Customer Reviews

Butcher's Hill (A Tess Monaghan Mystery)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is the third of the Tess Monaghan books. Mysteries are often filled with cardboard characters and one or two well developed characters. Laura Lippman doesn't work that way. All her characters are imperfect, but then, so are real people. The characters in this, and the other two novels in this series are interesting and have twists and turns in their characteristics that are as amusing as are the twists and turns of the plots. Normally, I don't identify with female protagonists, but Tess is such an interesting person that even a straight guy such as myself enjoys her point of view.

I recently had the opportunity to meet Laura Lippman when she came around to the local library to talk to her fans. She's also an interesting character.

Even though I didn't particular care for the first two books in the Tess Monaghan series, a friend's recent relocation to Baltimore gave me enough of a nudge to go ahead and try the third. This installment opens with a prologue involving an altercation between a proud old man and a group of foster children running wild, which doesn't end well. Fast forward five years to the present, and we find former newspaper reporter Tess hanging out her shingle as a private investigator, complete with office in the titular semi-seedy neighborhood. (Given her relative ineptitude in the other two books, I'm not sure why her lawyer-rowing coach-mentor Tyler Gray thinks it's a good idea to push her into becoming a detective, but whatever.)

Her first two cases present themselves on the same day. The first is Luther, the old man seen in the prologue, just released from five years in prison on gun charges stemming from the incident in the prologue. He wants Tess to track down the kids so that he can try and do some good. Her other client is a young professional black woman around her own age, seeking to track down her estranged sister. Of course, neither case is quite what it seems at first glance, and various reversals and revelations make for a rocky start to Tess's detecting career.

They also make for a somewhat more compelling read than the previous two books in the series, although this one is also far from perfect. For one thing, the prologue presents a very obvious clue to the reader about the events of that evening five years previously, leaving the reader wondering for more than half the book just when Tess is going to be given the same information. And of course, when she does, it isn't the stunning scene it's meant to be. There's also a logical problem involving the other client's case, involving a "test" the client gives Tess, and its relation to the client's motivation for hiring her. I don't want to reveal anything, but the rationale for this test makes no sense in light of later revelations. Finally, Tess continues to be a rather dim investigator. Her two cases here are basically tracking people down, and she seems to have little notion of how to do this, and once again, she has to rely on family connections to arrive at one of her breakthroughs, and outsource computer searching to another person.

On the plus side, Tess emerges as a richer character in this book (although still not one I'm hugely fond of). As in the last book, one plotline ends up entangling her family, and here we get a richer picture of her family dynamics (although her colorful Aunt Kitty is thankfully absent for most of the book). The book's highlight is the nicely realized construction of a friendship between Tess and her female client. The two plotlines also take the reader into the politics and economics of adoptions and foster care, making some interesting public policy commentary along the way. On the whole, I'm still rather underwhelmed by the series (given the amount of positive press it's received), but this is a notch better, so maybe like a lot of crime fiction authors, Lippman gets better as she writes more.

Butchers Hill is the best of the series. There are many surprising twists. And well-constructed: I quickly got trapped in the dream of the novel, switching focus as the author placed different lenses of perspective on the "facts" presented to Tess. I also like that Tess herself puts together incorrect suppositions. It's real to life -- unlike, say, Mickey Spillane. Though mystery aficionados might find Tess' humanity a nuisance.

Nice touch with the convict's dictionary-derived pedantry; I wish it had been carried further (in Charm City Laura did a similar thing with Spike's assistant's forming statements as questions).

One caveat for the author: the heroine's family/friend environment is starting to resemble a Tom Clancylike picture of social palatability, albeit with an NPR-approved, nineties urbanite twist. Sigh. I mean, what's next? Kitty becomes a lesbian and finally can enjoy a meaningful relationship? There might be more dimension in revealing the humanity of one who is politically anathema to the author. Readers should check out NYC journalist Sparkle Hayter's wacky mysteries. Though I prefer Baltimore!

I read a series mystery for character, and a character is not interesting if she doesn't grow. With Butcher's Hill, Lippman takes us, and her character, inside the seedy side of Baltimore and adoption politics, and Lippman is a mistress of both. You always feel Baltimore when you read her books. More important, she takes you along with Tess. I love Tess. Lippman's protagonist is delightfully human. Like your little sister, the one you are frustrated with, hope the best for, love, admire, and wish she'd straighten up and find someone decent to love, Tess bumbles and fumbles her way through a life that's wonderfully rich, complex and authentic. Welcome to Baltimore. Welcome to Tess's world. And welcome another Lippman success. I can't wait for the next one!

Lippman's writing continues to improve. She does a wonderful job of letting her characters age and learn from life, and the actual "mystery" is better than the two previous books. I do tend to think Lippman throws in a bit too much at the end (facts that suddenly change the direction of the story), but this fact didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. If for no other reason, this book is worth reading to get to the next (In Big Trouble) - the best of the series, in my opinion.

It took me a while to start enjoying this book. There are a number of subtle references to current pop culture (commercials, country songs, coffee salons) that feel extraneous to the story and don't really add to character or plot development.

On the plus side, that seemed to diminish by the second half of the book, the plot picked up and there were plenty of surprise twists to keep me guessing.

Overall, it's a decent light read, but its a far step from great literature.

Tess really becomes a person in this third entry in this series. As the reader learns more about the missing children, more is also revealed about Tess and her relationships with her somewhat unorthodox family. The secondary characters become nearly fully realized and Tess becomes a likable hero. The two plot lines are nicely interwoven and believably resolved. Living close to the scene of the action, it's fun to recognize the foibles, flaws, and strengths of the book's setting.

This is a solid addition to the Tess Monaghan series. What it lacks in characterization is made up through a solid setting and some very good plot twists. It is interesting to read Lippman's books in order to see how Tess grows and also how the author develops better stories and mysteries.

With each Tess Monaghan book I read, the more I like her. In Lippman's first book, "Baltimore Blues," I was disappointed in Tess's character, coming to dislike her as much as I dislike Stephanie Plum in Janet Evanovich's books. She seemed bumbling, unintelligent, and generally unlikable.

In "Butcher's Hill," Lippman has Tess juggling two cases, which means two separate storylines for us. Lippman does a marvelous job balancing the two stories without neglecting or overdoing either of them. While both cases where underwhelming for my taste, I enjoyed watching Tess develop into a stronger, sharper, independent woman while she still struggles with her own flaws. I was pleasantly surprised at the turn of events at the end of the book, although I felt the ending was a bit rushed. I think the case involving Luther Beale seemed a bit rushed at the end and I feel like it could have ended a little more gracefully.

I'm very pleased with Lippman's books and her further development with Tess. I look forward to reading more!

The Last Saint

I read a Laura Lippman novel and decided to start at the beginning and work my way toward the latest.
I'm now reading Butchers Hill and like the other books by Lippman I can never lose myself in them as I would a John Sandford or Stephen King novel. I find myself looking at the clock while reading Lippman or after about 1 hour I find I have to stop.
I think the reason is the stories are detailed. You meet several characters and find out all about them quickly. Also, her characters often meet at certain places or go someplace together so you get quite a description about what the locale is like.
I don't want to say I need an easy read or that I can't concentrate it's just that I don't lose track of time reading these stories. They're a bit dry actually.
HOwever, the writing is good and there is something interesting about her character's ideas.
I'll continue reading them but with breaks in between.
**Just finished Butchers Hill and I have to say the confrontation at the end was ridiculous and seems unrealistic to me.**