| Ex-cop Elena Estes is approached by a 12 yr old girl seeking her missing sister who her parents don't seem be overly concerned about, specially the stepfather. Disappearance comes during major horse show in Palm Springs, FL. and after the mysterious death of a champion jumper. With the assistance of a local policeman, Elena sets out to prove the stepfather may be responsible for the disappearance and maybe the death. Shunned by the local police force for the death of a colleage, Elena has to rely on her wits and the help of a wealthy Palm Beach playboy and friend. Sneaking around horse barns, questioning riders, stablehands, and pretending a love interest in another major suspect may soon prove her undoing as she gets closer to the truth. A stablehand is raped and killed and it appears as if the killer may not be the same person involved in the kidnapping. Two more possibilities come to light along with video tapes that the stepfather has hidden including one demanding a ransom. Elena must also deal with the guilt she has regarding the death of her partner in the police force while surching for the link between the kidnapping, the horse killer and the trainers of champion show horses.But there is a surprise twist to this plot and all is not what it seems. | ||
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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? - 90% Murder of certain profession? Misc. Murder Plotlets - "All in the family" murder - Proving innocence of very obvious suspect Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book descript. of violence and chases - 40 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 % 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: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 20's-30's 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 City? Yes City: - wealthy Farm/Ranch? Yes Farm/Ranch: - ranch - lots of descript of animal care Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Explicit sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - touching of anatomy - rape (yeech!) Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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