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Lady in the Lake: A Novel Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Laura Lippman (Author), Susan Bennett (Narrator), HarperAudio (Publisher)
Editors' pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
See all formats and editions

2020 Audie Awards Finalist - Thriller/Suspense

The revered New York Times best-selling author returns with a novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.

In 1966, Baltimore is a city of secrets that everyone seems to know - everyone, that is, except Madeline “Maddie” Schwartz. Last year, she was a happy, even pampered housewife. This year, she’s bolted from her marriage of almost 20 years, determined to make good on her youthful ambitions to live a passionate, meaningful life.

Maddie wants to matter, to leave her mark on a swiftly changing world. Drawing on her own secrets, she helps Baltimore police find a murdered girl - assistance that leads to a job at the city’s afternoon newspaper, the Star. Working at the newspaper offers Maddie the opportunity to make her name, and she has found just the story to do it: a missing woman whose body was discovered in the fountain of a city park lake.

Cleo Sherwood was a young African-American woman who liked to have a good time. No one seems to know or care why she was killed except Maddie - and the dead woman herself. Maddie’s going to find the truth about Cleo’s life and death. Cleo’s ghost, privy to Maddie’s poking and prying, wants to be left alone.

Maddie’s investigation brings her into contact with people who used to be on the periphery of her life - a jewelry store clerk, a waitress, a rising star on the Baltimore Orioles, a patrol cop, a hardened female reporter, a lonely man in a movie theater. But for all her ambition and drive, Maddie often fails to see the people right in front of her. Her inability to look beyond her own needs will lead to tragedy and turmoil for all sorts of people - including the man who shares her bed, a black police officer who cares for Maddie more than she knows.

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  1. Listening Length
    10 hours and 44 minutes
  2. Author
    Laura Lippman
  3. Narrator
    Susan Bennett
  4. Audible release date
    July 23, 2019
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    HarperAudio
  7. ASIN
    B07N95KDCB
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 10 hours and 44 minutes
Author Laura Lippman
Narrator Susan Bennett
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date July 23, 2019
Publisher HarperAudio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B07N95KDCB
Best Sellers Rank #15,681 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#138 in Historical Mysteries (Audible Books & Originals)
#412 in Women Sleuth Mysteries
#521 in Historical Mystery

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4,208 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the plot fascinating and interesting. They describe the writing style as well-written and easy to follow. Readers describe the book as a good, enjoyable read that doesn't disappoint. However, some find the book boring, disappointing, and amateurish. Opinions are mixed on the character development, with some finding them compelling and authentic, while others say they're not really believable.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
PlotReadabilityWriting stylePacingInterestCharacter developmentBoredom
69 customers mention "Plot"50 positive19 negative

Customers find the plot interesting and realistic. They say it's more than a simple detective novel. Readers also appreciate the puzzle, atmosphere, and mystery. They mention the story is different and has many layers to enjoy.

"...Well written and very true depiction of the era. I truly enjoyed this book. Highly recommend it. Fast paced, great read." Read more

"...This book is recommended for mystery readers." Read more

"...The narrative structure was also kind of fascinating, with Maddie's chapters rendered in close third person and (mostly) alternating chapters from..." Read more

"...Page turner. Ending somewhat leaves you hanging and cold hearted. Overall, enjoyed the book." Read more

44 customers mention "Readability"44 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-written, enjoyable, and not disappointing. They also appreciate the author's note. Readers describe the book as a real page-turner and an excellent transition book as we leave summer and head into fall.

"...I truly enjoyed this book. Highly recommend it. Fast paced, great read." Read more

"Thoroughly enjoyed this book, super fun read. I’m looking forward to seeing the show now and see how it compares." Read more

"...a wonderful writer and this book, despite my complaints, is definitely worth a read." Read more

"Laura Lippman's new standalone novel, "Lady of the Lake', is one of the best novels I've read in the last few years...." Read more

29 customers mention "Writing style"21 positive8 negative

Customers find the writing style well-written, easy to follow, and quick.

"...Well written and very true depiction of the era. I truly enjoyed this book. Highly recommend it. Fast paced, great read." Read more

"...Lippman is a wonderful writer and this book, despite my complaints, is definitely worth a read." Read more

"...perspective from one person's point of view to another made the writing feel choppy...." Read more

"...Oh how I loved this book! Lippman is an absolutely stunning writer...." Read more

6 customers mention "Pacing"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book nice, easy, and quick. They say the viewpoints are achingly human and plotted slowly and methodically. Readers also mention the book is risky, risqué, and liberating.

"...I truly enjoyed this book. Highly recommend it. Fast paced, great read." Read more

"Another winner from Laura Lippman. I liked the puzzle, I liked the atmosphere, but I did not like Maddie Morgenstern Schwartz...." Read more

"...story about nerve and drive, grit and resolve, and the liberation of the sensual spirit. It’s about forging your own story, shaping your own destiny." Read more

"...Her stories are achingly human and plotted slowly and methodically, leading the reader down a trail of breadcrumbs to the conclusion...." Read more

4 customers mention "Interest"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting and exciting. They appreciate the book's ability to cross genres delicately without pretension or distraction.

"Crossing genres delicately, without pretension or distraction, is a big plus of my enjoyment with Lippman’s latest novel...." Read more

"...That clarified a lot and made it very exciting." Read more

"Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman is a great read. Kept my interest, with a surprise twist in the ending.Carol “Mickie” Hornback" Read more

"love it. keeps me interested to know what is next. cant put down once I begin reading." Read more

30 customers mention "Character development"19 positive11 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development. Some mention the characters are compelling, authentic, and interesting. Others say the characters lack believableness, are self-absorbed, and narcissistic.

"...a lot right: really compelling flawed main character, rounded interesting support cast (for the most part), and an interesting mystery: who killed..." Read more

"...hooked on the story line of this book, but then there were so many minor characters that I almost lost sight of it...." Read more

"...hometown of Baltimore, is set in the 1960's and the characters and plots seem fresh and original to me...." Read more

"...It’s 1965 and 1966—which the author portrays with confidence and ease...." Read more

20 customers mention "Boredom"0 positive20 negative

Customers find the book boring, disappointing, and amateurish. They also say it's not memorable and the character is completely likable.

"If you didn’t, I’m afraid you might find it long and boring. Maddie isn’t a likable person and she talks A LOT...." Read more

"...It was hard to like Maddie, even though I could relate to her feelings on some level, having lived through those changing times...." Read more

"...All in all, a surprisingly amateurish novel from a woman who should be in the prime of her career." Read more

"...for our book club, but I had to veto the selection - not even an interesting discussion book...." Read more

A Great Twist
4 out of 5 stars
A Great Twist
This week I’m reviewing two books that take place in the 1960’s right here in America! It was definitely a different time and sometimes it nice to know how far we have come. It’s funny though, you will read about the injustices that women are still dealing with today, 50 years later. .Maddie Schwartz has decided to completely uproot her life to find something she is passionate about. She leaves her marriage of almost twenty years because she is tired and bored of being a housewife. .Baltimore is a city of secrets and even Maddie has hers. When she uses her secrets to help the police find a murdered girl, it leads to a job at the city’s newspaper. She wants to make a name for herself and be respected in the field, so when a missing woman is found dead in the fountain of the city park lake, she knows this is the story. .Cleo Sherwood was the young black woman who they found. No one seems to care why she was killed. Maddie is determined to find the truth, but Cleo’s ghost wants to be left alone. There is nothing good that Maddie can find, and Cleo knows this. (I know I wrote ghost and you probably just said-Wait, What? - Don’t worry it totally works!) .Maddie’s investigation brings her in to contact with so many different people and they are all interviewed or give their take on the crime. The author, Laura Lippman did quite a bit of research and used some actual real names in this book. The book has enough detail for you to picture the characters and the time period. You can see them in the newspaper office or out to lunch. .I didn’t see the end coming in this one. Usually I figure out who did what before the end, but I had no idea! I really enjoyed all the different voices in this one and it moves along through Maddie’s journey to solve Cleo’s murder quickly.
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Top reviews from the United States

Deborah Mlinar
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, Great Story
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2024
Verified Purchase
It has been a long time since I have been surprised by the ending of a story. Well written and very true depiction of the era. I truly enjoyed this book. Highly recommend it. Fast paced, great read.
2 people found this helpful
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Sandra Iler Kirkland
4.0 out of 5 stars Murder In 1960's Baltimore
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
It's 1966 and Maddie Schwartz is determined to live the life she chooses. She has left her husband and son and the comfortable country club life she had. Now she lives in a tiny apartment downtown and after finding the body of a missing girl, has managed to parlay that into a job at one of Baltimore's newspapers. She wants to be a reporter but is instead the assistant to the man who writes the advice column.

Maddie is determined to find a story that will make her bosses give her a shot as a reporter. The discovery of a woman's body in a nearby fountain at a lake gives her an opportunity. Cleo Sherwood was a black woman at a local nightclub. Maddie is sure that Cleo was having an affair with a local politician and is sure she can find if that led to her death. Maddie has fallen into an affair with one of the policemen she reported the missing girl's body to, and she uses that to get inside information. Ferdie, the policeman, tells her she can't use anything he tells her as the department will know the information came from him, but Maddie is headstrong and sure she can write the story without leaving any clues behind. Can she make her dreams come true?

Laura Lippman is one of the best authors in the mystery genre. She is known as a feminist and her books feature strong women and her beloved city of Baltimore. Maddie is not really sympathetic as she uses everyone around her to get her way, but it is a story of how women fought to be allowed to work in occupations that had been closed to them before. It is also a historical look at race relations in the 1960's. This book is recommended for mystery readers.
2 people found this helpful
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Sier
3.0 out of 5 stars good if you watched the show
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2024
Verified Purchase
If you didn’t, I’m afraid you might find it long and boring. Maddie isn’t a likable person and she talks A LOT. She’s generally very selfish and all around off putting. Cleo isn’t much better. Reading books with unlikable characters is more of a chore than a joy in my opinion. It took forever for me to get thru it because I wasn’t excited to read it.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2024
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Thoroughly enjoyed this book, super fun read. I’m looking forward to seeing the show now and see how it compares.
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Laurel-Rain Snow
4.0 out of 5 stars ONE WOMAN'S JOURNEY...
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2019
Verified Purchase
In 1966, Baltimore is a city of secrets that everyone seems to know—everyone, that is, except Madeline “Maddie” Schwartz. Last year, she was a happy, even pampered housewife. This year, she’s bolted from her marriage of almost twenty years, determined to make good on her youthful ambitions to live a passionate, meaningful life.

Maddie wants to matter, to leave her mark on a swiftly changing world. Drawing on her own secrets, she helps Baltimore police find a murdered girl—assistance that leads to a job at the city’s afternoon newspaper, the Star. Working at the newspaper offers Maddie the opportunity to make her name, and she has found just the story to do it: a missing woman whose body was discovered in the fountain of a city park lake.

Cleo Sherwood was a young black woman who liked to have a good time. No one seems to know or care why she was killed except Maddie—and the dead woman herself. Maddie’s going to find the truth about Cleo’s life and death. Cleo’s ghost, privy to Maddie’s poking and prying, wants to be left alone.

Maddie’s investigation brings her into contact with people that used to be on the periphery of her life—a jewelry store clerk, a waitress, a rising star on the Baltimore Orioles, a patrol cop, a hardened female reporter, a lonely man in a movie theater. But for all her ambition and drive, Maddie often fails to see the people right in front of her. Her inability to look beyond her own needs will lead to tragedy and turmoil for all sorts of people—including the man who shares her bed, a black police officer who cares for Maddie more than she knows.

My Thoughts: Lady in the Lake takes the reader to mid-sixties Baltimore, spotlighting issues from the times. A woman who suddenly leaves her long-standing marriage is seeking a life of her own and finds herself thrust into a murder investigation and a fledgling career on a newspaper that changes her perspective on the world around her. Women’s issues, racial injustice, and finding one’s way in a changing world keep Maddie going on her journey, although her needs and desires take precedence over those of others, making her seem self-centered.

It was hard to like Maddie, even though I could relate to her feelings on some level, having lived through those changing times. Alternating narrators led us through the lives of peripheral characters, including the apparent “ghost” of Cleo Sherwood. Maddie’s obsession with that woman did show a side of her that took her outside of her own needs for a time. I enjoyed seeing how events unfolded and found the resolution intriguing. 4.5 stars.
9 people found this helpful
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Venus L. Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2024
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Like!
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Top reviews from other countries

AV
2.0 out of 5 stars It’s ok, quite average
Reviewed in India on July 25, 2020
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The book starts off well, creating a good suspense but it just doesn’t carry it all the way to the end. Average read, nothing great
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Tammy McLeod
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed the format. Great story!
Reviewed in Canada on November 15, 2023
Verified Purchase
I have read most of Lippman's books. She is a great storyteller. I liked this format with all the points of view. As with all her books, the ending was unexpected. Lippmann is one of my favorite authors and she didn't disappoint.
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EllieT
5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT READ
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
I’m a big fan of Laura Lippman and enjoyed this book very much, well written and I liked how the different characters tell their stories along the way.
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Joka
5.0 out of 5 stars Good story
Reviewed in Australia on August 7, 2024
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Liked everything
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Sherry Cooper
3.0 out of 5 stars Baltimore-- Mid-60s
Reviewed in Canada on August 5, 2019
Verified Purchase
As a native of the Jewish ”Golden Ghetto”, Pikesville, in Baltimore, this book was a walk down memory lane. Baltimore is a tribal city, rich in great food and great neighborhoods. Having recently been blasted by Trump, people should know that most Baltimoreans are proud and fond of their hometown.

Laura Lippman’s newest mystery brings it all back to me. The story of a woman tormented by one teenage mistake escapes her golden life in Pikesville to move to the inner city (as we called it) to become a reporter. Realistic? Maybe, although most females in the mid-60s who wanted more than their mothers’ lives left Baltimore as I did.

Maddie was strong enough to stay and bear the shanda (shame) heaped on her by Pikesville. Her protagonist, Cleo--a beautiful black woman--had to abandon her family and leave town to find her best life.
5 people found this helpful
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