Shari Lapena joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest thriller, GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER, which is an instant New York Times and USA Today bestseller, as well as a "number one" library hold and a Goodreads "most wanted to read" title. It also is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. For Carol, Shari's books are always "one-sit reads," meaning that once she starts them, they are propulsive enough that she does not stop until they have been read in full.
GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER centers on Jill and Ted, a privileged Manhattan couple who live in a Brooklyn Heights brownstone. Shari chose this as their home due to her personal fascination with these properties, using a coffee table book of floor plans and history for research. The two kill Ted's wealthy older brother, Greg (setting it up to look like a sailing accident), in order to inherit his estate and preserve their lifestyle. The settings throughout the book become characters of their own, and it is very interesting to see how this murder affects each character.
Paul Ramirez, a special agent with the Coast Guard Investigative Service, immediately senses that Jill and Ted are lying, and he makes it his mission to rattle their cage, even though he lacks evidence. Their cleaning lady, Nadya Sokolov, is a Russian immigrant and has intimate knowledge of the household. Paul and Nadya serve as foils to Jill and Ted, representing working-class perspectives that expose the couple's carelessness and privilege.
Audio listeners, please note: A bonus interview between Shari and narrator January LaVoy is included at the end of the audiobook, recorded remotely between Toronto and a US studio — their first interaction despite multiple collaborations.
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Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald
Edited by Jordan Redd Productions
