St. Martin's, Apr 2005 ISBN: 0312335954 A bomb exploded near a Harvard law school building killing several people including student Mary Alice Boudreaux. The law student had been assisting battered Jackie Kelvinski with ending her marriage and getting an injunction against her abusive husband Joe. Jackie has no doubt that Joe killed these people to get at her counselor and to warn her others will die if she persists though her hired private investigator Anne Squires says that most likely will not come to pass. A second bomb explodes at a Cambridge courthouse killing more people. Neuropsychiatrist Peter Zak would have been part of the body count except that he was late for an appointment at the courthouse. He wonders if he was the target. Deliberate evidence left behind by the bomber connects the two deadly incidents insisting more will follow. Detective Sergeant Joseph MacRae leads the investigation in which he obtains Peter's reluctant and somewhat frightened help with profiling the culprit, but denies any assistance to Anne who worries her client will return to her husband so that no one else dies. Harriet Klausner | ||
Plot & Themes Tone of story - very humorous 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? - 80% Misc. Murder Plotlets - Killer purposely leaves clues 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: - 20's-30's Profession/status: Motive of antagonist - revenge 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: - Northeast Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript |