Tess Monaghan is willing to take any freelance job to pay the rent—including a bit of unorthodox snooping for her rowing buddy, Darryl "Rock" Paxton. In a city where someone is murdered almost every day, attorney Michael Abramowitz's death should be just another statistic. But the slain lawyer's notoriety—and his noontime trysts with Rock's fiancée—make the case front page news...and point to Rock as the likely murderer. But trying to prove her friend's innocence could prove costly to Tess.

©1997 Laura Lippman (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks

Very interesting; couldn't stop listening

It pulled me in immediately with descriptive writing and effective narration that allowed me to see and feel the story unfolding. It left me with a very vivid picture and a desire to hear more about Tess and the other characters which are likely to appear in subsequent books. I'm not sure why I initially chose this, but my next picks will be others in this series.

Excellent

Great book with many twists and turns. I almost didn't buy this book because of the negative reviews. So glad I didn't listen to them.

Great series!

Surfing for new books and a Laura Lippman, Tess Monaghan mystery catches my attention. I have been a member since 2009. I have over a thousand books. It is unusual to discover a female detective story I have not read.

Baltimore Blues is a great start to a series. Tess is a well-defined character. We recognize that she has been just exiting for a few years since she lost her job. She is intelligent, lazy, resourceful and a loyal friend. She has come to a point like so many of us that she just does not have the energy to even think about what she wants to do. She is like a two-year-old refusing to see that, it does not matter how long you want something. If it is no longer there, it is just not there.

She has lost her job and cannot find a similar job. She is no longer in a relationship but has accepted being a booty call knowing the man is in a relationship. She accepts this demeaning relationship just as she does the job from her uncle. Unbeknownst to her he paying her from his saving. She has fallen into a rut of just getting by and losing her self-respect in the process. Even when she exercises she is not really committed to the sport. A friend offers her a job, the money is good and the mystery begins.

This first novel does an excellent job of documenting the evolution of Tess from a journalist to freelance investigator. It is a very logical progression for Tess with her skill set. The supporting characters add wit and interest. Tess lives in the small apartment over her aunt’s bookstore. There are only 12 years difference between the age of Tess and her aunt. They have a friendship while maintaining the familia relationship. a great story in how her aunt gets the money to buy the book store.

This is not an action pack read. But it is a good mystery laying the ground work for the following books in the series. I will be reading more in the Tess series. I would love to go the Baltimore just to watch the boat races/rowing races. Lippman does a wonderful job of giving an insight to what it takes for a rower. Do not let the low rating of some reviews put you off. Yes, it is not a fast paced. For the credit and the flexible return policy get the book. I am going to re-read the one I purchased in 2009.

I enjoyed this book.

this was a good book. I liked the caracters. the ending was a little blah, but mist if the book kept my interest.

Great book but I never connected with the main character

This is such a well written series intro and the mystery was awesome — although I did guess the real culprit early, there were plenty of side stories to help me stay absorbed.

What disappointed me, and what drove this overall three-star review, is the main character. Tess repeatedly engages in whiny pity parties and self-sabotaging behavior, even up right to near the end. Also her endless cynicism about other people’s money and success — well, it all just got old.

I think perhaps the author and the editor thought that would make her relatable to the audience? I’m not sure. But since she never really evolved into greater self awareness, I lost my “willing suspension of judgment.”

Unfortunately, for that reason alone, I wouldn’t bother purchasing or reading the rest of the series. Tess Monaghan as a character just didn’t make me care. I stuck around for the mystery, yes… but it came at the cost of just enduring the “hero.”