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And When She Was Good: A Novel
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Perennial New York Times and nationally bestselling author and acclaimed multiple–prize winner Laura Lippman delivers a brilliant novel about a woman with a secret life who is forced to make desperate choices to save her son and herself.
When Hector Lewis told his daughter that she had a nothing face, it was just another bit of tossed-off cruelty from a man who specialized in harsh words and harsher deeds. But twenty years later, Heloise considers it a blessing to be a person who knows how to avoid attention. In the comfortable suburb where she lives, she's just a mom, the youngish widow with a forgettable job who somehow never misses a soccer game or a school play. In the state capitol, she's the redheaded lobbyist with a good cause and a mediocre track record.
But in discreet hotel rooms throughout the area, she's the woman of your dreams—if you can afford her hourly fee.
For more than a decade, Heloise has believed she is safe. She has created a rigidly compartmentalized life, maintaining no real friendships, trusting few confidantes. Only now her secret life, a life she was forced to build after the legitimate world turned its back on her, is under siege. Her once oblivious accountant is asking loaded questions. Her longtime protector is hinting at new, mysterious dangers. Her employees can't be trusted. One county over, another so-called suburban madam has been found dead in her car, a suicide. Or is it?
Nothing is as it seems as Heloise faces a midlife crisis with much higher stakes than most will ever know.
And then she learns that her son's father might be released from prison, which is problematic because he doesn't know he has a son. The killer and former pimp also doesn't realize that he's serving a life sentence because Heloise betrayed him. But he's clearly beginning to suspect that Heloise has been holding something back all these years.
With no formal education, no real family, and no friends, Heloise has to remake her life—again. Disappearing will be the easy part. She's done it before and she can do it again. A new name and a new place aren't hard to come by if you know the right people. The trick will be living long enough to start a new life.
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Start ReadingBook Information
And When She Was Good: A Novel
Description
Perennial New York Times and nationally bestselling author and acclaimed multiple–prize winner Laura Lippman delivers a brilliant novel about a woman with a secret life who is forced to make desperate choices to save her son and herself.
When Hector Lewis told his daughter that she had a nothing face, it was just another bit of tossed-off cruelty from a man who specialized in harsh words and harsher deeds. But twenty years later, Heloise considers it a blessing to be a person who knows how to avoid attention. In the comfortable suburb where she lives, she's just a mom, the youngish widow with a forgettable job who somehow never misses a soccer game or a school play. In the state capitol, she's the redheaded lobbyist with a good cause and a mediocre track record.
But in discreet hotel rooms throughout the area, she's the woman of your dreams—if you can afford her hourly fee.
For more than a decade, Heloise has believed she is safe. She has created a rigidly compartmentalized life, maintaining no real friendships, trusting few confidantes. Only now her secret life, a life she was forced to build after the legitimate world turned its back on her, is under siege. Her once oblivious accountant is asking loaded questions. Her longtime protector is hinting at new, mysterious dangers. Her employees can't be trusted. One county over, another so-called suburban madam has been found dead in her car, a suicide. Or is it?
Nothing is as it seems as Heloise faces a midlife crisis with much higher stakes than most will ever know.
And then she learns that her son's father might be released from prison, which is problematic because he doesn't know he has a son. The killer and former pimp also doesn't realize that he's serving a life sentence because Heloise betrayed him. But he's clearly beginning to suspect that Heloise has been holding something back all these years.
With no formal education, no real family, and no friends, Heloise has to remake her life—again. Disappearing will be the easy part. She's done it before and she can do it again. A new name and a new place aren't hard to come by if you know the right people. The trick will be living long enough to start a new life.
About the author
Reviews
A high end prostitute with a dark past tries to juggle multiple problems to provide a good life for her son.
Rating: 4I've read this book four times. Each time, I never get bored with it. The adventures and plights of Helen kept my eyes glued to the book. Laura fleshed out her character very well. When she was good, she was very, very good. When she was bad, she was terrible.
Rating: 5And When She Was Good by Laura Lippman is the third stand-alone book I have read of Lippman’s many books, this however, was my least favorite. The writing is solid as I have come to expect from Lippman, unfortunately I did not care for Heloise/Helen. It is rather rare for me to thoroughly enjoy a book when I dislike the main character, and that was the case with And When She Was Good, I just could not get past my disdain for Heloise/Helen. Would I recommend the book to others? Of course, I cannot dismiss the book simply because I felt nothing for the main character, however I would suggest readers look at other reviews as this may be just the mystery you are looking for.
Rating: 3I won this from the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.This was a fantastically written, very compelling book. It was not the murder mystery that I thought it was, and if I hadn't been mistaken I might have skipped it and truly missed out on an excellent read. I will definitely be checking out some of Laura's other books because I really did like her writing.
Rating: 5I thought the writing was quite good, but the story was not very interesting. How someone so intelligent could at the same time be so stupid was irritating. I didn't care for Helen/Heloise at all.
Rating: 3In Laura Lippman's And When She Was Good Heloise Lewis, aka Helen, is, from all appearances, a single mother and successful lobbyist for the Women's Full Employment Network living in Turner's Grove, Maryland. Only a select number of people know that in reality she is a suburban madam. Heloise keeps her personal life and privacy carefully guarded while she tries to run her successful business and raise her son.
Heloise grew up as Helen Lewis, the daughter of an abusive father and submissive mother. When her father told her that her looks were forgettable (and later beat her), she took it to heart and now, as an adult, she tries to blend in, and avoid arousing anyone's suspicions. While she blames her father for the path her life took and her lack of education, they are the result of Heloise's own poor choices. But Heloise is intelligent and resourceful, as she manages to build up a successful business behind a legitimate business facade.
The chapters alternate between the current day Heloise and Helen from earlier times. As Heloise struggles with her current problems, we slowly learn what took place in her life as Helen and how her actions and decisions back then are encroaching on her life today. Heloise wants to live a quiet life with her son, Scott, but circumstances are looking more and more like someone wants her dead - and it could be Scott's father, a man who knows nothing about his son. Most people think Heloise is a widow, but Scott's father is alive and well - and in prison.
The suspense slowly builds as more and more of Heloise's past is revealed and the reader begins to suspect the problems that may arise in her present situation. While it's no real surprise who the bad guys are in this novel, it is a pleasure reading to find out what is going to happen next. In deference to Lippman's considerable talent and writing ability, I'll admit I read And When She Was Good quite quickly because I was simply unable to put it down.
I did struggle with an inability to be completely accepting of Helen's feelings that she was trapped in her life's choices. I just kept saying in my mind that her problems were a result of her poor choices. Yes her father was an abusive jerk, but he didn't force her down the path she chose. And, while I agree that in the sex and porn industry that the women are someone's daughter, neighbor, mother, sister, it should be noted that the men who objectify and take advantage of the woman are a large part of the problem. It is a hot topic that merits debate way beyond the scope of a novel.
Highly Recommended
Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher and TLC for review purposes.
Rating: 4Heloise grew up as Helen Lewis, the daughter of an abusive father and submissive mother. When her father told her that her looks were forgettable (and later beat her), she took it to heart and now, as an adult, she tries to blend in, and avoid arousing anyone's suspicions. While she blames her father for the path her life took and her lack of education, they are the result of Heloise's own poor choices. But Heloise is intelligent and resourceful, as she manages to build up a successful business behind a legitimate business facade.
The chapters alternate between the current day Heloise and Helen from earlier times. As Heloise struggles with her current problems, we slowly learn what took place in her life as Helen and how her actions and decisions back then are encroaching on her life today. Heloise wants to live a quiet life with her son, Scott, but circumstances are looking more and more like someone wants her dead - and it could be Scott's father, a man who knows nothing about his son. Most people think Heloise is a widow, but Scott's father is alive and well - and in prison.
The suspense slowly builds as more and more of Heloise's past is revealed and the reader begins to suspect the problems that may arise in her present situation. While it's no real surprise who the bad guys are in this novel, it is a pleasure reading to find out what is going to happen next. In deference to Lippman's considerable talent and writing ability, I'll admit I read And When She Was Good quite quickly because I was simply unable to put it down.
I did struggle with an inability to be completely accepting of Helen's feelings that she was trapped in her life's choices. I just kept saying in my mind that her problems were a result of her poor choices. Yes her father was an abusive jerk, but he didn't force her down the path she chose. And, while I agree that in the sex and porn industry that the women are someone's daughter, neighbor, mother, sister, it should be noted that the men who objectify and take advantage of the woman are a large part of the problem. It is a hot topic that merits debate way beyond the scope of a novel.
Highly Recommended
Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher and TLC for review purposes.
