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Lauren Laurano #2
I'll Be Leaving You Always
"The work of a fine writer coming into her own...Laurano is an appealing character whose most natural responses are warmth and humor."
THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD
In this sequel to EVERYTHING YOU HAVE IS MINE, Lauren's closest friend Megan is killed hours after a hold up of her Greenwich Village jewelry store, and Lauren soon discovers how little she knew about her friend's life. Hired by one of Megan's many ex-husbands to investigate, Lauren takes a microscope to a life she thought she knew intimately and finds a secret world of deception and danger. As Lauren moves closer to the solution to Megan's murder, she uncovers some unpleasant truths about herself--and realizes how much she needs a little help from her friends....
An Alternate Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club
THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD
In this sequel to EVERYTHING YOU HAVE IS MINE, Lauren's closest friend Megan is killed hours after a hold up of her Greenwich Village jewelry store, and Lauren soon discovers how little she knew about her friend's life. Hired by one of Megan's many ex-husbands to investigate, Lauren takes a microscope to a life she thought she knew intimately and finds a secret world of deception and danger. As Lauren moves closer to the solution to Megan's murder, she uncovers some unpleasant truths about herself--and realizes how much she needs a little help from her friends....
An Alternate Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club
273 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
12 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Scoppettone
53 books77 followersAlso wrote as Jack Early.
Sandra Scoppettone first emerged as one of the best hard-boiled mystery writers using the name Jack Early for her first three novels that included A Creative Kind of Killer (1984) that won the Shamus Award from the Private Eye Writers of America for best first novel. She had started writing seriously since the age of 18 when she moved to New York from South Orange, New Jersey. Scoppettone in the 1960s collaborated with Louise Fitzhuh and in the 1970s wrote important young adult novels. The Late Great Me depicting teenage alcoholism won an Emmy Award in 1976. Her real name was revealed in the 1990s with the start of a series featuring PI Lauren Laurano. Scoppettone shares her life with writer Linda Crawford.
Sandra Scoppettone first emerged as one of the best hard-boiled mystery writers using the name Jack Early for her first three novels that included A Creative Kind of Killer (1984) that won the Shamus Award from the Private Eye Writers of America for best first novel. She had started writing seriously since the age of 18 when she moved to New York from South Orange, New Jersey. Scoppettone in the 1960s collaborated with Louise Fitzhuh and in the 1970s wrote important young adult novels. The Late Great Me depicting teenage alcoholism won an Emmy Award in 1976. Her real name was revealed in the 1990s with the start of a series featuring PI Lauren Laurano. Scoppettone shares her life with writer Linda Crawford.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 9, 2014
Not worth the read.
Read
June 18, 2020The second book in the Lauren Laurano series is a good deal darker than the first. It begins with the murder of Megan Harbaugh, Lauren’s dearest friend—a woman she had been close to since the age of six. Despite her partner Kip’s warnings, Lauren decides to uncover the murderer. It is made no easier, however, when both Megan’s grown children and one of Lauren’s own friends are among the suspects.
The story would have been more compelling if Scoppettone had introduced—or even mentioned—Megan in the first book of the series. As it is, Megan is simply another character we don’t know, despite the nice backstory she gives Lauren and Megan in Chapter Two. And, of course, you can’t think of every eventuality when you are writing your first book. Just sayin’: it would have been much more powerful had she introduced Meg in a book before she gets killed.
The sadness Lauren feels, and indeed the sadness that everyone seems to feel for the dead woman kind of cramps Scoppettone’s style, which tends to be light and bantering. In fact, probably the highlight of any of the books in this series is Lauren’s relationship with Kip. Their conversations inevitably meander from one subject to another with a great deal of misunderstanding and humor.
But in I’ll Be Leaving You Always, this humor has to be balanced with what Lauren finds out about Meg—a woman who Lauren thought she knew thoroughly. As she uncovers lie after lie, the book becomes more a novel about friendship lost than a simple murder mystery.
Meanwhile, Scoppettone has Lauren muse on whatever topics that happen to be on her mind at the time: Sex in fiction, for instance: “Although we don’t hide our relationship from anyone, we’re not into sharing the sexual specifics of our lives.” Or politics: “In a world where Clarence Thomas can be nominated to the Supreme Court, why should anyone’s word mean anything?” The lesbian community: “We will always be a minority, and meeting others who’re the same is like be being part of a secret sorority.” In other words, Lauren is like most of us, with her own foibles and prejudices.
Ultimately, this should have been Scoppettone’s third novel, not her second. It would have given her the chance to introduce Megan Harbaugh and also to solidify her style without being handicapped with Lauren’s very personal loss. Because Scoppettone had a mainstream publisher, the Lauren Laurano novels have been read—and reviewed—by far more readers than other lesbian mystery novels. The average review for I’ll Be Leaving You Always is the lowest by a small fraction. I think the subject matter is the reason—the fact that the reader has to go through the obligatory funeral and be subject to Lauren’s own grief. These scenes make this novel not quite as enjoyable as the other novels in the series where Lauren is not as personally involved with the deceased.
But I understand the difficulty Despite the fact that I, too, enjoyed this novel a bit less than the others I have read in this series, I still enjoyed it—and appreciated it for what it is and for what it adds to the Lauren Laurano literary legacy. Give it 3.5 and consider it a must read for Scoppteeone freaks. Others may want to skip this one and go on to the third in the series.
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
The story would have been more compelling if Scoppettone had introduced—or even mentioned—Megan in the first book of the series. As it is, Megan is simply another character we don’t know, despite the nice backstory she gives Lauren and Megan in Chapter Two. And, of course, you can’t think of every eventuality when you are writing your first book. Just sayin’: it would have been much more powerful had she introduced Meg in a book before she gets killed.
The sadness Lauren feels, and indeed the sadness that everyone seems to feel for the dead woman kind of cramps Scoppettone’s style, which tends to be light and bantering. In fact, probably the highlight of any of the books in this series is Lauren’s relationship with Kip. Their conversations inevitably meander from one subject to another with a great deal of misunderstanding and humor.
But in I’ll Be Leaving You Always, this humor has to be balanced with what Lauren finds out about Meg—a woman who Lauren thought she knew thoroughly. As she uncovers lie after lie, the book becomes more a novel about friendship lost than a simple murder mystery.
Meanwhile, Scoppettone has Lauren muse on whatever topics that happen to be on her mind at the time: Sex in fiction, for instance: “Although we don’t hide our relationship from anyone, we’re not into sharing the sexual specifics of our lives.” Or politics: “In a world where Clarence Thomas can be nominated to the Supreme Court, why should anyone’s word mean anything?” The lesbian community: “We will always be a minority, and meeting others who’re the same is like be being part of a secret sorority.” In other words, Lauren is like most of us, with her own foibles and prejudices.
Ultimately, this should have been Scoppettone’s third novel, not her second. It would have given her the chance to introduce Megan Harbaugh and also to solidify her style without being handicapped with Lauren’s very personal loss. Because Scoppettone had a mainstream publisher, the Lauren Laurano novels have been read—and reviewed—by far more readers than other lesbian mystery novels. The average review for I’ll Be Leaving You Always is the lowest by a small fraction. I think the subject matter is the reason—the fact that the reader has to go through the obligatory funeral and be subject to Lauren’s own grief. These scenes make this novel not quite as enjoyable as the other novels in the series where Lauren is not as personally involved with the deceased.
But I understand the difficulty Despite the fact that I, too, enjoyed this novel a bit less than the others I have read in this series, I still enjoyed it—and appreciated it for what it is and for what it adds to the Lauren Laurano literary legacy. Give it 3.5 and consider it a must read for Scoppteeone freaks. Others may want to skip this one and go on to the third in the series.
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
July 11, 2014
Sandra Scoppettone yet again keeps up with the witty and funny sense of humour yet shows the sadness of Lauren Laurano after the loss of her dear friend. Mrs Scoppettone never fails to surprise and entertain her audiance, she is simply a brilliant writer.
March 9, 2009
Great series, was sad when it ended. Well developed characters and quick read.
November 11, 2013
A mystery, all about shifting perceptions. Even more than Everything You Have is Mine, a good reminder of why I enjoyed these so much the first time around.
November 4, 2022
Hoo boy. My feelings on the Lauren Laurano series are SUPER complicated. I really enjoyed the first one, certain reservations aside, but the reservations I had for this one were even more prevalent. I realize that these books were published over 30 years ago (jesus, when did the 90s become 30 years ago) and are a product of their time, but the way the protagonist goes from liberal in some aspects (Reagan and Bush not giving a shit about AIDS patients or people in poverty, the complete mishandling of the so-called "war on drugs", the prevailing sexism and homophobia that we still face today, etc.) to conservative in others (criticizing women for piercings and the way they dress, judging everyone for even moderate drug use like marijuana, stating repeatedly how she "doesn't feel safe" in Hispanic/black neighborhoods, etc.) was frustrating as a modern reader. The racism in this book is palpable. She goes out of her way to make a super racist character that everyone hates, but then does a bunch of racist stuff herself (the author does the 'all black characters speak phonetically' thing and also has the character say the n-word multiple times, but in the 'it's okay if I'm calling someone out for using a slur against Italian people' kind of way?? Infuriating!) There's also the huge glaring issue of the fact that the main character basically acts like a busybody cop who isn't a cop, reporting people for things that even the actual police go "why the hell are you bothering us with this shit" just so she can feel like a hall monitor. There's even a meta storyline where the main character realizes that she IS a judgmental asshole but stubbornly keeps refusing to admit it to herself and doesn't really stop, so one has to wonder what the point of it was. And all of this is made even more infuriating because the author IS good at writing a mystery, and lesbian PI novels are unfortunately rare. I enjoyed the mystery itself, but everything surrounding it was just awful. Hopefully the other books in the series make me want to huck them across the room less.
October 29, 2024
dissertation reading #6
i absolutely loved this, just as much as the first one! i settled on this series and the kate delafield series for my dissertation and after reading this i know i made the right decision. the thing i love about this series is the pacing - it’s so easy to read (i read this book in two sittings) but not overly simple, and the crime investigation is interwoven with comedic and romantic snippets from laurano’s life - exactly what i want from a lesbian detective novel. i also found the discussions of grief and losing someone you felt you knew extremely well to be very striking. i really loved this!
i absolutely loved this, just as much as the first one! i settled on this series and the kate delafield series for my dissertation and after reading this i know i made the right decision. the thing i love about this series is the pacing - it’s so easy to read (i read this book in two sittings) but not overly simple, and the crime investigation is interwoven with comedic and romantic snippets from laurano’s life - exactly what i want from a lesbian detective novel. i also found the discussions of grief and losing someone you felt you knew extremely well to be very striking. i really loved this!
February 25, 2018
I Love a mystery where I'm completely clueless until the big reveal! This was the case with this delightful entry in the Lauren Laurano series. I adore Lauren and Kip, but things are not easy for them, or their friends, in this one. I can't believe I'[m 20 years behind in reading these wonderful mysteries by Sandra Scoppettone!
August 24, 2022
SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: established couple, not a romance, out of your comfort zone, full-time writer; UNICORN: classic (possibly other categories)
Lauren's best friend was murdered, and her world unraveled after secrets were repeatedly revealed. The book was written and set in the early 90s, so events, politics, references, and issues were relevant to the story back then. I was in my early twenties and in college on Long Island, and it was way before I would have paid much attention to anything of significance. I wish that had been better about that, and I know it would have given me a much greater appreciation for the book. It was a good book, but I think it would be better enjoyed by those that could relate to that time.
Lauren's best friend was murdered, and her world unraveled after secrets were repeatedly revealed. The book was written and set in the early 90s, so events, politics, references, and issues were relevant to the story back then. I was in my early twenties and in college on Long Island, and it was way before I would have paid much attention to anything of significance. I wish that had been better about that, and I know it would have given me a much greater appreciation for the book. It was a good book, but I think it would be better enjoyed by those that could relate to that time.
October 8, 2022
Scoppettone is one of my favorite mystery authors. This book is the second one in the Lauren Laurano series. This time Laurano learns that we never really know another person, even one we've "known" all our lives. She continues to learn and grow as a person as she solves another mystery close to home.
October 14, 2024
Amazing time capsule of the 90s from the outlook of regular queer people living their regular lives (murder notwithstanding). Disheartening that 30 years on, some things don’t change. I gasped aloud when Laurano said “a man like Clarence Thomas can be nominated to the Supreme Court”. Lauren, you have no idea what is coming to you!
November 20, 2021
I love how my teachers would often say that storytelling in the present tense is bad form and quick-paced back and fast-paced dialogues that do not help the plot or characterization along are inane. And then there's this series.
One thing that I dislike about Scoppettone's writing in this series is that it's like the portrayal she tries to sell about New Yorkers, it's on crack 24/7.
There's stuff like this:
'"Who is it?" I ask.
"It's Mildred Pierce, who do you think it is?" says William.'
Immediately followed by meth-filled stuff like this:
'"Oh, God, Lauren, I can't believe it," he says in a short burst.
Now I'm frightened. "Has something happened to Rick?" Rick is William's lover.
Slowly, he raises his head, his blue eyes wide with the unmistakable look of terror. "Rick, shmick, something's happened to me, now will you let me in please, or do I have to be prostrate before I gain admittance?"'
And the same page continues like this:
'"What's going on?" Kip asks, alarmed.
...
"Hold up," he says.
...
"Hold up what?"
"Hold up me."
"Are you drunk?" I ask.
He shuts his eyes with impatience and speaks through clenched teeth. "I — was — in — a — holdup."'
It's on meth I tell you. This writing style is high as fuck. Let's see if the scene gets any better:
'"I ran down Greenwich to the phones on Sixth and called the police. By the time they got there the burglars were gone."
"Robbers," I correct.
...
"Burglars are housebreakers," I explain. "Robbers hold up people and stores. Armed robbery is what it was."
...
William says, "It doesn't seem like the appropriate time for a grammar lesson, Lauren ... and don't bother telling me this isn't about grammar."
I'm properly chastened.'
This writing style is like The Rise of Skywalker. It doesn't make a lick of sense. I'm starting to want whatever crack this author's on, it's clearly the good stuff.
Look at this passage:
'I love Tom and Sam. They've been together since college — I guess staying power runs in the family. But at the beginning of their relationship, Sam required them to have an "open marriage" and that's probably when Tom contracted AIDS.'
I read this and imagined Scoppettone being dop-piled by critics asking her whether she had the faintest idea how HIV/AIDS works because she does NOT mention this in the first novel, when Tom is diagnosed AIDS. This is the kind of writing issues I talk about. It's a mess.
One thing that I dislike about Scoppettone's writing in this series is that it's like the portrayal she tries to sell about New Yorkers, it's on crack 24/7.
There's stuff like this:
'"Who is it?" I ask.
"It's Mildred Pierce, who do you think it is?" says William.'
Immediately followed by meth-filled stuff like this:
'"Oh, God, Lauren, I can't believe it," he says in a short burst.
Now I'm frightened. "Has something happened to Rick?" Rick is William's lover.
Slowly, he raises his head, his blue eyes wide with the unmistakable look of terror. "Rick, shmick, something's happened to me, now will you let me in please, or do I have to be prostrate before I gain admittance?"'
And the same page continues like this:
'"What's going on?" Kip asks, alarmed.
...
"Hold up," he says.
...
"Hold up what?"
"Hold up me."
"Are you drunk?" I ask.
He shuts his eyes with impatience and speaks through clenched teeth. "I — was — in — a — holdup."'
It's on meth I tell you. This writing style is high as fuck. Let's see if the scene gets any better:
'"I ran down Greenwich to the phones on Sixth and called the police. By the time they got there the burglars were gone."
"Robbers," I correct.
...
"Burglars are housebreakers," I explain. "Robbers hold up people and stores. Armed robbery is what it was."
...
William says, "It doesn't seem like the appropriate time for a grammar lesson, Lauren ... and don't bother telling me this isn't about grammar."
I'm properly chastened.'
This writing style is like The Rise of Skywalker. It doesn't make a lick of sense. I'm starting to want whatever crack this author's on, it's clearly the good stuff.
Look at this passage:
'I love Tom and Sam. They've been together since college — I guess staying power runs in the family. But at the beginning of their relationship, Sam required them to have an "open marriage" and that's probably when Tom contracted AIDS.'
I read this and imagined Scoppettone being dop-piled by critics asking her whether she had the faintest idea how HIV/AIDS works because she does NOT mention this in the first novel, when Tom is diagnosed AIDS. This is the kind of writing issues I talk about. It's a mess.
August 18, 2011
I'm waiting on a couple of books from the library - so decided to reread this delightful series (read them 10-15 years ago). I love the characters and story - not great literature but a solid light/quick read. A bit heavy handed in the gay/feminist departments (but maybe a little dated that way because I don't recall thinking that when I read it the first time). The main character is a smart, quirky PI who lives in Greenwich Village (with her partner - who's a therapist :) ) and spends nearly as much time deciding where to have dessert as solving the crime. As enjoyable the second time around as the first.
September 8, 2019
Scoppettone's writing is light, funny, intelligent, and often just fun to read. She writes enjoyably about the troubles in New York during a recession and a time of political conservatism, and about life as a lesbian in a (fairly) welcoming community.
The writing was clearly held back a little here by the odd decision to make the detective's oldest friend the murder victim. It made this book more of a character study than a whodunit, and the character we were studying was our heroine's. Luckily, Scoppettone had the nous to pull it off: Lauren discovers a lot of home truths about herself and her friends without it becoming saccharine or boring, and without overshadowing the crime itself.
The writing was clearly held back a little here by the odd decision to make the detective's oldest friend the murder victim. It made this book more of a character study than a whodunit, and the character we were studying was our heroine's. Luckily, Scoppettone had the nous to pull it off: Lauren discovers a lot of home truths about herself and her friends without it becoming saccharine or boring, and without overshadowing the crime itself.
February 26, 2011
This book was a "good read".
August 23, 2015
Tre stelline e mezza. La rilettura toglie qualcosa.
February 10, 2014
Escrita fluente, lê-se bem!
June 8, 2017
LBGA
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews