Review: I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman

Publication Date: September 1st 2010
Pages:
Genre: Thriller/ General Fiction
My Rating:




Book Summary:  Eliza Benedict cherishes her peaceful, ordinary suburban life with her successful husband and children, thirteen-year-old Iso and eight-year-old Albie. But her tranquillity is shattered when she receives a letter from the last person she ever expects—or wants—to hear from: Walter Bowman. There was your photo, in a magazine. Of course, you are older now. Still, I'd know you anywhere.In the summer of 1985, when she was fifteen, Eliza was kidnapped by Walter and held hostage for almost six weeks. He had killed at least one girl and Eliza always suspected he had other victims as well. Now on death row in Virginia for the rape and murder of his final victim, Walter seems to be making a heartfelt act of contrition as his execution nears. Though Eliza wants nothing to do with him, she's never forgotten that Walter was most unpredictable when ignored. Desperate to shelter her children from this undisclosed trauma in her past, she cautiously makes contact with Walter. She's always wondered why Walter let her live, and perhaps now he'll tell her—and share the truth about his other victims.Yet as Walter presses her for more and deeper contact, it becomes clear that he is after something greater than forgiveness. He wants Eliza to remember what really happened that long-ago summer. He wants her to save his life. And Eliza, who has worked hard for her comfortable, cocooned life, will do anything to protect it—even if it means finally facing the events of that horrifying summer and the terrible truth she's kept buried inside.An edgy, utterly gripping tale of psychological manipulation that will leave readers racing to the final page, I'd Know You Anywhere is a virtuoso performance from acclaimed, award-winning author Laura Lippman that is sure to be her biggest hit yet. 

My Thoughts: I was intrigued by this book after reading Still Missing by Chevy Stevens. I came across this book for review not long after reading Still Missing. This book is different however. I was captivated from page one. The author paints a story that is very well told.  Walter is a serial killer. She lets us meet him first and get to know him and give us some insight as to why he may have become who he was. We meet Eliza as an adult living her day to day life trying not to think about her past from when she was kidnapped. This is something she keeps secret from others however, she is very open and honest with her husband, which I liked in this book. Too often in book, spouses keep secrets from one another and it was nice to read about a good and solid marriage. This is something however that she has kept from her children. Which I can understand being a mother. That would be something very difficult to explain. You also meet in this story the mother of one of the murder victims. Actually this victim, Holly, it was her murder case that got Walter on death row. So, we get to meet her mother and see how she feels about the upcoming date that Walter is facing. He has been the longest inmate on death row, as he keeps avoiding it somehow. She is now worried that Eliza isn't really a victim of Walter's as she has portrayed and that Eliza might help Walter get off, since the two are in contact again.

Another thing I enjoyed about this story was that Eliza did not get herself all wrapped up into Walter like you think a character would. You read a lot about her day to day life as a parent. Walter is not always on her mind as she is dealing with a rebellious teenage daughter and a son with nightmares.

I really liked this story. This was an all around good book and I really think this book is going to get popular fast. It is well written and definitely one that I recommend that you add to your TBR list if it isn't already added.



**I read this book through Crazy Book Tours.**