Lust, deceit and the simple quest for happiness rule the plot as "Sunburn" works well as an homage to Raymond Chandler, James M. Cain and Anne Tyler. Lippman delves into a study of contrasts with a story that's as cynical as it is hopeful, a look at hearts of darkness coupled with a domestic thriller.
The 1995 setting also adds to the intense character studies — with no cellphones or social media to cloud each persona. Characters are seeking their identities yet submerging themselves with layers of duplicity. In the hard-boiled vein, Lippman takes the femme fatale — the linchpin of novels such as "Double Indemnity" — and puts a modern spin on this archetype, then turns it upside down.
The ingenious plot evolves into myriad twists that are as believable as they are surprising. Lippman's tight control on "Sunburn" delivers one of the year's most intriguing mysteries.
read more here @ Irish Times and @ LA Times
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