Review: Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner
by Jenners • 07/13/2010 • 3.5 Stars, Fiction, G Authors, L Titles, Mystery/Thriller • 20 Comments
Live To TellBantam Dell, July 13, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-553-80724-0
387 pages
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Story Overview (borrowed from Paperback Swap)
On a warm summer night in one of Boston’s working-class neighborhoods, an unthinkable crime has been committed: Four members of a family have been brutally murdered. The father—and possible suspect—now lies clinging to life in the ICU. Murder-suicide? Or something worse? Veteran police detective D. D. Warren is certain of only one thing: There’s more to this case than meets the eye.
Danielle Burton is a survivor, a dedicated nurse whose passion is to help children at a locked-down pediatric psych ward. But she remains haunted by a family tragedy that shattered her life nearly twenty-five years ago. The dark anniversary is approaching, and when D. D. Warren and her partner show up at the facility, Danielle immediately realizes: It has started again.
A devoted mother, Victoria Oliver has a hard time remembering what normalcy is like. But she will do anything to ensure that her troubled son has some semblance of a childhood. She will love him no matter what. Nurture him. Keep him safe. Protect him. Even when the threat comes from within her own house.
In Lisa Gardner’s latest book, the lives of these three women unfold and connect in unexpected ways, as sins from the past emerge—and stunning secrets reveal just how tightly blood ties can bind.
My Thoughts
I’ve read almost all of Lisa Gardner’s books (with my favorites being her Quincy and Rainie books). Lately, though, I was wondering if she had lost her mojo. I thought her last book, The Neighbor, was just OK. But I’m nothing if not loyal (until you write at least three awful books in a row), so I thought I’d give Gardner another try. Well, I’m glad I gave Gardner the benefit of the doubt because this book was one of her better ones.
There are a lot of books out there (including Gardner’s books) that deal with twisted psyches and unimaginable violence. But what makes this book so disturbing is that it acknowledges that sometimes the twisted psyches belong to children. In her Author’s Note, Gardner talks about friends of hers who had a troubled child and their struggles to find a way to save their son. Like Gardner, I tended to believe that troubled children were that way because of abuse and neglect. It is easier to understand how children who have been beaten, abused, tortured, or neglected become violent or primal. What isn’t easy to understand is when a child with loving and attentive parents is violent. Isn’t such behavior the result of nurture … not nature? I think we all would prefer to believe this. But, as we learn throughout this book, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes children are born without the psychological make-up they need to interact appropriately with others. Mental health professionals and facilities (like the locked-down pediatric psych ward described in the book) are working with these children to help them function in society.
This is Gardner’s fourth D.D. Warren book, and I’m still unclear why D.D. is a recurring character as she doesn’t seem particularly well-developed. Four books in and all I really know about her is that she is too involved with her job to have a life. Although Gardner attempts to give Warren a bit of romance in this book, I didn’t find that storyline all that compelling, and I honestly don’t give much thought to this being “A Detective D.D. Warren Novel.” (A fact that was trumpeted across the front of my ARC.) To be honest, the characters of Danielle and Victoria were better developed than D.D.’s character. This doesn’t really detract from the book, I guess. D.D. simply functions as the reader’s way of getting information to solve the crime. Yet it seems a bit odd to create a detective and build books around her without giving her much of a personal life or back story.
My Final Recommendation
If you’re a Lisa Gardner fan, I think this was one of her better books. The story is disturbing and harrowing and will take you to places you might not want to go. If you’re a fan of disturbing, psychological mysteries, this would be an excellent choice for you. However, if these types of books aren’t your cup of tea, stay away! This book is candid in its descriptions of violent children and makes you want to take a long hot shower afterwards.
What are other book bloggers saying about this book? Find out at the Book Blogs Search Engine.
The Whys and Wheres: I got my ARC from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. I requested it because I’ve read almost all of Lisa Gardner’s books so why stop now?
Pingback: Review: Love You More by Lisa Gardner | Life … With Books
oo, creepy. i will so have to try this,
because i'm a little bit creepy.
i loved your 'camping' comment. made
me smile . . . a teeny bit.
I've come across this book a couple of times lately. It sounds like one I'd be interested in
I haven't read any of her books,but this one does look good. I'm going to have to remember her for my mom-who has become a mystery addict.
I haven't read anything by Lisa Gardner, and after seeing your recommendation for those who like disturbing thrillers I think I know why. Probably not my cup of tea, but glad you liked it!
I think I've read her before but I obviously need to try again since I can't hink of what it was! At least I know I didn't hate it – that I would remember.
Wow, so many interesting takes on this book. Jenners, you bring a good point that I totally neglected in my review today – D.D. Warren's love life. I didn't even touch on that because I thought it was just a mere distraction in the book. Yes, Victoria was very well done. I found my heart racing during some of her narrations. Excellent review, Jenners!
I don't think I've read any of her books. Not sure this one is for me.
Just read Caite's review, and I couldn't remember the series that I liked so much. Yes, it is Rainie and Quincy. I've read a handful of them and I do enjoy them. She does suspense very well. I'll have to grab this one, even though I don't remember if I have read any Warren series, I guess I don't care if it is that good.
Well said!! (You are tight about DD Warren not being a well developed character, now that I really think about it.
This book rocked me, but I was very glad I read it.
This one is right up my alley. I'm completely fascinated by the whole nature vs. nurture when it comes to people growing up to be psychopaths.
My mom loves these thrillers, and Gardner is one of her favorites. I picked her up a signed copy of this one at BEA. I'm not sure if she's finished it.
The nature v. nurture argument is one that will probably never be settled, but I tend to think we are the way we are because of a little of both. This book sounds pretty darn creepy.
I've never read a Gardner book, but with my child psych background, I think I'd like this one.
Hey, I'm on a roll now…I'm on my second fiction book in a row
I think I liked this book even more than you..in fact I liked it a great deal and think it is one of Gardner's best.
at risk of bring a tacky self hyper, I will shamelessly include a link to my review here.
I beg forgiveness.
I want to try one of her books, this one does sound like me so I may try it.
Nice honest review.
Umm, not too sure about this one – it really does depend on just how disturbing a story it is.
Mental illness in your child is hard to witness – and it's a horrible feeling, to fear that your child may harm you.
I'm not sure I could read this for entertainment purposes, I fear I'd be making comparisons to see how far down that dark path we've already traveled.
Yikes.
I've not read any Lisa Gardner books, but this one sounds interesting. Chilling, but interesting.
I've always been a firm believer that we raise our kids the best we can and the choices they ultimately make are often due to their own personalities as much as the way they were raised. Just observing my own three is proof positive of this. Of course we're not talking serial killer or anything here!!!
Eueueueu. There seems to be a run of books lately about twisted children from good homes! Scary!!!