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Book Review By Mariana
S is for Silence by Sue Grafton

Private investigator Kinsey Millhone has been hired to solve the 34 year-old disappearance of Violet Sullivan. She vanished in a brand-new 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air taking nothing with her, it seemed, but a Pomeranian puppy someone had given her.

Violet's now-grown daughter, Daisy, has led a tortured life and wants an answer to the question that has plaqued her since she was seven years old which is when her mother left. Did Violet just abandon her that 4th of July night in 1953? She provides Kinsey with newspaper clippings from that time and a list of names to people still alive who knew her mother: her baby-sitter; her baby-sitter's best-friend; the owner of the town's car dealership and his salesman; her mother's brother; several other locals; and the chief suspect at the time, Daisy's father.

Between Kinsey's conferences, flashbacks detailing the events prior to the disappearance give some insight into Violet's personality and behavior.

During an over-night stay at a motel, Kinsey realizes she must have stepped on someone's toes. Her room is invaded and her car tires are slashed!

A childhood memory of her own leads Kinsey to the where-abouts of the missing car. When she searches to find out who gave Violet the puppy, she fears she may end up a missing case herself.


Plot & Themes
Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Challenging
Time/era of story:
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - nearly 100%
Special suspect? - lover
Misc. Murder Plotlets - solving long-past murder
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 - 50 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 %
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status:
Ethnicity/Race

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 60's-90's
Profession/status:
Motive of antagonist - money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - California

Writing Style
Explicit sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references
Unusual forms of death - asphyxiation
Unusual form of death? Yes
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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