| A physically developed but emotionally edgy Lori Cranston, 15, runs away from her alcoholic mother and mother's annoying boyfriends. She hitchhikes south to Wicksburg, Massachusetts, where she used to live and once encountered Eric Poole just after he had committed his third murder of a teenage girl. Poole has been in a juvenile prison the past three years for the killing of his mother and stepfather, but he is being released upon his 18th birthday.
Lori is looking for true tenderness and the deranged killer Eric seeks the odd feeling of tenderness he felt just as he was about to strangle each of the girls, for whose deaths he was never caught. Detective Lt. Jake Proctor, burdened by the unsolved killings of five teenage girls he investigated as a cop in Oregon more than 20 years before, suspects Eric of two of the unsolved Massachusetts murders, is sure the boy will kill again, and is determined to put Eric away for good. The re-acquaintance of Lori and Eric will determine the long-term destinies of all three characters. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) Time/era of story: Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book The crook is.... - stalking/killing innocents descript. of violence and chases - 10 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20 % Crime Thriller Yes Is MAIN CHARACTER an EVIL criminal? Yes Is Romance a MAJOR (25%+) part of story? Yes Main Character Gender - Female Profession/status: Age: - a teen Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - a teen Profession/status: Eccentric: Yes Motive of antagonist - kicks How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters Setting United States Yes The US: - Northeast Small town? Yes Small town people: - nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee Misc setting - prison Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths Explicit sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - vague references - descript of kissing - touching of anatomy - descript. of breasts Unusual forms of death - asphyxiation Unusual form of death? Yes Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog |
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