By a Spider’s Thread audiobook

I was reading this at the same time as I was re-reading the first book in the Tess Monaghan series (Baltimore Blues), and I was struck by how convincingly Tess has grown up and matured in this series. (I have not read all of the books - I've just been in a mystery mood this week.) In this installment, Tess is hired by an acquaintance of her uncle to track down his missing wife and children. They haven't argued, separated or divorced. The kids and wife were just gone one day, without further contact. The client is an Orthodox Jew who kept his wife on a short leash. About 1/3 of the book is chapters told from the POV of the wife, eldest son, and wife's boyfriend on the run. I really enjoyed the opportunity to get into their heads, and I found the mystery (why did she leave? what was the backstory?) very intriguing, although ultimately it did require a bit of suspension of disbelief for me.One of the things I dislike about the mystery genre is the formulaic PI who is cynical, or who can't love a woman/man, or who hides their own dark secret. Tess has her issues, but she's very ordinary about it. I appreciate that. Melodrama makes me tired, and characters who just become more unlikeable over time make me tired. (I'm talking to you, VI Warshawski.)One frequent mystery trope I do like about these books is that the city they are set in (Baltimore) is almost another character.

This was my first book by Laura Lippman, and I received it in a giveaway from Scene of the Crime and the Publisher. I found the book to be very well written, and I enjoyed it. I would certainly read more books from this author.

I only review books that I love, and By A Spider’s Thread fits into this category! It’s an exciting, action-filled read that also delivers psychological maneuverings by each character trying to survive a deadly game. Lippmann gives all of her characters vibrant personalities and distinct, individual voices, making each chapter extra intense as the reader slowly uncovers the motivations driving the cast. The parts written in the young boy’s POV are especially poignant as he attempts to make sense of the adults’ actions, and to get back to his home and father.

Mark Rubin,Orthodox Jewish business man discovers his wife and three children have left him. He goes to the police who tell him there is no crime in walking away from unhappy marriage. he hires Teas Monaghan a private investigator to find his wife and children. The book touches on Jewish culture which adds to the storyline. I enjoyed the book it had good plot development interesting characters and I was immediately pulled into the story and was surprised at the twist at the end it was unexpected.

From the publisher: When successful Baltimore furrier Mark Rubin’s beautiful wife, Natalie, disappears with their three children, the police turn him away, noting that all evidence indicates she left willingly. And there’s no crime in walking out on an unhappy marriage. Private detective Tess Monaghan is his only hope, but Tess isn’t quite sure what she can do for Mark. She also doesn’t know what to make of her new client’s claim that he and Natalie were the model for wedded bliss. Tess’s instincts tell her there’s something off about Mark’s picture-perfect view of his marriage - - and that he’s withholding information from her. After Tess puts the word out to her network of fellow investigators around the country, she soon locates Natalie and the children. It appears they’ve been traveling from state to state in the company of a mysterious man - - a stranger described by witnesses as “handsome” and “charming” but otherwise unremarkable. As Tess investigates further, she becomes more convinced that Natalie’s motive for running away lies in the gap between what Rubin will not say and what he refuses to believe. But when murder strikes, Tess finds herself involved in an intricate web of betrayal and vengeance - - and now there’s more than one man’s stubborn pride in peril. The lives of three innocent children hang in the balance.Having loved this author’s In a Strange City, published in May of 2016, I have been catching up on her other books that I’d not yet had a chance to read. This is the 8th of what is now 12 in the series, and it is every bit as good as its predecessor novels. Tess, now 33, is a former reporter and now private investigator. When Mark Rubin hires Tess, the first thing about him of which she becomes aware is that he is an observant Jew, Modern Orthodox, as opposed to Hasidic. Tess herself is half-Jewish – her mother’s name being Weinstein - and half Irish, and had “opted for being a nonobservant Jewish Catholic who believes in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny but can hang with the bitter-herb crowd at a seder.” As to Mark, after his father’s death, he became somewhat less observant, when his half-brother, Zeke, came into his and his mother’s lives. Tess sees reflections of herself in Natalie: “the way she saw it, a girl just couldn’t win. You either talked too much or too little. There was denial, that old river in Egypt.”Tess’ long-time boyfriend, Crow, is not on the scene in this entry, and their relationship appears to be in some doubt. For company she has their greyhound, Esskay, and Miata,”the world’s most docile Doberman.” I loved the “Snoop Sisters,” Tess’ “virtual clan,” who give her “that rarest combination of friendly commiseration - - pure empathy and no advice.” Interesting tale, with just the right amount of suspense, and it is recommended. Looking forward to catching up with the others!

This was a great read!

I liked this one.

** spoiler alert ** My Tess Monaghan binge continues...I missed Crow in this one, but great plot-it kept me guessing!

I'm still reading this book, but went ahead and rated because I'm nearly finished and I am enjoying it thoroughly. This is the first Tess Monaghan book I've read of Lippman's, just having discovered her recently. I like her writing style overall and the unique story lines she develops. I also feel like I'm learning something in reading this book, which is always a plus for me.The book centers around an Orthodox Jewish man who wakes up to find his wife has left with his three children. His pursuit of his wife and children and the mystery behind why she left is the basis for the story, but I am learning a great deal about the Jewish belief and lifestyle. I'm enjoying the book and have found it a quick read because I'm drawn from chapter to chapter.

The beginning was a bit slow, but after that the book was difficult to put down. I really enjoyed the books I have read by this author so far.

De draad van de spin begint op intrigerende wijze met de gedachten van een kleine jongen, die niet begrijpt waarom hij met zijn moeder, zusje en broertje bij een vreemde man in de auto zit. De man is niet aardig. Zijn moeder vindt hem wél aardig, maar Isaak wil alleen maar terug naar huis. Hij wil niet opgesloten worden in de kofferbak. Wat is hier aan de hand? Een tipje van de sluier wordt opgelicht als in het volgende hoofdstuk Tess Monaghan bezoek krijgt van Mark Rubin, bonthandelaar. Hij is rijk en succesvol maar zijn vrouw en kinderen zijn verdwenen en de politie doet niets.Tess neemt het op zich de verdwijning van Marks familie te onderzoeken, daarbij geholpen door haar nieuw verworven speurdersvriendinnen op het Internet. Waarom zou de knappe vrouw van een succesvolle man, die volgens eigen zeggen een goed huwelijk had, zomaar verdwijnen? Ze heeft niets meegenomen waardoor Tess in eerste instantie aan een misdrijf denkt. Er is inderdaad een misdrijf in het spel, maar niet van het soort waar Tess en Mark aan denken.Met De draad van de spin heeft Laura Lippman een welhaast psychologische thriller neergezet. Als een rode draad door het verhaal loopt de worsteling die Tess doormaakt nu Crow en zij 'tijdelijk? ' uit elkaar zijn. Daarnaast speelt het verschil tussen Joodse en niet-Joodse mensen, waar Tess als half-Joodse meestal niet zo vreselijk over nadenkt, een grote rol in dit verhaal. Veel van wat er voorafging aan de verdwijning van Nathalie en haar kinderen heeft hiermee te maken. Natuurlijk zit er de benodigde actie in het verhaal, en ook de humoristische noot (de voorbereidingen van Tess' tante voor het huwelijk) ontbreekt niet.Het geheel doet minder Amerikaans aan dan sommige andere boeken van Lippman, is toegankelijker -zelfs als de lezer de stad Baltimore niet goed kent- en na afloop heeft de lezer het gevoel Tess weer een beetje beter te hebben leren kennen. Een bijzonder boek.

By a Spider's Thread showcases the elements Lippman does best. It has her unique way of presenting Baltimore life, landmarks, and history, with a special spotlight in this book on the Jewish community. Tess Monaghan is her usual exasperating but sympathetic, conflicted self, as she continues to struggle with the future of her relationship with her boyfriend Crow and life in general. The plot is REALLY twisty, and I did not figure it out before she revealed it!There was some serendipitous fun in the book. It was written in 2004 and, as all of Lippman's books, it mirrors life extremely well, from the TV shows to the clothing fashions, etc. Things REALLY have changed quite a bit in only 15 years, and the book comes across rather like a period piece in a very good way. There is a bit of roughness that kept me from giving it a 5 rating. The point of view switches periodically to the little boy whose mother has taken him and his siblings from their father and to the man she has gone away with. These passages seemed a bit rough, especially the ones from the little boy's point of view. Unfortunately, the opening scene in the book was from the boy's point of view, and if my friend Kay had not called this one of the best Tee Monaghans I might not have read further. So if you pick it up and your first impression is the same as mine, I suggest you persist. Tess and Lippman do deliver!

I listened to the audiobook on Libby (superbly read by Barbara Rosenblat), and strangely the library I'm a member (and great admirer) of only has this #8 in the series. It might have helped me to follow Tess Monaghan from #1. I gave this 3.5 stars, considering how high my expectations were, then rounded up to 4 (thankfully, Ms Lipmann doesn't have to care).This is easily a great detective story with its fairly well-fleshed-out characters. Tess is, of course, the one that readers (or listeners) will identify most with. But the passages with a child's point of view were my favourites. Among the other characters -- the deceiving wife, her father, and the main schemer -- there were some rough patches. I thought they were the kinds of people you would meet in other very popular American thriller series -- a bit over-the-top. So was the climax. While this book did have the remarkable "unpeeling feeling" that my Laura Lipmann favourites, including Lady in the Lake, have, it was almost as if it had been written with a deliberately different voice for a different set of readers. The discussions of Jewish practices and antisemitism are nuanced and sophisticated. Generally a great read, and highly recommended; just be aware it might feel different from the author's other books.