| The partially decomposed body of a woman is found floating in the harbour at Paradise, just as Race Week is about to kick off. The question facing Jesse Stone, the police chief, is whether this is a muder or an accident.
Because of Race Week there are boats from all parts of the country moored, either to take part in the races of just there for the occasion and when the woman's boat turns up, Jesse's initial investigations begin to lead him to a wealthy boat owner from Fort Lauderdale, who has a penchant for young girls, more importantly also, a liking for videoing his sexual activities whilst entertaining! Jesse is ably helped by his ex-wife, Jenn, who has been given by her employers, a filming job for Race Week. The two of them are trying to rekindle their previous relationship, Jese keeping off the drink, Jenn keeping away from affairs. With very good connections via Kelly Cruz of the Miami police force who pushes the investigations forward regarding the family of the dead woman, Florence Horvath, it soon becomes clear that under-age sex, two more than very wealthy playboys and a largely apathetic family background have led Florence, her twin sisters and a collection of college girls to the boating life-style of Fort Lauderdale and thence on to Boston for the Race Week. Jesse manages to obtain some of the video recordings and, although he could charge the playboys with certain sex-related crimes, the question as to whether either of them killed Florence is not so clear cut. Kelly in Miami continues to investigate Florence's family and as Jesse goads the boating set into making a panic move, it gradually becomes clear that Florence's killer is not quite whom they had initially suspected. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - very upbeat How difficult to spot villain? - Challenging Time/era of story: What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 80% 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 - 60 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20 % 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: Motive of antagonist - power How sensitive is this character? Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting United States Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths Explicit sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - orgies Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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