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Sunburn: A Novel
Escrito por Laura Lippman
Narrado por Susan Bennett
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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?
Inspired by James M. Cain's masterpieces The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, and Mildred Pierce, Sunburn is a tantalizing modern noir from the incomparable Laura Lippman.
Acciones del libro
Comenzar a escucharInformación sobre el libro
Sunburn: A Novel
Escrito por Laura Lippman
Narrado por Susan Bennett
Descripción
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?
Inspired by James M. Cain's masterpieces The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, and Mildred Pierce, Sunburn is a tantalizing modern noir from the incomparable Laura Lippman.
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This book was captivating from the very beginning. I was instantly drawn in to the characters and wanted to know more about them. I am a total sucker for characters with hidden backstories, and this book was no exception. The way the story unfolded, I fully believed that I had predicted the ending and everything would be tied up in a neat little bow for me just the way I expected. I am happy to say that I was wrong. The ending shocked me in more ways than one and I was pleasantly surprised with how the author chose to end the story. I don't really have any complaints about this novel, I thought each character was relatable and lovable. I thought the book was unique, even though I don't think the core plot was. I honestly would read this book again right away if I had the time and a smaller TBR stack!
Sunburn is Lippman’s first foray into noir fiction. Though inspired by James M. Cain’s classic noir novel The Postman Always Rings Twice, the enigmatic character of Polly Costello is uniquely Lippman’s own creation. Because there are so many twists and turns, it's hard to give too many details about the plot, though a few things are quite clear from the get-go.First, beautiful redhead Polly is a woman with a troubled past. She’s obviously on the run, but from what? As the book opens, she meets a handsome stranger Adam in a bar in Delaware. Sparks fly but the real fun for the reader is trying to figure out what these two people are up to—because they are definitely up to something.The ending came as a total surprise and was eminently satisfying, in a dark, noirish sort of way. Somewhere out there, James Cain must be smiling.
I've been reading a lot of noir lately, especially noir written by women (such as Dorothy B. Hughes). This was a fine tribute to them. My main issue was how information was fed to the reader. The narrative kept talking around gaps in the reader's knowledge in order to preserve surprises at the end, but that left me feeling muddled and sometimes as if the plot were being forced rather than proceeding organically. I was never quite sure of Polly's and Adam's love, given how many secrets they were keeping and how cool they acted. It was hard to emotionally connect with these characters, but the end chapter did help to redeem Polly a lot.
My first experience with this author and I am impressed. Looking forward to reading more of her books. Enjoyed the twists and turns.
Heavily influenced by 1940s noir (I think - I'm not super well-versed in the genre), Laura Lippman has written a twisty novel - not exactly a thriller or very suspenseful but one with a slow, smoldering build. The reader knows the protagonist is unreliable, and that she's done some sort-of bad things. Little by little, key information is revealed, but not in a way that makes the reader annoyed with the author for purposefully holding back. It's very skillfully done, and this tale of murder, abuse, arson, and blackmail is gripping from beginning to end.
Laura Lippman pays homage to noir fiction in "Sunburn," a story about a woman who is very good at getting what she wants. The novel opens in the sleepy town of Belleville, Delaware, in 1995. Thirty-eight year old Adam Bosk, a handsome PI, is hired to keep an eye on Polly Costello, a seductive redhead who may have pulled off a lucrative scam. Adam's client, Irving Lowenstein, is an insurance broker who has skirted the law himself on more than one occasion. No one would mistake Adam for Albert Einstein; his libido leads him astray, and he ignores obvious warning signs that might have induced him to tread carefully.
Polly has a grim past. She is determined to start over, but doing so will require stealth, patience, and cunning, all of which she possesses in abundance. Even after she and Adam embark on a passionate affair, Polly keeps her eyes on the prize, and she will allow no one, not even the man she cares for, to stand in her way. Most of Lippman's characters are self-centered, greedy, and mean-spirited. They manipulate others, commit criminal acts, and do whatever is necessary to further their own interests. Adam is a decent guy, and even Polly has positive attributes that are not immediately apparent. However, her ex-husbands, especially the first one, are contemptible, and she has paid a hefty price for her terrible taste in men.
