Big City Eyes

by Delia Ephron

To keep her fifteen-year-old son safe from the everyday temptations of New York City–namely sex, drugs, and all-night clubs–single mom Lily Davis decides it’s time she and Sam move to Sakonnet Bay, a picturesque town on the Long Island coast with a much slower pace. Or so she thinks.

For Sam makes a friend who speaks only in Klingon–and before you can say wejpuh , they’re having sex on the kitchen table. Lily lands a great job as a columnist for the local paper, but the folks in town are gossiping about her run-in with a nipping dog and police sergeant Tom McKee. Most disturbing, there’s the undeniable attraction between Lily and the very married McKee. And when she and Tom stumble upon what appears to be a dead woman in a house they’re . . . well . . . trespassing in, Lily’s picture-postcard world begins to peel at the edges. How much passion, guilt, and murder can one woman take?

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Humor, Novels, Chick Lit

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Bestselling author and screenwriter Delia Ephron's most recent novel is Siracusa. Her other novels include The Lion Is In and Hanging Up. She has written humor books for all ages, including How to Eat Like a Child and Do I Have to Say Hello?; and nonfiction, most recently Sister Mother Husband Dog (etc.). Her films include You’ve Got Mail, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Hanging Up (based on her novel), and Michael. Her journalism has appeared in The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Vogue, and Vanity Fair. Her hit play Love, Loss, and What I Wore (co-written with Nora Ephron) ran for more than two years off-Broadway and has been performed all over the world. She lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fast, light read which suffers from trying to fit too many genres in one slim novel: supposed to be funny (occasionally hits the mark), a mystery (weak), a romance (unconvincing), and be character driven. New York city divorcee retreats to suburban Long Island to "save" her teenage son from the club scene. She stumbles on a corpse,fears the woodsy night noises, falls in love with a married cop, surprises her son having sex in the kitchen with his new weird girlfriend who only speaks Klingon, and writes a weekly column which reveals much of this to the public of the small town. Would not re-read or keep, but did finish it.

[Carolynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok, but I'm not gonna say everyone should run out and get it to read. The main character seemed neurotic, and the story romance was uninspired. I'm not sure how this will work out in my book discussion.

[Marge Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be a book about solving a murder but the dead person doesn’t show up until about three fourths through the book. It’s actually about the main characters life and the murder is a small piece.

[Frances Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book on a few different levels, but I wouldn't run right out and tell all of my friends to read it. There is some humor and I like the message that you can't protect your kids from the real world. However, I found Lily's column she writes for the local paper to be so weird that I can't believe any editor would really allow that much personalization of situations. On the other hand, it is a very spot-on portrayal about remembering your child as a little one and how precious they were, etc., then going through those ultra-strange years when they are so alienated from their parents, hang around with people we don't "get," use words and expressions we don't know, and so forth. I'm also glad Lily resists the impulse to get overly involved with the police lieutenant. By and large, I did not trust him. He was too "in love" with her and actually, he barely knew her. A little suspect. On the whole, I'm glad I read it but I wasn't thrilled with it.

[Q · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated a lot about what this book was trying to do. I also appreciate the skill in writing and how I do believe the author did a great job creating these characters. However, there was something lacking somewhat from the overall cohesiveness. It was the story of a mother, the story of a journalist, the story of a woman stumbling across a crime scene, the story of a woman caught in a relationship with a married cop, and none of it really felt like it was given enough time to be a complete story. I was all in up until I got about twenty pages from the end and realized there was no way I would feel any resolution from the ending, and unfortunately, I was mostly right. The murderer was someone I started to suspect fairly early on, but I'm glad I didn't think on it too hard since the author really didn't try to give me a lot of reason to believe it was him. I don't know. I want to read more of her books because this is the only of hers I've ever written, and i have a feeling her other books are probably better.

[Cara Wood]

I picked this up because I always find Delia Ephron's film projects delightful - and this novel did not disappoint! It is all charm - from the overwhelmed, fish-out-of-water heroine to the unintended consequences of small town gossip, to the self-confident charisma of a man in uniform, and a cozy, steadfast female friendship. This was a mystery I did not solve in advance of the ending that had me chuckling throughout.

[Sarah Rigg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not 100 percent sure on my read date, but it must have been between the year it was published and 2006, which is when I started tracking my books read more regularly. The neurotic from the city doesn't quite know what to do with herself when she ends up in a small community, and stumbles upon what is possibly a murder. Light reading. Fun, but not life-changing.

[Nora Mehler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay. Not terrible, but the narrator was really annoying and there wasn't enough personal growth (or any at all) to mitigate that. The dialogue was funny at times, but for the most part I felt there was very little substance or insight. I'm giving it three stars instead of one or two because it was still relatively entertaining.

[Wiebke Kuhn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is as chaotic as its main character, with a plot that covers the problems of a single mother, adapting to a new environment and job, some romance, and a murder plot -- rather hectic and not too convincing.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast read and you will LOL while reading, especially if you have had kids, plus a little mystery thrown in...

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the main haracter who is too neurotic, too anxious, too embarrassing and has too many problems to pull off acting normal. With a murder mystery thrown in there too.

[JenniferB · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the beginning I really liked it, but the plot was a bit ridiculous, also a bit cliched, and I didn't like the ending. I would read more by this author

[Colette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved Siracusa by this author, but did not like this novel so much. Was looking for a page turner which it wasn’t for me, but might be for others. Couldn’t finish it.

[Nancy]

Audio

[Jennifer Paramore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a bit too slow moving. Had some humor but not enough for the slow speed

[Mary Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Iike this book. It's funny and poignant. The characters are great. The plot is thin, but the characters carry it.

[Treasure Island Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book annoyed me. The main character believes herself a good journalist and mother, but her actions prove otherwise. I like other things Ephron has written. This one was not for me.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't understand the negative reviews. Great story, witty and laugh out loud writing, quirky characters. Insight on raising teenagers and life. Did not want it to end.

[Laurel-Rain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lily Davis, single mom and Manhattan dweller, is worried about her teen son. On impulse, she moves them to Sakonnet Bay, a picturesque town on the Long Island Coast. She hopes that small town life will be simpler, calmer, and will keep her son safer.

Renting a house, finding a job, and merging their lives with other villagers happens seamlessly. But just when Lily thinks that everything is going great, a series of incidents, beginning with a freaky dog bite, catapult her life into a complex drama. Suddenly she is reminded of everything she enjoyed most in Manhattan.

But because she also likes the quirky charm of the town, and has a new best friend, she hangs in. And her interest is piqued by a handsome cop who has his own appeal and helps her want to stay.

But when things start to heat up, and when a murder investigation, along with the irate protesters who are fighting about the deer in the village, bring Lily and her column into the center of it all, she begins to wonder if everything she has done lately was a big mistake.

In the process of sorting it all out, what will Lily learn about herself, her son, and what she needs? How will the gossip mill help turn the tide for her and lead to some defining moments?

The narration was fun and quirky; there were enough laugh-out-loud moments to keep me turning pages; but other aspects of the book just didn't live up to my hopes. I would recommend it for those who enjoy a light read with funny dialogue, but don't expect Ephron's trademark style in "Big City Eyes." I'm giving this one 3.5 stars.

[Chi Dubinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

To keep her fifteen-year-old son safe from the everyday temptations of New York City–namely sex, drugs, and all-night clubs–single mom Lily Davis decides it's time she and Sam move to Sakonnet Bay, a picturesque town on the Long Island coast with a much slower pace. Or so she thinks. Lily lands a great job as a columnist for the local paper, but the folks in town are gossiping about her run-in with a nipping dog and police sergeant Tom McKee. Most disturbing, there's the undeniable attraction between Lily and the very married McKee

[Gale Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts of this book were great--selected lines and characterizations, for instance, the main character's son's girlfriend who speaks Klingon. There were several other great gags. I also really liked the viewpoint character's attitude about getting involved with a married man. I won't say whether she makes the right decision or not, but I will say it was kind or refreshing that she didn't beat herself up for falling for that married cop.

That being said, it was pretty ordinary otherwise, and made me wonder whether someone whose last name wasn't Ephron would have gotten such a book published.

[Lynn Grundset Milner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started and finished this book in one day - not because it was a page turner. Rather, it was the only book I had with me when my son was admitted to the hospital. Being no rest for the weary, I turned to this book which I probably would never have finished had I not been desperate for a distraction from worry. I tried to read the author's "Hanging Up", made it through two audio cassettes and gave up. She's not in her sister's league.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess I give it a 4 or maybe just a 3. I guess the point of the book is that people change and people do things that are out of character with the normal behavoir. I guess. A woman moves she and her son out of New York City to a small town on Long Island to "keep him safe" and finds that her son gets into stuff there just like he would have in New York and for that matter so does she get into 'stuff' there.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whenever I wanted to have a little fun and be entertained, the books and movies by Nora and Delia Ephron were my first choice. Clever conversations, witty and funny activities and although predictable, full of cheer! This was an adventure of single mother and her coming of age son. There are missing sparks and joy that are possible with this relationship, the wonderful community in country life, and avenues to explore that take thought and care for family.

[Hollyhocks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I liked the narration although sometimes it got a little slow but I never really figured out the mystery cuz so many other things were going on... usually I can pick out a who in a who-done-it, but nicely, I didn't really in this one. Of course I wished for a bit of a different ending but ... oh well ..

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have loved Delia Ephron's screenplays, but this book left me feeling like I should have watched this story as a Lifetime movie. I will try another of her novels to give her the benefit of the doubt as a novelist. Because her sister, Norah, could write an excellent story, and because her screenplays are excellent, I will give Delia another chance by reading another of her novels.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The late Delia Ephron was an accomplished author, evidenced by this entertaining and humorous mystery about a woman who moves from NYC to a small town, hoping for a better environment for her son. In her new job as a newspaper reporter she encounters small town crime and helps to solve it.

[Hennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Her skill at writing screenplays was evident as this book came alive in a way I do not always experience. I could really relate to the character's eccentricities and found the book humorous much like a sitcom.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Woman moves out of NYC, falls for a married policeman, helps solve a murder, gets back in touch with her son, goes home.

[Irene · Rating 2 out of 5]

decent "beach read" while on vacation