What the Dead Know is a crime thriller by the American writer Laura Lippman, published in 2007.[1][2] The story, set in Baltimore in 2005, is about an investigation into a woman who claims to be Heather Bethany, a girl who had gone missing thirty years before. The book was critically acclaimed and it won the 2007 Quill Award in the mystery/suspense/thriller category and 2008 Anthony Award for Best Novel.
Author | Laura Lippman |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Genre | Crime novel |
Publisher | William Morrow |
Publication date | March 13, 2007 |
Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
Pages | 384 pages |
ISBN | 0-06-112885-6 |
Reviewers saw What the Dead Know as a success both as a well-crafted mystery and as an emotionally powerful novel.[3][4] The Guardian described the novel as a "realistic and poignant detailing of emotional hide-and-seek, ... an excellent mystery and a thoughtful exploration of the nature and effects of grief and loss."[5] Kirkus Reviews praised the novel, noting that "Lippman (To the Power of Three, 2005, etc.) crafts a tale that resonates long after the last page is turned."[6] Janet Maslin of The New York Times praised What the Dead Know as "an uncommonly clever imposter story", "three-dimensional", and worthy of reading a second time — "You read it once just to move breathlessly toward the finale. Then you revisit it to marvel at how well Ms. Lippman pulled the wool over your eyes."[7]