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And When She Was Good
When Hector Lewis told his daughter that she had a nothing face, it was just another bit of tossed-off cruelty from a man who specialized in harsh words and harsher deeds. But twenty years later, Heloise considers it a blessing to be a person who knows how to avoid attention. In the comfortable suburb where she lives, she's just a mom, the youngish widow with a forgettable job who somehow never misses a soccer game or a school play. In the state capitol, she's the redheaded lobbyist with a good cause and a mediocre track record.
But in discreet hotel rooms throughout the area, she's the woman of your dreams—if you can afford her hourly fee.
For more than a decade, Heloise has believed she is safe. She has created a rigidly compartmentalized life, maintaining no real friendships, trusting few confidantes. Only now her secret life, a life she was forced to build after the legitimate world turned its back on her, is under siege. Her once oblivious accountant is asking loaded questions. Her longtime protector is hinting at new, mysterious dangers. Her employees can't be trusted. One county over, another so-called suburban madam has been found dead in her car, a suicide. Or is it?
Nothing is as it seems as Heloise faces a midlife crisis with much higher stakes than most will ever know.
And then she learns that her son's father might be released from prison, which is problematic because he doesn't know he has a son. The killer and former pimp also doesn't realize that he's serving a life sentence because Heloise betrayed him. But he's clearly beginning to suspect that Heloise has been holding something back all these years.
With no formal education, no real family, and no friends, Heloise has to remake her life—again. Disappearing will be the easy part. She's done it before and she can do it again. A new name and a new place aren't hard to come by if you know the right people. The trick will be living long enough to start a new life.
But in discreet hotel rooms throughout the area, she's the woman of your dreams—if you can afford her hourly fee.
For more than a decade, Heloise has believed she is safe. She has created a rigidly compartmentalized life, maintaining no real friendships, trusting few confidantes. Only now her secret life, a life she was forced to build after the legitimate world turned its back on her, is under siege. Her once oblivious accountant is asking loaded questions. Her longtime protector is hinting at new, mysterious dangers. Her employees can't be trusted. One county over, another so-called suburban madam has been found dead in her car, a suicide. Or is it?
Nothing is as it seems as Heloise faces a midlife crisis with much higher stakes than most will ever know.
And then she learns that her son's father might be released from prison, which is problematic because he doesn't know he has a son. The killer and former pimp also doesn't realize that he's serving a life sentence because Heloise betrayed him. But he's clearly beginning to suspect that Heloise has been holding something back all these years.
With no formal education, no real family, and no friends, Heloise has to remake her life—again. Disappearing will be the easy part. She's done it before and she can do it again. A new name and a new place aren't hard to come by if you know the right people. The trick will be living long enough to start a new life.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2012
1363 people are currently reading
10788 people want to read
About the author
Laura Lippman
112 books6,270 followersSince Laura Lippman’s debut, she has been recognized as a distinctive voice in mystery fiction and named one of the “essential” crime writers of the last 100 years. Stephen King called her “special, even extraordinary,” and Gillian Flynn wrote, “She is simply a brilliant novelist.” Her books have won most of the major awards in her field and been translated into more than twenty-five languages. She lives in Baltimore and New Orleans with her teenager.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,606 reviews
February 1, 2013
Honestly, I never know how to rate a book when I don't like the main character. If the story is interesting (it was...) and it keeps my interest (it did....), I should probably give it 4 or 5 stars. But I find Heloise to be just unlikable. She comes across as aloof, unsympathetic and self-pitying. She seems to think she's smarter than everyone else.
While Helen/Heloise is in high school, her verbally abusive jerk of a father insists she go get a job. This job leads her down a twisted and ugly path toward her eventual employment as a prostitute and then a madam with a business of her own. And as far as she's concerned, it's pretty much all her parents' fault for their lack of love and support. The story from this point is actually reasonably entertaining.
But considering that many of my classmates had to work part-time and put themselves through college (myself included), all I can say to her is "Waahh....grow up and quit blaming everyone else for your problems." Millions of kids have had worse childhoods than Heloise, and they managed to lift themselves up by their own bootstraps. I just can't relate to her issues, so I can't root for her either.
While Helen/Heloise is in high school, her verbally abusive jerk of a father insists she go get a job. This job leads her down a twisted and ugly path toward her eventual employment as a prostitute and then a madam with a business of her own. And as far as she's concerned, it's pretty much all her parents' fault for their lack of love and support. The story from this point is actually reasonably entertaining.
But considering that many of my classmates had to work part-time and put themselves through college (myself included), all I can say to her is "Waahh....grow up and quit blaming everyone else for your problems." Millions of kids have had worse childhoods than Heloise, and they managed to lift themselves up by their own bootstraps. I just can't relate to her issues, so I can't root for her either.
August 25, 2012
The libraries around here are running low on audiobooks that appeal to me, so I picked one up by Laura Lippman. I didn't really know anything about her going into this, except that her books seem to be mystery/thriller based and I thought I'd go for it. I might never go for it again. I'm embarrassed I read this, and I'm embarrassed that she wrote it. I didn't even want to add it here, but I figured I would rate it on here because I did not shut it off and listened to the whole damn thing start to finish.
This book is a pointless bit of nonsense that read more like the outline of a mainstream thriller than the actual final draft. Lippman had some strong points, though. Well, one strong point. Well, one point that is fairly alright and that waas her characterization. Outside of this, there is no reason for this book to exist.
There are no twists, no turns, just a pat and rote course from start to finish. A happened to B. B went to C. C drove to D. D thought about A. And so on. It was infuriating. Like watching a made-for-tv movie based on a real life event where you've seen and heard everything that could possibly be gleaned already through the countless news outlets and watch it anyway and then get mad at yourself because how exactly did you expect that to be worth the time you invested in it and then delete it from your DVR post-haste. It's like that. Because it's a tabloid-type story that might as well have been a terrible biography for all the plot it had.
Grade: D
This book is a pointless bit of nonsense that read more like the outline of a mainstream thriller than the actual final draft. Lippman had some strong points, though. Well, one strong point. Well, one point that is fairly alright and that waas her characterization. Outside of this, there is no reason for this book to exist.
There are no twists, no turns, just a pat and rote course from start to finish. A happened to B. B went to C. C drove to D. D thought about A. And so on. It was infuriating. Like watching a made-for-tv movie based on a real life event where you've seen and heard everything that could possibly be gleaned already through the countless news outlets and watch it anyway and then get mad at yourself because how exactly did you expect that to be worth the time you invested in it and then delete it from your DVR post-haste. It's like that. Because it's a tabloid-type story that might as well have been a terrible biography for all the plot it had.
Grade: D
September 5, 2017
Well, people definitely reviewed this book pretty harshly, I don't think it was necessarily deserve though....
This definitely was not the most thrilling of thrillers I've ever read.... however, I did find it interesting, definitely an interesting perspective on prostitution.... Heloise while not always likable was sympathetic, and I did find myself wanting the best for her and her son... maybe part of the problem with this book was expectations? It is labeled as a thriller, and I really would not classify it as such, maybe just fiction, there really weren't any surprises or twist or turns that I expect with a thriller... interesting story though...
This definitely was not the most thrilling of thrillers I've ever read.... however, I did find it interesting, definitely an interesting perspective on prostitution.... Heloise while not always likable was sympathetic, and I did find myself wanting the best for her and her son... maybe part of the problem with this book was expectations? It is labeled as a thriller, and I really would not classify it as such, maybe just fiction, there really weren't any surprises or twist or turns that I expect with a thriller... interesting story though...
January 7, 2015
This should fill the sweet spot that's craving another Gone Girl. It is both clever and marvelously prosaic, so that the reader fully enters into the story of Heloise, a hard-working suburban single mom who runs an escort service to provide her with the time and money to raise her child.
I had the weirdest feeling throughout the first two-thirds or so that I had already read this, even though I couldn't recall any of the plot. Turns out I've read some other stories about Heloise. And now I can't decide who I love more, Heloise or Lippman.
Both entertaining and thinky, an excellent book for a winter's day binge-reading.
Library copy
I had the weirdest feeling throughout the first two-thirds or so that I had already read this, even though I couldn't recall any of the plot. Turns out I've read some other stories about Heloise. And now I can't decide who I love more, Heloise or Lippman.
Both entertaining and thinky, an excellent book for a winter's day binge-reading.
Library copy
October 6, 2012
Along with Elizabeth George and Michael Connelly, Laura Lippman is mystery writer whose usual who-done-its transcend the genre. So it's interesting that for her latest novel, Lippman steps outside the familiar ground of a straight-forward mystery novel and gives us a character study of a suburban madam.
Alternating between the past and the present, Lippman lays out the circumstances that led to Helen changing her name to Heloise and trying to escape her past. Fathered by a man cheating on his wife and stringing her mother along that maybe he'll someday leave his wife and other family for them, Helen grows up desperate for her father's attention and approval. Told at an early age that she has a "nothing face," Helen hitches her wagon to the washed up, drug addicted son of her boss at a local Italian restaurant. He convinces her to drop out of high school, rob the restaurant and head out to the big city with him.
Before you know it, Helen is caught up in a life of prostitution as she tries to escape one bad situation and ends up in a worse one. Out of options, Helen's one solace is sneaking to the library to lead the great classics of literature and trying to improve her mind while finding a way to improve her station in life.
Eventually her on-again, off-again pimp boyfriend is sent to jail for murder and Helen decides to try and leave her past behind. As a single mother, Helen sets up an escort service, full of rules and regulations for her girls to follow and adhere to. But the past is coming back to haunt Helen (now known as Heloise), just as she's thinking of looking for a new lot in life for she and her son.
A stand-alone novel by Lippman, this one is less a mystery (though there are some elements of your typical mystery included here) and more a character study thriller. Lippman alternates between the present and the past, filling in details on what led Helen to her current situation and information how and why she's made certain decisions in her life. On one level, the stakes are lower than your typical Tess Monagahan mystery, but on other levels, they're much higher.
An atypical Lippman novel, this one works because of the crafting of Helen/Heloise as a character. A bit of an anti-hero, Lippman keeps up close enough to feel for what she's going through and the events that led her to this point in her life, but at enough of a distance so her life isn't being necessarily celebrated. It's a fine line to walk and Lippman does it with ease. Don't expect the happy hooker with a heart of gold here. Heloise is fiercely devoted to her son but also ruthless in keeping what she does in her business on the straight and narrow...well, as straight and narrow as an escort service can be.
This is a very different novel from one of the best writers on the market today.
Alternating between the past and the present, Lippman lays out the circumstances that led to Helen changing her name to Heloise and trying to escape her past. Fathered by a man cheating on his wife and stringing her mother along that maybe he'll someday leave his wife and other family for them, Helen grows up desperate for her father's attention and approval. Told at an early age that she has a "nothing face," Helen hitches her wagon to the washed up, drug addicted son of her boss at a local Italian restaurant. He convinces her to drop out of high school, rob the restaurant and head out to the big city with him.
Before you know it, Helen is caught up in a life of prostitution as she tries to escape one bad situation and ends up in a worse one. Out of options, Helen's one solace is sneaking to the library to lead the great classics of literature and trying to improve her mind while finding a way to improve her station in life.
Eventually her on-again, off-again pimp boyfriend is sent to jail for murder and Helen decides to try and leave her past behind. As a single mother, Helen sets up an escort service, full of rules and regulations for her girls to follow and adhere to. But the past is coming back to haunt Helen (now known as Heloise), just as she's thinking of looking for a new lot in life for she and her son.
A stand-alone novel by Lippman, this one is less a mystery (though there are some elements of your typical mystery included here) and more a character study thriller. Lippman alternates between the present and the past, filling in details on what led Helen to her current situation and information how and why she's made certain decisions in her life. On one level, the stakes are lower than your typical Tess Monagahan mystery, but on other levels, they're much higher.
An atypical Lippman novel, this one works because of the crafting of Helen/Heloise as a character. A bit of an anti-hero, Lippman keeps up close enough to feel for what she's going through and the events that led her to this point in her life, but at enough of a distance so her life isn't being necessarily celebrated. It's a fine line to walk and Lippman does it with ease. Don't expect the happy hooker with a heart of gold here. Heloise is fiercely devoted to her son but also ruthless in keeping what she does in her business on the straight and narrow...well, as straight and narrow as an escort service can be.
This is a very different novel from one of the best writers on the market today.
August 19, 2021
4/5
The discrepancy between Lippman’s critical recognition and her Goodreads ratings makes her one of the underappreciated crime authors on this site. I love her character driven thrillers starring ambitious women who don’t apologize for being selfish. Heloise is using the façade of just another regular suburban single mother to run one of the most profitable prostitution rings. The book opens with the death of a similar madam, Heloise’s starts feeling the pressure and starts considering exit options sooner than she expected.
Heloise does not see upmarket prostitution as demeaning or exploiting. Her girls are mostly aspiring models or college kids discovering the easiest way to pay off student loans and she is careful about their safety. I think society spends too much time wasting time thinking about who is sleeping with whom. As long as the sex is between consenting adults, I don’t see the point in interfering with it. A section of staunch feminists have said something similar over the years equating decriminalization of prostitution with female empowerment though Heloise’s reasoning is a bit more practical. She thinks beauty is as viable a resource as intelligence so why should not someone bestowed with it monetize it especially when there is obvious demand for it. I loved Heloise – practical, confident and unapologetic.
Not everyone shares my love for an antihero so Lippman uses an interesting structure to humanize Heloise. Alternating chapters shows young Heloise struggling to find her space in the world and making a lot of bad judgments. Lippman ignores the easy temptation of showing abuse against young women as being mostly sexual. Heloise’s father congratulated himself on never sexually violating her so he overcompensated with constant bullying. It is easy to understand why she reacts so strongly to attention at sixteen even when she is warned about the source. She wanted to pursue higher studies, at first her father and then her pimp turned lover did everything in their power to keep books away from her. Cutting off access to knowledge has been a popular method of tyrants all over the world. When Heloise finally turns to prostitution to pay her bills, it is her own decision she is not forced into it. This is the reason Lippman’s characterization is so effective, she uses Heloise’s past to show how it influenced her decision making in the present.
There are subplots about one of Heloise’s girls developing HIV, Heloise juggling relationships with prosecutors and cops. The thriller beats are predictable. This remains foremost a story about a naïve, sweet girl who became a hard and smart entrepreneur. It is about the compromises she made and the consequences she has to face. Lippman leaves it for the reader to decide whether one remembers Heloise as the innocent, vulnerable young victim she once was or the calculating ice queen she became. It would be a shame if readers reduce such a complex character to unlikeable and skip the book because Heloise is a rags-to-riches success story, a twisted celebration of the American Dream that earns your respect even you can’t like her.
Quotes: He was thrifty about everything. Even human beings.
It was baffling to Helen, this belief that personal knowledge would lead to intimacy, something good, anything good. It was information. Information was power.
But if there were no hypocrisy in the world, there wouldn’t be any prostitutes.
The discrepancy between Lippman’s critical recognition and her Goodreads ratings makes her one of the underappreciated crime authors on this site. I love her character driven thrillers starring ambitious women who don’t apologize for being selfish. Heloise is using the façade of just another regular suburban single mother to run one of the most profitable prostitution rings. The book opens with the death of a similar madam, Heloise’s starts feeling the pressure and starts considering exit options sooner than she expected.
Heloise does not see upmarket prostitution as demeaning or exploiting. Her girls are mostly aspiring models or college kids discovering the easiest way to pay off student loans and she is careful about their safety. I think society spends too much time wasting time thinking about who is sleeping with whom. As long as the sex is between consenting adults, I don’t see the point in interfering with it. A section of staunch feminists have said something similar over the years equating decriminalization of prostitution with female empowerment though Heloise’s reasoning is a bit more practical. She thinks beauty is as viable a resource as intelligence so why should not someone bestowed with it monetize it especially when there is obvious demand for it. I loved Heloise – practical, confident and unapologetic.
Not everyone shares my love for an antihero so Lippman uses an interesting structure to humanize Heloise. Alternating chapters shows young Heloise struggling to find her space in the world and making a lot of bad judgments. Lippman ignores the easy temptation of showing abuse against young women as being mostly sexual. Heloise’s father congratulated himself on never sexually violating her so he overcompensated with constant bullying. It is easy to understand why she reacts so strongly to attention at sixteen even when she is warned about the source. She wanted to pursue higher studies, at first her father and then her pimp turned lover did everything in their power to keep books away from her. Cutting off access to knowledge has been a popular method of tyrants all over the world. When Heloise finally turns to prostitution to pay her bills, it is her own decision she is not forced into it. This is the reason Lippman’s characterization is so effective, she uses Heloise’s past to show how it influenced her decision making in the present.
There are subplots about one of Heloise’s girls developing HIV, Heloise juggling relationships with prosecutors and cops. The thriller beats are predictable. This remains foremost a story about a naïve, sweet girl who became a hard and smart entrepreneur. It is about the compromises she made and the consequences she has to face. Lippman leaves it for the reader to decide whether one remembers Heloise as the innocent, vulnerable young victim she once was or the calculating ice queen she became. It would be a shame if readers reduce such a complex character to unlikeable and skip the book because Heloise is a rags-to-riches success story, a twisted celebration of the American Dream that earns your respect even you can’t like her.
Quotes: He was thrifty about everything. Even human beings.
It was baffling to Helen, this belief that personal knowledge would lead to intimacy, something good, anything good. It was information. Information was power.
But if there were no hypocrisy in the world, there wouldn’t be any prostitutes.
February 20, 2013
A quick read, but not one I loved. I've read a handful of Lippman books because I enjoy the way she works Baltimore into her books as a character of its own. This one tipped a line into something I didn't like. The character was somewhat sympathetic, but there were asides that seemed more like authorial interjections than things the character would notice. She ended up reminding me of a group of women at my gym who talk loudly about vacations and their teenagers' cars and their husbands' careers in a way that is totally foreign to me. It's odd, since that's really who the character was pretending to be, so she would look at those same women with the same anthropological curiosity, but I could somehow feel Lippman herself hovering around the edges. I dunno.
July 16, 2015
Although it felt that nothing happened for long stretches of this novel, when things did happen they were executed perfectly. You may think this would lead to a boring read, but And When She Was Good is far from boring.
The main character, Helen/Heloise (Hel?) seems so sure of herself for the majority of this book, and i'd be lying if I didn't admit that the ending was the best part - but that's because Hel stopped being so superior and aloof and putting everyone down. It took her being out-smarted - seriously out-smarted - to seemingly get a grip.
When it comes to other characters, they seem a little like an afterthought. Hel's father made my blood boil and I guess that's why she is how she is. He is a nasty and selfish man who quickly engendered feelings of hatred from me, as I am sure he was meant to. Hel's mother seemed quite timid and unsure - she was so in love, but with that monster? It didn't seem to fit that she could be that naive for her whole life.
Overall I thought it a good enough read. It's not one of my favourites and for being a mystery there isn't much mystery at all, but it was nevertheless enjoyable and interesting.
Drink a really expensive coffee while you read this - you know, the ones from pretentious coffee shops.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.
The main character, Helen/Heloise (Hel?) seems so sure of herself for the majority of this book, and i'd be lying if I didn't admit that the ending was the best part - but that's because Hel stopped being so superior and aloof and putting everyone down. It took her being out-smarted - seriously out-smarted - to seemingly get a grip.
When it comes to other characters, they seem a little like an afterthought. Hel's father made my blood boil and I guess that's why she is how she is. He is a nasty and selfish man who quickly engendered feelings of hatred from me, as I am sure he was meant to. Hel's mother seemed quite timid and unsure - she was so in love, but with that monster? It didn't seem to fit that she could be that naive for her whole life.
Overall I thought it a good enough read. It's not one of my favourites and for being a mystery there isn't much mystery at all, but it was nevertheless enjoyable and interesting.
Drink a really expensive coffee while you read this - you know, the ones from pretentious coffee shops.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.
March 22, 2017
I listened to this book on audio, thanks to a job change and a one hour commute.
This is my first Lippman book. It takes place in Annapolis, which just happens to be close to where I live.
Aside from being a competent albeit unconventional pseudo mystery, I felt as if it offered some interesting commentary on a controversial topic, the sex industry, specifically high-end prostitution. And by the end of the book, I have to admit, I was hard pressed to come up with a valid argument against the legalization of prostitution. I mean, at least on face value, it seems kind of strange that something a woman can "give" away as much as she wants, something that has value to others, so much value that they will pay for it illegally, often at great risk and consequence to themselves, is illegal. On the surface, it seems as if legalizing prostitution would only make it safer for all parties involved, both the prostitute and her customer.
The discussion has made me want to read a more serious and in depth exploration of the pros and cons surrounding the issue.
I really liked the protagonist here. Some reviewers seem to feel she lacked emotional depth, but I felt that rather than lacking emotional depth, she was simply extremely pragmatic, which seems realistic given her profession and history.
I also like the way the author weaves Helen's past into the present day story.
The ending felt a little rushed to me. I know authors are told to wrap things up quickly, but this was just too quick and seemed incomplete.
My first book on tape in decades, I wonder if I would have enjoyed this more or less if I had read instead.
This is my first Lippman book. It takes place in Annapolis, which just happens to be close to where I live.
Aside from being a competent albeit unconventional pseudo mystery, I felt as if it offered some interesting commentary on a controversial topic, the sex industry, specifically high-end prostitution. And by the end of the book, I have to admit, I was hard pressed to come up with a valid argument against the legalization of prostitution. I mean, at least on face value, it seems kind of strange that something a woman can "give" away as much as she wants, something that has value to others, so much value that they will pay for it illegally, often at great risk and consequence to themselves, is illegal. On the surface, it seems as if legalizing prostitution would only make it safer for all parties involved, both the prostitute and her customer.
The discussion has made me want to read a more serious and in depth exploration of the pros and cons surrounding the issue.
I really liked the protagonist here. Some reviewers seem to feel she lacked emotional depth, but I felt that rather than lacking emotional depth, she was simply extremely pragmatic, which seems realistic given her profession and history.
I also like the way the author weaves Helen's past into the present day story.
The ending felt a little rushed to me. I know authors are told to wrap things up quickly, but this was just too quick and seemed incomplete.
My first book on tape in decades, I wonder if I would have enjoyed this more or less if I had read instead.
September 24, 2012
See full review here!
Laura Lippman's Tess series is one I've read in the past. I've never tried her stand-alone work, and I'm always game for a good stand-alone. Especially an adult one. I read a lot of YA fiction, but this is a GREAT adult novel to pick up! I might say that this would make a great book club novel. It has great themes and discussion elements. It's addicting and curious. It wasn't predictable in the way that I knew how it would all play out, though I did guess at a couple things and get them right. Overall I really enjoyed this book.
What I really liked about this book was that it is so different than anything I've read recently. Who has read a novel recently about prostitutes?? I started reading Nancy Grace's book, but it didn't keep my attention. And I think maybe one of the James Patterson's WMC books might be about hookers. But this is a sex-worker book I will never forget. Heloise's story is interesting, creative, and surprising. She's a fascinating character, and I loved reading about the intricacies of her life and work. I'd definitely recommend this one to a friend. I'd love to try the audio book, too!
Laura Lippman's Tess series is one I've read in the past. I've never tried her stand-alone work, and I'm always game for a good stand-alone. Especially an adult one. I read a lot of YA fiction, but this is a GREAT adult novel to pick up! I might say that this would make a great book club novel. It has great themes and discussion elements. It's addicting and curious. It wasn't predictable in the way that I knew how it would all play out, though I did guess at a couple things and get them right. Overall I really enjoyed this book.
What I really liked about this book was that it is so different than anything I've read recently. Who has read a novel recently about prostitutes?? I started reading Nancy Grace's book, but it didn't keep my attention. And I think maybe one of the James Patterson's WMC books might be about hookers. But this is a sex-worker book I will never forget. Heloise's story is interesting, creative, and surprising. She's a fascinating character, and I loved reading about the intricacies of her life and work. I'd definitely recommend this one to a friend. I'd love to try the audio book, too!
March 31, 2013
Maybe I’m guilty. Okay. LL could write spit and I’d call it transcendent.
That said, I have to admit, re AWSWG, there are one or two little nagging elements about several characters that bothered me, badass pimp Val and his previously undisclosed Filipino common-law wife living upstate with whom he has three children. She is—we are asked to believe without question—an incredibly unsophisticated foreign-born woman who believes for over ten years, that her very bad husband is trapped overseas because of a false conspiracy that makes it impossible for him to return to the US legally. Yes. He is trapped and society is the better for it. He’s serving a life sentence for a murder he committed. The little Filipino wife never thought of trying to visit him overseas? For over a decade—for over ten-plus years and she never thought it odd that maybe he could travel to Montreal for a quiet weekend for a tearful reunion with she and the kids? The infrequent and monitored telephone calls never raised an eyebrow? Unless Val’s heretofore private-life wife is extremely dysfunctional, it would seem to me that we could expect a woman with responsibilities for raising three children in contemporary America to acclimate to life more quickly than she evidently had.
Even with now twenty-year old technology, she would have had to have been sophisticated enough to ask those questions herself; the kids would have educated her. They would have instructed their mother and taught her American English everyday.
Questions do arise in the readers’ minds: the porous international borders serviced by the biggest luxury airliners with the most comfortable first-class cabins of any fleets in the pre-9/11 international routes international air carriers? Really.) The history of another minor character rang untrue, and occasionally, events surrounding plot-turning action seemed illogical or unlikely. In a lesser writer, the nagging I felt as I read a paragraph here and there would have signaled an impending derailment, and probably a complete rupture in the suspension of disbelief. The end. I would have finished a long time before the concluding words of the story on the printed page. I would have closed the book and turned to my shelf. Next!
None of that matters with LL. I just read on, a damned happy and more than willing passenger in the capable hands of a modern master, a former full-time beat journalist on a major metropolitan newspaper, a decade and more ago now, when major cities had major newspapers (plural). LL is a thoroughly modern twenty-first century woman, and family oriented mother; she has seen an awful lot of life in her just-barely-fifty years. She is more than a little knowledgeable about the surprising twists, the poor choices, the bad luck, and the unexpected speed bumps in the everyday life of the modern American, and she is keenly aware of the proximity of life’s dark underbelly. She knows what a brush with the criminal element can mean to a well ordered life, and understands the complexities of the human psyche lurking just beneath our skins, even in the suburbs of Baltimore.
I always know (or believe I know) what I’m going to read next, and I always know how much I liked a book when I am at its end. If I’m particularly saddened by finishing the last page, and the act of closing the cover seems painful, distressing even, I have been blown away by something extraordinary. What I will read next sometimes changes based on how I feel at the end of each book. I want either something complimentary, or something completely different.
And When She Was Good is a wonderful book, despite the few objections noted above, and they were trivial offenses, which I can forgive. Just as with every one of her novels, I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
Seriously, it may not be her finest, but still, having said all that, it is one damned satisfying read. Happy page turning!
That said, I have to admit, re AWSWG, there are one or two little nagging elements about several characters that bothered me, badass pimp Val and his previously undisclosed Filipino common-law wife living upstate with whom he has three children. She is—we are asked to believe without question—an incredibly unsophisticated foreign-born woman who believes for over ten years, that her very bad husband is trapped overseas because of a false conspiracy that makes it impossible for him to return to the US legally. Yes. He is trapped and society is the better for it. He’s serving a life sentence for a murder he committed. The little Filipino wife never thought of trying to visit him overseas? For over a decade—for over ten-plus years and she never thought it odd that maybe he could travel to Montreal for a quiet weekend for a tearful reunion with she and the kids? The infrequent and monitored telephone calls never raised an eyebrow? Unless Val’s heretofore private-life wife is extremely dysfunctional, it would seem to me that we could expect a woman with responsibilities for raising three children in contemporary America to acclimate to life more quickly than she evidently had.
Even with now twenty-year old technology, she would have had to have been sophisticated enough to ask those questions herself; the kids would have educated her. They would have instructed their mother and taught her American English everyday.
Questions do arise in the readers’ minds: the porous international borders serviced by the biggest luxury airliners with the most comfortable first-class cabins of any fleets in the pre-9/11 international routes international air carriers? Really.) The history of another minor character rang untrue, and occasionally, events surrounding plot-turning action seemed illogical or unlikely. In a lesser writer, the nagging I felt as I read a paragraph here and there would have signaled an impending derailment, and probably a complete rupture in the suspension of disbelief. The end. I would have finished a long time before the concluding words of the story on the printed page. I would have closed the book and turned to my shelf. Next!
None of that matters with LL. I just read on, a damned happy and more than willing passenger in the capable hands of a modern master, a former full-time beat journalist on a major metropolitan newspaper, a decade and more ago now, when major cities had major newspapers (plural). LL is a thoroughly modern twenty-first century woman, and family oriented mother; she has seen an awful lot of life in her just-barely-fifty years. She is more than a little knowledgeable about the surprising twists, the poor choices, the bad luck, and the unexpected speed bumps in the everyday life of the modern American, and she is keenly aware of the proximity of life’s dark underbelly. She knows what a brush with the criminal element can mean to a well ordered life, and understands the complexities of the human psyche lurking just beneath our skins, even in the suburbs of Baltimore.
I always know (or believe I know) what I’m going to read next, and I always know how much I liked a book when I am at its end. If I’m particularly saddened by finishing the last page, and the act of closing the cover seems painful, distressing even, I have been blown away by something extraordinary. What I will read next sometimes changes based on how I feel at the end of each book. I want either something complimentary, or something completely different.
And When She Was Good is a wonderful book, despite the few objections noted above, and they were trivial offenses, which I can forgive. Just as with every one of her novels, I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
Seriously, it may not be her finest, but still, having said all that, it is one damned satisfying read. Happy page turning!
April 27, 2016
This is the three-stariest book I have ever read. My engagement in reading it was so perfectly mediocre. I don't mean it's badly written (neither the plot nor the grammar), and I don't mean I was bored. I wasn't. I kind of idly felt mild interest in finding out what happens next most of the time I was reading it, and I didn't really like any of the characters and I didn't really hate any of them, and it was interesting to read about the prostitution version of Weeds or Breaking Bad, and the mystery wasn't all that clever or compelling, but it wasn't dull and predictable either. The book was just...there. Reading it was...a thing that happened. I don't feel any ill will towards it, and I'd certainly consider reading another book by Laura Lippman, so I guess it *just* falls on the side of being good. Or at least not bad. I wouldn't recommend it, but I wouldn't caution you against it. I seriously have nothing useful to say about this book at all.
May 22, 2021
Kept me listening, Don't think it would have been as good if I had read it with my eyes.
August 19, 2012
Laura Lippman is one of my favorite authors; I can always count on her to deliver a solid thriller with a special combination of ordinary setting (Baltimore and its surroundings), superficially ordinary characters with extraordinary pasts, challenging and interesting perspectives, great pacing, and terrific writing. I enjoyed this book for all of those ingredients, but not as much as I normally do.
I found Helen/Heloise a difficult character to warm up to - not because I didn't like her or understand her or sympathize with her (I did), but, I think, because the modern Heloise has deliberately made herself aloof and isolated, and that's the character we spend a lot of time with initially. I learned from the Afterword that Lippman introduced Heloise/Helen in a couple of earlier short stories; perhaps if I'd had those backstories in my head my response would have been different. She is still a very interesting character, and I'll be thinking about her and her relationships with her mother and her son for quite a while.
I also found the pacing to be a bit slow for a suspense novel. I enjoyed reading about Helen/Heloise's life, and was intrigued with her relationship with Val - definitely one of those challenging perspectives Lippman is so good at presenting. But I never felt that buildup of tension and fear that keeps me, as a reader, both frantically turning pages and wanting to close my eyes so as to not see the killer jump out from behind the door. I knew who the killer was going to be pretty immediately. I knew who was going to be behind the attempt, and more or less why. And rather than being surprised by the timing, I could see by the page count that it had to happen soon because I was getting to the end of the book.
All this is by way of saying it's not my favorite Lippman. But a not-favorite-Lippman is still a darned good book, and I enjoyed it a great deal, if not as a suspense thriller, then as a really interesting character study that gave me lots of food for thought.
I found Helen/Heloise a difficult character to warm up to - not because I didn't like her or understand her or sympathize with her (I did), but, I think, because the modern Heloise has deliberately made herself aloof and isolated, and that's the character we spend a lot of time with initially. I learned from the Afterword that Lippman introduced Heloise/Helen in a couple of earlier short stories; perhaps if I'd had those backstories in my head my response would have been different. She is still a very interesting character, and I'll be thinking about her and her relationships with her mother and her son for quite a while.
I also found the pacing to be a bit slow for a suspense novel. I enjoyed reading about Helen/Heloise's life, and was intrigued with her relationship with Val - definitely one of those challenging perspectives Lippman is so good at presenting. But I never felt that buildup of tension and fear that keeps me, as a reader, both frantically turning pages and wanting to close my eyes so as to not see the killer jump out from behind the door. I knew who the killer was going to be pretty immediately. I knew who was going to be behind the attempt, and more or less why. And rather than being surprised by the timing, I could see by the page count that it had to happen soon because I was getting to the end of the book.
All this is by way of saying it's not my favorite Lippman. But a not-favorite-Lippman is still a darned good book, and I enjoyed it a great deal, if not as a suspense thriller, then as a really interesting character study that gave me lots of food for thought.
September 19, 2016
I found this a very interesting storyline. What happens to someone when they think they don't deserve much and end up down the road of drugs and prostitution. How do they turn their life around when that is all they know? I always enjoy a Laura Lippman story. She does a great job of entertaining the reader and keeping them interested in the characters and what is happening. Well worth my time.
September 25, 2013
I just couldn't seem to drum up any real feelings for the characters in this book. I neither liked them nor disliked them, and that made the story less enjoyable to read. The story was alright, the writing was fine, it simply did not do anything for me except keep me reading to the end. That is something, I suppose, in a lukewarm sort of a way.
This was a first-reads giveaway, thank you.
This was a first-reads giveaway, thank you.
January 7, 2017
Hmm. I really don’t have a whole lot to say about this book. First of all, I did not read the synopsis when I checked this book out at the library so I had no idea what the premise of the book was so I was surprised when I learned that Heloise was not a lobbyist but actually a madam. This is learned early on in the book. Heloise Lewis, previously Helen Lewis, grew up in an abusive household and was eventually forced to get a job to get contribute to the household bills. She eventually leaves her home and becomes involved with very bad company. Heloise gains success (in her mind, anyways) when she becomes a madam. Honestly, there’s really not much more than that but I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I will leave it at that. The story is told from Heloise’s point-of-view and really just focuses on how Heloise attempts to keep her life as a suburban stay at home mom from her life as a madam. That’s it. It’s supposed to be a thriller but honestly, the plot was just kind of bland. I think the story had definite potential. Heloise does have to watch her back from her transgressions from her former life as Helen. It was just so slow going. I was too far into it to put it down and I really was curious about what was going to happen to Heloise but by the time the big twist was revealed, I was just ready to be done with the book. I think the story just felt bogged down in many places. Learning about Heloise’s past and how she got to where she is today was interesting. Hearing about Heloise’s day-to-day life as she tries to operate as a madam and a mother in suburbia was like reading someone’s planner, only the details are more risqué. The big twist really wasn’t that surprising given that the character appeared early on but had no real ties to the story. This character would show up randomly, act oddly, and then disappear over and over again. It was easy to figure out that this person would be involved in the end since they really didn’t have a place in the rest of the story. I also had a hard time with the book because the characters really were not likeable. Many of them just got on my nerves or seemed pointless to the purpose of the story.
I will never say that a book is bad. Someone has put in a lot of effort, time, and heart into seeing their book come to fruition. I will say that a book is not my taste. While this book was a psychological thriller, which is right up my alley, the plot left something to be desired for me. I haven’t read any other of Laura Lippman’s books but I will. I don’t want to let one book that wasn’t my taste effect my view on books I haven’t read yet.
I will never say that a book is bad. Someone has put in a lot of effort, time, and heart into seeing their book come to fruition. I will say that a book is not my taste. While this book was a psychological thriller, which is right up my alley, the plot left something to be desired for me. I haven’t read any other of Laura Lippman’s books but I will. I don’t want to let one book that wasn’t my taste effect my view on books I haven’t read yet.
November 9, 2021
A riveting, engrossing, and at times, sordid story. 'Hel' is one of the most complicated characters I've read, and so are my reactions - my heart ached for her, I pitied her. I feared her choices. Feared for her life. She fascinated me, she appalled me. She's ruthless, with a heart of gold. The mental and physical abuse she endured was heart wrenching. And throughout the story, my admiration of her only grew.
Sophisticated, multilayered plot and characters. Masterful storytelling. Many profound, and at times jaded, observations and insights on life, the most memorable for me being: "Heloise long ago reconciled herself to the idea that all is fair in love and war, which is just another way of saying that nothing in life is ever fair, because life is love and war."
Whoa.
This story is a powerful statement on the strength, endurance, and cunning of women--looking through a completely different lens--and I loved it. Knock her down, she gets back up again. Smarter. Stronger. Wiser. Heloise is absolutely, completely, amazingly, memorable.
This is the first Laura Lippman book I've read, and I will be back for more.
Sophisticated, multilayered plot and characters. Masterful storytelling. Many profound, and at times jaded, observations and insights on life, the most memorable for me being: "Heloise long ago reconciled herself to the idea that all is fair in love and war, which is just another way of saying that nothing in life is ever fair, because life is love and war."
Whoa.
This story is a powerful statement on the strength, endurance, and cunning of women--looking through a completely different lens--and I loved it. Knock her down, she gets back up again. Smarter. Stronger. Wiser. Heloise is absolutely, completely, amazingly, memorable.
This is the first Laura Lippman book I've read, and I will be back for more.
June 20, 2017
Not Laura Lippman's best work.
July 21, 2012
I don't usually read crime novels, not because I have some feeling of superiority over this genre, but more that my "scare" bar is very, very low.
This book is about a suburban madam whose seedy past threatens to destroy the near-perfect life she's created. The book moves at an even clip, alternating between Heloise Lewis' past and present lives and the dangers therein.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly. The mood, pacing, etc were perfect. I'd say this is the perfect beach read but I haven't been to the beach in years. Let's call it the perfect book to read on your commute to and from work. The short chapters make for good stopping points, although this week I resented that my commute wasn't long enough (a first!) because I had to stop at key points in the narrative.
There was something that not-quite-irked me. On a single page, Heloise mentioned Goodreads, Amazon, and another social network. These are relevant now but I wonder how this will age 5/10/20 years down the line.
Oh, and the "scare" factor is almost non-existent. There were some scenes that might not jive with ultra-sensitive readers but they were few and far between.
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By the way, I found this book through Sarah Weinman's "crime reading list for those who read and loved GONE GIRL" . I haven't read GONE GIRL, but it was the presence of Emily St. John Mandel's THE LOLA QUARTET, which I read and enjoyed earlier this summer, that made me think, "why not."
This book is about a suburban madam whose seedy past threatens to destroy the near-perfect life she's created. The book moves at an even clip, alternating between Heloise Lewis' past and present lives and the dangers therein.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly. The mood, pacing, etc were perfect. I'd say this is the perfect beach read but I haven't been to the beach in years. Let's call it the perfect book to read on your commute to and from work. The short chapters make for good stopping points, although this week I resented that my commute wasn't long enough (a first!) because I had to stop at key points in the narrative.
There was something that not-quite-irked me. On a single page, Heloise mentioned Goodreads, Amazon, and another social network. These are relevant now but I wonder how this will age 5/10/20 years down the line.
Oh, and the "scare" factor is almost non-existent. There were some scenes that might not jive with ultra-sensitive readers but they were few and far between.
---
By the way, I found this book through Sarah Weinman's "crime reading list for those who read and loved GONE GIRL" . I haven't read GONE GIRL, but it was the presence of Emily St. John Mandel's THE LOLA QUARTET, which I read and enjoyed earlier this summer, that made me think, "why not."
May 1, 2020
“It is one of the oddities of life in Maryland that no single supermarket can serve a household’s entire needs.”
― Laura Lippman, And When She Was Good
I am curious as to whether supermarkets in Maryland are really like what this character describes.
“And when she was good” was an interesting pick. I really wasn’t sure what I was getting here.
I was nervous reading this book because I’d been let down by other books similiar to this and was not really sure what to expect. It was on my TBR list for a really long time.
The main character is a paid escort and as such, I was really afraid this book wouldn’t have much of a plot. I was wrong.
Well I actually enjoyed this which is good. Every new book is a gamble but with this one, even though I didn’t adore it, I got drawn in.
The main character was complex. I liked her more and more as the book went on. Her whole past was explained and as you learn more and more about her past, you want to see how she will get out of her current situation. I was pleased this book lived up to and beyond, my expectations.
Some of the book was really harsh and really graphic. I was surprised by the "twist" at the end as I had not guessed that although looking back perhaps I should have as there really were plenty of clues.
This is a more then decent read. I did not adore this but I did find it to be a gritty and provocative read and I would give it 3.5 stars. I would also recommend it to fans of gritty thrillers.
― Laura Lippman, And When She Was Good
I am curious as to whether supermarkets in Maryland are really like what this character describes.
“And when she was good” was an interesting pick. I really wasn’t sure what I was getting here.
I was nervous reading this book because I’d been let down by other books similiar to this and was not really sure what to expect. It was on my TBR list for a really long time.
The main character is a paid escort and as such, I was really afraid this book wouldn’t have much of a plot. I was wrong.
Well I actually enjoyed this which is good. Every new book is a gamble but with this one, even though I didn’t adore it, I got drawn in.
The main character was complex. I liked her more and more as the book went on. Her whole past was explained and as you learn more and more about her past, you want to see how she will get out of her current situation. I was pleased this book lived up to and beyond, my expectations.
Some of the book was really harsh and really graphic. I was surprised by the "twist" at the end as I had not guessed that although looking back perhaps I should have as there really were plenty of clues.
This is a more then decent read. I did not adore this but I did find it to be a gritty and provocative read and I would give it 3.5 stars. I would also recommend it to fans of gritty thrillers.
October 3, 2012
I've read two other books by Laura Lippman and really enjoyed them. I was really looking forward to her latest stand-alone novel, but ended up disappointed. It's supposed to be a suspense/mystery/thriller, but it offered little of any of those things. It starts off well enough. A madam in a suburban neighborhood is murdered. Heloise Lewis debates a woman in a store who thinks the madam was asking to be murdered. We find out fairly quickly that the reason Heloise jumps to the dead woman's defense is because she herself is a suburban, soccer-mom madam. Sounds promising, doesn't it? Instead of a story in which Heloise is fearing for her life/being stalked by a murderer/figuring out whodunit, we get a story detailing how Heloise keeps her profession separate from her personal life, the terrible childhood she had, and how her earlier life was generally effed up. Nothing happens until the very end and by that time, I just didn't care.
For what it's worth, Linda Edmond did a fabulous job of narrating and was probably the only reason I made it through this snoozefest of a novel. I'm not ready to give up on Laura Lippman. I just picked up one of her earlier novels on sale as an ebook.
For what it's worth, Linda Edmond did a fabulous job of narrating and was probably the only reason I made it through this snoozefest of a novel. I'm not ready to give up on Laura Lippman. I just picked up one of her earlier novels on sale as an ebook.
November 26, 2012
I really want to give this one a 4.5 because it was so very entertaining. Yes, there is more than one murder and more than one mystery here, but it's the protagonist at its heart, Heloise, who kept my interest. I see that other reviewers say they didn't like the book because they didn't like her. What I found very involving about the book is the way my feelings changed about her over time. They were positive at first (young woman makes the best of a really bad situation)--Heloise (or Helen) is smart, sharp and even funny and self-deprecating, though as a young person she made a lot of serious mistakes. As the narrative goes on, I began to hear more stuff that made me realize "She's fooling no one but herself." "She thinks she's got it all under control, but she should think again." Come on, readers, we all tell ourselves lies that make us more comfortable with our lives. Her character was gradually revealed in ways that made me think twice, three times about how I felt about her. That's not a bad thing in a book, at least in my opinion.
Also, isn't the whole thing about the parallels between lobbyists and prostitutes hilarious??!
This is a very movie-ready narrative, so let's start casting the film now. I'd go see it.
Also, isn't the whole thing about the parallels between lobbyists and prostitutes hilarious??!
This is a very movie-ready narrative, so let's start casting the film now. I'd go see it.
October 19, 2012
This has to be one of the least "exciting", and, at the same time, one of the absolutely best mystery/thrillers that I have ever read. I am a huge fan of Laura Lippman, finding her one of the literary of all mystery writers. This latest novel is, in my mind, her most literary and best written of all. As I was reading it, I felt that it could have been written by Lorrie Moore or Sue Miller. It involves a suburban Madam who runs a high-class prostitution service in the Baltimore/D.C. area. She's far from the most perfect protagonist, but the author infuses her with an aura that makes her quite likable. I, as a reader, was rooting for her throughout the entire novel. A large portion of this novel deals with her running this illegal and morally questionable service while raising a son. There is some tension and excitement near the end where an easily predicted twist leads to an over-the-top suspenseful scene. Most of the novel, though, is essentially a character study about a damaged woman trying to survive and do something good for her son.
November 17, 2012
I have to say I thought this book was a lot of nothing. I try to read Lippman once in a while because my friend likes her, but I noticed that she didn't like this either. That the story of this woman is a little preposterous (after a sad younger life with no prospects and nothing but trouble, her man helps her to start a "lobbying" business in Maryland--a front for a prostitution ring of the higher orders), is only part of the problem.
The story could have been made into a pretty good read but there is zero passion, excitement, thrill of danger or fear in it, despite there being all the elements that should entail these feelings. The book is flat, and the really should-be exciting scenes are flat, too. I felt almost no emotion through the entire book and had to flog myself to finish reading it. I think if a main character is being killed the scene should be rousing, fast and tense. It was nothing like that.
