Lady in the LakeLady in the Lake
Score Modern
What it's about
In 1966 Baltimore, Maddie Schwartz walks out of her twenty-year marriage to chase her youthful ambitions, and as an aspiring reporter pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the Anthony Award.
You'll love it if you liked
After I'm Gone
The Big Sleep
Devil in a Blue DressGood to know
It mixes classic noir with modern psychology.
By the numbers
- Readers4 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics18 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller27 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz14 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #606 of the 623 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #1596 of the 1,647 modern books we rank
- #2980 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
If you like this, read next
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
Verity
Gone Girl
The Martian
2666
Gideon the NinthExplore the best-of lists
All 47 best-of lists →
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,647 ranked
Books of the 2010sTop 25 · 751 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedQuick answers
Is Lady in the Lake worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the Anthony Award. It ranks #2,980 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 53.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Lady in the Lake about?
In 1966 Baltimore, Maddie Schwartz walks out of her twenty-year marriage to chase her youthful ambitions, and as an aspiring reporter pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.
How long does it take to read Lady in the Lake?
About 9 hours (352 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Lady in the Lake?
If you liked it, try After I'm Gone by Laura Lippman, The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler or Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley.