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Read advance reader review of And When She Was Good by Laura Lippman, page 5 of 5

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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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Page 5 of 5
There are currently 33 member reviews
for And When She Was Good
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  • Eileen F. (Drexel Hill, PA)
    Ripped from the Headlines
    I found this book promising but slow paced. It jumped from one time in the story to another, which made it some what confusing. The story was a ripped from the headlines kind of story with a heroine who was not as smart as she thought.
  • Brenda (Nebraska)
    and when she was good
    Heloise is good at many things, the author constantly reminds us. As a quick summer or beach read you will be happy with this novel. Not much that requires thinking or problem solving. Nicely written and easy to read.
  • Elisabeth W. (Durham, NC)
    Flat
    I'm sorry to say that And When She Was Good is not Laura Lippman's best. While it was easy to read, I found there was a lack of character development. A good author shows you a character's personality. I felt like Lippman neither showed nor told me much about the main character's (Heloise) persona. As a result, the characters fell flat for me. In addition, not much happened and thus there was not the compensation of an exciting plot. Bottom line, it was not a character driven book nor was it an action book - so what was it? This is an example of a successful author who was able to publish a substandard book because of the gloss her name brings to the cover.
  • Jeanne W. (COLUMBIA, MD)
    Better Luck Next Time
    I'm a huge fan, but this was my least favorite Laura Lippman book ever. It bounced back and forth in time so much that I never felt I was spending enough time in one era. I never got into the flow of the story. Heloise was not a very likable character. I felt that she painted herself as a victim and didn't really take responsibility for her own actions which resulted in people dying. I never understood what the point of the book was supposed to be. I hope she gets back on track the next time.
  • Loren B. (Appleton, WI)
    Not an easy read
    This novel was not an easy read-not because of the subject matter - but because the story line just jumped around too much. And the main character's history - oh please, what a cliche. It was a struggle to finish this book.

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