Frank Dorrance was found strangled in the middle of wet sand tennis court surrounded by a wire cage. There are no footprints other than his own and some others demonstrated to have been made long after the murder around his body. Dr. Gideon Fell has to figure out not only who the murderer is, but how it was done as well.
Suspects include Dorrance's fiancé, Brenda White, who is in love with another man; Hugh Rowland, the other man; a young woman who has been having an affair with Dorrance and an old boyfriend of hers. When the boyfriend, who is an acrobat, is shot in a theatre after it is suspected that he has photographs of the murder, Fell has a second killing to solve. | ||
Plot & Themes Tone of story - very upbeat How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given Time/era of story: What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70% Special suspect? - lover Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book descript. of violence and chases - 10 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 % Crime Thriller Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes Is Romance a MAJOR (25%+) part of story? Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Profession/status: Motive of antagonist - money/treasure How sensitive is this character? Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting Europe Yes European country: - England/UK Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |