Synopses & Reviews
The California dream weavers have invaded Charm City with their cameras, their stars, and their controversy . . .
When Tess Monaghan literally runs into the crew of the fledgling TV series Mann of Steel while sculling, she never expects to be hired to serve as bodyguard/babysitter to the young female lead, Selene Waites. But the company has been plagued by a series of disturbing "mishaps" lately. And the discovery of a corpse surrounded by photos of the beautiful, difficult superstar-in-the-making is causing Mann's creator and Hollywood legend, Flip Tumulty, considerable distress.
Keeping a spoiled movie princess under wraps may be more than Tess can handle, since Selene is less naive and far more devious than she initially appears to be. But murder is an occurrence the fish-out-of-water P.I. is all too familiar with—and a grisly on-set slaying suddenly threatens to topple the wall of secrets surrounding Mann of Steel, leaving lives, dreams, and careers scattered among the ruins.
Review
“After last years acclaimed What the Dead Know, Lippman is back on home turf with the 10th installment of her popular series about Baltimore P.I. Tess Monaghan.” People
Review
You get everything in this book. Theres a really good mystery which is almost secondary to the interaction of the characters - Hollywoods penchant for confusing illusion and reality is beautifully done - and the witty dialogue, full of smart film references, is totally believable. Toronto Globe and Mail
Review
[a] welcome addition to Tess Monaghans adventures and an insightful look at the desperation that drives those grasping for a shot at fame and those who will do anything to keep it. San Francisco Chronicle
Review
Like lunch at Atwater's, Tess's latest leaves you fully satisfied but looking forward to next time Kirkus Reviews
Review
“A juicy whodunit.” Entertainment Weekly
Review
“Lippman is incapable of writing an un-compelling mystery,” Baltimore Sun
Review
“Tess--funny, smart, empathetic as hell, and a colorful, irreverent storyteller makes a wonderful companion for this tale, in which disturbing vandalism and a stalker are just the harbingers of much worse problems,” Seattle Times
Review
Like lunch at Atwaters, Tesss latest leaves you fully satisfied but looking forward to next time Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
New York Times Bestseller
Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan--first introduced in the classic Baltimore Blues--must protect an up-and-coming Hollywood actress, but when murder strikes on a TV set, the unflappable PI discovers everyone's got a secret.
" A] welcome addition to Tess Monaghan's adventures and an insightful look at the desperation that drives those grasping for a shot at fame and those who will do anything to keep it."--San Francisco Chronicle
When private investigator Tess Monaghan literally runs into the crew of the fledgling TV series Mann of Steel while sculling, she expects sharp words and evil looks, not an assignment. But the company has been plagued by a series of disturbing incidents since its arrival on location in Baltimore: bad press, union threats, and small, costly on-set "accidents" that have wreaked havoc with its shooting schedule. As a result, Mann's creator, Flip Tumulty, the son of a Hollywood legend, is worried for the safety of his young female lead, Selene Waites, and asks Tess to serve as her bodyguard. Tumulty's concern may be well founded. Recently, a Baltimore man was discovered dead in his home, surrounded by photos of the beautiful--if difficult--aspiring star.
In the past, Tess has had enough trouble guarding her own body. Keeping a spoiled movie princess under wraps may be more than she can handle since Selene is not as naive as everyone seems to think, and instead is quite devious. Once Tess gets a taste of this world of make-believe--with their vanities, their self-serving agendas, and their remarkably skewed visions of reality--she's just about ready to throw in the towel.
But she's pulled back in when a grisly on-set murder occurs, threatening to topple the wall of secrets surrounding Mann of Steel as lives, dreams, and careers are scattered among the ruins.
Synopsis
The California dream weavers have invaded Charm City with their cameras, their stars, and their controversy . . .
When Tess Monaghan literally runs into the crew of the fledgling TV series Mann of Steel while sculling, she never expects to be hired to serve as bodyguard/babysitter to the young female lead, Selene Waites. But the company has been plagued by a series of disturbing "mishaps" lately. And the discovery of a corpse surrounded by photos of the beautiful, difficult superstar-in-the-making is causing Mann's creator and Hollywood legend, Flip Tumulty, considerable distress.
Keeping a spoiled movie princess under wraps may be more than Tess can handle, since Selene is less naive and far more devious than she initially appears to be. But murder is an occurrence the fish-out-of-water P.I. is all too familiar with—and a grisly on-set slaying suddenly threatens to topple the wall of secrets surrounding Mann of Steel, leaving lives, dreams, and careers scattered among the ruins.
About the Author
Laura Lippman grew up in Baltimore and returned to her hometown in 1989 to work as a journalist. After writing seven books while still a full-time reporter, she left the Baltimore Sun to focus on fiction. She is the author of eleven Tess Monaghan books, including Baltimore Blues, Another Thing to Fall, and The Girl in the Green Raincoat; five stand-alone novels, including Every Secret Thing, To the Power of Three, What the Dead Know, and Life Sentences; and one short story collection, Hardly Knew Her. She is also the editor of another story collection, Baltimore Noir. Lippman has won numerous awards for her work, including the Edgar, Quill, Anthony, Nero Wolfe, Agatha, Gumshoe, Barry, and Macavity.