Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Harper (2007), 400 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML: Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan�first introduced in the classic Baltimore Blues�becomes involved in a complicated investigation that will force her to question her loyalties. For Tess Monaghan, the unsolved murder of a young federal prosecutor is nothing more than a theoretical problem, one of several cases to be deconstructed in her new gig as a consultant to the local newspaper. But it becomes all too tangible when her boyfriend, Crow, brings home a young street kid who's a juvenile con artist and who doesn't even realize he holds an important key to the sensational homicide. Tess agrees to protect the boy's identity no matter what, especially when one of his friends is killed in what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. But as she soon discovers, her ethical decision to protect him has dire consequences. And with federal agents determined to learn the boy's name at any cost, Tess finds out just how far even official authorities will go to get what they want. It isn't long before Tess finds herself facing felony charges. To make matters worse, Crow has gone into hiding with his young prot�g�. So Tess can't deliver the kid to investigators even if she wants to. Now her only recourse is to get to the heart of the sordid and deadly affair while they're all still free...and still breathing..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member oldbookswine
Another excellent story in the series. Tess' boyfriend,Crow, pickes up street teenager and brings him home. In short order a federal agent is murdered, Tess is under the microscope and Crow has taken Lloyd into hiding. Story has many twists and turns as Tess keeps her father's old joke in
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mind-We're from the government -and we're here to help you" Show Less
LibraryThing member swl
Couldn't love these characters, though they were pleasant enough. Was a little put off by Crow's passivity. (Others may find that appealing.) Tess's band of friends are mildly amusing.
For my taste, and I do think this is a matter of taste, there was a little too much reliance on stock: the street
For my taste, and I do think this is a matter of taste, there was a little too much reliance on stock: the street
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kid, all the federal agents, the angelic mama in the minivan. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kathy89
Very suspenseful mystery involving a street kid and what he knows. Tess' boyfriend brings him home after he (Lloyd) pulls a flat tire con on his car. The boy knows something about a murder and Crook goes into hiding with Lloyd leaving Tess to deal with corrupt law officials.
LibraryThing member abookinmyhead
Another series of book with main character PI Tess Monaghan. Her boyfriend, Crow, brought home a homeless teenager for dinner and to spend a night, not knowing that he played a part in the death of an Assistant US Attorney. Tess managed to convinced him to talk to the papers with complete
Overall, this book is a good read. Each character was narrated well and you get insights on the lives of those homeless, hungry and neglected children – like Lloyd and his friend Dub, as well as corrupt officials who with no qualms, take the available advantage for their own gain and advancement.
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anonymity. Unfortunately, it was revealed that the source came from Tess. News travelled fast and she was hounded by 3 officials from separate government bureau. Unknown to her, each of these men has their own agenda, bringing in more death as they tried to find out whom and where this homeless teenager is – eager to silence him before the actual truth is out.Overall, this book is a good read. Each character was narrated well and you get insights on the lives of those homeless, hungry and neglected children – like Lloyd and his friend Dub, as well as corrupt officials who with no qualms, take the available advantage for their own gain and advancement.
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LibraryThing member Bookmarque
On the whole, I liked this one less than the first Tess Monaghan novel I read. I think because so much of this came from Crow’s POV or was about Crow. I didn’t like him. Bleeding heart liberal and doofus without a lot of common sense. Brings a frigging criminal to their house and then is all
Of course it is two of the three determined law-enforcement officials that are at the heart of the case. They were blackmailing a small time crook and the dead lawyer got wind of it and wanted in. Then his wife got knocked up and he wanted out. Well, he got out and because of an overly-complex cover up, Lloyd knows more than he should. Which is not a hell of a lot, but enough for Tess to get into trouble over.
One thing I did like was the involvement of the third law-enforcement official; an officious little prick from the U.S. Attorney’s office he tried to make nicey-nice with a DEA agent from his building. The little poseur pretends he smokes so he can pally up with colleagues in his building. This was the wrong guy – Bully saw right through Poseur’s façade and figures that he and his FBI accomplice can use him. The Poseur never suspects a thing. He’s so full of himself and the assured future busting this case will bring him that he never sees his “friends” for what they are and he never sees the end coming.
Eventually it is up to Lloyd and Crow to get out of their own predicament. Crow felt that he had to protect the little criminal and hide him. But Mr. DEA and FBI found them and are gunning for them. Luck is on their side and they kill one guy before Tess can get there. The FBI guy eats his gun in desperation.
After all is said and done, Crow wants to continue to help Lloyd who, quite frankly, doesn’t seem like someone worth saving. Sure, he might have been intelligent if someone could have gotten to him sooner. But as it is, he’s lost all imagination and curiosity. He simply cannot put himself in anyone elses' shoes, imagine life in any other circumstances other than what it is now or understand another POV. He’s dense and it isn’t necessarily his fault. It ends with Crow’s offer to pay the kid’s way through school and the kid not making up his mind. Bah. Keep your money, Crow, I think it will be wasted on this punk.
