The Accidental Detective

New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman has been hailed as one of the best crime fiction writers in America today, winning virtually every major award in the genre. The author of the enormously popular series featuring Baltimore P.I. Tess Monaghan as well as three critically lauded stand-alone novels, Lippman now turns her attention to short stories—and reveals another level of mastery.

In Femme Fatale, a chance encounter in a Starbucks introduces a 68-year-old widow to the world of fetish porn and to a way out of her money worries.

A quick diversion

This was a nice story to listen to while I was driving across country. I would try another book by Laura Lippman.

Not a short story but merely a character profile

This "story" is really just a clever way for the author to give readers an overview of her character Monaghan, in the guise of a newspaper feature story. It is also a paean of praise for the City of Baltimore and its attractions. However, if you were looking for an exciting plot, this isn't it.