Title : After I’m Gone
Author : Laura Lippman
Narrators : Linda Esmond
Genre : Mystery
Publisher : Harper Audio
Listening Length : 10 hours 34 minutes
Rating : 2.5/5
Narrator Rating : 3.5/5

“After I’m Gone” is my first Laura Lippman, and I am kind of disappointed. This book was average; “meh” describes it best.

Felix Brewster, small time conman with illusions of grandeur, trying to escape the law disappears mysteriously leaving behind wife Bambi, 2 daughters, and a mistress Julie. Julie disappears 10 years later, presumably to join Felix. Much later when her body is found in a remote park thicket, retired detective Sandy Sanchez investigates this cold case.

“After I’m Gone” has an intriguing premise, but the characters are so flat that I don’t care about them. What we do know about them makes them unlikeable – they are either plain dumb, arrogant or shorn of common sense.

The book is slow-moving with details thrown in that don’t impact the story or build nuance – like why do I care about the detective’s back story? His character does not shape the case (not like Tana French’s books) so it is rather frustrating to wade through so much description for nothing. Bambi is swept off her feet by Felix but is still reserved, “holding back a piece of herself” – and what does that do to the story? Absolutely nothing.

This book felt like it hadn’t been fully thought through. In bits, the events and characters probably made sense, but as a whole this just didn’t have the momentum or excitement of a mystery/thriller. Also some skillful editing was called for.

I have heard Lippman books recommended to me, so I must try other books by her – which I’m currently loath to do.

Linda Edmond’s narration passed muster.