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62nd out of 907 books
—
857 voters
Baltimore Blues (Tess Monaghan #1)
by
Laura Lippman (Goodreads Author)
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 taste for illicit midday trysts--makes the case front-page news in every local paper except the Star, which crashed and burned before Abramowitz did.
A former Star reporter who knows every inch of this town--fr...more
A former Star reporter who knows every inch of this town--fr...more
Hardcover, 336 pages
Published
December 26th 2006
by William Morrow & Company
(first published 1997)
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I picked this up because it is a Baltimore author in a genre I like. It was okay. I'll read others, but its more in the mind-candy side of things. Definite beach read.
I picked up this book after enjoying What the Dead Know, but I just couldn't get into it or make myself care about any of the characters.
May 20, 2010
stephanie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
em, laura, leigh, thriller lovers.
Recommended to stephanie by:
series rec by a.
REREAD! started 5/20/10. yay!
*
oh, the first introduction to tess monaghan, we see how she gets together with tyner, how she stumbles on her first "case" and get to meet the lovely secondary characters - crow and whitney and kitty and feeny.
this story revolves around the death of a not-so-loved lawyer and the arrest of tess's good rowing partner, rock, for the murder. as tess learns how to put her reporting skills to good use, how to get out from under the covers, we get way more of a story than...more
*
oh, the first introduction to tess monaghan, we see how she gets together with tyner, how she stumbles on her first "case" and get to meet the lovely secondary characters - crow and whitney and kitty and feeny.
this story revolves around the death of a not-so-loved lawyer and the arrest of tess's good rowing partner, rock, for the murder. as tess learns how to put her reporting skills to good use, how to get out from under the covers, we get way more of a story than...more
1 like · like · see review
While visiting Baltimore, I asked around for novels set there. Laura Lippman was recommended by all. I enjoyed her descriptions of settings and characters and her great sense of humor. Already well into book two of the series, Charm City.
1 like · like · see review
I recently read one of Lippman's standalone novels and liked it, so I dug up the first in her Tess Monaghan series. Not bad, but a little bit clunky. This is a book that definitely would have been better in first-person POV than in third. It's a nice set-up for the series, though. We meet Tess (who is not necessarily the most warm-and-fuzzy, likeable heroine), a former reporter turned semi-employed mooch, just as she stumbles onto the opportunity to do some detective work for the first time. I'm...more
First in the Tess Monaghan suspense series set in Baltimore, Maryland and revolving around an unemployed journalist.
The Story
Futzing about with little odd jobs here and there isn't putting much food on the table for Tess Monaghan, so when her best friend, Rock, asks her to do some spying on his fiancée, Ava Hill, for $30 an hour, Tess jumps on it. What she learns about Ava is enough to worry her and so she sets them both up for the big confrontation.
Which, naturally, does not go as planned. Espe...more
The Story
Futzing about with little odd jobs here and there isn't putting much food on the table for Tess Monaghan, so when her best friend, Rock, asks her to do some spying on his fiancée, Ava Hill, for $30 an hour, Tess jumps on it. What she learns about Ava is enough to worry her and so she sets them both up for the big confrontation.
Which, naturally, does not go as planned. Espe...more
Feb 25, 2011
Nan
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Ann Love
Shelves:
nook
I've had Laura Lippman in my sights ever since Ellen Emerson White spoke highly of her in an online posting. This month, BN is offering the first book in Lippman's Tess Monaghan series for 99 cents, so I thought I should give her a chance. And I'm glad that I did.
I can't say that this book excelled beyond my wildest imagination or any of that sort of hyperbole. What it does, it does well. It's the story of how Tess, underemployed and working free lance since she was laid off as a reporter, start...more
I can't say that this book excelled beyond my wildest imagination or any of that sort of hyperbole. What it does, it does well. It's the story of how Tess, underemployed and working free lance since she was laid off as a reporter, start...more
Tess Monaghan is an out of work journalist who is willing to take most any part time job offered her in order to help pay the rent. When an old friend is accused of murder, she determines to find the real killer.