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surprised when the little jerk tries to rip them off. Then all through the rest of the story he kept doing asinine things. He is a dope and not worthy of Tess at all.Of course it is two of the three determined law-enforcement officials that are at the heart of the case. They were blackmailing a small time crook and the dead lawyer got wind of it and wanted in. Then his wife got knocked up and he wanted out. Well, he got out and because of an overly-complex cover up, Lloyd knows more than he should. Which is not a hell of a lot, but enough for Tess to get into trouble over.
One thing I did like was the involvement of the third law-enforcement official; an officious little prick from the U.S. Attorney’s office he tried to make nicey-nice with a DEA agent from his building. The little poseur pretends he smokes so he can pally up with colleagues in his building. This was the wrong guy – Bully saw right through Poseur’s façade and figures that he and his FBI accomplice can use him. The Poseur never suspects a thing. He’s so full of himself and the assured future busting this case will bring him that he never sees his “friends” for what they are and he never sees the end coming.
Eventually it is up to Lloyd and Crow to get out of their own predicament. Crow felt that he had to protect the little criminal and hide him. But Mr. DEA and FBI found them and are gunning for them. Luck is on their side and they kill one guy before Tess can get there. The FBI guy eats his gun in desperation.
After all is said and done, Crow wants to continue to help Lloyd who, quite frankly, doesn’t seem like someone worth saving. Sure, he might have been intelligent if someone could have gotten to him sooner. But as it is, he’s lost all imagination and curiosity. He simply cannot put himself in anyone elses' shoes, imagine life in any other circumstances other than what it is now or understand another POV. He’s dense and it isn’t necessarily his fault. It ends with Crow’s offer to pay the kid’s way through school and the kid not making up his mind. Bah. Keep your money, Crow, I think it will be wasted on this punk.
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LibraryThing member reannon
Another really excellent book in a good series. Tess's boyfriend Crow brings home for a night a young homeless black man. It turns out that he is a key witness to a clue to the murder of an assistant District Attorney. Crow and the young man flee while law enforcement comes down on Tess to try and
Excellent suspense
.
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find him. The threat to Tess and her family gets worse and worse.Excellent suspense
.
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LibraryThing member bjmitch
This Tess Monaghan novel is a book sale find. I seem to be on a newspaper kick. Just reviewed Morning Miracle about The Washington Post, and now this author, Laura Lippman, was a Baltimore Sun reporter before finding success as a novelist. Also, a reporter for a fictional Baltimore paper plays an
Tess is a private detective who lives with her boyfriend known as Crow. Tess is realistic and rational, but Crow has a soft side and thus he ends up befriending a black teenager named Lloyd Jupiter who pretty much lives on the street and gets by through minor scams. Tess thinks Crow is much too soft. She doesn't trust the kid, and she's right - Jupiter gets them into more trouble than they can handle.
It's the characters that interested me in this book; not so much the story. Not only are Tess and Crow and their relationship intriguing, the kid is fascinating. There is a young assistant U.S. attorney on the make but incompetent, an FBI agent trying to survive until retirement age, and a dim-bulb DEA agent who thinks with his fists. The two agents have both been caught in activities that got them in trouble with their agencies, and now they're up to something again, together this time.
Secrets run the storyline from beginning to end. People keeping secrets for a variety of reasons, understandable reasons both good and bad. It's a little complicated but not enough to put the reader off completely. It's worth the read just for the characters and their individual goals.
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important part on this story.Tess is a private detective who lives with her boyfriend known as Crow. Tess is realistic and rational, but Crow has a soft side and thus he ends up befriending a black teenager named Lloyd Jupiter who pretty much lives on the street and gets by through minor scams. Tess thinks Crow is much too soft. She doesn't trust the kid, and she's right - Jupiter gets them into more trouble than they can handle.
It's the characters that interested me in this book; not so much the story. Not only are Tess and Crow and their relationship intriguing, the kid is fascinating. There is a young assistant U.S. attorney on the make but incompetent, an FBI agent trying to survive until retirement age, and a dim-bulb DEA agent who thinks with his fists. The two agents have both been caught in activities that got them in trouble with their agencies, and now they're up to something again, together this time.
Secrets run the storyline from beginning to end. People keeping secrets for a variety of reasons, understandable reasons both good and bad. It's a little complicated but not enough to put the reader off completely. It's worth the read just for the characters and their individual goals.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
This book, the ninth in the Tess Monaghan detective series, begins with a surprise: the preface is narrated by Tess’s boyfriend, Edgar “Crow” Ransome.
Crow is an interesting guy. He is always upbeat, in a nice counterbalance to Tess’s surliness, and is very supportive of Tess and whatever
Crow, a do-gooder, brings home a black teen, Lloyd Jupiter, who had tried to scam Crow outside the soup kitchen where Crow was delivering food. But it's cold, and Lloyd has no place to sleep. During the night, Lloyd steals some items from Crow and Tess, and then tries to leave in one of their cars, but stalls it out and gets hit by a neighbor. Lloyd runs away, but Tess is determined to find him. She isn't worried about the theft so much as the fact that Lloyd reacted strangely when he heard her say the name of a U.S. Assistant Attorney who was murdered; a murder which Tess is investigating.
Tess and her best friend Whitney manage to find Lloyd and extract the information Tess needs. Tess then reveals what Lloyd told her to the newspapers, on the condition that Lloyd’s name is omitted. The reporter does keep Lloyd’s name a secret, but publishes Tess’s name. Now she is being pursued by the FBI, the DEA, and U.S. Attorney’s Office. Lloyd and Crow are in danger also, and all three end up on the run.
Evaluation: The “mystery” of this book was pretty evident to me right from the beginning, but nevertheless, this installment of the Monaghan series is one of my favorites so far. I really liked the way Lippman integrated race (pun intended) into the plot in a way that is never just black or white (okay, I’ll stop), as well as her exploration of the issues of poverty and “do-gooding.” The characterization is particularly impressive in this book, and I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Crow a little better.
Crow is an interesting guy. He is always upbeat, in a nice counterbalance to Tess’s surliness, and is very supportive of Tess and whatever
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she wants to do. Although younger than Tess, he is devoted to her, even though, as he says, his relationship with Tess is “frustrating, infuriating, heartbreaking, exhilarating.”Crow, a do-gooder, brings home a black teen, Lloyd Jupiter, who had tried to scam Crow outside the soup kitchen where Crow was delivering food. But it's cold, and Lloyd has no place to sleep. During the night, Lloyd steals some items from Crow and Tess, and then tries to leave in one of their cars, but stalls it out and gets hit by a neighbor. Lloyd runs away, but Tess is determined to find him. She isn't worried about the theft so much as the fact that Lloyd reacted strangely when he heard her say the name of a U.S. Assistant Attorney who was murdered; a murder which Tess is investigating.
Tess and her best friend Whitney manage to find Lloyd and extract the information Tess needs. Tess then reveals what Lloyd told her to the newspapers, on the condition that Lloyd’s name is omitted. The reporter does keep Lloyd’s name a secret, but publishes Tess’s name. Now she is being pursued by the FBI, the DEA, and U.S. Attorney’s Office. Lloyd and Crow are in danger also, and all three end up on the run.
Evaluation: The “mystery” of this book was pretty evident to me right from the beginning, but nevertheless, this installment of the Monaghan series is one of my favorites so far. I really liked the way Lippman integrated race (pun intended) into the plot in a way that is never just black or white (okay, I’ll stop), as well as her exploration of the issues of poverty and “do-gooding.” The characterization is particularly impressive in this book, and I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Crow a little better.
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LibraryThing member auntieknickers
An excellent Tess Monaghan book that shakes things up by using many different points of view to tell the story. Highly recommended.
LibraryThing member EmScape
While Tess is putting together a presentation on investigation techniques for the local paper, she coincidentally comes into contact with a young man who knows more than she should about one of the murders she was using as an example. In trying to protect her “source” and figure out who
While the initial coincidence that sparks Tess’ involvement in this case is pretty farfetched, the rest of the action is compelling and suspenseful, a twisting maze of secrets to uncover. As always the character development of our protagonist, the recurring cast, and even our one-shot villains is well-thought-out and genuine.
This whole series is highly recommended.
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actually committed this murder, Tess finds herself in danger again. Only, this time, other family members and friends may be threatened, too.While the initial coincidence that sparks Tess’ involvement in this case is pretty farfetched, the rest of the action is compelling and suspenseful, a twisting maze of secrets to uncover. As always the character development of our protagonist, the recurring cast, and even our one-shot villains is well-thought-out and genuine.
This whole series is highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member DrLed
Synopsis: Crow brings home a young man, feeds him dinner and provides a bed. The kid then steals Crow's car and promptly has a wreck. What compounds this is that Lloyd seems to be involved, without knowing it, in the murder of a district attorney.
Review: Interesting twist since this is told through
Review: Interesting twist since this is told through
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Crow's eyes. Show Less
LibraryThing member RobertaLea
I really enjoyed reading these books.
LibraryThing member AliceAnna
This one was different in that we hear Crow's voice and thoughts as well as Tess's. I liked that very much. What I didn't like quite as much was the plot. The underlying crime being covered up was preposterous and was never explained fully. Thankfully, I still love Tess and Crow and Whitney and
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Tyner, etc. (and especially Esskay) so I'm willing to overlook a plot that gets over its skis a bit. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Anthony Award (Nominee — Novel — 2007)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2007
Physical description
400 p.; 4.19 inches
ISBN
0060570733 / 9780060570736