P.I. Tess Monaghan goes to Baltimore
The production has been rattled by a series of small fires, a
power outage and, most disturbing, the suicide of a local man who
was apparently stalking the show's 20-year-old rising star, Selene
Waites.
But when an ambitious, young assistant is beaten to death, Tess'
job becomes much more complicated than simply baby-sitting a
spoiled celebrity. It doesn't help that Tess is surrounded by
performers and storytellers, and that most of them have a secret.
Lippman is an authoritative guide to the behind-the-scenes
action at a television production, which is not surprising given
that her husband, David Simon, is the creator of HBO's "The
Wire." The police drama, also based in Baltimore, just completed
its fifth and final season.
Lippman clearly has fun pitting her prickly, wry heroine against
the egotistical Hollywood transplants, particularly Selene, whose
bad-girl behavior and ditsy malapropisms spoof a number of today's
Hollywood tartlets.
But Lippman's characters are too complex to be simple parodies.
Take, for example, an early description of Selene, whom Tess
compares to a toddler: "a mercurial being that was all id, focused
on satisfying her desires as she experienced them, determined to
control anything she could, because, on some level, she sensed that
she controlled nothing."
Lippman's nuanced characterizations extend to the rest of the
supporting cast, which includes a vain, aging Hollywood heartthrob;
a self-indulgent, but insecure writer; and a local girl desperate
to grab her last chance at fortune.
As always, Lippman's beloved hometown also plays a starring role
in the novel. "Another Thing to Fall," like most of her books, is
sprinkled with bits of Baltimore trivia and history, as well as
what amounts to mini-reviews of the city's local restaurants.
However, this novel doesn't quite achieve the suspense of some
of Lippman's previous work. Lippman shifts points of view
throughout the narrative, so the reader knows the killer's identity
long before Tess. And while Lippman does a masterful job of
revealing the thoughts of an assortment of interesting characters,
the detours tend to slow the action rather than advance it.
In the end, "Another Thing to Fall" is a welcome addition to
Tess Monaghan's adventures and an insightful look at the
desperation that drives those grasping for a shot at fame and those
who will do anything to keep it. Lippman's fans will be anxious for
the next installment.
