| Samantha Adams, journalist turned aspiring author, is preparing to leave for her Uncle George's birthday party when she receives a cryptic letter from her mother. Considering that her mother supposedly died in a plane crash over 3 decades ago, Sam immediately changes her plans and flies to Santa Fe. She meets her mother, an interior designer, who has made quite a name for herself in New Mexico, but, before she can delve into the older woman's past, her mother dies of an apparent suicide.
Sam decides to investigate, to find out what terrible event from the past could lead her mother to live in fear of her life and then, just after contacting her only daughter, to commit suicide. She interviews various neighbors, friends, and colleagues of her Mom resulting in a ransacked home and attempted murder. Events come to a header inside the depths of an abandoned turquoise mine, where Sam uncovers her mother's secrets, leading her to discover more about her own life, fears, and relationships than she ever thought possible. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) 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? - 80% 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 - 60 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 % Crime Thriller Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes Main Character Gender - Female Profession/status: Age: - 40's-50's Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Motive of antagonist - revenge Setting United States Yes The US: - West Small town? Yes Small town people: - nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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