"Sunburn" is a bleak tale in which references to tragic events and the author's use of foreshadowing create a somber mood. Lippman depicts Belleville as an unappealing place, where no one with ambition would dream of settling down. Although Polly may never have it all, it is clear that she intends to do whatever is necessary to come out on top. The plot has lapses in logic, but Lippman's writing is proficient, involving, and fast-paced enough to hold our interest. Polly--a worthy descendent of the hard-boiled dames of yore--is savvy, opportunistic, and as conniving as those who are determined to bring her down.
Polly has a grim past. She is determined to start over, but doing so will require stealth, patience, and cunning, all of which she possesses in abundance. Even after she and Adam embark on a passionate affair, Polly keeps her eyes on the prize, and she will allow no one, not even the man she cares for, to stand in her way. Most of Lippman's characters are self-centered, greedy, and mean-spirited. They manipulate others, commit criminal acts, and do whatever is necessary to further their own interests. Adam is a decent guy, and even Polly has positive attributes that are not immediately apparent. However, her ex-husbands, especially the first one, are contemptible, and she has paid a hefty price for her terrible taste in men.
"Sunburn" is a bleak tale in which references to tragic events and the author's use of foreshadowing create a somber mood. Lippman depicts Belleville as an unappealing place, where no one with ambition would dream of settling down. Although Polly may never have it all, it is clear that she intends to do whatever is necessary to come out on top. The plot has lapses in logic, but Lippman's writing is proficient, involving, and fast-paced enough to hold our interest. Polly--a worthy descendent of the hard-boiled dames of yore--is savvy, opportunistic, and as conniving as those who are determined to bring her down.
What fun! I don't read a ton of suspense, and I don't much like a good deal of the suspense I do read, but more often than not I do like Laura Lippman's books, and this one is one of my favorites.Lippman is prolific, and I have not come close to reading every book she has written, but this is the first time I have ever read a book by her firmly rooted in the noir tradition. The book kept me in suspense, I wasn't sure what to think of Polly's endgame, but I never doubted she was a woman who did not have a lot of options other than to exploit her allure. I loved it, this subversive toppling of the femme fatale trope. Polly is a woman men are draw to for reasons they often cannot identify. And that quality that draws men to her determines and destroys her life. Yes, the men are drawn but they turn out to hate her for it, and to make her life miserable. She is abused, enslaved, limited to being people's fantasy of her rather being who she was. It is hard to tally up events to determine if Polly is more the femme fatale or the victim. The book reminded me a LOT of Chinatown. It is hard to imagine people who love that film (as I do) would not love this book. I would have loved it if we had some inkling of who Polly truly was under the skin outside of her role as mother and lover, but overall a really great read.
Pauline/Polly Costello Ditmars Smith Hansen has a past, obviously. The reader meets her in a motel room in Belleville, Delaware after she has walked out on her husband and daughter. Adam Bosc is a private detective hired by a crooked insurance man who is sure Polly has illicit money stashed away. Adam makes contact with Polly while she is waitressing in a dive bar, and soon they are emotionally involved.This book was compulsively readable and very cleverly crafted. I enjoyed the way the information was parcelled out slowly. I was a little disappointed with the character development, though. While ordinarily Lippman's characters breathe, in this case they were more two-dimensional actors for the sake of the plot. Still, it's great entertainment
Sunburn refers to the sunburn PI Adam Bosk sees on Pauline "Polly" Costello the woman he has been hired to observe and find out where she is hiding the money she ripped off of her stepdaughter according to his client Irving Lowenstein. Pauline has just left husband number two with her three-year-old daughter and headed down the road and stopped in the small town of Belleville, Delaware and decided to hole up here for a while. She gets a job as a waitress at the High-Ho bar and restaurant.When he flirts with her she doesn't respond at first and then when one night she does, he is so shocked and not sure about going back to her room that he just leaves the bar which is the wrong move. To give him a reason to stay in the town he uses his cooking skills to work as a cook there and tries flirting with her but gets shut down. So he decides to start a sexual relationship with the other waitress Cath to inspire jealousy and it works.She tells him to just stop talking to Cath. That that would be the easiest way to break things off with her and keep their relationship a secret. It's not long that Adam is falling for Polly and against her better judgment she is falling for him. We learn that Polly killed her first husband by stabbing him in the heart in his sleep because he was abusive and threatened to kill her and their disabled daughter. She was pardoned by the governor who decided to pardon some women who had been ill-used by the world and the law. She had taken out a life insurance policy on her husband with Irving's help but put the policy in the name of her daughter. Irving had expected to get a commission on that policy and was pissed when he didn't get it. Polly turned the care of her daughter over to the state. So she's left two children behind.Her second husband hires a PI to find her and then comes down threatening her if she doesn't come back but Adam intervenes and he leaves and goes back home with his tail between his legs. Polly is hiding something from everyone and has a secret plan. Polly is a bit of a bitch, but you kinda can't help but like her anyway. Some of that's due to the fact that she was abused by her first husband. You feel sorry for her for that. But some of it is just her moxie to do what she wants to get what she wants no matter who's in the way. And both of their treatment toward Cath is deplorable. You do feel sorry for Adam who seems like a sweet guy for what he is getting himself into. This book is set in 1995 before the internet really came about so it's not like he could run a search and find out all this information on her and she had changed her name. He was dependent on the information Irving had given him and believed that Irving had run a LexisNexis report on her. This book holds many surprises and twists and turns you don't expect. Lippman is a master storyteller who weaves an intricate web that you won't see the design of until you get to the last page. This was a fantastic book and I highly recommend it.
Fabulous - full of twists.
What to say first about this book? Ah! Lippman came into my life, way back when I was a new blogger, when I ended up with the 11th book in her Tess Monaghan series for review. I remember being a little worried that I wouldn't be able to pick things up so late in the story line, but there was Lippman's exceptional writing picking me up and taking me on a journey anyway. I ended up loving that book, and I've been a fan of Lippman ever since! So imagine my excitement when I was asked to be on the tour for Sunburn. It's been long enough since I read one of her books that I was eager to see if her writing was what I remembered from before. Oh, it was. You'd best prepare for some gushing.It's so impressive to me when a book can completely command your attention from the first few sentences, and Sunburn accomplishes that easily. Polly's story, while you don't know who she is just yet, pulls you into its web. I found myself utterly invested in this woman, and unable to look away as everything she'd planned slowly fell into place. I know that I'm being vague, and you can understand that it's a purposeful vagueness. There are just too many things that I can't give away, without ruining your enjoyment of this spiderweb of a book. Just trust me when I say that Polly's story is extremely layered, and totally worth taking the time to uncover.Plus, while the whole plot thread is just deliciously mysterious, it's really the characters themselves who steal the show. Polly is the perfect unreliable narrator. She's easy to love and hate in equal measures, depending on what is newly being revealed to the reader about her. She's shrouded in doubt, yet with enough humanness to make her likable. Adam, on the other hand, is this rock in shifting sands. He's strong, reliable, and yet slowly being eroded by our dear Polly. As the book reaches a climax, and Adam's real plight comes to light, I'm sure you'll find yourself just as stunned as I was. There's a lot to love about how well laid out this book really is.So why the four star rating, rather than five? I can easily pin that on the fact that the ending, while completely plausible, didn't really suit my tastes. That doesn't mean that it won't be perfect for most readers. That doesn't mean it isn't an excellent ending overall. That's just me, being my nitpicky reader self, being completely transparent with you. I didn't love the ending of this. Still, it's a totally solid and enjoyable read. The twists and turns are wonderful, and I'm still impressed. Lippman hasn't lost her edge, and I hope she never does.
Polly sits on a barstool in Belleville, Delaware, and Noah engages her in conversation. But neither Polly nor Noah is there by chance. Both have secrets, and one is playing a very long game. Each says they are just passing through, but they both wind up staying for the summer, working in the local tavern at which they met, and embarking on an affair. The fun of this book is figuring out who is the good guy and who is not, and it's not a spoiler to say you won't be sure until the end. A solid thriller.
In some ways, I would describe this book as a good beach read. Woman leaves abusive husband, falls in love, seeks revenge. Meh. Yet, the character development and clever plot twists bumped it up a notch for me. Facts are revealed piecemeal, building tension, curiosity, and a definite desire to know the outcome. Mother love, nothin' like it!
Laura Lippman deserves a better reader than I. I am sure that there are nuances and allusions here that I am not smart or well-read enough to get, but that didn't stop me from enjoying and appreciating this modern noir.
Sunburn is set in 1995, before the ubiquity of cell phones and internet access, when detective work was still "analog", which works to keep the characters in the dark about each other, knowing only what they can find out through talking to each other (or other people) and laborious searches through old records. This, combined with the characters' desire to keep their secrets, means that the truth reveals itself slowly—both to the characters and the reader.
