Hush Hush: A Tess Monaghan Novel

This is Laura Lippman’s 21st novel, and the 11th in the Tess Monaghan series. Tess is a former reporter and now private investigator in her late thirties, and she is called in by her mentor and close friend, attorney Tyner Gray, to assess the security needs of one of his clients, Melisandre Harris Dawes, one of the more complex women one could ever meet. Roberto (“Sandy”) Sanchez, the Cuban-born retired Baltimore homicide cop, introduced to readers in the author’s standalone novel “After I’m Gone,”” is now working for Tess, and joins her on this assignment, for which she is being handsomely paid.

Melisandre, a very beautiful and wealthy woman and herself an attorney, had stood trial for the murder of her 2-month-old daughter, and after a mistrial had been declared, at the second trial, before a judge and no jury, was found not guilty by reason of criminal insanity. She then left the country, her husband and her two surviving daughters, but after a decade has returned to Baltimore, hoping to regain custody of her girls, despite the opposition of her ex-husband, now remarried and with a young son, and has hired a filmmaker to make a documentary about her, her past, and the hoped-for reunion with her daughters, now 15 and 17 years old. Interspersed throughout are portions of transcripts of the interviews conducted.

In a scenario similar to the case of Andrea Yates, the notorious Texas woman who had drowned all five of her children, Melisandre had left her baby locked in her car in the summer heat, while she sat at the nearby seashore.

Tess and Melisandre have some things in common: They are, or were, challenged by the stress of raising small children: At one point Tess says “I can’t help thinking what a thin line separates good parents from bad parents. . . I worry that I’m screwing up, every day.” The other thing in common is that they are suddenly both recipients of “cryptic, vaguely sinister notes,” though each is completely unrelated to the ones received by the other.
In this novel, Tess and her live-in boyfriend, Crow, who runs a bar with live music, have a three-year-old daughter, Carla Scout. (Unusually, many of the characters are referred to by their first two, or all three, names throughout.)

I must admit that at times I found myself turning back to pages already read to try to make clearer certain plot points or characters, but nonetheless this is a fascinating, layered and complex plot, and the novel is recommended.

Laura Lippman's books are an addiction to me simply because I like some of her books but others I have a problem with. But I just can't stay away until I've read the next one and the next one.

This is an emotional read and an angst one. Because I am sure, like me, you will read the part where she leaves her child in the car on a very hot summers day and walks away leaving the child to die.

I'm very concerned that the verdict was not a full guilty, however, its a lighter sentence which carries not real consequence. That bothered me, hence I knocked a star off.

The writing is excellent as always, but I did struggle with some of the plots to be acceptable in today's age.

I hate this 'temporary insanity pleas' when they don't have a past of mental health, boils my blood that does.

When she gets involved in a documentary in the hope in becoming reunited with her other daughters who are with they're dad [and doing very nicely thank you"!] I again could have gladly wrung her neck, the selfish woman. She didn't deserve to be called a Mother.

OK OK so this author has evoked emotion in me, so maybe job done, but I still don't swallow the entire plot.

My thanks to Faber and Faber Ltd via Net Galley for my copy

I love the Tess Monaghan series. Hush, Hush doesn't disappoint when it comes to the familiar writing style and plot line, but it falls flat when it comes to what used to be my favorite part of Lippman's series: her portrayal of Monaghan. In the earlier books, you fall in love with Tess' sarcasm and self pity because it's balanced by a loveable demeanor and circumstances that warrant compassion from the reader - single, often jobless, lacking direction. In this book, her sarcasm and 'woe is me' attitude is obnoxious and unrelatable now that she has a beautiful daughter, a (literally) perfect partner and father and her own - seemingly successful! - business, doing what she loves. Yet she spends the whole book complaining about the job she demeans herself to accept (regardless of the fact it's easy work and she's getting paid twice her hourly rate) and other horrible injustices such as a partner overly focused on putting locally grown food in their daughter's body and a client who might have once been intimate with Tyner (long before the relationship with Kitty....). Her reminiscences on the Baltimore she once knew versus the city today, which in previous books engendered a similar love and nostalgia for the city of Baltimore, here come across as pretentious and obnoxious.

Get over yourself, Tess!

I listened to the audio book version of this book, and I actually stopped halfway through to check that it had really been written by Laura Lippman, whose books I've always enjoyed. This one was such a dud. The story didn't go anywhere, there weren't any interesting plot twists, and pretty much every single character was unlikeable. Plus, the author was constantly inserting her her politics into the story, with awkward lines like, "Crow would NEVER buy a pizza from a company with a CEO that was against the Affordable Health Care Act."

But the worst part -- and maybe this was more of a problem in the audio version I listened to -- was how freaking annoying Carla Scout was. I think we were supposed to find her precocious and funny, but she was neither. She was an annoying little brat, and the narrator's performance of her little girl voice was like fingernails on a chalkboard.

I hope this was a rare miss from an author I usually enjoy reading.

What a convoluted, generally uninteresting mess. With an implausible secondary plot that has overtones that seem similar to the main plot. Some dorky, angry guy follows her around to learn about her movements and leaves notes ahead of her, yet she never notices? A young girl finds a place, in a closet no less, where she can hear the conversations of her father and stepmother - and they are relevant to the plot. Tess goes from a strong independent woman to a mate who lets the husband's choices in child care be the law of the land.
What is happening here?
Has this series jumped the shark?

Is Melisandre Harris Dawes a modern Medea? Although she killed her youngest daughter, Isadora, she was found not guilty. She pleaded insanity. Then she fled, leaving her two daughters with their father. Now she is back, documenting her experiences with the help of an aspiring filmmaker. Both the filmmaker and she yearn for a reconciliation with her daughters, who are now teenagers. Think of the coverage she could get, if only the daughters would cooperate. Melisandre hires private investigator Tess Monaghan to provide a security detail and protect her as she films a documentary about her attempts to reconnect with her daughters. Before long, though, Tess is receiving threats of her own in Laura Lippman’s latest novel, Hush, Hush.

Juggling work with caring for her demanding toddler, Tess is uneasy about the case. Two factors keep her on the case. Melisandre’s lawyer is married to Tess’s aunt, and Melisandre’s confidence, beauty, and shrewd intelligence draw Tess in. Is the woman she’s protecting a master manipulator or was she driven to temporary madness? Cold and calculating, or a mother concerned for her daughters’ well being? Someone is leaving Melisandre enigmatic, threatening notes. Should Tess, who is insecure about her parenting abilities and receiving cryptic messages demeaning her skills continue to protect Melisandre or should she be protecting everyone else from Melisandre’s manipulations?

Although Tess Monaghan is not my favorite Lippman character, the author has outdone herself this time. I’m fascinated by the courage of both women as they try to repair the past and avoid the ever-looming danger.

Author Laura Lippman looks at what separates good parents from bad amd madness from sanity. In energetic, accessible prose she explores the lengths anyone will go to, to protect what they cherish most. Author Laura Lippman is an award winning author as well as a New York Times Bestseller who began her writing career as a journalist.
Talent

This is a fascinating story about a woman who was found not guilty by reason of insanity after allowing her young daughter suffocate in a hot car while she did nothing. This theme has unfortunately become one we read about more often than we would like. After the whole ordeal, the woman in question, Melisandre Harris Dawes left her young daughters with their father and fled the country. Now, twelve years later, she has returned to Baltimore and has hired Tess to provide security while she films a documentary about her attempts to reconcile with her teenage daughters. Tess has her doubts about the job but is sucked in by this woman, who is comes across as a master manipulator. In addition, there are many, many other things about Melisandre that entice Tess as well as others. Then, someone begins leaving Melisandre strange, threatening notes. Tess really does not know what to make of it all, but Tess does realize she is in for the duration while welcoming the money she is receiving for the job. As the story progresses, Melisandre become a suspect in a murder, leaving Tess to ferret out the clues to determine what really happened. This is a fairly good book, though it moves along slowly. I found myself often hoping things would speed up, but they never did. In addition, I really did not enjoy most of the characters, especially Melisandre and her teenage daughters. I have read the author’s other books (I enjoy the Baltimore setting as I lived in the area for many years and can relate to it easily), but this one was somewhat of a disappointment. The slow way it plodded along and my lack of enjoyment and concern for the characters led me to this conclusion. I thought the basic idea of the plot was a pretty good one, but it lost a lot in translation. The writing, as usual, was quite good, and the characterization was done equally well, though I did not particularly enjoy any of the characters. I still have not decided whether Melisandre was ever really emotionally and mentally responsible for the death of her young child years ago. I do know that any act such as this one impacts everyone’s life, regardless how slightly one is related to or involved in it, and this was very obvious throughout the book. I also learned a lot about the psychology of a person involved in such a tragedy as well as of those related to the incident in any way. I am not sure who the audience for this one will be. I guess those enjoying a different sort of mystery will find it appealing, or someone looking for something a bit different. I do know the basic plot of the story is a bit deep, so I would not classify this as a light hearted mystery. I received this from Goodreads to read and provide an honest review.

HUSH HUSH (Tess Monaghan #12) by Laura Lippman is an absorbing mystery case, involving a mother and a Reporter-turned PI, Tess Monaghan juggling work, motherhood, and her personal life.

Twelve years earlier, Melisandre Harris Dawes committed a horrible crime, leaving her two-month-old daughter locked in a hot car while she sat nearby on the shores of the Patapsco River. Melisandre was found not guilty by reason of criminal insanity and spent time in a mental institution. She was a wealthy, beautiful former Baltimore socialite, once an attorney, and later wife of a wealthy developer. After being released she fled the country, leaving the two older daughters with their father. Not many agreed with this verdict.

With such a controversial case, a decade later, Melisandre is in town for a documentary on the insanity defense, and wants to reconnect with her daughters, now ages 15 and 17. Their dad does not want them to be a part of this to relive the nightmare. There will need to be high security, as she has a lot of enemies.

PI Tess does not want to be involved with this crazy woman (like how could a mother do such a thing)? However, her friend Tyner (Melisandre’s attorney) has requested Tess and her new partner, Sandy to oversee the former crazy woman’s security. Of course, all does not go well, when the threats begin to occur and turns dangerous.

Moving back and forth between Tess, Sandy, Melisandre, the daughters, and the ex’s new wife—we soon learn everything is not as it appeared, leading to a whodunit mystery. I enjoyed the family which was left behind and how their current lives are affected. Tess, is constantly second guessing herself in her role with Crow and mother as high drama and complications.

Some may think the food rules are a little over the top; however, I can appreciate his food rules, since I have to eat this way, as have MCS (multiple chemical sensitivities), very serious food allelrgies. If I eat something with an additive or preservative I go into Analyphaxis which is very scary. Unless you have these type allergies, you do not take it seriously. Some parts were quite humorous.

Tess and her stressful demands, her live in boyfriend, and motherly duties to bratty Carla Scott took over a big portion of the story, a little distracting as she balances work and her personal life; however, an overall an intriguing psychological mystery suspense. I listened to the audiobook and Jan Maxwell delivered a pleasant performance.

The pace of Laura Lippman's latest Tess Monaghan novel, HUSH HUSH, is a bit slower than many crime stories, and much of the important action occurs a decade earlier. But none of that mars how enjoyable the book is or keeps Lippman from letting her protagonist shine.

This time around, Tess and her new investigative partner, “Sandy” Sanchez, are hired by her aunt's husband, Tyner Gray, to look into security for a woman named Melisandre Harris Dawes. Dawes is infamous in Baltimore for having murdered her infant daughter 12 years ago. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity and shortly thereafter left the country, living in Africa and then England. Back now in Baltimore, she is hoping to reconcile with her two teenage daughters, Alanna and Ruby. The case was brutal and tragic, and Dawes is a monied ex-lawyer accustomed to getting her way and exerting her social and physical power. Still, Tess, as the mother of a three-year-old daughter, cannot help but be drawn to the case in unexpected ways and find universals in the trenches of motherhood.

Assessing Dawes' security needs is an easy task for Tess, but more difficult is assessing Gray's relationship to Dawes. They once dated, but how close are they now? She also questions Dawes' sincerity in wanting to rebuild her relationship with her daughters, especially as she has hired a documentarian to make a film about her and has been less than forthcoming with some of the recorded interviews. Readers have not just Tess’ perspective but that of the filmmaker, Harmony Burns, as well. We are also privy to some of Dawes' point of view and that of her daughters, though Lippman wisely keeps those perspectives limited and enigmatic. Dawes is an immensely unlikable character, and the nature of her responsibility in her baby daughter's death is constantly called into question. But, over the course of the novel, her ex-husband's culpability becomes an issue as well, and the exact role in Dawes' physical and mental state remains a mystery when he is found dead in the home they once shared.

Just as gripping as the story of the dysfunctional and scarred Dawes family is the story of Tess Monaghan as a loving yet weary, frenzied and exhausted mother of a preschooler and partner to a wonderful yet particular man. Lippman's portrayal of a new-ish mother is spot-on as Tess is doubtful of her parenting, tired and harried, and totally in love with her daughter, Carla Scout. The details of contemporary parenting --- such as concerns about food quality, screen time, sleep and child care for working parents --- are well captured. And it is Tess’ reality as a parent juxtaposed with (and at times similar to) Dawes' that makes HUSH HUSH such a balanced, engaging and successful thriller.

Lippman's fans have been eagerly awaiting the return of Tess Monaghan, and this thoughtful and subtly provocative 12th installment is sure to make them happy. While the detective work is basic and the danger mostly light, catching up with Tess is enjoyable and the insight into her life and feelings absorbing. Those unfamiliar with the series won't be lost or confused, though after HUSH HUSH, they most likely will run out to get the 11 previous books with one of American literature's most interesting and irresistible protagonists.

Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

This latest Tess Monaghan adventure is a tough read because the woman the private eye is hired to handle security for, Melisandre Harris Dawes, is a very unappealing person. After being acquitted of the death of her infant daughter due to post-partum psychosis, Dawes tries to reunite with her two other children.

Tess and her partner, Sandy Sanchez, have very mixed emotions about their client and what she hopes to do after coming out of hiding where she’s been for a number of years. Not only does Dawes not inspire much sympathy but her motives also are somewhat suspect.

To complicate matters, she is supposedly being stalked, her personal trainer is poisoned and then her husband, the man who cares for her daughters, is killed. Naturally, at the top of the suspect list is this rather unappealing woman!

Already an impossible situation, Tess finds she’s never had to deal with anyone quite like this person and the discomfort she feels may hinder any assistance she can provide. The manipulative woman who committed an unthinkable crime got off last time because she was found not guilty by reason of criminal insanity. Is that where this situation headed? And, more to the point, does Tess really want to be involved with this person?

You’ll find yourself as emotionally torn by this investigation as Tess is, which means this will be an unforgettable read and one you won’t quickly forget. This is Laura Lippman at her best!

Review by: Bob Walch
Disclosure: Free review copy from the publisher/author for an honest review.

Hush Hush by Laura Lippman is the highly recommended twelfth book in the series featuring P.I. Tess Monaghan. Tess is now dealing with juggling work, her relationship with Crow, and the logistics of having a three year old daughter, Carla Scout.

When Tess and her partner, ex-homicide cop Sandy Sanchez, are asked to help with security by Tyner Gray, her mentor and an attorney who just happens to be married to Tess's Aunt Kitty, it is a given she will say yes. The client just happens to be the infamous Melisandre Harris Dawes. Twelve years earlier Melisandre left her infant daughter in a hot car to die. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity based on evidence that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time. Melisandre left the USA, and her two young daughters in the custody of her ex-husband, Stephen, after her treatment was completed.

Now she has returned to Baltimore along with a documentary filmmaker, Harmony Burns. She commissioned the documentary ostensibly to examine the insanity defense, but in reality she is hoping to capture on film her reunion with her daughters, 17-year-old Alanna and 15-year-old Ruby. The trouble is her ex has remarried, has a new wife and a new infant, and is not interested in allowing the reunion to take place. She doesn't have a clue what her daughters might want. Included at various points within the narrative are several transcripts of Harmony's interviews for the documentary, so you can learn about Melisandre's past infamy and how that notoriety might affect her now.

Melisandre is an intensively disagreeable, haughty character who is used to getting her way and easy to dislike. Tyner seems to jump at her every summons and, strangely enough, she doesn't seem particularly interested in listening to any security measures Tess and Sandy suggest. Melisandre also seems to be manipulating almost everyone around her in some way, but, she also pays very well and Tess can use the income. Then, just as Melisandre starts receiving weird, vaguely threatening notes from a presumed stalker, Tess also starts receiving notes from an unknown source.

While working for Melisandre, Tess is struggling with the demands of being a mother of an active three year old. It is challenging to juggle work and motherhood and Tess doubts her ability to be a good mother. At the same time her relationship with Crow, while good, seems to have all sorts of new food rules now that Carla Scout is here. It is also challenging to do it all - work full time and care for a very active, rather obnoxious child. No wonder Tess questions her ability to do it all.

Lippman keeps the story moving along at a brisk pace, which make reading Hush Hush a pleasure. There isn't any filler here. While it's not an intense, action-packed thriller, it does cover the backstory and the current events without a wasted word. The novel is either covering the people and actions surrounding Melisandre or Tess. For those who don't know Tess or other returning characters, Lippman brings you up to speed quickly. It's not going to matter if this is your first Lippman book featuring Tess or your twelfth. I'm going to have to admit that I like this maturing Tess, who struggles with being a working mother, more than the Tess in earlier books.

Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from HarperCollins for the TLC tour of reviews.

Reporter-turned private detective, Tess Monaghan is back in Laura Lippman's latest novel and the twefth in the series, Hush Hush. I somehow missed number 11, but fortunately it doesn't matter as any backstory is mostly irrelevant. Which is good news for newcomers or occasional readers.

Tess is now mother to 3yr old Carla Scout and happy with partner Crow but her latest case—is challenging for a number of reasons.

Melisandre Harris Dawes was found not guilty (by reason of insanity) of murdering her 2mth old child 12 years before. After being released from an institution for post-partum psychosis she relinquished rights to her two older daughters and moved overseas. But now she's back, and after some threats she wants someone to assess her security needs.

The money's too good for Tess to refuse the case, though providing 'security' is not something she and partner Sandy Sanchez do best. It's not long however, before her investigative skills are required following an attempted murder and one that's far more successful.

Hush Hush is a pretty standard thriller, but works well because Lippman continues to deliver quality on all fronts. There's more to the plot than meets the eye and readers will find themselves pondering exactly WHO does WHAT. Tess continues to be a delightful lead character—vulnerable but feisty and we catch a glimpse of her fears about her own abilities as a mother... when confronted with someone who committed a crime Tess considers unthinkable.

All in all though this is another enjoyable read from Lippman and fans will be happy with where she's taking Tess and her merry band of friends and family.

Read the full review in my blog: http://www.debbish.com/books-literature/hush-hush-by-laura-lippman/

Hush Hush: A Tess Monaghan Novel by Laura Lippman was not one of her best in my opinion. I tend to read this authors books when I find a new one has come out. I usually enjoy them a lot more. The story was fine, not great. This is a parent and child centric story and there were lots of references to bad parenting, and in fact a child who died.

To tell the truth what really spoiled this one for me was the obnoxious child Carla Scout. She is Tess's daughter and if I were in a room with her, I would have gotten up to leave. I had the option of doing the same by not finishing the book, but as I said, I like this author. I kept hoping things would improve. I will read the next one. Maybe by then Carla Scout will be better behaved.

Tess and her new assistant, Sandy, have been hired to serve as security consultants for one of Baltimore's most notorious murderers. Melisandre Dawes was deemed not guilty by reason of insanity when she was tried for the murder of her two month old baby. Now, over a decade later, she's returned to Charm City to reunite with her two teenage daughters and produce a film on the insanity defense. The job comes Tess's way through her old friend Tyner Gray, but while the lawyer vouches for Melisandre Tess isn't so sure the woman can be trusted.

Hush Hush switches between various narrators including Tess and Sandy, as well as Melisandre, her two daughters, and even her ex's new spouse. Interestingly, the story also includes transcription-style chapters reflecting interviews done for Melisandre's documentary. Those various viewpoints paired with the goings-on of the story itself mean that the reader can be certain very early on that someone isn't being completely forthright. And yet figuring out the who-done-it as well as the why is pretty elusive.

This twelfth installment of the series brings back a whole cast of series characters including Tyner (who is a big part of Baltimore Blues) and Sandy (the retired detective from After I'm Gone). The book also gives Tess's fans a first look at her life as a mother. Carla Scout is three and a complete handful with as much spunk as her PI mom. Considering the initial focus of the case, both the job and the demands of motherhood have a heavy impact on Tess here. It's great to see her - and those around her - continue to grow with the series.

I had heard good things about the Tess Monaghan series, written by Ms. Lippman; and had always planned to read some of them; so when eldelweiss.com offered Hush Hush, I jumped right on it.

Hush Hush is quite far into the series, so I thought that it might be difficult to start with it, but it really wasn’t too bad. There were a few puzzling references, and some characters seemed rather flat, but reading some of the earlier books will bring me up to speed. I will be putting a couple of them on my TBR list; any suggestions?

This book seems like a “mommy book”. What I mean by that is that all of the major events revolve around the care of young children, not that this is only a book for mommies. The main back-story has to do with the death of a colicky baby. She died when her mother, Melisandre Dawes, left her two-month old daughter in a car seat, in a closed-up car, parked in the sun, in the middle of August. The mother was found not guilty by reason of criminal insanity. She has been out of the country for 12 years, but comes back, and wants to become involved in her children’s lives. Her ex-husband isn’t too happy about that. He has remarried, and has a new family, with his two older girls, and a new son.

Hush Hush had enough action and plot twists to keep me interested. It throws a few Red Herrings in too, just to keep you off-balance. I was never quite sure how it was going to end.

One of the interesting things about this book was the way Tess Monaghan’s life reflected the author’s. I think that the birth of Ms. Lippman’s child had a lot to do with her writing in this novel. A young child can change your life, and I think it changed her life and her outlook on life, which then changed her writing. In a good way!

I give Hush Hush 4 Stars out of 5 and recommend it to Tess Monaghan fans and anyone else who is looking for a new series to get started reading.

Hush Hush (A Tess Monaghan Novel)
By: Laura Lippman Pages.320
William Morrow Publisher February 2015
Copy Courtesy of Goodreads First Reads
Reviewed By: tk

I have read this series from the beginning. I love Tess and her antics. She reminds me of myself in a lot of ways. What can go wrong or become complicated usually does. All you can do is your best, and continue forward.

I have to admit I did not really care for this one. I found it to be quite wordy. The plot was good…yet it seemed to stray a bit. I did not enjoy the back and forth, then a little sideways action with Tess’s daughter. I am sure she is very cute, however annoying she seemed to be here.

I can say it really may depend on my mood while reading a book, but I always take a few days, and see if my impression is still the same. I feel like I read the rough draft for some reason. I really feel bad about that. I do NOT want to sound negative, I just did not enjoy it as much as the others. 3/5

I totally adore Carla Scout and Crow. So happy for her! I enjoyed it! I always do. I am very fond of Tess Monaghan and her entire family & partner.
The main story is fascinating. Twists and turns. That woman! Wow. People can really be lost. Out of touch with reality. As sad as the story is, it kept ahold of me with suspense and mystery until the end wrapped it up, all pretty with a smile for me :)

The side show was pretty wild too! Let's have pizza and cookies! lol - Auntie, you are so very clever.

I started with the very first book 'Baltimore Blues' and have had a saved document in my account that holds a list of all this authors books (in order). Sadly I have not read up to this one yet so I'm kinda cheating by skipping ahead. I'm going to have to figure out where I am so I can catch up before the next one. I do recommend reading them in order as the series is well worth it. Life just keeps getting in my way! Leave me alone people, I just want to read! ;)

SERIES Recommended!

This is an Advance Readers Edition 9780062376220 provided by the author/publisher after being selected as a winner in the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. This is why I read out of order :) Thanks!

Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings

The most recent book in the Tess Monaghan series and as this series goes, Tess' personal story interacts with the investigation that is solely contained in this book - think CSI episodes. I recently read the first book in the series and have read one or two in between, but was definitely lost a little when it came time for the story to revolve around Tess' individual story - word to the wise, pick up this series from the start and read in order. (Doesn't need to be back to back, but definitely in order!)

With that said, I did love this book. I loved how Tess' personal story, being a new mom really impacted the way she investigated this story. She definitely couldn't keep home and work separate. Saying this, I loved that her personal life intertwined with her work life, made for a more realistic and true story. After having just read the first book, I could completely see a drastic change in the Tess from the first book compared to this one, now I would love to read the evolution.

I loved Baltimore Blues and decided to read another in the series. This was so boring, I could not get through the first chapters. I had to ask myself, "Is this worth the time?" . The answer was a resounding no, coming from the stress this book created in even trying to read it. There is so much to read out there and it was like a breath of fresh air when I switched over to one of Patterson's Women's Murder Club series.

Protagonist and private detective Tess Monaghan is not the working mom who has everything tuned to perfection. Her three-year-old daughter, Carla Scout, is both precious and precocious. Tess’ latest case in the novel titled, Hush Hush, causes her to face a woman who killed her own child. The plot is complicated, and for me, Tess seemed off her game throughout this novel. The backdrop of Baltimore remains rich in this novel, but Tess seemed to be more energized during a quick trip to New York City than in her normal life. Maybe it was the illusion of being “off duty” as a mom, even for a short while. That illusion is, of course, broken. Fans of the series are those readers most likely to enjoy this book. I found others in the series to be more entertaining than this one.

Rating: Three-star (It’s ok)

Laura Lippman has not written a Tess Monaghan book in a while, and I had almost forgotten the various relationships. Ms. Lippman brings into this story a mother hurting or killing her child, and the ramifications of that act on the family. In this book, Tess is now a mother a 3 year old Carla Scout, and still not married to Carla Scout's father, Crow. The story begins with a video session, and in my opinion, sets an offbeat tone for the novel. I felt confused and could not understand the dynamic. The characters have many layers, and personalities change; and the reader lumbers along trying to make sense of the actions. Many of the relationships are forced and sketchy, and senseless text messages instead of a chatty and lengthy letter. Is the written word doomed?

I love the Tess Monaghan books and am thrilled with news of a new one but Hush Hush was a letdown. 3 year olds are difficult to portray in books and unfortunately Lippman's Carla Scout is an annoying, super-precocious, caricature. And the excellent audiobook narrator falls
back on the worst vocal childisms, making Carla Scout's frequent dialogue unlistenable. None of the characters in the Daws family were believable, Sandy and Crow were underused, and the sub sub plot about Tess's stalker was weakly stuck on. Even the horrific crime at the center had little impact. Please Laura and David (Simon - genius responsible for the Wire) do not follow Tess and Crow's example and have another baby. We beg you.

I generally enjoy Lippman's books but this one was a bit of a disappointment. Years ago a mother left her child in a hot car and the child died. I find that a fascinating set of circumstances, but the book is not really about that but about manipulation and game-playing by the people years later. I didn't like Tess's continually wondering if she was a good mother, and I didn't like the other characters. The story lacked focus and got bogged down after the beginning. It read like the author didn't really know where she was going and let the story meander.

Disclosure: I received an advanced copy of the novel from Goodreads First Reads with hopes I would provide an honest review.

I am a new reader to Laura Lippman. After I received this copy, I read her novel, Baltimore Blues, and had liked it, but felt it was outdated. The character of Tess was really only mildly likable, but felt I would like to read more of the series.

When I started, Hush Hush, I was instantly intrigued by the topic (a mother coming home to her older children, after she had accidentally killed their sister years before) and was able to identify more with Tess than before. Her character had evolved a bit more and now was a parent herself.

The book definitely portrayed a controversial topic, which I felt was addressed well throughout it. I particularly enjoyed reading the struggles Tess has as a parent versus the crimes of the past. The book weaved the old with the new and definitely kept the reader guessing at what exactly happened.

The characters were mostly well developed, but I felt I had some questions at the end of the book, but do not want to leave any spoilers.

I would recommend to those who like suspenseful novels that leave you guessing until the end.

I usually like Laura Lippman's stand-alone novels better than the Tess Monaghan series. Tess is not as easy to like as say, Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone. That being said I like her more now that she is a mother. It's taken some of the edginess from Tess, but not all of it. Some of the characters in his book were just awful. A mother leaves her baby in a car in the heat of summer and of course the baby dies. The mother pleads temporary insanity and wins. She abandons her other two children and flees to London. Years later she comes back and wants to reunite with her daughters. Her husband has remarried and he and his new wife have a baby boy. A homicide ensues and mother and daughters are under suspicion. Tess investigates. While this was an okay read, maybe a bit slow moving, there is promise for future Tess Monaghan books. I can't say more without spoiling, so I won't. But I am looking forward to the next one. And it doesn't hurt that all her novels are set in my beloved, if troubled Baltimore.

We’ve all seen these types of news stories – Child dies after having been left in a hot car. As mad as it makes us all, and as horrific as it sounds, most of these cases were not intended to kill the child. In real life, I hate to hear these stories, but it makes good fodder for fiction. More specifically, was it Melisandre (Missy) Harris Dawes’ intention to kill her two-month old daughter that hot August day? At the start of this novel, the incident was ten years prior. Melisandre had been acquitted of the murder (insanity); she left her husband, Stephen Dawes; signed away her parental rights to her other two daughters; and left the country. Now, Melisandre is very wealthy and she’s back. She wants to reunite with her children. She’s making a documentary and wants to film the details of her criminal case as well as her reunion with her girls. Initially, it looks as if Alanna and Ruby (now teenagers) would agree to meet her, but they’ve changed their minds. Her ex supports the girl’s decision.

Tess’ life has been turned upside down since the birth of her own daughter, Carla Scout, who is now three years old. She has discovered first-hand how difficult children can be at times, but is abhorred by the idea that someone would be driven to take the life of their own child. Attorney Tyner Gray is Tess’ friend and Missy’s lawyer. He asks that Tess meet with Missy, as Missy is receiving hate mail with threatening tones. Tess is not thrilled with this case, but the pay is good so she agrees. Then, one of Missy’s colleagues is poisoned. Was it intended for Missy? Well, probably!

Once you get past the anger issues you may feel with the subject matter, the mystery begins to pick up and unfold in the present time in Baltimore, MD. Time is given over to personal reflections of Tess and her partner Sandy Sanchez as they think about their own children in light of Missy’s past actions. As an understatement, Missy was not a likeable character. You’d think she would show signs of remorse … but, she never does. As with most series, it can be read as a standalone, but the reader would miss how the main characters develop over time. I rated Hush Hush at 4 out of 5.

2 1/2 Stars
Filled with unpleasant characters and little to no suspense, this one didn't live up to Lippmann's previous novels. Plot left a lot to be desired and bogged down in the middle. This one was disappointing! I did like the interview portions of the book, it made it a bit more interesting.

A good book with an interesting cast of characters. One of the main characters is Baltimore itself, which plays a large role in all of the Tess Monaghan books. I've missed this series and in it Tess has come back with a child who adds a lot of depth to her as a person. The story is interesting and it's interesting to see the way it plays out. I personally would have like a different ending.

It has been awhile since a new Tess Monaghan book. Unless I missed a book, The Girl in the Green Raincoat, a novella, was the last book in this series. Tessa was pregnant and on forced bed rest. Hush Hush jumps forward several years and Tess and Crowe now have a three year old daughter, Carla Scout. Tess has a new professional partner, Sandy, a retired police detective. There are references to things that have happened in the last three years but I feel like I have missed something. As a Tess Monaghan fan I needed a book in between these two. However I did enjoy catching up on the personal side of Tess' s life and the case she is involved in is interesting and left me wanting more.

This is about a woman, Melisandre Harris, who leaves her two-month old daughter locked in a car. The baby dies. She is found not guilty but found to be insane. Then she wants to film a documentary as she plans to re-connect with her two other daughters. Not everyone is in favor of this.

This book has a ton of story lines and it is easy to get confused, but the ending ties it all up. The book is really good though and kept my interest.

Tess Monaghan has grown up a lot since Baltimore Blues. She's a little too serious now. Maybe it has to do with parenthood, and just getting older. The Tess from the past was a lot more interesting. This book wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as the earlier editions.

Readers new to the series won't miss anything key by not having read the previous books.

Excellent. Laura Lippman is one of my favorite authors and Tess Managhan is one of my favorite women PI's, funny, smart (my alter ego and who I imagine I would be), she's also now the mother of a 3 year old daughter, Carla Scout, and no longer able to be the free spirit she once was. I love how she describes the intense love, fear, exhaustion and devotion that come with being a mother while protecting and investigating a mother acquitted of killing one of her own young daughters 12 years ago.

Tess is a favorite character. I have loved her since novel one and love her even more with Crow and now Carla scout in her life...what a wonderful alter ego for a wonderful writer. I may have originally read her first book because I'm from Baltimore but I've read every one since because Laura Lippman is a great writer. I love the Tess novels and her independent novels equally.

Very good story. Characters are very interesting as is typical of Lippman. The plot was very complicated and I had trouble figuring it all out, as it all gets resolved fairly quickly in the end. But it does all hang together. I look forward to her next book, to see what the characters do next.

Too many unrelated subplots. Didn't like the all-too pretentious Carla Scout. The plot was all over the place. Ended with a whimper. Unrelatable, unlikeable characters. Waiting for something to happen that never did.

THis had a good storyline but was a little confusing at times. I loved learning more about Tess, Crow and their daughter. Some of the other characters were a little confusing and not real likable. I ended up not caring what happened to them. I still look forward to more in this series. I really like Tess and her family.

I was very happy with the latest installment in the Tess Monoghan series. Tess is one of my absolute favorite characters ever, and after The Girl in the Green Raincoat I thought her story was over for good. I'm so glad that Ms. Lippman decided otherwise. I hope she writes Tess stories forever.

After reading the reviews I was skeptical but I am glad I ignored them! The book started off slow but soon I could not put it down. I love the character development and the suspense. It was really good! I enjoyed the alternating characters point of view.

Love Lippman's writing style. This story was interesting, the amount of space devoted to explaining her child care schedules, etc. were excessive. The mystery was well done, with lots of twists to keep me guessing.

Lippman set a high bar with her Tess Monaghan series. This novel falls short. The plot is strained and awkward, and the denouement unsatisfying, If Lippman aspires to PD James heights, she has a way to go.

Glad to see Tess again, but disappointed with too much new-mom-angst. I wanted to shake her and say, "get over it, already!" I like the addition of Tess's new partner and hope that future novels will feature a stronger plot.