Bantam, Apr 2005, 23.00, 352 pp. ISBN: 0553802798 Mary Crow has returned to Hartsville before (see IN THE FOREST OF HARM), but this time she is serious about staying. She broke with her anthropologist boyfriend Gabe while they were in Peru and quit her job as an ADA to seek work as a prosecutor or in a law firm in the North Carolina Mountains. No offer has come as no one believes that “Killer Crow” will remain here after seventeen years in Atlanta; so she opens up her own office. Her first major case will not endear Mary with the bigwigs. The police suspect Ridge Standingdeer killed his girlfriend Bethany Daws. Mary believes her client is innocent, but her only help comes from two preadolescents including Kayla the sister of the victim. Meanwhile sexual predator Deke Keener, the wealthiest person in the country with major political ties due to his construction company, targets Kayla as his next squeeze, but needs to keep Mary occupied perhaps with some of his legal business. Harriet Klausner | ||
Plot & Themes Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues Time/era of story: What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70% Misc. Murder Plotlets - Proving innocence of very obvious suspect Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Any non-mystery subplot? descript. of violence and chases - 10 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 % Crime Thriller Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) 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 - power How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters Setting United States Yes The US: - Southeast Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript |