Sunburn by Laura Lippman
It takes a lot of guts to just “pick up” and leave your family behind. But that’s just what Polly did with husband #2. While husband #2 wasn’t nearly as disastrous as hubby #1, she’s cutting her losses and blowing town.
With not much more than the shirt on her back and a small wad of cash, attractive, thirty-something, redheaded Polly winds up in small town America. Belleview, Delaware is a town 45 miles inland, a non-descript, laid back town where folks just pass through and seldom stop. She decides to stay awhile and takes on a job at the local dive.
Enter Adam, who’s also passing through. When the two of them meet, they cautiously circle each other, both full of reservations and mistrust. But by the time Adam winds up as a cook slinging hash at the same restaurant/bar as Polly, they’re into a torrid affair that heated up faster than Rohobeth Beach on the Fourth of July.
Throughout the book, Ms. Lippman provides us with snippets from Polly’s darker past, especially when it comes to her husbands. You’ll find jealous lovers, a sleazy insurance agent, hidden agendas and even straight up murder.
Fans of old-school classic mysteries will appreciate this tightly woven tale of lies and deceit with the kind of slow suspense found in classic noir, but updated for modern times. Ms. Lippman knows how to literally get into her characters’ heads, which means they are ultimately going to get into yours!
The book takes you on a slow ride with a woman desperate to start a new life, but you soon realize there’s a bigger picture involved. Ms. Lippman teasingly hides the truth, keeping you guessing throughout the entire book as to who has got secrets to hide and just “who” is playing “who.” It’s like a strategic game of chess, with the players being sharp as a knife and cunning to boot. You’ll want to keep on reading to find out how the game ends and who will be the first to cry out “checkmate!”
Sunburn is a scorcher, a slow burn not to be missed. New York Times Bestselling Author give us an intriguing summer read perfect for a steamy summer day or night.
Published by: William Morrow, an Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers