By a Spider's Thread

by Laura Lippman

Book Overview

New York Times BestsellerAward-winning and New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan--first introduced in the classic Baltimore Blues--must track down a missing wife and unravel... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060506695
• ISBN13: 9780060506698
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 354 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Another Tess Monaghan case

Tess is hired by a well-to-do Jewish furrier to find his runaway wife. The problem is that he will not give Tess all the information she needs on family matters, and even lies about some details. She must work her way through a mire of relationships and friendships to determine how to find the woman and her children. Tess is helped by networking with other women PIs on the Internet, transmitting digital photos and other infomation. She is also helped by an insider, i.e., one of the children is trying to contact his father. Everyone has guns and there is some collateral damage. The story is a page turner that will keep you up late to get to the end. My main complaint is that some people just seemed to walk away and fade into the sunset. There were major crimes committed, and some accessories just seem to go on their way. Along the way, you might learn more than you want to about Jewish holidays and customs. You will also pick up a few pointers on working the system. I might add that Tess is growing apart from Crow in this novel, so we will have to wait for the next novel to see what develops.

My pick for the Edgar Award Best Novel

Baltimore PI, Tess Monaghan, is hired by Mark Rubin to find his family. Mark, a furrier, is a ruthless businessman, controlling husband, but, loving father. He remains true to his orthodox Jewish roots. He comes home one day to dicover that his wife and three children have disappeared. He wants them back and hires Tess to find them. Unbeknownst to him, Natalie, his wife, has run off with Zeke, an ex-con infatuated with her Hollywood looks. He was not counting on her bringing along her three kids. Now they must run away robbing banks to keep on living and moving. Tess taps into an internet resource called Snoop Sisters, a group of female PIs, to track them down. Things are never easy and for Zeke to be truly free, murder may be necessary. In my view, Laura Lippman is a much better writer today than when she was writing the early Tess paperbacks. Her writing is much more focused on plot progression with really no effect on superb characterizations. For example, there is no party scene where we get to meet a dozen new characters at once. There are a couple of irksome dining scenes but they are few and far between all with a purpose of plot progression-- an aunt's wedding not withstanding. Written in alternate point of view chapters between Tess's investigation and Natalie's story serves to keep the plot moving along at a remarkably rapid pace. In fact, this is not just a PI novel but can also be considered a thriller. I will admit that after this book I like Tess. She is both clever and feisty. This is easily the best Tess book written and one of the best series books I have read in years. It is well balanced and as such the voice of Tess comes through loud and clear. To me, the most eagerly anticipated book of 2005 is the next stand alone by Laura Lippman. If it is as good as the last two I would strongly agree with those that consider Laura Lippman's books as the best that crime fiction has to offer. This is my pick for the Edgar award as Best Novel.

2005 Edgar Award Nominee And Best Tess Monaghan Mystery Yet!

Mark Rubin, a modern Orthodox Jew, a loving husband and father, a wealthy furrier, believed himself the most fortunate of men. He thought he had the perfect family and a near flawless marriage. When his beautiful wife, Natalie, and their three children, Isaac, Penina and Efraim go missing, with no sign of foul play, the police back away from the case. The official point of view is that Mrs. Rubin probably packed-up and left with their children, whom Mark adores. This is totally incomprehensible to him. In desperation, Rubin turns to Baltimore PI Tess Monaghan, a former reporter for the Baltimore Star. She agrees to take the case, with some skepticism. Detective Monaghan has a gut feeling her new client has not been totally forthcoming with the details. He doles out vitally important information, reluctantly, in piecemeal fashion. She initially views him as a cold, controlling man, and has a bit of difficulty working with him because of their cultural differences. He just rubs her the wrong way. Also, there are very few clues on which to base the investigation. On the other hand, Tess needs the money. Tess' full name is Theresa Esther Weinstein Monaghan. The Weinstein part of the name comes from her mother. Tess is "half" Jewish and her interaction with the Orthodox Rubin causes issues of her own to surface. She is somewhat familiar with Jewish tradition, as she is with the Monaghan family's Christianity. While not particularly observant in either religion, she finds herself reflecting on the roles faith, culture, and religion play in her own family. She realizes the importance of understanding this aspect of Mark Rubin's life in order to succeed with the investigation. Tess' Uncle Donald recommended her for this particular job. He spent years working with Ruben in a volunteer program that instructed Jewish prisoners in rituals and traditions. Eventually, other members of the program will be called upon for their assistance in resolving the mystery. Tapping into a national network of "sister" investigators on her PC, (the SnoopSisters), Tess soon learns the location of the Rubin family. However, it seems a fifth member has been added to the entourage, a man described by witnesses as "handsome," "charming" and otherwise unremarkable. Little do they know. It soon becomes apparent that underneath the illusion of family bliss lies a web of deceit. Nothing is as it seemed. Suddenly the search becomes precarious and takes on a new urgency. Lives may be at stake. This is Tess' eighth case and she has established quite a professional name for herself. She is recognized as a professionally competent PI, but unfortunately the same cannot be said about her personal life. Tess continues to be commitment phobic. Her very cool boyfriend, Crow, is taking a break. He's out of town visiting his mom who has been quite ill. Tess also has a problem with the impending marriage of her Aunt Kitty. "By A Spider's Thread" finds her alone with her two dogs, recoveri

Stunning!

Laura Lippman's eighth Tess Monaghan novel, "By A Spider's Thread" is a provocative, savvy, challenging thriller.Precise plotting, an economical cast of realistic characters (some appealing, some detestable) and a plausible resolution make the pages disappear in a trice.Mark Rubin, a wealthy Jewish furrier whose wife (Natalie) and three children have vanished, hires Tess to locate them.Mark and Tess get off to a rocky beginning as Mark withholds information about his family and omits details about contacts that could illuminate Tess's search.Tess is resourceful and they gradually warm to one another. As Tess learns more about Mark's family, marriage and religious identity, the reasons for Natalie's disappearance start to materialize.Family secrets underlie the plot and provide the motive for the mastermind behind the disappearance.The story is told from multiple points of view...that of Tess and the parallel view from the observant and bright eldest child. This works and leaves enough blanks to fill in to keep you guessing and on your toes.Laura Lippman is masterful at filling in the pertinent background with the backwards and forwards story telling. Equally important is the way she builds the tension, suspense and impact with character development rather than gratuitous violence.The multilayered, absorbing narrative has enormous momentum and clever details.Easily the best in the Tess Monaghan series and a powerful follow-up to last year's spectacular "Every Secret Thing."

Don't miss this book

Laura Lippman has been a favorite of mine since I read BALTIMORE BLUES and as few other writers have done, she gets better with each book. I was blown away by EVERY SECRET THING and am amazed that I felt that the latest in her Tess Monaghan series could only be described as "brilliant." Her changing POVs and the layer that unfold about the missing wife and children keep one reading with rapt attention.Am not sure where "mctmjc" got her completely wrong information about BY A SPIDER'S THREAD being only the second book Lippman wrote by herself. But it is completely erroneous. But then many reviews..especially those that originate from online sites are.It seems to me that "mctmjc" is not really a mystery fan, at least according to the list of books she has reviewed.I am and KNOW Lippman has written all nine of her books by herself....unless, of course, you count her "muse."Great characterization, great plotting and edge-of-your-seat suspense...what more can anyone ask?Even if you have never read another Tess book, you should find this a compelling and most satisfactory book...and well worth the money. I again repeat the word, "brilliant."