Lady in the Lake is a 2019 novel by Laura Lippman, published by William Morrow and Company. It was adapted by Alma Har'el into the miniseries of the same name on Apple TV+. [1]
Lippman was inspired to write the book by two unrelated deaths in Baltimore in 1969: the murder of 11-year-old Esther Lebowitz, and the mysterious death of Shirley Parker, a 33-year-old black woman. [2] Lippman first learned about the latter death, which was underreported, while working at The Baltimore Sun . [3]
A bored Jewish housewife leaves her husband and moves to downtown Baltimore to become an investigative reporter. She soon begins unraveling the mystery behind the murder of a black bartender and a young Jewish girl. The book deals with themes of racism and misogyny in 1960s America.
Author Stephen King gave the novel a positive review in The New York Times , calling it "extraordinary", and praising the novel's use of plot twists and characterizations. [4] Kirkus Reviews gave the book a starred review and called it "a stylish, sexy, suspenseful period drama about a newsroom and the city it covers." [5] It also received a starred review from Publishers Weekly , whose reviewer wrote that it "captures the era's zeitgeist while painting a striking portrait of unapologetic female ambition." [6] Clémence Michallon of The Independent praised the novel's characters and realistic portrayal of 1960s Baltimore. [7]
The book has been adapted for television as an Apple TV+ limited series, Lady in the Lake , starring Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram. [1] It premiered in July 2024.