BALTIMORE BLUES

Lippman's sleuth, Tess Monaghan, has had several outings by now, but this is her first (1997). It was important to establish her character firmly and to involve her in a plot exciting enough to make readers come back for more. Deborah Hazlett backs Lippman's success vocally. She shows Tess as resourceful, emotionally steady, feisty, and clear thinking as the unemployed reporter investigates the murder of a controversial defense lawyer. Other characters, as well as the portrayal of the city of Baltimore, enrich the plot and, in most cases, the audio version. Hazlett's narration sounds a bit reportorial at times, a style that is perhaps a reflection of Tess's vocation and that of Lippman herself. J.B.G. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 07]