Another Thing to Fall

On a movie set, everything is negotiated. Whether it's deciding who delivers the director's coffee, an actor vying for an extra line or an assistant looking to move up in the business. No matter how inconsequential the chore might seem, it all comes down to power.

In Another Thing to Fall, Baltimore private detective Tess Monaghan learns that even reality is a commodity to be negotiated when she agrees to take a job as a bodyguard for a young actress.

In her 15th novel -- and 10th book in the series -- Laura Lippman continues to excel at contemporary mysteries that are, at the same time, well-grounded in the old-fashioned private-detective genre.

Her books are as much mysteries as they are novels about Baltimore, filled with realistic and flawed characters.

Lippman set an incredible standard for her work in last year's mesmerizing What the Dead Know, an intricate, stand-alone thriller that explored the fragility of family and memory.

As she does in her series, Another Thing to Fall takes a lighter approach in tone. But that does not mean that the story is flimsy. Lippman's intricate plotting, attention to detail, insight into human vanity and writing shine.

A thirst for power, skewed realities and a person's need to receive credit for their deeds permeate the book. Sometimes that power lies in getting credit for making copies of a script; other times it is in writing the script. And the business of making films shows Tess that one's perception of events often duels with another's view of the truth.

Each person has a different ambition, and Lippman makes us wonder what's worse: having your dreams shattered or never having dreams?

Hollywood has again come to Baltimore, this time in the form of Mann of Steel,a miniseries where the drama is definitely off-camera. Lippman, who is married to The Wire creator David Simon, is not treading the same path as her husband's TV show. Tess reluctantly agrees to look after Selene Waites, a 20-year-old rising star whose party-girl image is eclipsing her acting. Tess finds Selene "a mercurial being that was all id . . . determined to control anything she could, because, on some level, she sensed that she controlled nothing."

Selene recently was the target of a stalker who committed suicide. The set has been plagued by vandalism, union threats and bad publicity. And now the show's creator is worried about Selene's safety.

While Tess maneuvers around clues to find out what is going on, a bigger minefield is the myriad egos that abound. An aging and vapid leading man, writers with secret agendas and pop tart Selene each have an agenda. "Perhaps Hollywood had only two channels on its dial -- abstemious self-denial and wretched excess," wonders Tess.

Well-timed humor, trivia about movies that will appeal to the casual filmgoer as well as cinema buffs, and a look at Baltimore's past and present meld seamlessly into the sturdy plot. A side story in which a fledgling private eye tries her sleuthing tactics not only is quite funny but also adds texture to the plot.

Related topic galleries: Family, Values, David Simon, Ethics

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