Lady in the Lake (novel)

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+.

Background
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. Lippman first learned about the latter death, which was underreported, while working at The Baltimore Sun.

Premise
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.

Reception
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. 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." 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." Clémence Michallon of The Independent praised the novel's characters and realistic portrayal of 1960s Baltimore.

Adaptation
The book has been adapted into an Apple TV+ limited series, Lady in the Lake, starring Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram.