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    Hush Hush: A Tess Monaghan Novel
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    Hush Hush: A Tess Monaghan Novel
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    Hush Hush: A Tess Monaghan Novel
    Audiobook10 hours

    Hush Hush: A Tess Monaghan Novel

    Written by Laura Lippman

    Narrated by Jan Maxwell

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    The award-winning New York Times bestselling author of After I'm Gone, The Most Dangerous Thing, I'd Know You Anywhere, and What the Dead Know brings back private detective Tess Monaghan, introduced in the classic Baltimore Blues, in an absorbing mystery that plunges the new parent into a disturbing case involving murder and a manipulative mother.

    On a searing August day, Melisandre Harris Dawes committed the unthinkable: she left her two-month-old daughter locked in a car while she sat nearby on the shores of the Patapsco River. Melisandre was found not guilty by reason of criminal insanity, although there was much skepticism about her mental state. Freed, she left the country, her husband and her two surviving children, determined to start over.

    But now Melisandre has returned Baltimore to meet with her estranged teenage daughters and wants to film the reunion for a documentary. The problem is, she relinquished custody and her ex, now remarried, isn't sure he approves.

    Now that's she's a mother herself-short on time, patience-Tess Monaghan wants nothing to do with a woman crazy enough to have killed her own child. But her mentor and close friend Tyner Gray, Melisandre's lawyer, has asked Tess and her new partner, retired Baltimore P.D. homicide detective Sandy Sanchez, to assess Melisandre's security needs.

    As a former reporter and private investigator, Tess tries to understand why other people break the rules and the law. Yet the imperious Melisandre is something far different from anyone she's encountered. A decade ago, a judge ruled that Melisandre was beyond rational thought. But was she? Tess tries to ignore the discomfort she feels around the confident, manipulative Melisandre. But that gets tricky after Melisandre becomes a prime suspect in a murder.

    Yet as her suspicions deepen, Tess realizes that just as she's been scrutinizing Melisandre, a judgmental stalker has been watching her every move as well. . . .

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateFeb 24, 2015
    ISBN9780062372345
    Author

    Laura Lippman

    Laura Lippman was a reporter for twenty years, including twelve years at the Baltimore Sun. Her novels have won almost every prize given for crime fiction in the United States, including the Edgar, Anthony, Nero Wolfe and Agatha awards. She lives in Baltimore with her husband, the writer David Simon who created hit TV series The Wire and Homicide: Life on the Street.

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    Reviews for Hush Hush

    4/5

    32 ratings26 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Hush Hush – Stoke on Trent finally got interestingGrace Allendale has moved from Salford to Stoke on Trent as a newly promoted Detective Sergeant, the City of her birth. She also knows that she is going to have to face some of her demons, who just happen to be her estranged family.A killer is on the loose, and she has to face her family a lot earlier than imagined, and it will not be a pleasant meeting. They do not want to know her, and she certainly does not want to know them. The Steeles have a reputation to keep up and having a copper in the family will do them no favours. Just as Grace’s colleagues would not be impressed if they ever found out the she was a Steele by birth and related to the Steele family.When Eddie Steele’s best friend is killed outside the Steele Gym, Grace knows that everybody will be watching her, especially those higher up in the police. As more bodies turn up dead, the pressure is being piled on Grace and her team, even more so when there is a leak, and everybody is looking at her to blame.The investigation becomes a choice for Grace between her colleagues and her estranged family. She needs to trust someone especially if she wants to solve the murders. While at the same time she will have to dig into the depths of her past, and some of that past she would rather forget.Mel Sherratt has once again written an outstanding police procedural thriller and it always fantastic to see a strong female lead. Some how she has managed to make Stoke on Trent sound interesting, which is really hard work. A great book.
    • 5/5
      This is my first Mel Sherratt book and I'm wondering why that is. I've missed out on so much! I absolutely loved Hush Hush.Grace Allendale has just moved back to her childhood home of Stoke on Trent to take up her first post as a Detective Sergeant. She's experienced loss so moving back seems like the right thing to do but it's complicated by the fact that local well known crime family, the Steeles, also happen to be her family. Unfortunately, Grace's first case is a series of murders that seem somehow to be linked to the Steeles. Tricky!!I loved Grace. I thought she was incredibly brave and strong, and also principled. She leads a team of officers who she has to try and win over and gain their trust. This is doubly hard considering who her family are and I thought Grace dealt with it very well.For me, Hush Hush stands out in the police procedural/thriller genre. It's so well written, absolutely gripping and with a main character that appeals to the reader. I thought it was brilliant and I can't wait to read the second in the series, Tick Tock, out in April 2019.I must admit that I did guess who the killer was but that didn't matter at all. I enjoyed Grace's investigations, her dealings with her family and the glimpses into her private life which I guess will be explored further in the next book. Hush Hush is so well plotted, with elements of the story being drip-fed to us to lead us down the path towards the conclusion. One of the strands was a surprise and made me rethink certain things that I had read which I thought was a clever ruse by the author.I thought this was a gritty, pretty unputdownable read. The chapters are short which made it particularly fast-paced and meant I would always just fit another one in, and another one, and.....you get the picture. I highly recommend it.
    • 3/5
      I jumped at the chance to read Hush, Hush by Laura Lippman. I had never read a book by her before but had read many good reviews. I was very excited until I saw that this advance reading copy was in small print. I have an eye problem that torments me and it was reawakened with the size of the print. But I am writing this review for those of you have good eyes. Hush, Hush is the twelfth book in a series featuring Tess Monaghan, journalist turned private investigator. The Greek play, Medea inspired Laura Lippman to write this story. There were many changes to the Greek tragedy. Tess has a toddler named Carla Scout with her partner Crow. So there is a lot going on in her home life. I really liked that part and Carla won my heart. Having been found not guilty by reason of insanity for leaving her baby in her car while she sat under a tree, Melisandre Harris Dawes comes back to town ten years later. She had left her husband and two other daughters and now suddenly wants to see them again. She says that she wants to make a documentary about her verdict. She was supposed to have had postpartum depression. But was that the real purpose in her return? We are introduced to her ex-husband, her daughters, Alanna, Ruby and Stephen?s new wife, Felicia. For me the above characters were enough for one book but we also had more Tess?s relatives, the person who was helping to make the documentary, some of Tess?s friends and it seems way too many characters for one book. This a time when I felt that subtraction would have made a better book. There were too many minor characters, too many conversations, too many details. Sometimes I would get real interested in one character and the story would leave me hanging for a long time.Sometime there were so many details that I drifted off only to wake up when the book thumped to the floor. I fell asleep twice in the beginning! As the book progressed, I wanted the story to move itself on faster. I did enjoy her affection for Baltimore and the taste of genuine New York bagels but I also would have enjoyed some more editing.I received this Advanced Reading Copy from the publisher as a win from FirstReads but that in no way influenced my thoughts or feelings in this review.
    • 4/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      The story revolves around an insanity plea and the the return of the mother charged with killing her baby. The two sisters have grown up with their father. The father is murdered and Tess Monaghan is out to find out the who and why. Each step becomes more complex and the ending may surprise you. Written in Laura Llippman's usual style this one gives away no answers.
    • 4/5
      Oh, did I do a happy dance when I heard there was a new Tess Monoghan book coming from Laura Lippman! Hush Hush is newly released - and was quickly devoured by this Lippman fan.Lippman has written several stand alones in the last few years, but her iconic private investigator Tess is back in the 12th entry in this series - the first since 2008's Girl in the Green Raincoat. Lippman has given us tantalizing glimpses into Tess's life through that last book and a cameo or two in her recent standalones. I was eager to catch up with what's been going on in Tess's life - and follow along with another great mystery.She and partner Crow are the now the parents of three year old Carla Scout. The trials and tribulations of being working parents and the day to day life of a young family are detailed in the personal storyline of Hush Hush. But motherhood and parenthood are also at the heart of the crime of Hush Hush. (And fact mirrors truth in Hush Hush - Lippman is also parent to a young daughter, giving her narrative added depth and insight).Ten years ago, Melisandre was found not guilty by reason of insanity after she let her two month old daughter die in a hot car - as she sat under a shade tree nearby. Having now been pronounced 'fit', she has returned to Baltimore to reconnect with her two older daughters. But she has chosen to make a documentary of her 'return' - ostensibly to help others recognize the dangers of postpartum depression. Although her premise is noble, her intentions may not be. Tess is hired by her lawyer to provide security analysis and support for this venture.Favourite characters return (Crow and Kitty) and new ones are added - I remember wishing Sandy would make further appearances and he has - as Tess's new work partner. Carla Scout's personality and dialogue had me chuckling out loud. Tess's view of the world has changed with the arrival of her child - I very much enjoyed and appreciated Lippman's portrayal of parenthood. All sides are explored - good and bad. "What a thin line separates good parents from bad parents."The antagonist of Hush Hush is just as well drawn - but she is so unlikable that it's hard to feel sympathy for her in spite of her past."The rage she felt at that moment- it was like nothing she had ever known. It wasn't madness, which was the term Melisandre had always preferred for her illness. Unfashionable and imprecise as it was, madness seemed right to her. There had been something vicious inside her, something apart from her, all those years ago."Hush Hush is told from more than one viewpoint - Tess, Melisandre, her daughters, the transcripts of the film maker and others- giving the reader much more information than Tess is working with. I had my suspicions nearing the end, but Lippman kept me guessing most of the way.Lippman is a Baltimore native - her descriptions of time and place are so very real. Hush Hush is another fantastic novel from Laura Lippman - again reminding me why she is one of my favourite crime novelists.
    • 3/5
      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?
    • 4/5
      I immensely enjoy Hush, Hush by Laura Lippman and if I had actually bothered to look I would have known I was jumping into the 12th Tess Monaghan book. On the upside I have a new to me series to begin and I will now go back and begin with book one, Baltimore Blues, so I can see the character of Tess Monaghan unfold as Lippman intended.
    • 3/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      I have not read any of the other books in this series, but I have to say I really enjoyed this novel. I did not feel like I was missing any information by picking up on book 12 of the series. It was a wild ride, that is for sure! The story is told from many points of view so I felt there was added depth to the story and felt that the sub plots added to the enjoyment of reading the novel. I just don't know where she comes up with this stuff...such entertainment. The book has something for everyone. 4.0 stars
    • 5/5
      Of all the brilliantly fun series, this was the best. I can't wait for the next.
    • 4/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      Author, Laura Lippman, in the 12th installment of her Tess Monaghan detective series, delivers a compelling narrative straight from the headlines and spins a tale of love, loss, despair and mental-illness. Can intense emotion, post-partem depression and sleep depravation drive a mother to kill her child through benign neglect, temporary insanity or even intentionally? Can she ever mend the broken lives and relationships caused as a result of her actions? Has she passed on her psychological issues to her surviving children and is that her only legacy? The story was fast-paced, intriguing and well-delivered. I just could not put the book down. I am grateful to Goodreads' Firstreads, Laura Lippman and Harper Collins Publishers for having provided a free advanced reader's edition of this book. Their generosity did not, however, influence this review - the words of which are mine alone.Synopsis:On a searing August day, Melisandre Harris Dawes committed the unthinkable: she left her two-month-old daughter locked in a car while she sat nearby on the shores of the Patapsco River. Melisandre was found not guilty by reason of criminal insanity, although there was much skepticism about her mental state. Freed, she left the country, her husband and her two surviving children, determined to start over.But now Melisandre has returned Baltimore to meet with her estranged teenage daughters and wants to film the reunion for a documentary. The problem is, she relinquished custody and her ex, now remarried, isn't sure he approves.Now that's she's a mother herself--short on time, patience--Tess Monaghan wants nothing to do with a woman crazy enough to have killed her own child. But her mentor and close friend Tyner Gray, Melisandre's lawyer, has asked Tess and her new partner, retired Baltimore P.D. homicide detective Sandy Sanchez, to assess Melisandre's security needs.As a former reporter and private investigator, Tess tries to understand why other people break the rules and the law. Yet the imperious Melisandre is something far different from anyone she's encountered. A decade ago, a judge ruled that Melisandre was beyond rational thought. But was she? Tess tries to ignore the discomfort she feels around the confident, manipulative Melisandre. But that gets tricky after Melisandre becomes a prime suspect in a murder.Yet as her suspicions deepen, Tess realizes that just as she's been scrutinizing Melisandre, a judgmental stalker has been watching her every move as well. . .
    • 3/5
      Did she or didn't she?Melisandre was found not guilty, but was the charge of insanity the correct charge? How could anyone not be guilty of forgetting her child in a hot car?After the trial, Melisandre left the country and lost custody of her other two children.Melisandre returned years later, but when another murder occurred and she was present, she wasn't going to be going anywhere.The characters in HUSH, HUSH were an interesting mix and most were not likable. Melisandre was evil and manipulative, and her ex-husband wasn't a nice person. The girls, Alanna and Ruby, were ok. They were confused and were the way they were because of their crazy mother and their sneaky father.HUSH, HUSH was set up in an interesting way. The book started out with an interview and had several throughout the book with people who knew Melisandre because Melisandre wanted to make a documentary about when she met her estranged daughters. I didn't understand what the documentary was going to prove or the purpose of it. HUSH, HUSH then went back and forth between Melisandre and Tess's life and actually all over the place. HUSH, HUSH was difficult for me to follow. Not sure if it was the way it was set up or just the storyline. I also couldn't keep the characters straight. It did get a bit better toward the end but was still confusing even though the ending pages wrapped it all up.I was disappointed because I always enjoy Ms. Lippman's books. 3/5This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
    • 3/5
      I won an advanced reader copy of this book from The Reading Room. I would actually give it 3.5 stars - it was enjoyable mystery that kept me guessing. However, this is the first of the Tess Monaghan series I have read. I liked Tess and knew Sandy Sanchez from After I'm Gone. But the rest of the characters - Melisandre, Alanna, Stephen and Tyner are pretty unlikeable. It's hard to believe any mother would act like Melisandre. I always like Laura Lippman's novels - I'm from Maryland and love all the local references and they are an easy quick read.
    • 4/5
      A suspicious death seems to be a direct link to a case of infanticide that took place twelve years earlier. When Missy Dawes was found not guilty by reason of insanity for her baby?s murder, she agreed with her husband not to have any contact with her two remaining daughters. But now she is back in town, doing a documentary on mothers who murder their infants, and wants to interview her daughters. This dysfunctional family is awash in secrets and strange behaviors. Tess, hired to provide security for Missy, finds herself drawn deeper into the mystery of the deaths. A page-turning thriller, there are enough clues for the reader to assess what is going on and who is the guilty party, but enough twists and red herrings that he or she probably won?t, until close to the end of this gripping tale.
