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There are currently 33 member reviews
for The Most Dangerous Thing
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Jane H. (Owensboro, KY)
The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman
I expected this to be more like her other books so was a little disappointed through the first part of the book that there wasn't more suspense and action. After getting used to the fact this was going to depart from her usual action/mystery format, I settled into reading an enjoyable book. The premise of this book reminds me of another book (or maybe movie) but I can't quite put my finger on it. I thought inserting the Tess character from her other series for a brief moment at the end of this book was a good touch..... sort of like Alfred Hitchcock appearing in a cameo role! I could put this book down and pick up the next day without feeling like I was "driven" to read, which is usually not a sign of a book I'm crazy about, but I actually found the character development to be interesting, the story plot a little plodding but had lots of possibilities. It wasn't a surprising book but I did enjoy it, so thus gave it a good rating. I'm not sure where she could edit it before publishing that would give it that "wow" factor -- maybe it just doesn't need it and is a satisfying although predictable read on its own.
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Jeanne W. (Columbia, MD)
Another Great Stand-Alone
Having been a fan of Laura Lippman for several years I was excited to get a jump on her newest book. She's one of the few writers whose writing gets better and better and yet this one wasn't quite up to par. An omniscient narrator had me confused and waiting for the "surprise" presence of a sixth main character. I found myself surprised not by "who dun it" but how and why.
Including the parents' viewpoints made for an interesting counterpoint and I can see some interesting child-rearing discussions between "the old days" and now and how much freedom is too much.
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Julie D. (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA)
Another good Lippman stand alone!
I was very excited to receive this book after reading Lippman's "I'd Know You Anywhere." This was another good one from this author.
This is a very interesting, fast paced read that delves into all sides of the story. One of the things I liked best about it, is how Lippman writes each character, giving the reader each side of the story, without making it tedious or boring.
This would be a great book club selection because of the depth of each character, making for a lively conversation.
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Jenna B. (Fairfield, CA)
Good Summer Read
I thought this book was very fast paced. It was a little hard to follow at first because of all the time jumping it did. You'd be in the present in one chapter and then in the past in another, but once you figured out what was what, it was an awesome read. The ending came out of nowhere, you think you know where the story is headed but LIppman does a complete 180 and changes it. That is what I love the most of all her books!! Would highly recommend!!
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Eileen F. (Drexel Hill, PA)
Secrets
Well-written story of the power of secrets and lies as they are kept by a group of children and their parents. The group of five friends have a secret from childhood that impacts their adult lives and causes the death of one of them. An interesting book about families that raises many issues.
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Anita P. (Lutherville, MD)
Lippman's writing propels this story at top speed
In my mind, this book is perfect for summer reading - - suspenseful, fast paced, and a real page turner. I also love how Lippman (who I have not read before) weaves in all sorts of details about Baltimore. Not merely about the geography, but details about life here that are uniquely native to the area. My only qualm about the book is that it really touches on a sensitive subject, yet not in a way that really made me feel sympathetic for the victims. Curious about what happened to them, yes. Caring about them, not so much. I also agree with the reviewer who mentioned the odd choice of narrative voice . . .when the story discusses the group of five friends, the narration uses "We", but clearly no individual in the group is the narrator . . .and that struck me as sort of odd. But all in all, if you are just looking for a read that kind of grabs you and doesn't let go - - I think this does just that.
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Patricia D. (Woodland Hills, CA)
Is Growing Up Dangerous?
In Laura Lippman's most recent novel, she introduces five children to the reader and follows their lives into adulthood. This might appear to be a fairly common theme, but Lippman throws in a "secret" that happened to these children and traces its affects and conflicts along into their adult lives. The pace of the story is slow, but the reader is constantly reminded that something in the story is "not quite right" and the need to finish the story is compelling. Through the lives of the parents and children, two generations of attitudes, customs, and mores are followed and the changes analyzed, accounting for the dangers that could/would happen to children in their youth. An adult will definitely see the connection with their own childhood and how times have changed from then to now. There will be many questions for discussions that will be brought forth from this book.
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