Most Popular Books by Laura Lippman

New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman has been hailed as one of the best crime fiction writers in America today, winning virtually every major award in the genre. The author of the enormously popular series featuring Baltimore P.I. Tess Monaghan as well as three critically lauded stand-alone novels, Lippman now turns her attention to short stories—and reveals another level of mastery. Lippman sets many of the stories in this sterling anthology, Hardly Knew Her, in familiar territory: her beloved Baltimore, from downtown to its affluent suburbs, where successful businessmen go to shocking lengths to protect what they have or ruthlessly expand their holdings, while dissatisfied wives find murderous ways to escape their lives. But Lippman is also unafraid to travel—to New Orleans, to an unnamed southwestern city, and even to Dublin, the backdrop for the lethal clash of two not-so-innocents abroad. Tess Monaghan is here, in two stories and a profile, aligning herself with various underdogs. And in her extraordinary, never-before-published novella, Scratch a Woman, Lippman takes us deep into the private world of a high-priced call girl/madam and devoted soccer mom, exploring the mystery of what may, in fact, be written in the blood. Each of these ingenious tales is a gem—sometimes poignant, sometimes humorous, always filled with delightfully unanticipated twists and reversals. For people who have yet to read Lippman, get ready to experience the spellbinding power of "one of today''s most pleasing storytellers, hailed for her keen psychological insights and her compelling characterizations," (San Diego Union-Tribune), who has "invigorated the crime fiction arena with smart, innovative, and exciting work" (George Pelecanos). As for longtime devotees of her multiple award-winning novels, you''ll discover that you hardly know her.

Everyone in small-town Bellville is talking about a series of mysterious fires disrupting the typically tranquil summer. The authorities attribute them to heat lightning, but some Belleville residents are not so sure… High-school student Beth, like everyone else in Belleville, has been following the fires – she has plenty of time between her monotonous day job at the deli and solitary nights at home while her mom works late. The fires aren’t the only unusual occurrence – Beth’s old friend Tara, who left town the year before after a mysterious incident, returns with no real explanation. Circumstances only get stranger when Beth unwittingly discovers clues as to what – or who – is the cause of the fires.

New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman, a journalist for many years, collects here her recent essays exploring motherhood as an older mom, her life as a reader, her relationships with her parents, friendship, and other topics that will resonate with a large audience. Her voice is wry and relatable, her takes often surprising. Meet the Woman Behind the Books… In this collection of new and previously published essays, New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman offers her take on a woman''s life across the decades. Her childhood and school years, her newspaper career, her experiences as a novelist—Lippman finds universal touchstones in an unusual life that has as many twists as her award-winning crime fiction. Essays include: · Men Explain The Wire to Me · Game of Crones · My Life as a Villainess · My Father’s Bar · The 31st Stocking These candid essays offer long-time readers insight into the experiences that helped Lippman become one of the most successful crime novelists of her generation.

A trade paperback collection of 16 short stories, some new, some published before, all together for the first time, featuring Tess Monaghan, New York Times Bestselling author Laura Lippman’s acclaimed private eye For the first time together in one collection is a mix of brand new Tess Monaghan short mysteries as well as previously published, award-winning short stories. Split into three parts—Girls Gone Wild (seven stories about girls behaving badly); Other Cities, Not My Own (four stories about places outside of Baltimore); My Baby Walks the Streets of Baltimore (four stories and a profile)—the inimitable Tess Monaghan, along with some old friends and new faces, is back solving crime.

A trade paperback collection of 16 short stories, some new, some published before, all together for the first time, featuring Tess Monaghan, New York Times Bestselling author Laura Lippman’s acclaimed private eye For the first time together in one collection is a mix of brand new Tess Monaghan short mysteries as well as previously published, award-winning short stories. Split into three parts—Girls Gone Wild (seven stories about girls behaving badly); Other Cities, Not My Own (four stories about places outside of Baltimore); My Baby Walks the Streets of Baltimore (four stories and a profile)—the inimitable Tess Monaghan, along with some old friends and new faces, is back solving crime.

A trade paperback collection of 16 short stories, some new, some published before, all together for the first time, featuring Tess Monaghan, New York Times Bestselling author Laura Lippman''s acclaimed private eye For the first time together in one collection is a mix of brand new Tess Monaghan short mysteries as well as previously published, award-winning short stories. Split into three parts—Girls Gone Wild (seven stories about girls behaving badly); Other Cities, Not My Own (four stories about places outside of Baltimore); My Baby Walks the Streets of Baltimore (four stories and a profile)—the inimitable Tess Monaghan, along with some old friends and new faces, is back solving crime.

A trade paperback collection of 16 short stories, some new, some published before, all together for the first time, featuring Tess Monaghan, New York Times Bestselling author Laura Lippman’s acclaimed private eye For the first time together in one collection is a mix of brand new Tess Monaghan short mysteries as well as previously published, award-winning short stories. Split into three parts—Girls Gone Wild (seven stories about girls behaving badly); Other Cities, Not My Own (four stories about places outside of Baltimore); My Baby Walks the Streets of Baltimore (four stories and a profile)—the inimitable Tess Monaghan, along with some old friends and new faces, is back solving crime.

A trade paperback collection of 16 short stories, some new, some published before, all together for the first time, featuring Tess Monaghan, New York Times Bestselling author Laura Lippman’s acclaimed private eye For the first time together in one collection is a mix of brand new Tess Monaghan short mysteries as well as previously published, award-winning short stories. Split into three parts—Girls Gone Wild (seven stories about girls behaving badly); Other Cities, Not My Own (four stories about places outside of Baltimore); My Baby Walks the Streets of Baltimore (four stories and a profile)—the inimitable Tess Monaghan, along with some old friends and new faces, is back solving crime.

A trade paperback collection of 16 short stories, some new, some published before, all together for the first time, featuring Tess Monaghan, New York Times Bestselling author Laura Lippman''s acclaimed private eye For the first time together in one collection is a mix of brand new Tess Monaghan short mysteries as well as previously published, award-winning short stories. Split into three parts—Girls Gone Wild (seven stories about girls behaving badly); Other Cities, Not My Own (four stories about places outside of Baltimore); My Baby Walks the Streets of Baltimore (four stories and a profile)—the inimitable Tess Monaghan, along with some old friends and new faces, is back solving crime.

''A page-turner.'' KATE ATKINSON ''Playful and witty and completely absorbing.'' ANN CLEEVES ''The master.'' GILLIAN FLYNN Meet Mrs Blossom. . . A widower who has never left the US A grandmother with a knack for blending in A lottery winner with an unexpected fortune Determined to finally see the world, she''s starting with a cruise along the Seine. Just twenty-four hours into Mrs Blossom''s trip, however, a man is dead, a precious artefact is missing, and a mysterious stranger is claiming her life is in danger. Surrounded by luxury food, quaint towns and people with staggeringly high net worths, she has no idea who she can trust. But maybe blending into the background has its perks - whoever is responsible will never see this most unlikely of detectives coming. Readers loved Murder Takes a Vacation: ''Mrs. Blossom is a delight!'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ''Charming, fun, a little sassy, and always observant. What a lovely treasure of a read.'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ''Every single person I know needs to read this book immediately. . . Imagine The Maltese Falcon starring Miss Marple and Tom Ripley.'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ''A fun mystery, Laura really shares some poignant observations about age, body image and just feeling invisible as a woman. Definitely recommend!'' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A trade paperback collection of 16 short stories, some new, some published before, all together for the first time, featuring Tess Monaghan, New York Times Bestselling author Laura Lippman’s acclaimed private eye For the first time together in one collection is a mix of brand new Tess Monaghan short mysteries as well as previously published, award-winning short stories. Split into three parts—Girls Gone Wild (seven stories about girls behaving badly); Other Cities, Not My Own (four stories about places outside of Baltimore); My Baby Walks the Streets of Baltimore (four stories and a profile)—the inimitable Tess Monaghan, along with some old friends and new faces, is back solving crime.

A trade paperback collection of 16 short stories, some new, some published before, all together for the first time, featuring Tess Monaghan, New York Times Bestselling author Laura Lippman’s acclaimed private eye For the first time together in one collection is a mix of brand new Tess Monaghan short mysteries as well as previously published, award-winning short stories. Split into three parts—Girls Gone Wild (seven stories about girls behaving badly); Other Cities, Not My Own (four stories about places outside of Baltimore); My Baby Walks the Streets of Baltimore (four stories and a profile)—the inimitable Tess Monaghan, along with some old friends and new faces, is back solving crime.

The New York Times–bestselling author of Hush Hush interviews the lead character of her hit series. In 1997, the character of Tess Monaghan debuted in Laura Lippman''s detective novel, Baltimore Blues. The book launched the bestselling series that continues to delight readers decades later. But who exactly is Theresa Esther Weinstein Monaghan when she''s not tackling troublesome cases? In this fictional article, author Laura Lippman takes you to Baltimore where she speaks with the accidental detective herself to find out what makes her tick. You''ll learn about Tess''s parents and her childhood. You''ll hear from her longtime boyfriend Edward "Crow" Ransome, as well as her lifelong best friend, Whitney Talbot. Lippman shares what daily life is like for the tough PI. Soon, you''ll discover why readers can''t get enough of Tess. Praise for Laura Lippman and the Tess Monaghan Novels "One of the best novelists around, period." — The Washington Post "Lippman is incapable of writing an un-compelling mystery." — The Baltimore Sun "A juicy whodunnit." — Entertainment Weekly on Another Thing to Fall "Lippman is a dynamic storyteller. . . . This series [is] one of the best." — USA Today "An imaginative, well-plotted mystery." — South Florida Sun Sentinel on Butcher''s Hill

An original anthology celebrating Rod Serling''s landmark television series featuring stories by Whitley Strieber, R. L. Stine, Laura Lippman, and others. When it first aired in 1959, The Twilight Zone was nothing less than groundbreaking television. Freed from much of the censors'' strict oversight because of the show''s classification as "science fiction," the 156 filmed episodes explored powerful and moving human themes—love, hate, pride, jealousy, terror—in their own unique style. The show has since inspired two revivals, as well as fiction, comic books, and magazines, and even a pinball game and theme park rides. Just as important, it sparked the imaginations of countless writers, filmmakers, and fans around the world, and is considered a seminal show for broadening the horizons of television. This anthology is an all-new collection of stories written in the vein of the original television show. Edited and introduced by Carol Serling, it includes brand-new stories by science fiction and fantasy luminaries such as Whitley Strieber, Loren D. Estleman, Joe Lansdale, R. L. Stine, Timothy Zahn, and Peter S. Beagle, as well as writers from the original series, Earl Hamner and Harlan Ellison, all in honor of Rod''s incredible vision.

Laura Lippman''s beloved Baltimore private investigator, Tess Monaghan, has been featured in several short stories, including “Ropa Vieja”, “The Shoeshine Man''s Regrets”, and “The Book Thing*”. Another story, “The Every Day Housewife”, provides the first look into the inner life of Tess''s mother as a young newlywed in the 1970s. As a bonus, there is also a "profile" of Tess—bylined by former journalist Laura Lippman-—that appeared in the award-winning anthology, The Line-Up. Available singly or as a collection.

New York Times best-selling author Laura Lippman''s picture book debut offers a timely parable about family values, a little girl, and a dragon. "This enjoyable book delivers a lesson, and its playful drawings invite the young reader into a wonderful place somewhere between fantasy and reality." — New York Times Book Review "A girl frustrated with her parents'' rules fires them and hires a dragon to take their place." — Publishers Weekly, Included in Fall 2018 Announcements Liza Jane believed she could find better parents. So she fired her mom and dad and hired the first applicant who came to the door—what could possibly go wrong? And at first everything was fun. The dragon did whatever Liza Jane wanted him to do. But it turned out the dragon had only one response to all problems—opening his mouth and belching fire. Suddenly, people were scared of Liza Jane. The pizza deliveryman didn''t want to come to her house. No one wanted to play with her. And all that fire was very bad for the furniture. Could Liza Jane have been wrong about what kind of qualities she wanted in a parent?

When Tess Monaghan literally runs into the crew of the fledgling TV series Mann of Steel while sculling, she never expects to be hired on to serve as bodyguard/babysitter to the young female lead, Selene Waites. But the company has been plagued by a series of disturbing "mishaps" lately. And the discovery of a corpse surrounded by photos of the beautiful, difficult superstar-in-the-making is causing Mann''s creator and Hollywood legend, Flip Tumulty, considerable distress. Keeping a spoiled movie princess under wraps may be more than Tess can handle, since Selene is less naive and far more devious than she initially appears to be. But murder is an occurrence the fish-out-of-water p.i. is all too familiar with--and a grisly on-set slaying suddenly threatens to topple the wall of secrets surrounding Mann of Steel, leaving lives, dreams, and careers scattered among the ruins.

Luisa "Lu" Brant is the newly elected - and first female - state''s attorney of Howard County, Maryland, a job in which her revered father famously served. Fiercely ambitious, she sees an opportunity to make her name by trying a mentally disturbed drifter accused of beating a woman to death in her home. As Lu prepares for the trial, the case dredges up painful memories, reminding her small but tight-knit family of the night when her brother, AJ, saved his best friend at the cost of another man''s life. Only 18, AJ was cleared by a grand jury. Propelled into the past, Lu realises that even if she could learn the whole truth, she probably wouldn''t want to.

Tess''s case in this terrific novel is a series of unsolved homicides that may or may not be overlooked cases of domestic violence. After a while, Tess realises she''s on the trail of a single, serial killer. But the Maryland State Police are convinced that the killer she''s looking for is dead and therefore that he''s no threat. But he is. And his target is Tess herself. There are two voices in the novel: Tess Monaghan who is feisty, funny and cool and, as yet, unaware of the serial killer who is stalking her and the chilling voice of the killer himself. In addition, Tess is having to attend anger counselling classes following a brilliant first scene. This is a book that will be rewarding to Laura Lippman''s fans but a good starting point for those who have never read her. Her biggest book yet - sure to win her prizes, yet more acclaim and a wider readership.