The Sugar House

A Tess Monaghan Mystery

By: Laura Lippman

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Laura Lippman won the Nero Wolfe Award for this powerful mystery.

Former journalist turned P.I. Tess Monaghan thought she knew Baltimore like the back of her hand - but what she doesn't know just might kill her in this grim yet irresistible novel.

Solve another case with Tess Monaghan.©2000 Laura Lippman (P)2008 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"A rare find: a puzzle so finely calibrated that each new disclosure brings revelation and deepening mystery at the same time." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Best In the series

Great story. Well-written. Weaved the professional investigation and personal challenges brilliantly. Best in series.

Love Tess and all her quirky friends and relatives!

Tess Monihans journey thru the back allies of Baltimore continues with a twisted story of politics and mayhem. Tess meets more interesting Baltimore natives, both rich and not so rich, mysterious and ordinary. The richness of the characters continues to build in this interesting and satisfying addition to the series.

Sugar House is a winner!

I take chances listening to new authors only when read my favorite narrator. This story grabbed your ear phones and would not let you take them off until the last words were uttered. Lippman is now on my list of authors I listen to. I like stories about areas I am familiar with and Baltimore was a great place for this story to take place in. After hearing the book I actually road through several of the areas mentioned in the book. Maryland is truly a beautiful state and I enjoyed hearing about it in this fantastic book.

Listen to the sample before buying

Would you try another book from Laura Lippman and/or Barbara Rosenblat?

I have been listening to this series through my local library, which only had a few of the books. I purchased this one from audible not realizing it was a different narrator than the previous. This woman's voice is so annoying, I'm having a difficult time listening to the book. She is over dramatic and sounds as though she smokes, and has smoked, three packs of cigarettes a day. Others may not be bothered by her voice - so take a listen first. I wouldn't have wasted a credit if I had.

Has The Sugar House turned you off from other books in this genre?

The Narrator has

What didn’t you like about Barbara Rosenblat’s performance?

Her voice is annoying and inappropriately dramatic

New reader

Good storyline a lot of turns characters were real but took few hours to get used to new reader.

The narrator was different

Many times I thought about returning this book but I wanted to finish it. I was not a fan of the narrator, I think she did a good job but the voice didn't match what I was used to. It was too different and to harsh.

GREAT MYSTERY!

LAURA LIPPMAN, REALLY HAD ME HOOKED AS THE STORY UNFOLDED. IT IS A REAL AND TRUE CONDITION SHE ADROITLY SPINS A TALE AROUND. I HAVE NEVER READ ONE OF HER NOVELS, BUT SHE DEFINITELY IS A GREAT CONTENDER WITH THE VERY TOP TIER OF WOMEN WRITERS. IT WAS AN ENJOYABLE READ, WITH NO EXPLICIT, TAU DRY SEX SCENES, OR SPEECH. GREAT WRITERS DO NOT NEED TO EMPLOY THIS DEMEANING PRACTICE, WE ARE INTELLIGENT PEOPLE, AND JUST WANT A GOOD, WELL WRITTEN BOOK. BARBARA ROSENBLAT WAS EXCELLENT, AS USUAL, I LOVE HER AS A NARRATOR. SHE IS MY FAVORITE MY A LONG SHOT.

This Narrator is AWFUL

I enjoyed Deborah Hazlett as the previous narrator for this series but the change to this particular narrator is just awful. I could barely listen to it, and sometimes turned it off just because of her voice and characterization. It's like she didn't get the characters or the vibe of the book. Her voice is grating, like listening to an old aunt on the phone who babbles about nothing and smokes too much.

Love Laura Lippman

But there's something wrong with the tone of this book. Too snide. Too wisecracking. Too flip.

New narrator

Not a fan of the narrator, but the story was good. I will definitely listen to the next book in the series.