    • 4/5
      HUSH HUSH (Tess Monaghan #12) by Laura Lippman is an absorbing mystery case, involving a mother --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 allergies. 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. 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.
    • 3/5
      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.
    • 3/5
      Hush Hush (A Tess Monaghan Novel)By: Laura Lippman Pages.320William Morrow Publisher February 2015Copy Courtesy of Goodreads First ReadsReviewed By: tkI 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
    • 3/5
      Though Hush Hush is the 12th mystery to feature journalist turned private investigator Tess Monaghan it can easily be read as a stand alone given its encapsulated story line.In Hush Hush, Tess and her new partner, retired Baltimore P.D. homicide detective Sandy Sanchez, are hired to assess the security needs of Melisandre Harris Dawes, a woman who ten years previously had been charged with the wilful murder of her infant daughter. Having returned to Baltimore with an ambitious documentary maker in tow, Melisandre claims she wants to tell her side of the story and reunite with her estranged teenage daughters, Alanna and Ruby, but a series of sinister notes threaten both the project and the reunion.The past and the present are on a collision course in this tale of madness, betrayal and murder.Melisandre is manipulative and demanding and Tess suspects she is not being completely honest with her uncle, Melisandre?s lawyer, Tyner Grey. Despite being found not guilty in the death of her child, due to postpartum psychosis, questions remain about Melisandre?s past and the true motivation behind her current actions.Melisandre?s surviving daughters, now teenagers, are conflicted about their mother?s attempts to reach out to them, especially as their father is reluctant to allow contact, for both the obvious reasons and to keep his own secrets.Lippman extends the story beyond the crime exploring the effects of Melisandre?s actions on both her family and the wider community. She also examines the experience of motherhood and the ways in which women can struggle with it.Events in Tess?s personal life adds another layer of interest to the story. Tess is still adjusting to juggling motherhood with her career, and nurturing her relationship with Crow. She, like Melisandre, is also being taunted by a series of anonymous notes that grow increasingly threatening.Hush Hush is a solid story of suspense with interesting characters, and though there is very little action, the pace is brisk with events taking place over a period of about two weeks. It is an easy and enjoyable read.
    • 4/5
      PI Tess Monaghan now has a busy 3-year-old daughter to wrangle while she tries to solve mysteries. The whole theme of motherhood and what makes a good parent is explored in this latest edition to Lippman?s popular series. Melisandre Dawes, acquitted of infanticide 12 years prior, has returned to town, ostensibly to reconnect with her remaining daughters and make a documentary about the insanity defense, is being plagued by a stalker. She engages the services of Tess? uncle Tyner, and Tess by extension, to figure the whole thing out. I worried that Tess? adventures would grow subdued with the birth of her daughter, but I was wrong. The suspense is only heightened by the fact that Carla Scout is a possible hostage/way to hurt Tess. However, the absence of Mrs. Blossom and the presence of new guy Sandy, without much explanation as to either, was a bit irritating. I get that time has gone by, but usually such a shift in staff(characters) has been better explained in Lippman?s previous works in this series.
    • 4/5
      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.
    • 5/5
      It is a great honor when a bestselling author contacts you and mentions that they would love to do a signing for their latest novel in the bookstore you work in.....for me it is the Books A Million in Harrisburg, Pa. The New York Times bestselling author is Laura Lippman and her latest novel is HUSH HUSH a Tess Monahan thriller. All I can say is it is about time. It has been a few years since the 'Tess' followers, myself included, had their fix of Tess and the streets of Baltimore. What started out over a decade ago with BALTIMORE BLUES and continued through the years with such personal favorites of mine as THE SUGAR HOUSE, THE LAST PLACE and THE GIRL IN THE GREEN RAINCOAT and now HUSH HUSH which I am going to admit is the best novel Ms. Lippman has 'ever' written.HUSH HUSH finds Tess Monahan raising her infant daughter and wrestling with her own personal demons due to her immense dislike for her new client. Melisandre Harris Dawes. Her client has committed the ultimate sin in any mother's eyes. She left her two-month old daughter while she sat unemotional by the shores of the Patapsco River. After a trial filled with much question she is found not guilty by reason of insanity. Leaving the country for many years and relinquishing custody of her older daughters to her husband, Melisandre has returned to Baltimore to film a documentary on her ordeal fueled by her own finances.Asked to provide security for her by an attorney whom is also an old adversary of Tess's and her immediate dislike for the self serving mother, Tess is drawn into a maelstrom of just really happened that day many years ago, With her motherly instincts on high alert Tess becomes' Tess' and with her flaws shining brightly and for those who have read her back list Tess books you know what I mean, she chips away at the fa?ade of a complicated tale of lies.The reader cannot walk away from anything Ms. Lippman writes without a personal session of soul searching and reflective thought...I LOVED THIS BOOK!!
    • 5/5
      Private Investigator Tess Monaghan returns in a story centered on Melisandre Harris Dawes, infamous for having killed her infant daughter some ten years ago. Found not guilty by reason of criminal insanity due to her postpartum psychosis, she surrendered custody of Alanna and Ruby to their father and fled the country following the completion of her treatment. Seeking to establish a relationship with her now teen-aged daughters, she has returned to Baltimore and is involved in the making of a documentary that will use her own high-profile case to explore the facets of criminal insanity pleas. Melisandre is overbearing, self-absorbed, and controlling, easy to dislike despite the continual reminders that the court had found her not guilty in the matter of Isadora?s death. Melisandre?s lawyer has employed Tess and her partner Sandy as security consultants for Melisandre?s new condominium. Circumstances work to expand their peripheral involvement with the woman, ultimately drawing them into an unexpected murder case and the perplexing question of exactly who is responsible for this untimely death. An absorbing parallel plotline offers an honest look at the mother-daughter relationship between Tess and Carla Scout, her three-year-old daughter. Seamlessly woven into the unfolding of Melisandre?s story, it is a welcome counterpoint to the ever-present reminder of the loss of baby Isadora whenever Melisandre is the focus of the narrative. At the same time, an innocuous note parlays itself into a harbinger of a stalking that threatens to destroy that which Tess holds most dear. This hard-to-set-aside mystery will keep the pages turning as readers navigate the unexpected twists and turns, even though they lead to a somewhat predictable ending.Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      Although I was a bit disappointed with the previous book in the series featuring Baltimore Private Eye Tess Monaghan, I found this one much more satisfying.Tess and Crow?s little girl, Carla Scout, is now three years old, and a bit of a handful. Still, although Tess often feels like a failure as a mother, as well as frustrated, hamstrung, and sometimes even bored, she can?t relate at all to mothers who intentionally kill their children. When Tyner Gray, longtime friend and now relation-by-marriage, asks Tess and her work partner Sandy to help out with a new case he has involving one such mother, she reluctantly agrees because she could use the money. Tyner is representing Melisandre ("Missy") Harris Dawes, who left her baby in a hot car to die twelve years earlier and was acquitted by reason of criminal insanity. It turns out that Missy also had been involved with Tyner before her marriage to the successful businessman Stephen Dawes. Stephen is now remarried with a new baby, and has custody of the two surviving daughters from his marriage to Missy. Missy has returned to Baltimore to see if she can get her daughters back. In addition, she has hired someone to make a documentary about her case in order to educate people about criminal insanity, and to show how society is reluctant to accept such a verdict and grant forgiveness. But matters take a violent turn, and everyone involved is in danger, including Tess. While the pool of possibly guilty people is small, the case is complicated by the fact that almost all of the suspects are very unreliable narrators. Evaluation: Readers get to spend a lot of time with Tess in this installment, and to enjoy her self-deprecating sense of humor and her love of Baltimore. Moreover, many will relate to Tess's struggles with her new existence as a parent.
    • 3/5
      Another thriller from Lippman, Tess Monaghan, now a mother in a committed relationship, still manages to find time for unusual detective work. In her 12th mystery she gets caught up in a convoluted story about a mother who has served time for murdering her baby and now wants a relationship with her older girls. If this is the first Tess Monaghan novel you?ve read, go back and try some of the previous ones, you?ll have a better idea of why so many of us enjoy this series.