Laura Lippman | SUNBURN

Plot (via Goodreads):

One is playing a long game. But which one?

They meet at a local tavern in the small town of Belleville, Delaware. Polly is set on heading west. Adam says he’s also passing through.

Yet she stays and he stays—drawn to this mysterious redhead whose quiet stillness both unnerves and excites him. Over the course of a punishing summer, Polly and Adam abandon themselves to a steamy, inexorable affair. Still, each holds something back from the other—dangerous, even lethal, secrets that begin to accumulate as autumn approaches, feeding the growing doubts they conceal.

Then someone dies. Was it an accident, or part of a plan? By now, Adam and Polly are so ensnared in each other’s lives and lies that neither one knows how to get away—or even if they want to. Is their love strong enough to withstand the truth, or will it ultimately destroy them?

Something—or someone—has to give.

Which one will it be?

Review:

Laura Lippman has written one hell of a mystery novel with this tightly wound noir novel with a shining and terrifying hint of a psychological thriller. This novel starts off with a kick to the gut in a remarkable "what is going on?!" moments and doesn't let you go until the chilling and bitter finale that left me gasping.

Laura Lippman is a spirited and talented writer that not only blends together a noir novel with tormented and deceptively raw characters, but also builds an air of suspense, foreshadowing and warning the reader that not all is what it appears to be. This one is so mesmerizing and addictive. There's an ominous tone with this novel that mixed with the scent of sea salt and the hum of the sun baking on the blacktop draws the reader into a wicked web of deception, lies, and two people with sordid pasts and secrets galore. Also, it's set in 1995, so I couldn't get enough. What I really appreciate with this one is Lippman's way of taking you back to the 90s when things were a little easier to get away with. This novel is a pure mystery novel without any worry of technology or cell phones. It's just the purest way of getting away with murder and deceiving everyone. I loved how this one had that feel of the 90s suspense thrillers, like Basic Instinct. The storyline flowed effortlessly without being predictable, which is just a prime example with how amazing Laura Lippman's writing is. The two main characters, Adam and Polly were just so fun and delicious reading. I loved how the storyline went back and forth in their perspectives and I also loved how we occasionally got the perspective of other characters and could kind of see what's going on through an outsiders eyes. So. Beautiful. The character of Polly is just so brilliant, calling her a three-dimensional character wouldn't be doing her justice. Also, Adam is not only the brooding and perfect male protagonist, but balances Polly's personality so radiantly, I found myself at times not even worrying about the mystery aspect of this novel, but actually enjoying the romantic side.

So listen, bottom line is that this novel is so amazing and addicting and brilliantly crafted, that I can't begin to wonder what Lippman will do next. I mean, this woman could write a book about aliens shopping at J. Crew and I would still devour it. No one, and I mean no one can compare to the masterful storytelling that Laura Lippman is capable of. In fact, I may be checking out her back catalog to experience more from the master.

*Special thanks to William Morrow for providing me with this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 5/5