The only real surprise in this who-dunnit was who the killer was. There were no clues linking him to the victim and he played only a very minor part in Tess’ investigation. In fact, when the killer was finally named, I honestly had to stop and ask myself "Who the hell was he?"
I found t...more
The only real surprise in this who-dunnit was who the killer was. There were no clues linking him to the victim and he played only a very minor part in Tess’ investigation. In fact, when the killer was finally named, I honestly had to stop and ask myself "Who the hell was he?"
I found t...more
Baltimore Blues. Laura Lippman. 1997. Avon. 290 pages. ISBN 0380788756.
Baltimore Blues is Laura Lippman's debut and first novel in the mystery series featuring heroine Tess Monaghan, a witty, wise-ass, intelligent, athletic (and pot-smoking!) reporter-turned-private eye you'll end up loving. In fact, Tess Monaghan is exactly why I'll be reading the rest of this series, which will soon be eleven books deep when The Girl in the Green Raincoat releases next year in 2011.
Tess' best friend Darryl "Ro...more
Baltimore Blues is Laura Lippman's debut and first novel in the mystery series featuring heroine Tess Monaghan, a witty, wise-ass, intelligent, athletic (and pot-smoking!) reporter-turned-private eye you'll end up loving. In fact, Tess Monaghan is exactly why I'll be reading the rest of this series, which will soon be eleven books deep when The Girl in the Green Raincoat releases next year in 2011.
Tess' best friend Darryl "Ro...more
I started this book because Karin Slaughter mentioned Laura Lippman in an interview. I read Lippman's "The Power of Three" and "I'd Know You Anywhere" prior to this one and I liked it. But I knew that Lippman is known for her Tess Monaghan series so I was eager to start this one. I guess because Karin Slaughter had recommended her, I thought this would be similar to KS's books. So not. Maybe it's because I went into this with certain expectations, but I was a little disappointed. The tone is lig...more
This is the first book in Laura Lippman's Tess Monagham series. Lippman tries her hand at writing a novel after spending 20 years as a journalist and she is sticking within what she knows with the characters and plot. The first Tess Monagham story is about an out of work journalist with a passion for rowing and snooping when there is a pay check behind it:
Tess Monagham has been down in the employment department for several years now. Ever since she lost her job when the Star newspaper went under...more
Tess Monagham has been down in the employment department for several years now. Ever since she lost her job when the Star newspaper went under...more
Synopsis: A former newspaper journalist and now unemployed, 29 year old Tess Monoghan is in a bit of a life funk. She builds her day aroundearlymorningcrew workouts and menial tasks for relatives. Her life is pretty routine, until she takes up her friend and fellow rower's offer.Darryl "Rock" Paxton wants her to do some sleuthing into the activities of his fiancee, Ava. Tess reports back to Rock, believing that Ava is having an affair with her boss, Michael Abramowitz. Rock confronts the guy, an...more
This book is the first book in Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan P.I. series. It was a little rough around the edges. The author lives in Baltimore, so there are many descriptions of the city. Having lived in Baltimore all my life, I felt that her descriptions did not go far enough. She needed to ad more detail of the areas that she mentioned. Overall, the book wasn't so bad that I wouldn't give another of her books a try.
This is a decent start to what looks like a long series, but I was not totally impressed with Tess Monaghan, the main character. She was whiny, self-indulgent and her sense of entitlement set me on edge. She relies on her family and friends to support her and seems to take them all for granted. That said, I didn't hate her and I can see that there is room for major growth for her character. I plan on reading more in this series.
This is the first novel in the series featuring Tess Monaghan, a former reporter (laid off) turned private investigator. I read a criticism of this book by someone who thought the pace was too slow (especially the beginning) and found Tess unlikeable ("whiny").
I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and was not in any hurry to get to the action. After the introduction to Tess, perhaps the second in the series (which I'll be reading) picks up speed, but I'm happy reading about the character and building...more
I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and was not in any hurry to get to the action. After the introduction to Tess, perhaps the second in the series (which I'll be reading) picks up speed, but I'm happy reading about the character and building...more
I met author Laura Lippman a few years ago at a writing conference in Chicago and picked up one of her books at the time, Every Secret Thing. I didn't like it, thought it was too introspective. But when I ran across this one in the Kindle offerings of my library, I checked it out because it was about a former newspaper reporter, Tess Monaghan, and as a career journalist, I love books about newspapers. Except this one. Lippman was also a reporter at the Baltimore Sun, but she doesn't have the lov...more
This is the first book in Lippman's Tess Monaghan series, and I could definitely tell that this was an early work. On the one hand, the writing is nowhere near as polished as that of more recent books such as What the Dead Know. However, it's not all bad news. Even though this book has its rough spots, Lippman slips in clever descriptions of places and people and there's an insight into what makes her characters tick that only grows sharper in her more recent work. It was kind of fun to see glim...more
Baltimore Blues introduces Tess Monaghan, a 29 year old woman who has been unemployed since she lost her job as a reporter when the Baltimore Star newspaper closed. For over a year, she has been living in an apartment over her aunt's independent bookstore, working odd jobs, and compulsively rowing on the Patapsco River. While there is a mystery to be solved, it takes a back seat to introducing the characters who will appear in later volumes--and they are memorable characters. But at its essence,...more
As part of my new challenge to get through 3 more months of sickness before this baby comes, I am embarking on a journey to listen to books by authors we will be hearing at next year's Key West Literary Seminar. The theme next year is mysteries and thrillers, which just so happens to be my first love as far as book genres are concerned.
Baltimore Blues is the first in the Tess Monaghan series. I enjoy the way that Laura Lippman writes, and I was intrigued by the storyline. I really do like the c...more
Baltimore Blues is the first in the Tess Monaghan series. I enjoy the way that Laura Lippman writes, and I was intrigued by the storyline. I really do like the c...more
This is the first book in the Tess Monaghan series, and its a series that I've wanted to read for awhile. I liked it, but it has some flaws. I know this is a first book in a series, so I'm sure that the series will get better and stronger with additional books. I really like Tess. She's a 29 year old failed newspaper reporter who finds herself at loose ends career-wise when her rowing buddy gets involved in a murder. Tess wants to help him by finding the real killer so she sets out on a one-woma...more
My first exposure to Laura Lippman was with her most recent installment in the Tess Monaghan series, The Girl in the Green Raincoat, which was written as a serial for The New York Times Magazine. Having effectively started at the end of the series and really enjoyed it, I decided to go back to the beginning. Baltimore Blues is not as polished as Lippman's later work, but that isn't really saying anything--it's her first book. It's actually nice to know that her writing got tighter and her prose...more
I'm fascinated with how some authors seem to be able to transcend their genre labels and become "literary". I recently read one of Lippman's recent literary novels, and didn't love it. I figured I go back to the beginning and see if there are clues in this book at the breakout that Lippman would become
There are not.
This is a pretty typical private-investigator novel. It's entertaining. I am personally sick of newspaper-writers-turned-mystery-solvers as characters, but I understand why there's a...more
There are not.
This is a pretty typical private-investigator novel. It's entertaining. I am personally sick of newspaper-writers-turned-mystery-solvers as characters, but I understand why there's a...more
Lippman has been on my to read list for a bit. I read her essay in The Wire: Truth Be Told and then found out about her relationship with David Simon. When Amazon discounted this to under a dollar, I didn't have an excuse not to read it.
Is it the best mystery I've read? No. But it does make me want to read others in the series.
Tess, the central character, is human. At times stupid, insecure, smart, she is well drawn. The mystery is compelling, and the characters real. At times, there are beautif...more
Is it the best mystery I've read? No. But it does make me want to read others in the series.
Tess, the central character, is human. At times stupid, insecure, smart, she is well drawn. The mystery is compelling, and the characters real. At times, there are beautif...more
Didn't like this book as much as I had hoped I would. The best part was probably the Baltimore details - and there are a lot of those!! Made me realize how little I know about this city I've lived in or near for 15 years! I'll read her next one, hoping it'll get better. Decent mystery, but nothing special.
1 like · like · see review
Baltimore Blues is the first Tess Monaghan novel filled with lots of twists in an interesting plot. At some parts of the story, it appeared as if too much was happening but they were all beautifully blended into a single case. The location-based out of Baltimore added so much more realism to the story.
Tess is a great character. For someone who is doing her first stint as a private investigator, she is awesome. Mostly feisty, sharp and confidant; she transitions seamlessly to a doubting, insecure...more
Tess is a great character. For someone who is doing her first stint as a private investigator, she is awesome. Mostly feisty, sharp and confidant; she transitions seamlessly to a doubting, insecure...more
I love Laura Lippman's writing!! Tess Monaghan is such a likable heroine, and I am SO SO SO excited to read all ELEVEN books of which she is the star! Unfortunately, I received #11 as a gift so I had to buy this one and I just placed an order for the next four, so I have to WAIT which is unbelievably sad because I want to read them ALL RIGHT NOW.
Reading Lippman's work is like watching a movie in your head, the plot is so developed and amazing, the stories well-told without use of ridiculous voc...more
Reading Lippman's work is like watching a movie in your head, the plot is so developed and amazing, the stories well-told without use of ridiculous voc...more
I always like to read mysteries in the summer. Someone said Laura Lippman was "the" person to read. I just could not get into this book for whatever reason. I found myself skimming by the end, when really that should be the most gripping part (finding out who the killer is, etc.)
Mar 30, 2008
Debby
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommended to Debby by:
my daughter who lives in Baltimore
This is murder mystery set in Baltimore. The main character is a young unemployed reporter who ends up investigating a murder to clear her friend. The tone of the book and its unorthodox heroine remind me of Janet Evanovich books, although it is not quite as light hearted.
Summary –
In Baltimore, even though someone is murdered every day, the murder of Michael Abramowitz causes quite flutters. Michael was infamous as a brash public defender. He was notorious for helping killers and rapists go scot free. So when Police catch the culprit almost immediately, everybody is happy. But Tess Monaghan is not convinced as the culprit is her rower friend “Rock” and she is sure of his innocence.
Review –
I started Baltimore Blues assuming it will be a good cosy mystery which of...more
In Baltimore, even though someone is murdered every day, the murder of Michael Abramowitz causes quite flutters. Michael was infamous as a brash public defender. He was notorious for helping killers and rapists go scot free. So when Police catch the culprit almost immediately, everybody is happy. But Tess Monaghan is not convinced as the culprit is her rower friend “Rock” and she is sure of his innocence.
Review –
I started Baltimore Blues assuming it will be a good cosy mystery which of...more
Dec 31, 2007
Dorian
added it
Charming, though ultimately slight. Better on characterization than plot.
First in a series--I bet they get better. One interesting thing is that it answers, in basically plausible fashion, how someone might become a PI.
First in a series--I bet they get better. One interesting thing is that it answers, in basically plausible fashion, how someone might become a PI.
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Laura Lippman was a reporter for twenty years, including twelve years at The (Baltimore) Sun. She began writing novels while working fulltime and published seven books about “accidental PI” Tess Monaghan before leaving daily journalism in 2001. Her work has been awarded the Edgar ®, the Anthony, the Agatha, the Shamus, the Nero Wolfe, Gumshoe and Barry awards. She also has been nominated for othe...more
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“But the central branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library was still a place of wonders to Tess, even if the book budget had been slashed and the hours cut. Her parents had made a lot of mistakes, a fact Tess compulsively shared on first dates, but she gave them credit for doing one thing right: Starting when she was eight, they gave her a library card and dropped her off at the downtown Pratt every Saturday while they shopped. Twenty-one years later, Tess still entered through the children's entrance on the side, pausing to toss a penny in the algae-coated fish pond, then climbing the stairs to the main hall. If she could be married here, she would.”
—
5 people liked it
“It must be nice to be so strong and to think it's because you're so good, that you live right and eat right, so you deserve your health and happiness. But there is such a thing as luck, and there's more bad luck than good in this world.”
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2 people liked it
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May 25, 2012 01:46pm