Good Riddance

November 5, 2018
Lipman’s satisfying latest is a worthy addition to her long lineup of smart, witty novels. When Daphne Maritch throws away the marked-up yearbook her late mother (the advisor to whom it was dedicated) left her, she unleashes a series of events that will change her life forever. After leaving the yearbook in her New York City apartment building’s recycling bin, Daphne’s eccentric and annoying neighbor Geneva Wisenkorn, a self-proclaimed filmmaker, nabs it, weirdly intent on transforming it into a documentary. When the two attend the class of ’68’s reunion in her hometown of Pickering, N.H., Daphne learns a long-held family secret: one of her mother’s former students, Peter Armstrong, is her biological father. To complicate matters, Daphne’s father, Tom—a retired high school principal—has just moved to New York, begins working as a dog walker, and meets a charming Manhattanite who might just end up being Daphne’s stepmother. And he’s not giving his daughter up easily. In a lesser writer’s hands, the plot could have devolved into a soapy mess, but Lipman ably turns it into a charming romantic comedy. Lipman (On Turpentine Lane) complements Daphne, Tom, and Geneva with a stellar cast of supporting characters (especially Jeremy, the sexy actor across the hall) and intelligent and lyrical prose, making this novel a delightful treat readers will want to savor. Agent: Suzanne Gluck, WME Entertainment.

Narrator Mia Barron's light, airy delivery fits this contemporary rom-com about a young woman starting over in New York City. In a tidying-up binge, Daphne Maritch throws out her annotated copy of a 1968 high school yearbook, which was dedicated to her late mother, who was that year's teacher adviser. When Daphne's neighbor retrieves the book, Maritch family secrets begin to spill. Barron accentuates the fun, putting a zany spin on Daphne's desperate plans to recover the book and her up-and-down relationship with the cute actor across the hall. Using a variety of accents and registers, Barron gives the characters distinct voices and cadences, rounding out their personalities and adding spark to this lighthearted story. Pop culture references and some road trips keep the plot moving. C.B.L. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine