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Author Kris Nelscott booklist (click here)

Book Review By Marianna
Smoke Filled Rooms by Kris Nelscott

By the fall of 1968, Smokey and Jimmy have settled in Chicago just in time for the Democratic National Convention. After the deaths of Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy, this was considered the "year of assassinations," and the city of Chicago is tensed and primed to combat any whisper of rebellious schemes. The controversial Vietnam War, the Black Panthers, Hippies, and gang violence make Chicago a hotbed of covert and overt investigations. Now, someone is following Smokey and a little boy Jimmy's age is tortured and killed. This is the third child killed in the same way. Smokey must protect Jimmy and find who is following him and murdering little boys in the city.
Details of the torture seem familiar to Smokey from his military past and someone who knows of such interrogation tactics.


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? - 90%
Special suspect? - chronically deranged person
Murder of certain profession?
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 - 10 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 30 %
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - 40's-50's
Ethnicity/Race

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status:
Eccentric: Yes
Motive of antagonist - insanity
The antagonists are: - FBI/CIA
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Midwest

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Unusual forms of death - perforation--swords/knives
Unusual form of death? Yes
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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