Lippman novel an enjoyable read

43. By A Spider’s Thread, Laura Lippman. Mystery, 5-4, p. 354

Baltimore writer Laura Lippman has a loyal following in the Washington, D.C. area. After reading, Every Secret Thing, I thought that enthusiasm might have more to do with geography than literary skill. The book did not live up to expectations.

But after reading, By A Spider’s Thread, which features Baltimore P.I. Tess Monaghan, it’s evident that the enthusiasm for Lippman is not misplaced. This is a terrific yarn and Monaghan, a Jewish-Catholic Baltimore native, is a terrific character.

I have one more Lippman novel on my reading list, To the Power of Three, a one-off, which doesn’t feature Monaghan. So, it represents a literary rubber match of sorts.