Laura Lippman: On Developing Good Writing Habits and Routines
In this interview, bestselling author Laura Lippman discusses how a favorite film helped inspire her new mystery novel, Murder Takes a Vacation.
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 25 languages. She lives in Baltimore and New Orleans with her teenager.
In this interview, Laura discusses how a favorite film helped inspire her new mystery novel, Murder Takes a Vacation, her hope for readers, and more.
Name: Laura Lippman
Literary agent: Vicky Bijur
Book title: Murder Takes a Vacation
Publisher: William Morrow
Release date: June 17, 2025
Genre/category: Mystery/Thriller
Previous titles: Prom Mom, Lady in the Lake, the Tess Monaghan series
Elevator pitch: A widow at a crossroads treats herself to her dream vacation in France, only to be drawn into the deadly search for an antique statue of a bird.
What prompted you to write this book?
In 2022, I had just finished writing a dark book about a love triangle during the early months of COVID. One day, I was watching Charade, an old favorite of mine, and I thought, What if the woman was older than the man? What if their relationship wasn’t necessarily a romance? The first line—"Mrs. Blossom had never been upgraded in her life.”—came very quickly. The rest, not so much.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I’m under contract and work pretty steadily. That said, this book took about 20 months from concept to publication.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I wouldn’t say there were any surprises—I’ve been doing this since 1997. But publishing has changed quite a bit and I’m trying to keep up, find new ways to find new readers.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I think the surprise was that it never gets any easier. But also—yes, a light book can be much harder to write than a dark one.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope the book works on two levels—as a satisfying mystery, but also as a meditation on what it means for a woman to grow old in our culture.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?People say I’m disciplined, but I think I’ve just developed good habits and routines. There’s a lot to be said for just showing up at your desk every morning!
