Hush Hush

'Hush Hush is cleverly told, often via chunks of interview transcript from the documentary. Dawes and Monaghan are poles apart, but Lippman unites them to make salient points about the invidious labeling of women as good or bad mothers. It's refreshing how chaotic and ordinary Lippman allows Monaghan to be, without ever making her boring.'

'As in all her novels, Lippman delivers a first-class mystery, but there are also plenty of intelligent insights into damaged individuals and family dynamics.'

'A humorous narrative belies the dark areas this clever thriller explores.'

'As a former journalist, Lippman's accurately captured the working of the media (all too rarely the case in crime novels) and she's just as confident with the intricacies of the legal process. The real success of this novel, though, is its honest portrayal of motherhood within an intricate plot that takes you steadily deeper into the secrets and lies of a wealthy American family. "Being a mother was like being trapped in the first 15 minutes of a horror film," is one character's take on the perpetual anxiety of caring for a baby.'

'Laura Lippman has, for a couple of decades, been one of the most consistent and rewarding crime writers around, garnering acclaim but somehow never getting fully into the headlight lesser talents have occupied...Navigating a maelstrom of feelings and emotions, Tess has to face difficult questions and situations as she gets to grips with the case and mines sensitive psychological depths with pinpoint generosity and acuity. A welcome back to a favourite character after several years of stand alone titles.'

'Overall then a terrific character driven mystery story that will keep you turning those pages until the final revelations - the subject matter is horrific but handled with grace and authenticity whilst still being a fantastic crime fiction novel.'