Great book. Well paced. Beautifully observed details. Interesting characters and nuance in the right places. The overall mystery sustains itself well for quite a lot of the time. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and the protagonist who is flawed and brilliant and ruthless and unapologetic.

OOH, my review went up on L.A. review of books today!!https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/l...**************************************************super excited to be reading and reviewing this for l.a. review of books!!! review is scheduled for 3/5

Dangerously seductive!!!....lustful puzzling steam ....compelling & alluring....unsympathetic characters....secrets, lies, love, betrayal, manipulation.......crime, murder, mystery....The ending wasn’t predictable to me ( perhaps part of it), surprisingly satisfying.I had mixed feelings for awhile with this book - but I kept returning - glad I didn’t give up ( a few slow parts)...but overall I definitely liked it enough to be interested in reading more books by Laura Lippman.

3 STARSWhat happened, Laura Lippman? This could have been a 5 STAR book! I’ve never read any of your books and as I began this psychological thriller, I was hysterically delighted to have discovered my new favorite author! But, then, wait. Oh, never mind.I’m truly at a loss to explain the downward spiral this book unexpectedly went on. The first half completely sucked me in with villainous, questionable characters involved in….murder? insurance fraud? arson? The reader is not sure what, but you

4.5 Stars!My reviews can also be found at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...The cover of “ Sunburn ” caught my eye right away. And after reading the book description, I was really looking forward to getting my hands on this new novel from Laura Lippman.The novel opens in Belleville, Delaware in 1995.When Polly and Adam meet at the High-Ho restaurant in Belleville, they’re both just passing through. Polly, a redhead with a two-day-old sunburn catches Adam’s eye. They aren't sure what to

3.5 Stars. I loved the book until about the 75% mark. Then I found myself surfing Instagram and fast forwarding. It was just a little too slow of a burn for me. Please note that I don’t have the best attention span for books like these unless I love the subject or the characters. I did enjoy the fact that it took place in 1995. I have fond memories of my early 20’s so references to songs, pay phones, calling cards and OJ I enjoyed! 🤗I listened to the audiobook. Susan Bennett’s narration was a 5!...

Two men, more added on, one woman, many lies and a lot of deceit.SUNBURN has your brain burning to find out what is really going on.Polly has just left her husband, Gregg, and her daughter, Jani, while they were at the beach. She had it planned, but we don't know why.Gregg was ready to leave the marriage, but Polly took off first.Adam is also mysterious because we don't know what he is up to since he showed up at the same time Polly did and decided to hang around and work at the same place Poll

Ten years ago or so, I had the fortune of meeting this author when she was at ALA in Chicago. She was just becoming an author to watch, was gracious and kind. We were given a copy of her newest book, one I went home and read. Loved it and have read her ever since. Polly and Adam meet in a little town restaurant, she a waitress, he the cook. They both have many secrets, are not who they appear to be, both fooling the other. Actually the less said, the better. Let the author take you where she wil...

Two strangers meet at a small town bar. One is a sexy and mysterious redhead. The other is a handsome man who says he’s just passing through. That’s either the set-up to a dirty joke or the start of a noir novel. I’ve been meaning to read Laura Lippman for a while now, and this one was right up my alley. I don’t want to say too much about the story because I think it’s one of those that the less you know the better going in. Suffice it to say that there’s plenty of twists and turns with both the...

I enjoyed this original mystery. We know Polly is hiding things from her past when she meets Adam at a bar in a small town in Delaware. She intends to go West, he’s passing through. But against both of their better judgments, they fall for each other and stay where they are.They’re both hiding things from one another, things that are revealed to the reader and each other over the course of the book. Polly is an odd character, but I ultimately liked both her and Adam. There were clear villains in...

Sunburn is a subtle and enigmatic piece of storytelling featuring a subtle and enigmatic main protagonist. A beautifully written joy to read.This is a slow burn, cleverly manipulative and genuinely compelling story, where the mystery elements play within the character studies, a story of two people hiding secrets and playing parts. It is utterly riveting as you follow Polly and Adam through a long summer of a relationship built on lies, neither of them are who they appear to be to each other and...

Laura Lippman’s new stand-alone “Sunburn” is different from anything she’s previously written but don’t let that scare you off. It’s equally as good as her other novels, but this time she follows the inspiration of James M. Cain’s psychological crime noir novels. As the character’s history and motives are slowly revealed (or are they?) it becomes increasingly difficult to determine who is manipulating whom and what outcome they are pursuing. Lies, lust, betrayal, revenge, blackmail, murder, and

*Potential spoilers ahead, even though I hate them I don't know how to express my thoughts on this one without them*I hadn't heard of this book but when I was browsing Barnes and Noble after a particularly stressful day I noticed it was 60% off and figured for that price even if I hated it, it was fine. It's like I knew. I really wasn't a fan of this one. Here's why - For starters, it's ssssslllloooowwww. I know maybe I'm spoiled when it comes to suspense and thrillers, but I felt like I was che...

This is a modern noir novel that pays homage to the great books of James M. Cain. Like The Postman Always Rings Twice or Double Indemnity, it focuses on two lovers, Polly and Adam, each of whom has closely held secrets that are revealed very slowly as the book progresses.The story takes place in Belleville, a small town in Delaware, forty-five miles from the beach, and where nearly everyone is simply passing through. As the book opens, a sunburned Polly is nursing a drink in the High-Ho, a bar/r...

A redhead sitting alone in a darkened bar with sunburned shoulders.Sounds like some bad decision-making here. Shoulda known better......Laura Lippman begins her story with two elusive strangers, a bit of alcohol, and a definite casting their fates to the winds. This ain't the Bahamas, folks. It's happenin' in a local tavern in Bellville, Delaware. Seems like one of them is hiding out and trying to keep ahead of the backstory. Only that backstory will be bleeding into every minute of every day th...

4.5 stars, rounded upIf you enjoy ‘modern noir’ with deeply flawed characters, as I do, you will love Sunburn. What a terrific read! I recommend picking this book up without knowing a lot of details of the plot. (No spoilers in this review!) I listened to the entire book on a long car trip last Sunday and was riveted. It’s a slow burn in the beginning, but the tension and atmosphere kept me interested throughout. When Polly and Adam meet, they both have secrets. Polly is on the run from a compli...

“How much do you want me? She thinks. It’s not vanity on her part. It’s vital information.” Seems everyone mentioned ‘noir’, well I don’t even know what that means, let alone recognize all these comparisons to novels by James M. Cain. But if this is what is called ‘psychological noir’ then I’m here for it. More of this please!“She wonders if he is as exhausted by all the lying as she is.”There was a whole chapter (15) where we found out Polly’s gnarly past regarding Ditmars. I haven’t been th

This is a well crafted mystery with an unusual twist, there is no murder at the beginning to spin the story from. There are two people who meet and share an instantaneous attraction. Each is carrying a ton of emotional baggage and secrets that will mean the end of their relationship if either tells the truth. Not only do they keep the truth from each other, the reader is also in the dark.Talk about unreliable narrators! If you like ambiguity and I do, this is a psychological minefield that you w...

A slow burner of a thriller which kept me interested but the not one for my favorites shelf.When Polly and Adam meet by chance in a local bar of a small town they are both have secrets and over the course of one hot summer they embark on an affair that is dangerous and dark. I loved the premise of this novel and it does start out really strong, these is a dark suspenseful air to it and I really got quickly drawn into this one, however I felt the slow reveal of Polly’s story really was overkill a...

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/ “I really would like to get to know you.”“Trust me, you wouldn’t.” The gin joint is the “High-Ho” in Belleville, Delaware. The she is Polly. When Polly meets Adam they both claim to be simply passing through town. Somehow they both end up working at the High-Ho. She as a waitress/he as a short order cook. Their attraction to each other is impossible to hide. Who they each truly are appears to be easier to conceal. Someone is pul...