Customer Reviews

The Sugar House

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Tess Monaghan is a blue collar woman in Baltimore, the ultimate blue collar city. She agrees to take a case for a friend of her father's--trying to find out why the friend's brother died in prison. Her investigation leads her into both the upper reaches of society and down to a strange underworld of prostitution, unethical centers for treatment of eating disorders, and crooked politicians.

Laura Lippman has surrounded Tess with a charming assortment of friends and family members. Their obvious affection for Tess makes her more compelling to the reader. As Tess steps more and more deeply into danger, you'll find yourself turning the pages faster and faster. The mystery is well crafted and Lippman dangles clues, one by one, leaving the reader like Tess certain that there is a way of connecting them without actually able to do it.

This book is especially popular in Maryland which is great--as a longtime resident of Maryland I felt at home reading it--but it is far to good to be missed out on by the rest of us.

THE SUGAR HOUSE may be the best mystery you read this year.

As a mystery writer with my first book in its initial release, I genuinely admire Laura Lippman, an author who is clearly at the top of her game. SUGAR HOUSE is Lippman's first hardcover mystery, and it is a fabulous novel. Lippman's protagonist, Tess Monaghan, agrees to her father's request and attempts to identify a nameless dead girl whose murderer himself was murdered. To accomplish this task, Lippman takes us on a tour of the Atlantic coast. Tess journeys from her usual stomping grounds of Baltimore to Annapolis, Philadelphia, and Maryland's Eastern Shore. Lippman continues to develop her Tess character, as well as several supporting characters. SUGAR HOUSE's plot is first-rate, and Lippman's writing is smooth. It is difficult to believe that it has taken five paperback books for Tess to reach hardcover. SUGAR HOUSE is a great mystery, and I recommend it highly.

WOW! Start with the cover with its dawn view across Baltimore's famed Inner Harbor of Domino's "Sugar House." Inside it gets even better. Laura knows Bawlmer and brings it to life. Throughout the Tess Monaghan series, she brings you the sights; the smells of McCormick's spices wafting across the harbor; the taste and diversity of the ethnic neighborhoods and foods (although I think I'll pass on the 'green pepper rings with powdered sugar'). Combine this with a well rounded mystery story with well developed and believable characters (including the animals) and you have a great book. Each of her books can be read individually, but I recommend starting with the first of the series, BALTIMORE BLUES, and following the series in order. And it's not just for Baltimoreans -- most other cities have similar neighborhoods, so no matter where you're from you will ENJOY!

I have been following the story and career of Tess since the very beginning and I must say that The Sugar House is the very best novel in the series to date. It is a fascinating journey leading through the Locust Point section of South Baltimore to the eastern shore. Tesser, along with her boyfriend Crowe, and best friend Whitney never have a dull moment. A fantastic read for those of you with a tie to Baltimore and a great read for those of you who don't. I highly recommend The Sugar House. I just could not put this one down.

The Sugar House starts out with Tess trying to help a friend of her father's find out why her brother was killed in prision. This involves finding out who her brother killed to wind up in prision. Thus, Tess has to solve a Jane Doe murder. The only problem is that no one knows who this girl is or where she even came from. But determined to help her father, Tess starts out. With the help of her frind Whittney and her boyfriend Crowe she manages to track the girl to an exclusive eating disorder's clinic. Where she has to "fall overboard" to even get to talk to the patients.

As Tess digs deeper in the mystery all sorts of others don't want her too. She ends up getting shot at and her parent's house being burnt down. All to save a certain someone the embarrasement of losing his distinguished career.

I found the book a little hard to get into, but after about 100 pages it went really fast and the ending shocked me! It is a very good read and Tess is so much like your next door neighbor it is almost scary.

One of the many charming aspects of Baltimore City is the harbor view of the "Domino Sugars" neon sign that stands outlike an icon over the inner harbor. Most real Baltimoreans would not dream of buying any other brand of granulated sugar. It is perceived as a local product.

Laura Lippman, who is rapidly becoming another Baltimore icon, has hit another home run with her latest book, "Sugar House". I read it cover to cover in one long day. And while it was rather pricey for a one day read, it was excellent. It amuses me that she persists in referring to "The Sun" as the "Daily Blight". There are those locally who view our world famous newspaper as a blight. The sites and scenes she describes are vividly accurate especially the descriptive detail of the "Locust Point" neighborhood and the pinnacle of that area, "Fort McHenry" where the "Star Spangled Banner" was born during the War of 1812.

The incidence of illegal pay phones is as real in Baltimore as it most likely is in other urban centers around the nation. The problem of eating disorders is genuine and overshadowed only by the lack of something to eat that so many more suffer. Homelessness and poverty are even more noticeable throughout the city than is bulemia and anorexia nervosa.

I strongly recommend "Sugar House" to any and all mystery fans. For Baltimoreans and Marylanders, it is a "must read." Read all of her books, for sure.

Laura Lippman keeps proving to the world that she is a fantastic writer. With SUGAR HOUSE, she has even topped herself - which isn't easy! This is a must-read, and a sure award-winner. Lippman's characters are real, breathing beings, even secondary characters walk around on the pages of this novel, demanding to be noticed. A tour de force by one of mystery fiction's best!

When her brother goes to jail for killing a Jane Doe and he himself is killed, Ruth Denbrow hires Tess Monaghan to find out the truth regarding the Jane Doe murder. Sometimes the truth is more than you expect because this investigation will reveal some truths hidden by Tess's own father.

This is the fifth installment in the Tess Monaghan series set in Baltimore and Lippman is superb! In addition to solving murders she tackles issues such as eating disorders, shady treatment centers, liquor licensing and family relationships. Sugar House is a little slow starting but soon delivers a powerful punch and perplexing plotline. This is a must read for every mystery fan.

I just discovered this author and enjoyed this book very much. You don't have to read the first Tess books to enjoy this one which is always a plus with a series. The plot was unusual and the characters were realistic. I liked Tess and I was interested in her city and the situation. Lippman gave me some points to ponder as well as some medical conditions that I have researched a bit. That's always good to have someone stretch your mind a bit and that's what Lippman did with me. I recommend this book to folks who like mysteries and folks who read for pleasure as well as to learn a little something every now and then.

If you love Baltimore, you'll love this book. It's a bit less direct than her earlier books and this is probably an improvement. She's getting better at spinning together more complicated plots with more complicated narratives.