Saturday, July 14, 2018

Book Review: Sunburn

Author: Laura Lippman
Title: Sunburn
Publisher: William Morrow
Publish Date: Feb 20, 2018
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman returns with a superb novel of psychological suspense about a pair of lovers with the best intentions and the worst luck: two people locked in a passionate yet uncompromising game of cat and mouse. But instead of rules, this game has dark secrets, forbidden desires, inevitable betrayals—and cold-blooded murder.

One is playing a long game. But which one?

They meet at a local tavern in the small town of Belleville, Delaware. Polly is set on heading west. Adam says he’s also passing through. Yet she stays and he stays—drawn to this mysterious redhead whose quiet stillness both unnerves and excites him. Over the course of a punishing summer, Polly and Adam abandon themselves to a steamy, inexorable affair. Still, each holds something back from the other—dangerous, even lethal, secrets.

Then someone dies. Was it an accident, or part of a plan? By now, Adam and Polly are so ensnared in each other’s lives and lies that neither one knows how to get away—or even if they want to. Is their love strong enough to withstand the truth, or will it ultimately destroy them?

Something—or someone—has to give.

Which one will it be?


Review: Every time I read a talked about book, I am disappointed. Not that this book was bad, it just didn't live up to all the hype.

It is a slow burn...an excruciatingly slow burn.

The story is set in 1995, which was interesting for me, taking me back to my college days.

The story is told in so many alternating POVs from the main characters Polly and Adam to other characters that played into Polly's past.

I had a really hard time getting into the characters. Adam seemed so wishy washy when it came to his job, falling almost instantly for Polly and frankly I couldn't figure out what it was about Polly that made guys fall for her. Is everything all about sex? How could someone that seemed so intelligent, end up not being intelligent at all when it came to one woman? I can't fathom going from a PI to being a cook in a diner, serving up fancier food than a roadside diner/bar usually would.  Adam seemed to be taking High Ho to Diners Drive Ins and Dives levels...but that show is several years from happening.

Polly is an interesting, if not totally unlikable character. Her past leaves you wondering what she's capable of and what's she's already done and she's done a lot. Its the wherefore and why that make the story worthwhile in the long run.  She's the type of character that leaves a trail of disasters in her wake.

The two characters each have things that they are keeping from each other.

The book's end really brought all the disaster's full circle. I wasn't fond of the end. Things were finally moving at a faster pace and then the story stops and fasts forward. So for me, it was a huge let down.

The book was OK, but for me there was no, WOW.

Rating: 3 flowers


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