A few of the characters--Heloise herself, her criminal partner, and her son were all elements that could have aroused empathy, but only her son Scott drew any sympathy from me at all, and that was obviously because I have sons of my own. It was the only relationship I could grasp enthusiasm for. A waste of time for me, I'm afraid.
The story could have been made into a pretty good read but there is zero passion, excitement, thrill of danger or fear in it, despite there being all the elements that should entail these feelings. The book is flat, and the really should-be exciting scenes are flat, too. I felt almost no emotion through the entire book and had to flog myself to finish reading it. I think if a main character is being killed the scene should be rousing, fast and tense. It was nothing like that.
A few of the characters--Heloise herself, her criminal partner, and her son were all elements that could have aroused empathy, but only her son Scott drew any sympathy from me at all, and that was obviously because I have sons of my own. It was the only relationship I could grasp enthusiasm for. A waste of time for me, I'm afraid.
March 26, 2016
3.5 stars - It was really good.
This was an interesting and unique mystery/thriller which was not overly gory or violent and did not move along at a frantic pace - all bonuses for me, though these things may be negatives for certain readers. I really enjoyed the author's writing style which was suffused with sarcasm and snark - more bonuses. This was the first novel I have read by Laura Lippman, but I will definitely be checking out more of her novels.
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Favorite Quote: She hates rules derived from the bad behavior of a few.
First Sentence: Suburban Madam Dead in Apparent Suicide - The headline catches Heloise's eye as she waits in the always-long line at the Starbucks closest to her son's middle school.
This was an interesting and unique mystery/thriller which was not overly gory or violent and did not move along at a frantic pace - all bonuses for me, though these things may be negatives for certain readers. I really enjoyed the author's writing style which was suffused with sarcasm and snark - more bonuses. This was the first novel I have read by Laura Lippman, but I will definitely be checking out more of her novels.
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Favorite Quote: She hates rules derived from the bad behavior of a few.
First Sentence: Suburban Madam Dead in Apparent Suicide - The headline catches Heloise's eye as she waits in the always-long line at the Starbucks closest to her son's middle school.
September 10, 2015
Wavering between 3-3.5 stars...
Not my favorite storyline, but the writing is good. Story is told through alternating years in the life of Helen AKA Heloise, a suburban madame. I like how it was revealed a bit here and a bit there. Nice character study, but mostly unlikable characters. I think Lippman is an innovative writer and will try more of her books.
Not my favorite storyline, but the writing is good. Story is told through alternating years in the life of Helen AKA Heloise, a suburban madame. I like how it was revealed a bit here and a bit there. Nice character study, but mostly unlikable characters. I think Lippman is an innovative writer and will try more of her books.
February 25, 2018
I’m a fan of Laura Lippman as an author but this was a bit ‘blah’ for me , not a riveting story line and I wasn’t invested in the characters .
January 14, 2013
It's been a while since I've read a mystery meant for adults, as evidenced by my surprise that the novel spent so much time character and world building as opposed to having someone clue-hunting. In fact, I tended to forget it was a mystery.
I enjoyed seeing Heloise's world -- specifically hearing how she built her business -- as well as her history and how generally awesome she was for getting where she was (successful in business, able to support her child, able to have good friends without needing to have a husband). I slightly understand her being torn between the world she's built and she's really good at working in and the idea of having a different business which she would not feel awkward having her son know about.
It's interesting how Heloise seems to see the role of provider as male at first, and how the viewpoint changes. Her strong female lead is somewhat tainted by Heloise's preoccupation with people who are harmful to her, but I can forgive this since neither she nor I can really deny the influence random jerks have had on some aspects of life.
I'm not sure what the author is implying by the title. I don't see Heloise as being that "bad." Her job -- while illegal -- was as legal as she could make it, including the payment of taxes, provision of health insurance for employees, general provision of safety for employees, and the respect of customer's privacy. The worst thing about her job was that she gave some money to her partner (who had an illegal, off-shore account) and that she was running a business some deem amoral. I didn't see her as either "very very good" or "horrid," as the rhyme goes. She did bad things and was very good at some things. I don't see the black and white.
The book worked for me, and I had fun with it. Oh, and people were killed and that was pondered about and concluded. But I found the rest more interesting.
I enjoyed seeing Heloise's world -- specifically hearing how she built her business -- as well as her history and how generally awesome she was for getting where she was (successful in business, able to support her child, able to have good friends without needing to have a husband). I slightly understand her being torn between the world she's built and she's really good at working in and the idea of having a different business which she would not feel awkward having her son know about.
It's interesting how Heloise seems to see the role of provider as male at first, and how the viewpoint changes. Her strong female lead is somewhat tainted by Heloise's preoccupation with people who are harmful to her, but I can forgive this since neither she nor I can really deny the influence random jerks have had on some aspects of life.
I'm not sure what the author is implying by the title. I don't see Heloise as being that "bad." Her job -- while illegal -- was as legal as she could make it, including the payment of taxes, provision of health insurance for employees, general provision of safety for employees, and the respect of customer's privacy. The worst thing about her job was that she gave some money to her partner (who had an illegal, off-shore account) and that she was running a business some deem amoral. I didn't see her as either "very very good" or "horrid," as the rhyme goes. She did bad things and was very good at some things. I don't see the black and white.
The book worked for me, and I had fun with it. Oh, and people were killed and that was pondered about and concluded. But I found the rest more interesting.
August 21, 2012
The best part of the reading slump that I've been in lately is that it forced me to savor this book. Generally, when I'm reading a good book (especially when it's by an author I love, as in this case), I pretty much devour it. I'm usually okay with that, but it turns out that taking a long time (for me) to read is nice, too.
Laura Lippman's books are also always good. It's sort of weird, actually---given how busy she is, I'm starting to wonder if she actually HAS cloned herself. And I feel like every book, I blog something along the lines of how it's her best one yet. So it's probably not surprising when I say this year that I'm pretty sure that THIS is her best book yet.
There is an ethical gray area (prostitution), something everyone can relate to (someone who just wants to take care of her son) and a creeping sense of unease. And, of course, it's beautifully written.
Highly, highly recommended.
Laura Lippman's books are also always good. It's sort of weird, actually---given how busy she is, I'm starting to wonder if she actually HAS cloned herself. And I feel like every book, I blog something along the lines of how it's her best one yet. So it's probably not surprising when I say this year that I'm pretty sure that THIS is her best book yet.
There is an ethical gray area (prostitution), something everyone can relate to (someone who just wants to take care of her son) and a creeping sense of unease. And, of course, it's beautifully written.
Highly, highly recommended.
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