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Book Review By Marie Morris
The Ugly Duckling by Iris Johansen

Nell Calder was an ordinary plain housewife, grateful to have a handsome husband moving up in the business world.   Her world is changed forever however, when intruders invade her husband's fancy dinner party and murder him and their four year old daughter. Nell was brutally attacked also, and should have died, but she managed to survive. But it didn't matter anymore since her family was dead.

Then enters Nicholas Tanek. An ex criminal of sorts, he explains to Nell that the man who killed her family worked for Gardeaux, a distributor of the Columbian drug cartel.   The police are satisfied to just say that terroists were responsible that night because Gardeaux even has some in the police force working for him. Tanek is determined to protect Nell from Gardeaux because she's supposed to be dead. And he hasn't quite figured out the reason why she would be on his death list. Tanek promises to help Nell find the man who killed her daughter. Out for revenge, Nell has a new lease on life, and all under the protection of a new face the plastic surgeon has given her. No one will recognize her now.


Plot & Themes
Tone of story - very upbeat
Time/era of story:
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
descript. of violence and chases - 20 %
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 %
Crime Thriller Yes
Crime plotlets:
General Crime (including known murderer) Yes
Who's the criminal enemy here? - evil corporation/rich guy
If story PRIMARILY about main chr. being hunted... - hunted by killer/stalker
Is Romance a MAJOR (25%+) part of story? Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Race
Unusual characteristics:

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
Eccentric: Yes
Motive of antagonist - kicks
The antagonists are: - big business leader(s)
Monster of some sort? Yes
Kind of monster: - the Wolfman
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Brain damaged

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Deep South
Europe Yes
European country: - France
Island? Yes
Island: - on vacation
Misc setting - resort/hotel

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Explicit sex in book? Yes
Unusual forms of death - poisoning
Unusual form of death? Yes
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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