Dream Girl: A Novel

Written by Laura Lippman

Narrated by Jason Culp

“My dream novel. I devoured this in three days. The sharpest, clearest-eyed take on our #MeToo reckoning yet. Plus: enthralling."" —Megan Abbott, Edgar Award-winning author of Dare Me and The Fever

Following up on her acclaimed and wildly successful New York Times bestseller Lady in the Lake, Laura Lippman returns with a dark, complex tale of psychological suspense with echoes of Misery involving a novelist, incapacitated by injury, who is plagued by mysterious phone calls.

In the end, has anyone really led a blameless life?

Injured in a freak fall, novelist Gerry Andersen is confined to a hospital bed in his glamorous high-rise apartment, dependent on two women he barely knows: his incurious young assistant, and a dull, slow-witted night nurse.

Then late one night, the phone rings. The caller claims to be the “real” Aubrey, the alluring title character from his most successful novel, Dream Girl.  But there is no real Aubrey. She’s a figment born of a writer’s imagination, despite what many believe or claim to know. Could the cryptic caller be one of his three ex-wives playing a vindictive trick after all these years? Or is she Margot, an ex-girlfriend who keeps trying to insinuate her way back into Gerry’s life?

And why does no one believe that the call even happened?

Isolated from the world, drowsy from medication, Gerry slips between reality and a dreamlike state in which he is haunted by his own past: his faithless father, his devoted mother; the women who loved him, the women he loved.

And now here is Aubrey, threatening to visit him, suggesting that she is owed something. Is the threat real or is it a sign of dementia? Which scenario would he prefer? Gerry has never been so alone, so confused – and so terrified.

Chilling and compulsively readable, touching on timely issues that include power, agency, appropriation, and creation, Dream Girl is a superb blend of psychological suspense and horror that reveals the mind and soul of a writer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Jun 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9780062390158

Laura Lippman

Since Laura Lippman’s debut, she has been recognized as a distinctive voice in mystery fiction and named one of the “essential” crime writers of the last 100 years. Stephen King called her “special, even extraordinary,” and Gillian Flynn wrote, “She is simply a brilliant novelist.” Her books have won most of the major awards in her field and been translated into more than twenty-five languages. She lives in Baltimore and New Orleans with her teenager.

Reviews for Dream Girl

[Rlynoyb · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Possibly the worst book I have ever listened to. It made no sense and also not all people in their 60’s are tech clueless.

[Lisa Sparks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Funny. Dark. Surprising. Absurd. Quite entertaining. Jerry's inner thoughts revealed Archi Bunker-esque thoughts I suspect many men like the narrator have these days.

It was no small feat for the author to reveal insights into the life of the type of man we hear from all the time while revealing the state of this world in all of its ambiguities fraught with 'cancel culture' landmines.

[bella · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One if the best trillers I've read n a long while. Intelligent writing with a main character loved to hate kept this story strong and held my interest throughout! Bravo L. Lippman!

[pam b · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great ending! Love Ms Lippman's work. She never disappoint s.

[Tameka Fleming · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm not sure if that ending is plausible but I enjoyed the ride getting there.

[Julianne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was a decent read, not on my top list but a good twisty thriller.

[Tori Gifford · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Laura Lippman is one of my favorite authors and I love her books but this one was different. It was okay but I didn’t love it.
Initially it took me 6 times of starting over the first 4-5 Chapters because it just couldn’t keep my attention until I was finally able to continue. It was a decent story but then took a turn reminiscent of Delores Claiborne and I just wanted it to be over.

[bookwyrmm_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very interesting culmination, but the twists felt off, and I seem to have lost a few threads from the start to finish.

[kjuliff-519887 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The novel is in the most part, the inner ramblings of the central character, a novelist caught up in one or two or possibly three murders. Gerry Anderson is 61 and is confused at the turn the sexual revolution of his youth has taken. “In his aging body and his aging mind can he allow himself the thoughts and metaphors and pronouns that were permissible when he was young? Is that so much to ask?” he asks.Had the novel been more about Gerry and less convoluted in plot, it would have been an amusing satire of life post #metoo.The first two thirds of Dream Girl were suspenseful, but the whole plot became too confusing toward the end. I can understand why Lippman chose the ending as it fitted the premise of the novel, but to explain this would be a spoiler.I did enjoy the sly references to other novelists, and the cynical comments by the MC, on political correctness, cancelling and #metoo. Lippman’s wit saves this novel, and I have to admit I was sucked in by the plot, at least for a while.

[stormyhearted · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I didn't love this one for a few reasons. Firstly, the timeline is incredibly convoluted, jumping around haphazardly through the protagonist's life with very little to anchor the reader in any given period. The number of people who flit in through his life, while realistic, is just too much to follow with ease (at least for me). Secondly, the protagonist is just not that interesting; he's a very run of the mill "literary" white man who spends his time feeling like the victim and characterizing himself as a much better person than he actually is. Again, probably realistic, but not very interesting to me as a reader. And finally, I feel like the novel relies too heavily on its twists, but as it relies heavily on Stephen King's 'Misery', it was a lot of waiting around for the protagonist to catch up.

[smik_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In her author's note at the end of the book Lippman wrote: This is a book about what goes on inside a writer's mind and it is, by my lights, my first work of horror.To be quite honest, I did not always think that I would give this novel as high a ranking as I have. That is probably mostly due to the incredible twist in the final pages.Incapacitated and bed-bound by his recent tumble down the stairs in his Baltimore apartment, Gerry Anderson is reliant on two women for all his daily needs. He is unable to write and spends most of his time remembering his past, his three failed marriages, the affairs that didn't become marriages, his devoted mother who eventually developed Alzheimer's, and his father who abandoned himself and his mother when he was a teenager, for another family.All of those memories made the story flit from one time frame to another, and at times I struggled to work out which time frame I was actually in. The author makes the reader work very hard to "compose" the events sequentially. However I also think there are times when the story borders on literature, when Lippman shows how well read she actually is, under the guise of a crime fiction writer, taking on the person of Gerry Anderson himself.

[ridgewaygirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this horror-tinged thriller, Laura Lippman tells the story of an author who is stuck in a hospital bed in his exclusive Baltimore apartment, being cared for by a night nurse and his assistant, who begins receiving calls from a woman who claims to be the main character in his best known book. As she insists that he owes her, he wonders which of the many women in his life might have wanted to do him harm, but he's always been such a nice guy, in his own estimation. This novel takes the thriller into a darker place. Gerry is both attempting an honest evaluation of his own life and an unreliable narrator of his own experiences. As he thinks back over his life, there's more than a little self-justification and complaints about the over-sensitivity of women. But someone is out to get Gerry and figuring out who that is might be his only chance to save his own life. This book is a bit of a departure for Lippman, who has been moving towards more depth in her popular crime novels. I appreciate that she's always improving her craft, but while I enjoyed this one, it's not my favorite.

[dreesie-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My first Lippman read on paper, as opposed to audio. And I was glad I opted for paper here, as there is a fair amount of bouncing back and forth from the present to various points in the past. I prefer linear stories on audio, and love nonlinear stories on paper. Even on paper I was a little confused, because an injured man on oxycodone and Ambien is not a reliable narrator. He was confused, I was confused.I requested this from the library because it was on the Tournament of Books longlist. And I got exactly what I was hoping for--a smart but not too gory mystery/thriller/horror novel that was a super fast read. A perfect palate cleanser, basically. Is it amazing? No. Do I care? No.

[sblock_16 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Dark. Very dark.

[beecharmer_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I love Laura Lippmans' books, but this one was so boring I couldn't finish it.

[dwcofer_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“Dream Girl,” by Laura Lippman was a fantastic read. I loved the author’s voice, it was smooth, making the book easy to read for hours on end.I would call this a literary thriller, as far as a genre goes. There are not tons of characters, so keeping the cast straight was not a chore. The protagonist, Gerry Anderson is laid up in bed with an injury he suffered from a fall in his home. He has an assistant and a nurse that tend to him almost 24/7. As the story unfolds, so does Gerry’s past which comes back to haunt him in ways he would never imagine.The characters are well developed and appear to be real people. The dialogue is realistic and crisp. I hate how everyone sounds the same in some books. Not this one. Each character has a unique speaking voice.The chapters alternate between the present and past, exploring Gerry’s relationships with women, his mother, and his father.This is the first Laura Lippman book I have read, but it won’t be the last. She is a fantastic writer and I will be checking out her other books as well. I can’t recommend this book highly enough! 5 Full Stars!

[dianekeenoy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Still not sure if I actually liked this book! It took me a long time to get started but I did keep reading it! I love Laura Lippman and of course the writing is great maybe it was just the unlikable main character. I need to think about this more.

[froxgirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lippman's first "horror" novel (as she defines it) was a letdown for me. I do not like the genre. I was repulsed by Gerry Andersen, the narrator, a raging egomaniac of a writer with a strong resemblance to Phillip Roth, and he just gets worse as more is revealed about his three ex-wives and the other women he bedded, based strictly on their looks. Revenge comes in the form of two women he ignored. Every single person in this book is venal and unpleasant, like Stephen King's Misery, and there's no Kathy Bates to redeem it. I hope Lippman goes back to her standalone mysteries.

[jnmegan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Laura Lippman’s latest outing, Dream Girl, is rich with allusions to classic literature and theater. It also contains refences to the current age, thereby illustrating some enduring connections in themes and character arcs. In Lippman’s version, Gerry Anderson is an author who is riding a wave of popularity based on his titular third book. When he needs to move to be closer to his ailing mother, he sees this as an opportunity for a fresh start—and a convenient exit for a stale relationship. As soon as he transplants to Baltimore, Gerry is harassed by his agent looking for the next bestseller that he hasn’t yet started. As he is grappling with all these major life changes when he takes a tumble on the stairs that forces him to be bedridden for a few months. His sole visitors are an assistant and nurse providing full-time care, and the unwelcome woman he tried to leave behind. In his drug-assisted recollections Gerry remembers why he had had his accident. He had been startled by a note he had received from a person claiming to be Aubrey, the fictitious protagonist of Dream Girls. The note disappears and phone conversations show no trace of that the communications took place. The author is also unsure of their reality, given his increasing use of medications. He remains helpless as he mentally scours his memories to resolve the mystery. As Gerry’s flashbacks arise, it becomes clear to the reader that Gerry has done some terrible things in the past and is unrepentant. Dream Girls moves along at a nice pace and has some interesting, if implausible twists. This book would suit fans of Stephen King’s Misery or the Lincoln Rhyme collection by Jeffrey Deaver.Thanks to the author, William Morrow and Edelweiss for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

[brangwinn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Let me be perfectly clear. I did not like the main character, Gerry Anderson. And that is the point, Lippman made him unlikeable for a reason. Jason Culp’s narrators voice does not make him any more likeable. He makes the supporting characters just as unlikeable. Laura Lippman’s wonderful private investigator shows up in the book and turns down his request for help. I do not blame her. And yet, the reader will get caught up in this story and even the last chapter will come as a surprise. Gerry Anderson, is a famous author, stuck in his penthouse apartment because a freak accident has made him immobile, and he is dependent on help from his personal assistant, a physical therapist, and a night nurse. And to make it worse, he gets phantom phone calls from Dream Girl, the girl in his most famous novel. Its driving him crazy because he cannot make people believe him. It gets worse when his praying mantis, a former fiancé, shows up demanding he let her live with her. He gets her to leave only to wake up the next morning to find her dead beside his hospital bed. And then the book really starts getting creepy. He lets his night nurse dispose of the body and from then on his life spirals quickly into a nightmare. I’m not going to give the story away but let me say, I am glad Gerry Anderson won’t be appearing in any more books by Lippman.

[perednia_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Clever, twisty tale that is about writing and being careful what to wish for when setting something in motion.

[susan.h.schofield · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was an interesting enough novel from Laura Lippman, although definitely not one of my favorites by her. I found Gerry generally unlikable and I felt the female characters weren't very strong or well developed. But I enjoyed the general premise and wanted to know the eventual outcome for Gerry. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

[helsky · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Novelist Gerry Andersen, after an accident, is bedridden in his new penthouse apartment in Baltimore. His only constant companions are his assistant Victoria in the daytime and his night nurse Aileen. Gerry receives phone calls from a woman claiming to be Aubrey, a character in his best selling novel. Gerry is confused and bewildered by these claims while also being under the influence of pain medication and Ambien at the same time. His life is confined to his bed with a smart phone and a laptop. We get to know about Gerry's past, his mother, absent father and three ex-wives, not to mention Margot, who is quite the character.I enjoyed the writing style. It was very suitable for this type of hazy mystery/psychological thriller. Really nothing much happens while Gerry lies in bed, scarcely able to move. It's his inner musings we experience. None of the few characters were likable though. And the ending was indeed a total surprise. I never saw it coming. That is actually the trademark of a good story for me. I like the element of surprise. I want to keep guessing as the story unravels.In the author's note I learned that one of the inspirations for this book was Stephen King's Misery . I could not feel the horror elements in this story, but it had certain eeriness at certain points.Thank you NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for a copy of this book.

[twink_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Today is release day for Laura Lippman's latest novel - Dream Girl.Here's the premise....."After being injured in a freak accident, novelist Gerry Andersen lies in a hospital bed in his glamorous but sterile apartment, isolated from the busy world he can see through his windows, utterly dependent on two women he barely knows: his young assistant and a night nurse whose competency he questions." There are so many possibilities in this plot! I don't want to spoil the details for you, but let me say that Misery and Gaslight sprang to mind as I started listening. But Lippman puts her own spin on things as the book progresses, with a nice gotcha at the end.Dream Girls is fully stocked in unlikable characters. I found Gerry to be a pompous, self inflated lout who is quite sure in his own mind that he is not. He's been married many times and is also quite sure he has been a more than adequate lover to many along the way. The two young women he has hired are Victoria, the personal assistant and Aileen the night nurse. Victoria seems passable, but his hiring of Aileen had me questioning his competency. Which of course, is part of the plot....As always, Lippman's writing is clever and I quite enjoyed the dark, satiric humor she ascribes to Gerry's inner dialogue. Lippman slowly builds the tension with every new turn in the story. And we explore Gerry's life through his past memories and present predicament.And....Tess Monaghan makes a cameo appearance! I miss her...sigh....I chose to listen to Dream Girl. The reader was Jason Culp and he was the perfect choice for this tale. His voice has a lovely gravelly undertone that's quite pleasant. He enunciates well and is easy to understand. Culp's voice suited the age of the character and cemented my mental image of Gerry. He speaks at just right speed, allowing the listener to fully appreciate every word. He captures and projects that dark humor so well with his voice. Different voices used for the the supporting cast. And this was the perfect book to listen to, rather than read, for me.

[atticusfinch1048 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Gerry Anderson is a published and successful author. Currently bed bound after a recent accident at his Baltimore home. The only company he now has is his PA, a night nurse and CNN.He is troubled and this is affecting his sleep, at the same time he is receiving calls from a woman who claims to be Aubrey, the main character of Dream Girl, his award- winning novel. The phone calls come at night when he is at his most vulnerable.As he lies in bed, he becomes dependent upon the women who work for him, who serve all his needs. They fetch and carry for him. At the same time he is blind to the women around him and this could be his downfall.Since his mother’s death and his accident stuck in his penthouse apartment, with medics and his staff serving him, he is reliant on his memories. Is he able to see past the ever blurring lines between fact and fiction.Reviewing his life, and his relationship with his father, he can see how dependent on his mother he had been as a child. Even though his father had another family with his new partner, he never divorced his mother. When his father died his mother got his estate, cutting out the new family. He realises he knows nothing about them.The longer he lies in his bed unable to move the more the women in his life start to make demands he has no wish to entertain. But he cannot do anything as he is immobile. His nurse takes over who he can and cannot see, he no longer has control over his finances.Just like Misery, Gerry is subjected to the whims of a dominant woman and there is nothing he can do about it. Or is there?An excellent twisty thriller that will keep you guessing to the end, and when you think you know what is happening there is another twist.