Heloise, suburbun madam
Rating: 4She pours another glass of wine, finishing a bottle for the first time in years, yet feeling as if she’s not drinking alone, far from it. She’s one of a dozen, a hundred, a thousand, a million women, holding a glass and staring into space, asking herself the musical questions she used to hear on soupy, soapy WFEN radio: What’s it all about? Is that all there is? What are you doing with the rest of your life? - from And When She Was Good, page 125 -Heloise is living in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland with her eleven year old son, looking like most of the other women who drive their kids to school, drink coffee at the local cafe, and shop for the latest fashion trends. But, Heloise is hiding a secret. Her son’s father, Val, has not died the tragic death which Heloise has told her neighbors about…instead he sits in prison for murder because of Heloise’s cooperation with police. Val not only does not know the part Heloise has played in his conviction, but he also has no idea he has a son – a secret Heloise is committed to keeping. And Heloise is not supporting her lifestyle from some insurance payout, instead she runs a high end prostitution business where the customers are some of the most powerful men in politics and one misstep could upend her carefully constructed life.Heloise has learned to lie and hide, to compartmentalize her life so that she can give her son everything she never had…and it all seems to be working out until Heloise discovers that Val’s life imprisonment might be overturned, and a certain suburban Madam from the next town over is arrested and then found dead in her garage. Are the two incidents connected? And if so, what does that mean for Heloise?Laura Lippman will not disappoint her fans with this newest novel about the dark, despairing world of prostitution and the incomparable love of a mother for her son. Heloise is a surprisingly compassionate protagonist, a woman who survives the abusive hand of her stepfather only to find herself caught up in a life of meaningless sex for money. She is willing to do what it takes to survive, and is determined to make a life for her child even if it means risking everything. Heloise has learned to flatten her affect, disengage from others, be the keeper of her own life…and yet, she has dreams and desires that require her to trust. This dichotomy is what provides the tension in the novel.Lippman’s exploration of a woman’s value in society, which is often measured in her ability to balance the demands of marriage, motherhood and profession, elevates the book beyond a simple psychological thriller. Heloise represents many women – those who have suffered and survived domestic violence, those who have sacrificed for their children, those who have struggled to find their professional path, those who have fought for something better and have fallen and gotten back up again. Lippman’s talent as an author shines in this aspect of the novel – illuminating the challenges of women in a society which often demeans them.No one values her. That was a painful lesson to learn at her father’s knee – at the end of her father’s arm, at the flat of his palm – but once she absorbed it, she flourished. It doesn’t matter what others think she is worth. She sets the price. – from And When She Was Good, page 81 -I have loved previous novels by Lippman, but I think And When She Was Good is her best effort to date. Complex characters, themes relevant to today’s women, and a plot that is keenly observed and brilliantly executed. I read this novel in record time, not wanting to set it down for too long before picking it back up.Readers who love literary thrillers and want deeply developed characters along with a fast-paced plot, will not want to miss this one.Highly Recommended.
Rating: 5Crime fiction is not a genre I frequently read, but I am a fan of the TV shows Weeds and Breaking Bad, so Laura Lippman's novel And When She Was Good, about a suburban single mom who runs a prostitution business, intrigued me. (I also live a block away from the place where a woman in NYC was accused of running a high-priced call girl ring.)We meet teenage Helen, verbally abused by her unemployed father, a man separated from his wife and children, and living with Helen and her mother. He becomes more and more erratic and Helen becomes involved with the son of the owner of the restaurant where she works to make money for college.The boyfriend is a troubled guy, a drug user, and convinces Helen to run away with him. Helen ends up working at a strip club and eventually as a prostitute. She trades in the bad boyfriend for Val, who is even worse, a serious pimp with a bad temper and a gun. When Val kills a man and Helen becomes pregnant, she plots her escape.Flash forward and Helen is now Heloise, living in the suburbs and raising her twelve-year-old son. She is also running an internet prostitution ring, along with the help of her au pair/assistant Audrey. The only other person she can count on is Tom, a cop who knows what she does and protects her because she once helped him.Heloise keeps a low profile:"She always stands apart on the soccer field, her conversations with the other mothers polite yet fleeting. She's not sure whose fault that is. She stopped trying to figure out if she's standoffish because other mothers snub her or if she's snubbed because the other mothers sense she's standoffish. For the most part, she tells herself that's she's happy for their neglect... True, she encourages incuriosity in most people. Yet it's still hurtful to see how easily people fall into line with one's desire to be ignored."When another suburban madam's murder is made to look like suicide, and Heloise discovers that the man she put behind bars may be getting out of prison and one of her former employees tries to blackmail her, things begin to fall apart.And When She Was Good is a page-turner of a novel, with twists and turns, and you will read it in one sitting. Helen is a tough, smart, resourceful lady, but like Walter White from Breaking Bad and Nancy Botwin from Weeds, Helen sees a secret life of crime as her only solution to the problem of making enough money to support her family, but also like them, she discovers that her decision is bound to catch up with her.The writing is crisp, the characters (even the minor ones) interesting, and the tension ratchets up with each turn of the page. I chewed off more than a few fingernails by the end. (I know, a bad habit) Lippman writes a crackling good novel, and I will be looking for more of her books when I'm in the mood for crime fiction.
Rating: 4Heloise Lewis is the proprietor of an escort service whose clients tend to be Washington politicians. She is also a single mother to Scott, a preteen. She has been able to keep her private and professional lives separate so she can build a safe world for her son, but that world starts crumbling. Prostitutes who worked for Val, Heloise’s former pimp, die and Heloise suspects they have been murdered and wonders if she might be next. Will she be able to reinvent herself and begin a new life?In many ways the book is not really a thriller; the pacing initially is rather slow for a suspense novel. The book is more of a character study, albeit a flawed one. Through flashbacks we learn about how Heloise found herself following this particular lifestyle, and she becomes someone for whom we have compassion. She is indeed not perfect; she herself says, “It was a toss-up who had caused more damage in the world, she or Val.” She is, however, a survivor whose priority is her son. She is an intelligent and astute woman, although there are a couple of instances where she inexplicably fails to recognize people’s true motives. The other problem is that she continues to visit Val, who is in prison for murder, even though she fears him and hides from him the fact that she bore his child. Why she doesn’t cut all ties is not convincingly explained.The characterization is good in that Heloise is developed into a dynamic character. For example, she is very judgmental of her mother, but eventually realizes, “She’s been a dupe, a sap. She is, in short, as unwitting as her own mother.” She recognizes another similarity: “It was never her intention to ruin anyone. She was only offering girls the same life she had fashioned for herself. Her mother, she realizes, could make the same realization.” In the end she forgives her mother, hoping that forgiveness has “transitive properties.”The book explores a woman’s value in society. Heloise believes, “No one values her.” She takes this “painful lesson” and uses it to her advantage, deciding, “It doesn’t matter what others think she is worth. She sets the price.” The book is a worthwhile read for its addressing misconceptions about prostitutes and the challenges women face in a society which often demeans them.
Rating: 3Lippman presents an interesting story about a "madam" and how she became a madam. The story does not go into vivid description of the murder scenes, or into Helen/Heloise's fall from grace. The story follows Helen's life in all the sadness and triumph. The story misses the depth of degradation and hopelessness that is shown in the books of Tess Gerritsen. Lippmann presents a Technicolor movie version minus the grit.
Rating: 3Over the last few years Lippman has been taking a break from her long-running series featuring Tess Monaghan and focusing on stand-alone novels. I think it's a great way to explore different personalities, predicaments and resolutions without having to force them into a pattern that might not do them justice; that is as part of one of Tess's investigations. I like the little cameos she slips in from that world though. This time it was Tiner who made an appearance.While this books is billed as a thriller, I don't know if it really is. Mild suspense maybe, but a thriller - no. Heloise isn't in enough danger to make the story thrilling or induce dread. Sure, her position isn't terrific, being in thrall to her old pimp and being blackmailed by an employee, but she doesn't connect up the other killings to her own scenario early enough and when she does, there hasn't been any tension to crest so the threat basically falls flat and resolves itself rather quickly.No, what this book is is the story of a woman's downfall. It's not a unique story, but the way it's told (interleaved flashbacks inserted into the present narrative) is well done and it's easy to see how Heloise's past constructed her current mindset. The way she approaches the shitty situations she gets herself into are reasonable and detached She's not the quickest off the mark, neither is she the most ruthless when finally pushed into action, but she is determined and methodical. I think she realizes full well what giving in to her emotions got her. Her extreme compartmentalization works for her and she does not let her two lives intersect. She says it's difficult sometimes and takes full-concentration, but she pulls it off. I couldn't wait to see how she dealt with each of the people threatening her life. Hector Lewis needed more of a comeuppance than he got, but as it is with the Hector Lewises of the world, he doesn't suffer much consequences. No, that's Heloise's fate.The book's title eludes me a bit, but the lock of red hair on the cover is especially poignant. The lengths this woman goes to to protect her son is pretty amazing. No hint of his true origins can be allowed. Constant vigilance must be maintained. I was exhausted just reading about Heloise and what she's had to do to salvage her screwed up life. While not thrilling, it was engrossing.
Rating: 3Impressive novel written with wit and talent unique to Lippman. She takes a simple storyline of a single mom working to support her son (normally a yawn and a pass for me) and creates a compelling portrait of a Madame running a high end call girl service , yet who shares the average woman's concerns. At the risk of sounding trite, it is an empowering novel; all these women from different cultures, education and economic levels, basically wanting the same thing in life: to protect and care for those we love.It is not an easy story, it challenges our societal perception of prostitution in gentle, non confrontational manner, keeping the story still enjoyable and not preachy.
Rating: 5And When She Was Good is labeled as a mystery by the library, however, while there are some unknowns, this it really isn't a classic who-done-it mystery. It is very interesting and well written, but we really know who the "bad" guy is through the whole book.
Rating: 4First Line: The headline catches Heloise's eye as she waits in the always-long line at the Starbucks closest to her son's middle school.Heloise Lewis has spent most of her life avoiding attention. She lives in a comfortable suburb where very little is known about her. Ask anyone in the neighborhood and they'd probably tell you that she's a youngish widow with a beautifully mannered son, and that she's a lobbyist who always seems able to attend all her son's soccer games and school plays.But almost all of that is a lie. Since the age of seventeen, Heloise has been a prostitute. When her pimp was imprisoned for murder, she changed her name and set herself up as a suburban madam. It's not only important for her work that she remain beneath everyone's radar, it's important for the life she's created for herself and her son. She's kept the boy a secret from his father, and even though she's visited the man twice a month in prison for over a decade, she's kept the boy a secret from his father.But Heloise's rigidly compartmentalized life is beginning to unravel. Her accountant is asking questions that he shouldn't. One of her former employees is causing problems. Her protector is hinting at some sort of mysterious danger she should prepare herself for. Another suburban madam in the next county is an alleged suicide... and her son's father may be released from prison. The pimp/ murderer doesn't know he has a son, and he doesn't know that Heloise is the person who betrayed him.This woman, who has no formal education, no real family, and no friends, must put an end to this life and create a brand-new one for herself and her son. Disappearing is the easy part. She's done it before, and she knows she can do it again. The difficult part will be staying alive long enough to begin the new life.I have long been a fan of Laura Lippman's standalone novels. She has the knack of focusing on a character (whom I would find almost completely unlikable) and making her fascinating. She does the same thing here in And When She Was Good. I smiled at Lippman's choice of title. My mother used to recite this little poem to me when I was a very small child: "There was a little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, she was very, very good. And when she was bad, she was horrid." That immediately told me that Heloise, although capable of great good, is also capable of doing damage.Superficially, the plot doesn't break new ground. A young girl with an abusive father runs away with the first male who pays her attention. Things go from bad to worse, and the young girl turns to a life of prostitution. Her pimp is a murderous control freak, but she manages to get away from him and make a comfortable life for herself and her son-- and of course her past refuses to stay in the past. Yes, the plot may very well sound familiar, but it's what Lippman does with that framework that makes the book so very good.As one thing after another begins to go wrong in Heloise's very carefully crafted life, she is taken on a voyage of self-discovery. Gradually she comes to learn that, although she's always believed she was more sinned against than sinning, the exact opposite may well be true. It's only when she confronts the truth of the life she's led and the truth of what she's done that she has a real chance of breaking free from the past. Many of us may read this book and turn our noses up at Heloise, her life, and the choices she's made. But how many of us also need to confront the truth of our own lives?
Rating: 5SummaryHelen/Heloise escaped an abusive household right into the arms of her first "pimp" Billy...who then passed her along to Val. With no education, no money, no skills, and no self-confidence whatsoever at all, Heloise falls into a life from which there is no escape. Over time Heloise does learn survival skills, sometimes doing things that she wishes she didn't have to in order to stay alive and keep hoping for a better day. An unexpected pregnancy is the impetus for her escape attempt and puts the wheels in motion for a life of running from the truth. Heloise creates her own prostitution business and stays barely a step or two ahead of being discovered for what she has been and really is...all the while learning more about life and what it takes to make it in a world where no one receives a break for free. The takers are the only ones who win. What I LikedVal - as evil as he was...and he was evil (and mean), I thought this character was incredibly well developed. He's a thug, no doubt, but the reader can't help to respect him and even fear him a little. Heloise's self made education through books and courses online that she found relevant to her life and her sense of self. Isn't this what education should be all about?Audrey - Heloise and Audrey's relationship was complicated. As Heloise's right hand woman, the reader's first instinct is for them to be close...but both are damaged, and damaged just enough that neither completely lets down her guard...ever. Yet, the relationship works. There's a lot to be said about true unconditional friendship between women. I think women in today's society have grown too accustomed to tearing each other down rather than helping hold each other up. No whining here at all...just two strong women, accepting life for what it is and moving forward any way they can.Scott - Scott is what I believe holds Heloise together and keeps her from becoming a statistic or another unidentified druggie hooker body in the city morgue. The pace - I couldn't put this down. You've gotta love a book like that every now and then. Your heart races; your eyes are blurry from no sleep, but you can't stop. This will definitely not be my last Laura Lippman read.The language - this is a fast paced, heart racing thriller with literary quality. I'm no literary snob, I promise...I read all kinds of "stuff." But, good writing is good writing, and Lippman is the real deal. Obviously the issue here is prostitution. I have never bought the excuse that some women enjoy prostitution and do it because they want to. And, I'm appalled at the lack of support, financial, psychological, sociological, etc. for women who work in both the prostitution and porn industries. The good ole boy network is alive and well within these "careers" and women are used and abused...no matter how you look at it. Lippman deals with prostitution in the only real way it can be dealt with...there are no answers. It is complicated, the consequences are varied, many times ugly, have far reaching effects, and is sometimes deadly. Yet, some women "choose" to earn money this way. Why they "choose" prostitution is sometimes even more convaluted than the industry itself. I'm a firm believer in no easy answers...and I thoroughly enjoy a writer who doesn't try to create a fairy tale ending for a fairy tale world that frankly doesn't exist...for anyone.What I Didn't LikeHector and Beth - Hector is a no-brainer, an abusive husband/father, jerk, two-timer, arsehole...nothing to like there. But Beth? She was supposed to be Heloise's mother. Just because she chose to live the life she did shouldn't mean allowing Heloise to suffer as well. I didn't expect Heloise to forgive her, but it was obviously difficult for her to walk away from Beth forever. Lippman handled this relationship perfectly in the end.Terry - this relationship didn't fit for me at all...and it seemed unlikely that given Heloise's past, she would fall for someone like Terry. I didn't like him at all...too needy and too beggy and too sweet. Too good to be true.While Heloise is tough as nails, there were a couple of times where she almost panics and tells more than she should...to the wrong person. She has a conversation with Bettina, another prostitute from the old days, for example, where I literally was yelling, "NO, don't do this...don't tell her all that!" Of course, she didn't listen to me. So then, I was shaking my head in disbelief and then also wanted to say "I told you so" when that particular information was used against her. At first I found it unbelievable that Heloise would break like that, but she's holding a loaded deck and the handful of cards she's focusing on is getting harder and harder to keep straight. It makes perfect sense that she would panic since she is at heart a very good person. I just didn't like it. I honestly wanted her to beat the crap out of the people who did her wrong. So there.Overall RecommendationWhile this is my first Lippman, I know that it is a stand alone rather than a continuation of her series about Tess Monaghan. Whether or not you've read any of Lippman's series, I think you'll find And When She Was Good to be an exciting ride with the added bonus of quality writing and complicated women's issues embedded. (As if there are any other kind of women's issues :/)
Rating: 4Heloise, born Helen, is a single mother and a business woman. Formerly a prostitute she now owns her own "consulting" business that caters to high profile men such as lawyers and polititians from Baltimore, Washington DC and Annapolis. She has tried to keep this part of her life secret as she lives in suburbia and is the typical mother. She pretty much keeps to herself and lives her life solely for her son. The death of a woman who was a madame with her own business is found dead, a suspected suicide, changes her life in a dangerous way. She not only has to deal with an ex employee who threatens to sue her because she claims she contracted HIV while in Heloise's employ, Heloise has a friend and protector in the police department who would warn her of any attempts to investigate her and her business, has decided to retire. The man who was her "pimp" is in prison for murder and Heloise comes to realize that this man can and will do whatever it takes to protect his interests. In describing what kind of woman Heloise is, the author tells a backstory of her life growing up in a dysfunctional family and her relationship with the man who is the father of her child.Ms.Lippman has the unique talent in setting up the story for the reader along with any backstory needed and then gives an ending that is totally unexpected. The latest psychological thriller from a gifted storyteller. A novel not to be missed. I highly recommend it and give it 5 stars.
Rating: 5I always enjoy Laura Lippman's books - series or standalone. And When She Was Good is her latest standalone and I loved it. Through the character of Heloise, Lippman gives a voice to a woman who is in some living with the consequences of a single bad choice and in others ways rising above those consequences even while swimming in them like a shark.Heloise had a terrible relationship with her father and watched her mother do the same. In the end, her mother's devotion to her father far outstripped her devotion to her own daughter and this haunts the book and Heloise's life. As a teenager she becomes involved with the (very) wrong man. She runs away with him and begins stripping and then hooking to support his drug habit. Desperate for a way out she turns to Val, a pimp and all-around criminal, who rescues her from her first love. In return she is Val's very careful favorite - at the top of a hierarchy of girls who take in-call or walk the streets. At the time of our story Val is in prison and she is running a high-end out-call service - very discreet - and the precariousness of her carefully built life becomes apparent. Things are going wrong, people from her old life are popping up dead, and she's not sure she can keep herself and her son safe. She longs for something different - a legitimate business - yet doubts her ability to make that step.Ms. Lippman brings the reader into Heloise's world with great ease, treating her character as a real person rather than as the cardboard cutout stereotype that most people imagine apply to prostitution. This is less a crime book and more a character portrait and I loved every single word. Heloise is a woman I could relate to and her plight isn't that different than the plight of many women who live in circumstances that lead them to poor choices - the wrong man ---> drugs or alcohol ---> abuse of one kind or another ---> illness ---> underemployment, and on and on. It's good for us all to remember that no matter the situation the person in it is a human being who once had all the shining potential that children have before the real world either elevates or stomps all over them. Just one misstep - that all it takes. Highly recommended.More about books at: chaotic compendiums
Rating: 4From then on, she flees from situation to another dangerous situation to another.This is not a story of sex; it is one of survival, loneliness and living by your wits. Helen ached for a loving father and mother so she did the opposite of them. She became a great mother to her son. She could never tell her neighbors about herself and not even tell her son anything about his father. Her intelligence shone through by the way that she organized her business but she was always craving a real education. She always had to figure out how to change her life. And the unraveling of the mystery of why the death of the suburban madam is so important to the story grows more important as the story develops.I highly recommend this book to all Laura Lippman fans.Although I received this book from the Amazon Vine Program, that in no way influenced my review.
Rating: 5Yes, twists and turns are one of the things you will find in a good story. Of course, it's a fine balance. Too many twists and the story can be irritating and unreadable. Too few, and perhaps the story can be lackluster and boring. A fine balance needs to be struck don't you think? And then there are endings. Endings are important. I like happy endings most, but life doesn't always give us a happy ending. And if all stories had such endings, if thre were no suspense as to how the story would finally come to a close, why that would be no fun. And When She Was Good, has twists, it has turns and it too comes to a close eventually, which means it has an ending. Whether or not it is a happy one, I leave to you to find out. Heloise is the main character. To be honest with you, I didn't like her much. This worked against my enjoyment of the story for a while, because I do prefer to like the characters I'm spending so much time with. But Heloise was just not likable to me. Now you may well feel differently about her. That's one of the enjoyable things about reading, is differing opinions and lively discussion of whatever book is on topic at the moment. So, even though She is a single mom who is providing a good life for her son, I didn't like her. It had nothing to do with her livelihood, I assure you. In fact, I have had a fantasy or two about that being a perfect job. No, it wasn't what she did for a living, as much as it was just her personality and her dishonesty. Now, I realize that some discretion was necessary for her, but I thought she carried it a little far for my taste. I think that this story had a decent beginning, and I think it had a very interesting ending. I also think that it dragged just a bit in the second quarter of the book. I felt as if it was just a tad too drawn out. By then we knew who Heloise was and where she stood and why. By the third quarter of the book the pace picked up again and I felt a little more sympathetic towards her, but just a little. I do like books about strong women though. Heloise had her faults, but weakness was not one of them. She is very typical in her need to care for her son and proved for them in the best possible way. She did not ever have an easy time of it. From the time she was a very young girl, she had battles to fight. And fight she did, but she did not come through them unscathed. Who does?This is a good story. I should have known that this author would deliver. She has done so for me before. I would definitely recommend this one to friends and family. And I would recommend it to you, too !
Rating: 4Read from September 16 to 19, 2012I liked this book, I mean, I kept reading until it was finished. But there was something about the end that just left me a little disappointed. Heloise is a strong female lead that made a bad choice when she was in high school that she's been paying for ever since. (At least that's the way I read it.) I liked that Heloise never saw herself as a victim and she was definitely a protective mother. I think my problem with the end was the way the past and the present converged. When I saw that we were in 2011, I wasn't sure if that was the present or a year ago. It threw me off. Then everything just cleaned up so nicely at the end. It was too clean, I think.Still a good read though and I nice introduction to Lippman's writing (this is my first Laura Lippman experience).
Rating: 3When She was Good was a very interesting story and one that was thought provoking diving into. Not so much was this book about the act of prostitution but more so the business of running prostitution and the crappy childhood of main character Heloise aka single soccer mom, aka suburban madam.While the book was defiantly intriguing it was more a tale of a woman with a broken childhood turned prostitute, turned business woman, than the mystery I was expecting. The plot driven by a good madam verses mean pimp had a twist of suspense but mostly fell into a tad one sided dialog on the issue of legalizing prostitution or at least built up to that point in the end. Obviously main character Heloise represented a scenario where she could run a profitable business in the sex service industry, while her previous pimp was the typical power, money hungry man who exploits and hurts his girls. The book while highlighting the good and the bad failed to represent the moral magnitude of the problem itself. Im sure Lippman wanted to give her readers a good "who done it" vibe but I couldn't shake the feeling while reading that Heliose was made out to be a character whom we sympathized with and than emotionally manipulated to justify the prostitution in the story. No matter what even if prostitution were made legal with legit business owners there will always be women who are degraded, trafficked and under age girls who are and will be exploited. A madam in the end is just a pimp with lipstick and for every one that is good, you have thirty who are bad.~Thanks to TLC book tours and William Morrow for review copy.
Rating: 3Although it felt that nothing happened for long stretches of this novel, when things did happen they were executed perfectly. You may think this would lead to a boring read, but And When She Was Good is far from boring.
The main character, Helen/Heloise (Hel?) seems so sure of herself for the majority of this book, and i'd be lying if I didn't admit that the ending was the best part - but that's because Hel stopped being so superior and aloof and putting everyone down. It took her being out-smarted - seriously out-smarted - to seemingly get a grip.
When it comes to other characters, they seem a little like an afterthought. Hel's father made my blood boil and I guess that's why she is how she is. He is a nasty and selfish man who quickly engendered feelings of hatred from me, as I am sure he was meant to. Hel's mother seemed quite timid and unsure - she was so in love, but with that monster? It didn't seem to fit that she could be that naive for her whole life.
Overall I thought it a good enough read. It's not one of my favourites and for being a mystery there isn't much mystery at all, but it was nevertheless enjoyable and interesting.
Drink a really expensive coffee while you read this - you know, the ones from pretentious coffee shops.
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3The main character, Helen/Heloise (Hel?) seems so sure of herself for the majority of this book, and i'd be lying if I didn't admit that the ending was the best part - but that's because Hel stopped being so superior and aloof and putting everyone down. It took her being out-smarted - seriously out-smarted - to seemingly get a grip.
When it comes to other characters, they seem a little like an afterthought. Hel's father made my blood boil and I guess that's why she is how she is. He is a nasty and selfish man who quickly engendered feelings of hatred from me, as I am sure he was meant to. Hel's mother seemed quite timid and unsure - she was so in love, but with that monster? It didn't seem to fit that she could be that naive for her whole life.
Overall I thought it a good enough read. It's not one of my favourites and for being a mystery there isn't much mystery at all, but it was nevertheless enjoyable and interesting.
Drink a really expensive coffee while you read this - you know, the ones from pretentious coffee shops.
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Heloise Lewis, born Helen, is an upscale madam in suburban Maryland with a son, Scott, from her former pimp Val, serving a life sentence for murder. She begins questioning her career choice when another madam is murdered. Through flashbacks, we learn about Helen’s abusive father and passive mother, and the various men, most crucially Val, who exploited her. As usual, Lippman crafts a good plot and creates complex, believable characters, including, maybe especially, the villains. I did not enjoy it quite as much as What the Dead Know and I’d Know You Anywhere and I’m not sure why yet. I don't want to say "I didn't like the main character" but that is part of it in this case - I couldn't understand her life choices and I didn't buy her defense of "sex workers."
Rating: 3I received "And When She Was Good" as an advanced readers' copy. I understand sometimes authors will make changes before publication, so this review is based on the ARC.I liked the book. It was good, not great. It held my attention and would make a good summer reading choice for the beach. There isn't a whole lot of thinking that needs to go into reading the book which makes it a nice summer read.
Rating: 4The greatest compliment a reader can give a author is when the ability to create a fictional, main character through their words becomes 4th dimensional. As the pages are turning the protagonist intensifies not only through everyday feelings and situations but the reader can swear they felt their heartbeat as well…that is a true talent and a gift to anyone picking up a Laura Lippman novel.August 14th is the release date for Laura Lippman’s latest stand alone novel AND WHEN SHE WAS GOOD. Heloise is a successful madam/business woman operating in Maryland. She is a mother to a young son who she protects from any hint of her professional life and she has her finger on the pulse of law enforcement. The business she has nurtured and groomed from a scrupulous pimp who is now incarcerated and also the father of her son.As the novels opens we are not only introduced to Heloise but through flashbacks to Helen, a quiet, smart young lady constantly abused by her father for any simple infraction. Helen’s mom is no role model. She is Helen’s father’s mistress. He has a wife and family and only visits and stays on occasion…How Helen and Heloise become one is the real solved mystery here. This is a quiet thriller about pure instinct and survival. The complexities of life tossed into one’s life at any given time and just how much strength it takes to overcome being blindsighted.Tense, unflinching, at times extremely brutal…this is a thriller with an intense punch to the stomach. Now don’t get me wrong, this ain’t your momma’s Oprah pick!Jim MunchelCo-Manager BooksBooks A Million, Harrisburg, Pa. 17102
Rating: 5This is the story of the life of a prostitute, but it is so much more than that. Heloise is one of those suburban "madams" that you read about in the papers from time to time. Her life as been kept "compartmentalized", as she thinks of it, and most people only see one side of her life. Either they know her as the successful madam who runs her business...well, like a business... or they know her as a lobbyist widow raising a son on her own. And ne'er the twain shall meet. The one knows nothing of the other, with very few exceptions in her life.I liked the character Heloise later in life. I wasn't always the biggest fan of her in her younger years. But part of that may be because the character wasn't as fully developed in her younger years. It was more like brief flashbacks over the years, so there were always holes left in the story. After a turbulent childhood growing up poor in a small town with an abusive father and a bowed mother who has submitted to her life, the present-day portion of the story takes place when Heloise (formerly "Helen") is 37-years-old and living in suburbia.As an adult, Heloise gives every appearance of being a woman in total control of her life. I say "appearance", because even she must admit later that none of us truly have control. There are just too many things outside of our control. Heloise is trying to do things as "right" as she can, given that she works in an industry deemed "wrong".This isn't just the story of a prostitute-- it is the story of a mother's love, and what a mother will do to protect her child. Growing with a mother who put her abusive husband (well, sort of husband) before her daughter, Heloise now puts her son a priority before everything else. Everything she does is for him. While Heloise circumvents oncoming middle-age and a son entering his teens, she reassesses her life and decides it is time to restructure and reinvent. But as she is breaking free from the ties that bind, danger and ghosts linger in the shadows.My final word: I enjoyed this book. It is my first Laura Lippman, and probably won't be my last. Engaging and just suspenseful enough to wonder where she's gonna go with a thread of the storyline, and containing so many elements of a story that I've had in my head for 20 years now, I found the story ultimately interesting, and Heloise a character that I could root for.
Rating: 4This is the first novel I've read by Laura Lippman. She certainly is a talented author and I hope to read more of her works.'And When She Was Good' is the story of Helen/Heloise who is pushed into prostitution as a teen by her boyfriend. She came from a dysfunctional family and, while she was smart and ambitious, she had no self-confidence because of an abusive father and a mother who did nothing to protect her. This novel portrays her as a 'victim' until she becomes a mother and then she decides to turn her life around.Lippman makes Helen/Heloise a very strong protagonist and most of the other main characters are strong as well. I didn't want to like her because of the lifestyle she was leading but understood how hard it was for her to change her lifestyle, so I ended up liking and routing for her. I felt there were too many minor characters and it was hard for me to keep track of their relationship to Helen/Heloise. The villains were so well-written that it was very early to dislike them!The flow of the story is good but I didn't like a backstory every other chapter. The ending was just what I expected though so no surprises there. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it and wish that all young women could read it before getting into prostitution. There are lots of lessons to be learned.
Rating: 4Wanted to like this but felt it missed the mark in some spots. The actions of the main character were not always very believable.
Rating: 3What a disappointment. I hated the main character of this novel roughly as much as I love Tess Monaghan in Lippman's great series. I literally wanted to bitch slap Helen/Heloise. Yeah, she had a rough start to life but nowhere near as bad as many with worse origin stories who sucked it up and overcame their pasts. Helen had the chance to get out of her situation when Val went to prison. All she had to do was disappear and start over. I know it's a fictional tale, but it's a fictional tale of a stupid, self-absorbed idiot.
Rating: 2