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Author Iris Johansen booklist (click here)

Book Review By Tracey Ray
The Ugly Duckling by Iris Johansen

Nell Calder was a plain nobody wife and mother, who married a rich somebody. Her husband was a rich financier and they lived an elegant international lifestyle, along with their young daughter.

Tragedy stuck as a hitman targets her husband the night of a lavish party. Nell also becomes a victim. She is stabbed and thrown from the balcony. Her face is so badly marred and her body so broken, she almost dies.

After a long, arduous recovery, Nell learns that her attacker is still out there. She wants him to pay for destroying her life and uses her hatred to help speed her recovery. Although determined, she knows this is not enough and finds she isn't physically capable. A trainer helps her body become a killing machine and now she is a new women. She is no longer an ugly duckling.



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

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
Motive of antagonist - kicks
The antagonists are: - big business leader(s)
How sensitive is this character?
Intelligence - Average intelligence

Setting
Europe Yes
Misc setting - fancy mansion

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - very gorey references to deaths/dead bodies and torture
Explicit sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - actual description of sex
Unusual forms of death - dropped from large heights
Unusual form of death? Yes
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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