# Lady in the Lake - Paperback

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by **Laura Lippman** (Author)

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**A** _**New York Times**_ **Bestseller**

**The revered** _**New York Times**_ **bestselling author returns with a novel set in  
1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of  
classic noir, about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring reporter who  
pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.**

In 1966, Baltimore is a city of  
secrets that everyone seems to know--everyone, that is, except Madeline "Maddie"  
Schwartz. Last year, she was a happy, even pampered housewife. This year, she's  
bolted from her marriage of almost twenty years, determined to make good on her  
youthful ambitions to live a passionate, meaningful life.

  

Maddie wants to matter, to  
leave her mark on a swiftly changing world. Drawing on her own secrets, she  
helps Baltimore police find a murdered girl--assistance that leads to a job at  
the city's afternoon newspaper, the _Sta__r._ Working at the  
newspaper offers Maddie the opportunity to make her name, and she has found  
just the story to do it: Cleo Sherwood, a missing woman whose body was  
discovered in the fountain of a city park lake.

  

If  
Cleo were white, every reporter in Baltimore would be clamoring to tell her  
story. Instead, her mysterious death receives only cursory mention in the daily  
newspapers, and no one cares when Maddie starts poking around in a young Black woman's  
life--except for Cleo's ghost, who is  
determined to keep her secrets and her dignity. Cleo scolds the ambitious  
Maddie: _You're interested in my death, not my life. They're not the  
same thing._

Maddie's investigation brings her into contact with people that  
used to be on the periphery of her life--a jewelry store clerk, a waitress, a  
rising star on the Baltimore Orioles, a patrol cop, a hardened female reporter,  
a lonely man in a movie theater. But for all her ambition and drive, Maddie  
often fails to see the people right in front of her. Her inability to look  
beyond her own needs will lead to tragedy and turmoil for all sorts of  
people--including Ferdie, the man who shares her bed, a police officer who  
is risking far more than Maddie can understand.

### Front Jacket

The _New York Times_ bestselling author returns with a novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a housewife  
turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman

In 1966, Baltimore is a city of secrets that everyone seems to know--everyone, that is, except Madeline "Maddie" Schwartz. Last year, she was a happy, even pampered housewife. This year, she's bolted from her marriage of almost twenty years, determined to make good on her youthful ambitions to live a passionate, meaningful life.

Maddie wants to matter, to leave her mark on a swiftly changing world. Drawing on her own secrets, she helps Baltimore police find a murdered girl--assistance that leads to a job at the city's afternoon newspaper, the _Star._ Working at the newspaper offers Maddie the opportunity to make her name, and she has found just the story to do it: a missing black woman whose body was discovered in the fountain of a city park lake.

Cleo Sherwood was a young black woman who liked to have a good time. No one seems to know or care why she was killed except Maddie--and the dead woman herself. Maddie sets out to find the truth about Cleo's life and death, but Cleo's ghost, privy to Maddie's poking and prying, wants to be left alone.

Maddie's investigation brings her into contact with people who used to be on the periphery of her life--a jewelry store clerk, a waitress, a rising star on the Baltimore Orioles, a patrol cop, a hardened female reporter, a lonely man in a movie theater. But for all her ambition and drive, Maddie may fail to see the people right in front of her. Her inability to look beyond her own needs could lead to tragedy and turmoil for all sorts of people--including the man who shares her bed, a black police officer who cares for Maddie more than she knows.

\--Anna Quindlen, _New York Times_ bestselling author

### Back Jacket

The _New York Times_ bestselling author returns with a novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a housewife  
turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman

In 1966, Baltimore is a city of secrets that everyone seems to know--everyone, that is, except Madeline "Maddie" Schwartz. Last year, she was a happy, even pampered housewife. This year, she's bolted from her marriage of almost twenty years, determined to make good on her youthful ambitions to live a passionate, meaningful life.

Maddie wants to matter, to leave her mark on a swiftly changing world. Drawing on her own secrets, she helps Baltimore police find a murdered girl--assistance that leads to a job at the city's afternoon newspaper, the _Star._ Working at the newspaper offers Maddie the opportunity to make her name, and she has found just the story to do it: a missing black woman whose body was discovered in the fountain of a city park lake.

Cleo Sherwood was a young black woman who liked to have a good time. No one seems to know or care why she was killed except Maddie--and the dead woman herself. Maddie sets out to find the truth about Cleo's life and death, but Cleo's ghost, privy to Maddie's poking and prying, wants to be left alone.

Maddie's investigation brings her into contact with people who used to be on the periphery of her life--a jewelry store clerk, a waitress, a rising star on the Baltimore Orioles, a patrol cop, a hardened female reporter, a lonely man in a movie theater. But for all her ambition and drive, Maddie may fail to see the people right in front of her. Her inability to look beyond her own needs could lead to tragedy and turmoil for all sorts of people--including the man who shares her bed, a black police officer who cares for Maddie more than she knows.

**Number of Pages:** 384

**Dimensions:** 1 x 7.9 x 5.2 IN

**Publication Date:** June 23, 2020

## Details

- **Price:** 25.99 GBP
- **Vendor:** BooksCloud
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books, Fiction, Historical, Mystery & Detective, Price Written on Book, Suspense, Thrillers, Women Sleuths

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 25.99 GBP | In stock |

## Images

- Lady in the Lake

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> Updated: 2026-08-22
