--- product_id: 25845309 title: "The Most Dangerous Thing: A Gripping Mystery of Childhood Friends, Flawed People, and Secrets in Baltimore" price: "VT5404" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 12 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/25845309-the-most-dangerous-thing-a-gripping-mystery-of-childhood-friends store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # The Most Dangerous Thing: A Gripping Mystery of Childhood Friends, Flawed People, and Secrets in Baltimore **Price:** VT5404 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Most Dangerous Thing: A Gripping Mystery of Childhood Friends, Flawed People, and Secrets in Baltimore - **How much does it cost?** VT5404 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/25845309-the-most-dangerous-thing-a-gripping-mystery-of-childhood-friends) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description desertcart.com: The Most Dangerous Thing: A Gripping Mystery of Childhood Friends, Flawed People, and Secrets in Baltimore: 9780062122926: Lippman, Laura: Books Review: "To be forgiven, one first has to admit to being at fault" - Goodreads Book Description- One of the most acclaimed novelists in America today, Laura Lippman has greatly expanded the boundaries of mystery fiction and psychological suspense. Set once again in the well-wrought environs of Lippman's beloved Baltimore, it is the shadowy tale of a group of onetime friends forced to confront a dark past they've each tried to bury following the death of one of their number. Rich in the compassion and insight into flawed human nature that has become a Lippman trademark while telling an absolutely gripping story, The Most Dangerous Thing will not be confined by genre restrictions, reaching out instead to captive a wide, diverse audience, from Harlan Coben and Kate Atkinson fans to readers of Jodi Picoult and Kathryn Stockett. Brothers Tim, Sean and Gordon Halloran played ball in a field near Gwen Robison's house on the outskirts of Baltimore. When Gwen and her friend Mickey see them, Mickey tells them they can't play there unless they let the girls join in. Soon, the five of them are exploring the nearby woods, something that would not be allowed today. Fast-forward to the present-day. Gordon, the youngest of the five, stumbles out of a bar. Certain that he's not drunk, he gets in the car and heads home. Then he makes a detour to a dead-end stretch of highway where they used to drag race, and drives into the barrier wall at the end. The remaining four friends, who haven't been close since their early teens, meet for the first time in years at Gordon's funeral. Someone wonders why they stopped hanging around together, and that's when the memories of Chicken George, the strange man who lives in a run down cabin in the woods, begin to resurface. Although they all vowed, at the time, to never speak of the events of the night of the hurricane, Go-Go's death has brought more questions to the surface. What really happened that night in the woods and who is truly responsible? Laura Lippman has created another fascinating tale of human nature and its foibles. The narrative alternates between the group's childhood in the late 1970s and the present-day (which requires that the reader pay attention to the chapter headings). As is common in Lippman's novels, the city of Baltimore is almost a character itself. Tess Monaghan even makes a brief appearance after the death of Go-Go. Lippman uses an unusual technique when chronicling the group's youthful adventures. The narrative is written in first-person plural, referring to the five as "we", but never in the first-person singular. It does provide a feeling of immediacy to events, but unfortunately pulled this reviewer abruptly out of the story. Still, it's a gripping story, and difficult for the reader to put down once begun. 4 stars! Review: Lippman just gets more interesting and her writing is superb. - I read. It's my addiction. I read across the spectrum and came to Lippman's work through her Tess mysteries when our teen attended Johns Hopkins University as an undergraduate. I have always enjoyed quirky Baltimore but became delighted and sometimes horrified by the city during the four years it was our kid's stomping ground. No wonder Lipmann keeps returning to this setting for her novels. As her skills as a novelist progress and refine, I am grateful to travel with her. In this tale, the narrative addresses its title. Five stars without any qualification. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | 0062122924 | | Best Sellers Rank | #1,247,588 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #3,815 in Psychological Thrillers (Books) #6,850 in Science Fiction Crime & Mystery #13,137 in Suspense Thrillers | | Customer Reviews | 3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars (480) | | Dimensions | 5.31 x 0.83 x 8 inches | | Edition | Reprint | | ISBN-10 | 9780062122926 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0062122926 | | Item Weight | 9.6 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 368 pages | | Publication date | May 1, 2012 | | Publisher | William Morrow Paperbacks | ## Images ![The Most Dangerous Thing: A Gripping Mystery of Childhood Friends, Flawed People, and Secrets in Baltimore - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71o9dPNhghL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ "To be forgiven, one first has to admit to being at fault" *by G***P on January 20, 2012* Goodreads Book Description- One of the most acclaimed novelists in America today, Laura Lippman has greatly expanded the boundaries of mystery fiction and psychological suspense. Set once again in the well-wrought environs of Lippman's beloved Baltimore, it is the shadowy tale of a group of onetime friends forced to confront a dark past they've each tried to bury following the death of one of their number. Rich in the compassion and insight into flawed human nature that has become a Lippman trademark while telling an absolutely gripping story, The Most Dangerous Thing will not be confined by genre restrictions, reaching out instead to captive a wide, diverse audience, from Harlan Coben and Kate Atkinson fans to readers of Jodi Picoult and Kathryn Stockett. Brothers Tim, Sean and Gordon Halloran played ball in a field near Gwen Robison's house on the outskirts of Baltimore. When Gwen and her friend Mickey see them, Mickey tells them they can't play there unless they let the girls join in. Soon, the five of them are exploring the nearby woods, something that would not be allowed today. Fast-forward to the present-day. Gordon, the youngest of the five, stumbles out of a bar. Certain that he's not drunk, he gets in the car and heads home. Then he makes a detour to a dead-end stretch of highway where they used to drag race, and drives into the barrier wall at the end. The remaining four friends, who haven't been close since their early teens, meet for the first time in years at Gordon's funeral. Someone wonders why they stopped hanging around together, and that's when the memories of Chicken George, the strange man who lives in a run down cabin in the woods, begin to resurface. Although they all vowed, at the time, to never speak of the events of the night of the hurricane, Go-Go's death has brought more questions to the surface. What really happened that night in the woods and who is truly responsible? Laura Lippman has created another fascinating tale of human nature and its foibles. The narrative alternates between the group's childhood in the late 1970s and the present-day (which requires that the reader pay attention to the chapter headings). As is common in Lippman's novels, the city of Baltimore is almost a character itself. Tess Monaghan even makes a brief appearance after the death of Go-Go. Lippman uses an unusual technique when chronicling the group's youthful adventures. The narrative is written in first-person plural, referring to the five as "we", but never in the first-person singular. It does provide a feeling of immediacy to events, but unfortunately pulled this reviewer abruptly out of the story. Still, it's a gripping story, and difficult for the reader to put down once begun. 4 stars! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lippman just gets more interesting and her writing is superb. *by D***H on October 14, 2012* I read. It's my addiction. I read across the spectrum and came to Lippman's work through her Tess mysteries when our teen attended Johns Hopkins University as an undergraduate. I have always enjoyed quirky Baltimore but became delighted and sometimes horrified by the city during the four years it was our kid's stomping ground. No wonder Lipmann keeps returning to this setting for her novels. As her skills as a novelist progress and refine, I am grateful to travel with her. In this tale, the narrative addresses its title. Five stars without any qualification. ### ⭐⭐⭐ I was expecting much more *by J***R on September 2, 2011* 3.5 stars. After I finished I WOULD KNOW YOU ANYWHERE and loved it, I was eager to purchase Laura Lippman's latest THE MOST DANGEROUS THING. The book is very well written and explores childhood friendships and childhood secrets. The story goes back and forth from the late 70's to current time. Every chapter is narrated by a different character which is fine, but sometimes I found it hard to figure out who was talking at the time. The story flows very smoothly but I almost want to say there is "much ado about nothing". I was expecting something horrific, terrible and completely different than what actually happens. When I finished the book I said "what"? That's it? I guess my feelings stemmed from the whole book leading up to this secret lie or cover up which I just didnt think was so horrible. (bad, mind you, but not horrible to cause the feelings and depths everyone took to hide it) Loved her characters and their development but just felt let down after it was finished. I will say I am glad I bought it because I was entertained but just let down by the ending. Ps. This is a very personal book for her as she is writing some of the characters and the setting from her actual childhood, maybe that had something to do with it. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/25845309-the-most-dangerous-thing-a-gripping-mystery-of-childhood-friends](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/25845309-the-most-dangerous-thing-a-gripping-mystery-of-childhood-friends) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-11*