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And When She Was Good by Laura Lippman

And When She Was Good

A Novel

by Laura Lippman

  • Critics' Consensus (0):
  • Published:
  • Aug 2012, 384 pages
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for And When She Was Good
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  • Brenda S. (Grand Rapids, MN)
    I Didn't Want It to End
    Few books are written that you actually want to take on vacation. Laura Lippman has given us books in the past that are quite good and this one is no exception. I was reading at a good pace, and then slowed down because I didn't want it to end. When you can read a story and feel the emotion from all sides, even anger at the protagonist at times, it is a good story. I was surprised that the story was as current as it was with events that seemed to have occurred just yesterday. Dear Laura: please keep these books coming.
  • Marcia F. (Batavia, IL)
    And When She Was Good
    "And when she was good" is Laura Lippman at her best. She gives excellent, realistic descriptions of a woman living and surviving in the world of prostitution. How this woman survives the betrayals of those whom she is working for as well as maintaining the secret that she is a single working mom, knowing that at any time her world could be ending, will keep the reader turning the pages. I could not put the book down; it is a thrilling read with a thrilling ending. This makes for a wonderful summer read.
  • Patricia S. (Yankton, SD)
    indeed she is good!
    Helen/Heloise is the perfect anti-heroine. Clinging to her own sense of integrity in her fight to shield her son from knowledge of her past and present, she remains painfully aware of the danger threatening both of them. The twist at the end is sudden and unpredictable, and the denouement cleverly foreshadowed in details laid down earlier in the book. AND WHEN SHE WAS GOOD continues to show the excellent writing which has won Laura Lippmann so many Honor's, and is sure to win her more.
  • Cathy R. (Dana point, CA)
    Lippman is good
    This book about the oldest profession on earth was well written and fun to read. I loved the main character Helen/Heloise right from the start. While the story is light on suspense, the ending has a nice twist.
  • Mary S. (Bow, NH)
    Lippman at her finest
    In the afterword of the book Lippman writes that she has thought about this story since 2001 and it shows. The plot is perfect, the storytelling is gripping and the characters are fully developed. It was hard for me to put this book down. Even when not reading it, I was thinking about what was going to happen and what had happened. Read this book!
  • Beth P. (Chester, VA)
    Another knockout book!
    The most important thing for me when reading a book is being able to get attached to the characters. When I saw the subject of the book, I had my doubts. A suburban madam? But Laura Lippman never fails to draw you in to her characters and empathize with them. I found myself unable to put the book down, and that is what I love in a mystery. I might not have liked all the qualities that the heroine possessed, but I definitely could relate to her as a mom wanting to protect her son, as a daughter wanting more from her mom, and as someone searching to make a better life for herself. Don't pass this book up!
  • Suri F. (Durham, NC)
    L.L. Delivers the Goods
    What a great book! Laura Lippman is a wonderful story-teller and a real pro. She strikes a great balance between plot and character. Like any good mystery writer, she plants her clues well, so that we an be both satisfied and surprised.

    This is a stand-alone tale with interesting and complex women at its heart. It was developed from some shorter works. I might quibble with how her "slip shows," in the way she fills in the back story. It is, nonetheless, a great read

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