Amber Glass was an honor student who became known as the “Prom Mom” after a baby was found in a hotel room. She then spent most of the rest of her adulthood pulling away from her hometown of Baltimore and from her legacy as the girl who killed her baby.
Circumstance and fate had other ideas. Pulled back to Baltimore to deal with an inheritance, Amber has returned and compelled to stay. There’s something about coming home, no matter what the experience was the first time.
Told along the timeline of the Covid pandemic and 2020 election, this thriller from Laura Lippman is one that should not be missed. This is a story about regret, about honor and about revenge. There’s a perfect marriage, a husband who is confused, a woman who is trying to redeem her past mistakes and a young upstart who is used to getting what she wants.
Joe is more than just “Cad Dad'. Since coming back to Baltimore, he’s worked hard to rebuild that golden boy status and having a beautiful wife helps. When Amber, his former prom date, comes back, Joe can’t help but remember their closeness and connection.
Admittedly, I was a little disappointed in the pandemic timeline, it actually served the sneaking around and secrets part of this tale quite well. As a reader of Laura Lippman’s previous books, I was excited to have the opportunity to read this one as well. I was not disappointed. The last 5% of this book changed EVERYTHING and made the boring and strange days of the pandemic worth it.
As suspected, Laura Lippman knocked this one out of the part. Nothing that happens is what you expect and that’s the best part of this book. Sometimes redemption and revenge can work together to bring the clarity that was needed long before.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.