Probably. Apparently. But if that's what she wanted, the smart thing to do would be to stay away from Joe, avoid him at all costs. This last element — Joe’s struggle to hold on to his privilege and his willingness to manipulate anyone who gets in his way — is the most timeless, the most Cain-like, moment in the book. Here is a dreamer and schemer for the 21st century, ready to make hell break loose. Lippman is an absolute master of plot and timing, and I would follow her anywhere – even to the prom.’EMMA STRAUB

The story is told over two timelines - 1997 when the 'Prom Mom' tragedy occurs, and twenty years later when Amber reappears in Joe's life - and is told from the points of view of Joe, Amber and Meredith. On the other hand, I went in search of an answer to the question why Meredith is having a Mardi Gras shoe on her desk, and I found a lot of interesting answers! Great, I learned a lot. But I don’t want a book where I have to stop every time to go to Wikipedia for answers. And you cannot find an answer to the question why people are ‘different’ when born or raised in different parts of the country. Not even in a tiny country as the Netherlands, let a lone a big one as the US. In Bruce Borgos’ series-launching rural Nevada thriller ‘The Bitter Past,’ a small-town sheriff stumbles on a plot straight out of ‘The Americans.’ Overall, this book is a winner. I agree with Mandy Kalling that Laura Lippman is one of the most brilliant thriller authors and the queen of slow-burn mysteries.

The Guardian spoke with Lippman a week before Prom Mom’s publication. The interview has been edited and condensed. PS. You may have seen the movie Prom Mom and the true-crime story of Prom Mom, Melissa Drexler in New Jersey; however, Lippman's Prom Mom is so much better! If you love well-written, character-driven intelligent thrillers with a twist, PROM MOM is for you—Lippman fans will devour! You can't choose sides in this book. Meredith may seem innocent and naive, but her polished, perfect, and generous demeanor leaves her living in oblivion. Amber is odd, cold, calculating, and unique, and I found myself liking her the most, despite knowing from the start that she would ruin lives. Joe, on the other hand, is trying too hard to be someone he's not, and seems spineless, lost, and a little pathetic. It’s deranged and dark and surprising at times. A perfect psychological thriller.’ 5* reader review

I liked Meredith and really couldn't understand what she saw in Joe. But then Jordan also loves/wants him. And Amber, despite their history. Everyone loves Joe. This story, revolving around just a small group of characters, failed to enthral me as other books by Laura Lippman did. I like the way the author presents us with a story that eventually seems to have layer upon layer and it’s always interesting to see the layers exposed slowly. Special thanks to #WilliamMorrow and #NetGalley for a digital advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an amazing digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. Afterwards, she left town for good – and hasn’t seen Joe since. But she knows he hasn’t left, that he’s working for his father’s real estate company, married to a cosmetic surgeon. Child free.I liked that the book references the political landscape, it adds context and colour. Joe and Meredith are well-drawn, realistic characters; Amber I found a little more unknowable - there’s a hint that she’s neurodivergent perhaps, though this isn’t explored. This is what I can share about the plot without getting into spoiler territory: On prom night in 1997, 16-year-old Amber gives birth in her date, Joe's hotel room, and kills the baby. Amber and Joe become media sensations known as Prom Mom and Cad Dad. The last ten percent of the book was the most interesting and had a big surprise, but not enough to rate the book higher. 3/5 Yeah, my vibe’s gotten really dark. It happens that the book I’m working on right now is about a minor character from the Tess Monaghan series. I took this 68-year-old woman and put her on a cruise. I think of it as a mash-up of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler and Charade. It’s a sweet book, but of course it’s still a crime novel. Fans of 1940s noir will delight in the story’s slow burn and hairpin twists at the end. Lippman pulled off another extraordinary feat: she managed to write about life in the early pandemic in a way that doesn’t feel drab or impede narrative momentum (the Library Journal review declared Prom Mom “a future Covid classic”).