I'd Know You Anywhere in Ask Laura Lippman -- Special One Day Only Group!

Jul 08, 2010 Michael rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2010, mystery, arc, vine-program

In the summer of 1985, Elizabeth Lerner spent 39 days held hostage by Walter Bowman.

Years later, she's changed her name, married and built out a life for herself as Eliza Benedict. But all of that is about to change when a letter from Walter shows up at her house. Walter was tried and convicted of the death of a victim he took while he held Eliza captive and is facing execution in a few weeks. The letter came as the result of Eliza's photograph appearing in the society section of a local magazi In the summer of 1985, Elizabeth Lerner spent 39 days held hostage by Walter Bowman.

Years later, she's changed her name, married and built out a life for herself as Eliza Benedict. But all of that is about to change when a letter from Walter shows up at her house. Walter was tried and convicted of the death of a victim he took while he held Eliza captive and is facing execution in a few weeks. The letter came as the result of Eliza's photograph appearing in the society section of a local magazine that Walter read in prison.

Laura Lippman's latest novel is another stand-alone novel. While it would be easily classify it as a mystery story, "I'd Know You Anywhere" is something richer, deeper and far more satisfying than your standard "who done it?" mystery novel. Continuing a theme from many of her standalone works, Lippman explores the impact a crime has upon the characters in the story.

Lippman carefully crafts the story, expertly weaving in the events unfolding in the current time line as well as supplying information and flashbacks on what happened during Walter and Eliza's time together. Walter took Elizabeth captive when she stumbles across him burying his last victim (she doesn't see anything, just a man in the woods) and the two spend 39 days on the road together before Walter kidnapped and killed his final victim.

"I'd Know You Anywhere" asks the question of whether Eliza was a victim or an unwitting accomplice to Walter's crimes. The relationship between the two is fascinating as are the reasons that Eliza fears trying to leave Walter and what his retribution might be.

Also of interest is how the crime affects Elizabeth in the years following the events. As we meet the modern day Eliza, we see that the crime and those weeks have had an impact on her family, her friends and her relationships. Eliza's pre-teen daughter begins showing signs of rebellion and the struggle of what to tell her children and how much of what happened is a fascinating struggle.

If you've heard the buzz surrounding Laura Lippman and are curious as to why so many of us look forward to her latest offering, devouring it within hours of picking it up, "I'd Know You Anywhere" is a great starting point to discover the woman who could be your next favorite writer. ...more

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Sep 12, 2010 Jan C rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

Oh, wow! It took almost exactly a year to read this book.

Not because it wasn't interesting. It was. Lippman is always interesting. I think it made me uncomfortable and, while you Elizabeth is not going to be killed by her kidnapper - she is the narrator and she does have a future life - but maybe I worried about what might happen to her. So I dragged it out. (I do have books that I have been reading since the '70s.)

One day she was meandering home from school and she wandered in the wrong space. ...more

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May 08, 2011 Joyce rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really liked this book. It is a mystery but not in the classic sense of a 'whodunit'. The story of the crime is there in the beginning and we know who did it and to whom. The mystery unfolds as we watch the characters react, in the past and in the present, to what is happening. The motivations, the reactions, the conversations and thoughts are not necessarily what the reader expects which keeps the story interesting as well as thought provoking. Good, solid story and a worthwhile read. If it's ...more

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Sep 03, 2010 Emily rated it really liked it

This was a really interesting book. Eliza is a stay-at-home mom and wife that has just recently relocated with her family to Maryland, near where she grew up. This move home brings memories of the year she was 15 forefront in her mind and in the minds of others.

When she was 15, Elizabeth Lerner was abducted and kept by Walter Bowman for close to 40 days. The whole relationship between Elizabeth and Walter is strange complex and a little weird. Elizabeth finally was found when they were pulled ov This was a really interesting book. Eliza is a stay-at-home mom and wife that has just recently relocated with her family to Maryland, near where she grew up. This move home brings memories of the year she was 15 forefront in her mind and in the minds of others.

When she was 15, Elizabeth Lerner was abducted and kept by Walter Bowman for close to 40 days. The whole relationship between Elizabeth and Walter is strange complex and a little weird. Elizabeth finally was found when they were pulled over by a state trooper for driving too slow.

Now that she is a mother herself she constantly worries about her children and how to make them feel safe. They have a security system that they religiously use, they never sleep with windows open and she constantly knows where they are. They have no idea what happened to their mother when she was 15 and Eliza would like to keep it that way.

However, Walter finds her and thinks Elizabeth may be his one way to avoid the death penalty, because his third appointment with death is quickly approaching and he will do anything to be spared his life. He finds Elizabeth and makes contact with her. Eliza responds because she knows Walter only gets more dangerous when he is ignored and she doesn't want her new identity/story exposed.

Overall, I enjoyed the book but there were some parts where I just think it was a little 'eh.' The build up for what Eliza remembers that night makes you think something HUUUGE and then you get to that part and you are like, uhhh what? Yeah, that was a bit of a disappointment. However, it was fascinating to see how they communicated and how Elizabeth has a 15 year old knew how to handle Walter to keep her safe. But it also made you wonder why she never ran away and why she was a little too forgiving and a little too willing to let Walter re-enter her life. But then again, she didn't want her children or her life to be disturbed.

This is definitely a book for those who like a little suspense but really isn't 'just a mystery' it shows how the characters are impacted by crime. You learn little back stories about secondary characters and even if they weren't a main player in the crime how they were affected.
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