Sunburn is a short, lean novel that also manages a slow burn. Although it's set in 1995, there was something about this novel that brought to mind those sun-blasted crime films of the 70s—all lens flares and white-yellow sun and worn-down interiors—but filmed in moody black-and-white.
And I know that none of this is making sense and I've really said fuck-all about the plot and characters, but part of that is because I'm afraid that anything I say will give something away and there were just so many layers and twists and revelations that I feel like giving any of them away, even accidentally, would lessen the reading experience for you.
I've found that some of my favorite novels have a cinematic quality and that my lasting impression is akin to a movie-going experience. With Sunburn, I felt like I had wandered, slightly dazed, from an air-conditioned theatre into the hot sunshine after watching a film that slowly ratcheted up the tension until everything collided in a cathartic explosion of violence and heartbreak.
Sunburn is set in 1995, before the ubiquity of cell phones and internet access, when detective work was still "analog", which works to keep the characters in the dark about each other, knowing only what they can find out through talking to each other (or other people) and laborious searches through old records. This, combined with the characters' desire to keep their secrets, means that the truth reveals itself slowly—both to the characters and the reader.
Sunburn is a short, lean novel that also manages a slow burn. Although it's set in 1995, there was something about this novel that brought to mind those sun-blasted crime films of the 70s—all lens flares and white-yellow sun and worn-down interiors—but filmed in moody black-and-white.
And I know that none of this is making sense and I've really said fuck-all about the plot and characters, but part of that is because I'm afraid that anything I say will give something away and there were just so many layers and twists and revelations that I feel like giving any of them away, even accidentally, would lessen the reading experience for you.
I've found that some of my favorite novels have a cinematic quality and that my lasting impression is akin to a movie-going experience. With Sunburn, I felt like I had wandered, slightly dazed, from an air-conditioned theatre into the hot sunshine after watching a film that slowly ratcheted up the tension until everything collided in a cathartic explosion of violence and heartbreak.
I find Laura Lippman to be a bit inconsistent - when she's good, she's very very good, but...that said, I LOVED this one! Another complex, strong female character surrounded by weaker men. Her plots are the most delicate onion-peeling, as there are important reveals and clues scattered widely. But attention is also deeply paid to the motivations of characters, providing multiple valuable PoVs. Polly/Pauline leaves her second husband and child on the beach (a major plot point of Anne Tyler's fantastic novel Ladder Of Years - which Lippman makes reference to - and they are also both Baltimore-based writers) and creates a stir when she settles in sleepy Belleville, Delaware. Adam is hired to find her, and he finds her irresistible. They've both got major secrets, and the question is: will they ever trust each other? Quote: "He asks her questions -not too many or she'll get too attached. Women can't help themselves when men ask them questions."
I read this book because I had heard it had a very surprising twist at the end. It did have that, but it was difficult, for me anyway, to read the book. For one thing I couldn't stand the main protagonist. I think Ms. Lippman tried to make her Polly character as bitchy, conniving and as unlikeable as possible. In all honesty, as we read we find out more and more of her tragic past, and the hell she lived for five years with her first husband. She is a true femme fatale, and everyone that gets in her way gets sucked down her vortex. Ms. Lippman has done a very good job of portraying her main character, and she does keep you guessing right to the end. Little by little more of Polly's story is revealed. We see a woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. And even though I was prepared for the twist at the end, it still shocked me. I would classify this book as a modern noir thriller. It's dark and steamy, and it has enough secrets and lies to satisfy anyone who enjoys book from this genre.
A modern noir and a great salute to the early authors. The book begins with a man (Adam) and a woman (Polly) meeting in a no place bar in no place Belleville, Delaware. They connect and end up working in the diner for several months. Interspersed with the present are remembered scenes from the past that slowly give us a picture of Polly from childhood on. Adam choreographed their meeting for his own reasons. He's working as a P.I. and she is abandoning a marriage. But it is so much more than that as we explore the thoughts of these two individuals. There are twists and turns along the way and a "I didn't see that coming" ending. A really good read to sink your teeth into.
Ten years ago or so, I had the fortune of meeting this author when she was at ALA in Chicago. She was just becoming an author to watch, was gracious and kind. We were given a copy of her newest book, one I went home and read. Loved it and have read her ever since. Polly and Adam meet in a little town restaurant, she a waitress, he the cook. They both have many secrets, are not who they appear to be, both fooling the other. Actually the less said, the better. Let the author take you where she will. I think here, Lippman is at the top of her game. The tightly constructed plot, the control she shows in unveiling things when she want to, the suspense that ramps up after each new revelation. Can't say I liked these characters but one does understand their motives by books end, which by the way did not end the way I expected. If Hitchcock was alive I think this is one he would have snapped up in order to make a movie. Can just see this played out black and white. A interesting and well done stand alone from this author who seems to get better and better with each book.ARC from Edelweiss.
The central character Polly is an interesting one. We learn more and more about her as the novel moves forward. Sometimes she appears as a sympathetic character, at other times more of a manipulative one. However, people around her not only help her, they actually care about her, no matter what she does. There are some interesting twists in this tale, and some interesting characters, so if you like a book that looks into the souls of its characters, this is an interesting one.
Polly shows up in a small town in Delaware decides to stay, getting a job in the local tavern. Shortly after, Adam shows up and settles in, getting a job as the cook in that same tavern. They are clearly attracted to each other and eventually begin a relationship, but both are keeping some pretty big secrets and the past is about to catch up with them.This is pure noir, it has the taste of an old movie, full of private investigators and women with shady pasts, of crime and passion. It's also the best thing Laura Lippman has written.
Wow! A powerhouse suspense novel. Polly moves into a small town and has a complicated past. Adam is a private investigator hired to get close to her. I had a difficult time putting this one down!
Suspense writer Laura Lippman is best known for her crime novels set in the city of Baltimore. The city is as much of a character in her novels as the people she writes about. Her newest novel, Sunburn, leaves Baltimore for the small beach town of Belleville, Delaware, a tourist town that booms during the summer months, and reverts to its small town ways the rest of the year. A town Polly describes as "put together from other town's leftovers."While passing through town Polly stops into the High-Ho tavern and decides to get a job there as a waitress. Polly has just abandoned her husband and three-year-old daughter while on a beach vacation. What kind of woman does that?Adam wanders into the High-Ho and gets a job as a cook in the kitchen. He has a reason for being there too- he is watching Polly for a client. Who is the client? Is it Polly's abandoned husband?Slowly we get more information about Polly. She has a past, and many secrets to hide. She is adept at manipulating people to do what she wants, without them even knowing that they are doing it, and being grateful to help her.Trouble begins for Adam when he falls in love with Polly. He struggles with his secrets, with his sense of responsibility to his client. Even with what he knows about Polly, he stiil loves her.Polly has fallen in love with Adam too. Their casual affair becomes serious and then deadly when a death occurs in the town. Was it an accident or murder?Lippman is at the top of her game with Sunburn. Her inspiration for Sunburn is the work of fellow Baltimore native James M. Cain, whose classic novels include Mildred Pierce, The Postman Always Rings Twice, and Double Indemity. Lippman includes elements from all three novels in her story- an insurance man, illicit lovers, manipulative women, even the restaurant angle- and are all brilliantly woven together in this spellbinding novel.Sunburn is the perfect book to take on vacation; I read it on a three-hour flight from Florida to New York, and never looked up once until we landed and I had finished the book. The ending is a stunner!Polly is a fascinating character, as she "fixes her gaze on the goal and never loses sight of it". The big question is what exactly is Polly's goal? Crime noir is frequently the purview of male protagonists, so it is intriguing to have a femme fatale running the show.Sunburn is easily one of the best novels I have read in recent memory, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries and good fiction.
wow... just wow. Though it was a long listen, it was really gripping. Couldn't put it down.
The ending was a let down but maybe a lead in to a 2nd book......probably wouldn't read too predictible.
A little all over the place at first. But all-in-all it was interesting.
A dark lady. A mysterious and violent past. A handsome private eye. Great ingredients for a modern noir.
The twists we're good. The ending was horribly disappointing. But the worst part was how completely unlikable the "heroine" is. She is truly awful.
The story starts strong, but it just has dragged on for me. I’ve lost interest.
Twists and turns galore. It had a Hitchcock and Cain theme that kept me guessing.
Great characters, very engrossing..would definitely read more by this author