Hush Hush

A Tess Monaghan Novel

By: Laura Lippman

Narrated by: Jan Maxwell

New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman plunges Baltimore private investigator Tess Monaghan into a twisted and disturbing case.

Tess Monaghan has encountered almost every possible criminal motive throughout her career: greed, revenge, jealousy, rage. But there are crimes that defy all attempts at understanding, where a search for motive seems pointless.

Melisandre Harris Dawes committed such a crime. Found not guilty by reason of insanity, she fled the country, leaving her two daughters with their father. Twelve years later, she’s back in Baltimore, and Tess is asked to provide security detail while Melisandre films a documentary about her attempts to reconcile with her now teenaged children.

Tess, juggling work with caring for her demanding toddler, is uneasy about the case. Still, Melisandre’s lawyer is family. And there is something about the woman herself—confident, beautiful, shrewdly intelligent—that draws Tess in. Is she a master manipulator or someone who was driven to temporary madness? Cold and calculating, or a mother concerned for her daughters’ well being? Someone is leaving Melisandre enigmatic, threatening notes. Soon Tess, insecure about her parenting abilities and receiving cryptic messages of her own, isn’t sure whether she should be protecting Melisandre from harm—or protecting everyone else from Melisandre.

When Melisandre becomes the prime suspect in a murder, Tess must uncover the truth. Doing so will mean confronting her deepest beliefs about what separates good parents from bad, madness from sanity, and what lengths even the most rational person will go to, to protect what they cherish most.

You won't be disappointed!!!!

The narrator was brilliant as she changed voices with the characters and brought them to life. Laura captivated the story and interweaved the story line piece by piece. This is a masterpiece of mystery and deceitfulness. I would listen to this again. Tess is the "real deal" as an investigator. This book is a must read!!!

Tess getting soft?

I like Lippman's Tess Monaghan books although I thought this one was a little predictable. Not as much excitement as past "Tess" books. Plus the voice of the three year old was awful.

Entertaining

The narrator was fine except don't have her do voice of a 3 year old character! Yuk. Awful. But luckily that is very small portion of dialogue. Just hire a kid next time for a child's voice
Story itself was intriguing and voice for Tess was good

Good mystery despite mommy-track emphasis

Have always enjoyed Laura Lippman, but think she is best with her Tess Monaghan character rather than when she veers off in some of her books where Tess never appears.

The introduction of new partner Sandy in the last novel (After I'm Gone was one of the best) added interest to her Tess series. However, Lippman is falling into the same trap as other female writers (such as Jennifer Weiner and Laura Zigman)--incorporating their own mommy-track issues for career women into her fiction. This might interest half her readers, but not me. I can't think of a male writer who does this, and I am sure there a lot of stay-at-home Dad novelists. But this is still a good mystery story.

Just ok

I lost interest several times and found myself not listening and had to rewind.
I liked the narrator but story was not that compelling.