| Gray (Graham Lanceton) is a writer living in poverty and loneliness in a shabby cottage in Epping Forest. He has written a book, The Wine of Astonishment, but lately he isn't writing at all. He is still upset because his mother remarried when he was 15; she now lives in France and Gray doesn't have too much to do with her anymore.
He did have a wonderful love affair with a very rich young woman, but she asked him to do something he just couldn't do. She kept demanding that he do this terrible thing, so finally he ended the relationship. But he is still obsessed with her. Gray is called by his step-father in France that his mother is dying. So he goes to France. While there, he remembers that he was supposed to take care of his godmother's dog while she went on vacation. She was going to use the spare key to take the dog in while Gray was at a party - a party he didn't even get to because of the call from his step-father. He panicks about the dog - the poor animal will be thirsty and starving. He doesn't have many friends, and the only person he can possibly think of to save the dog is Drusilla, his ex-lover. When he gets her on the phone, she sounds like she still really loves Gray, and says she will take care of the dog. Gray's mother dies, and shortly after that, a call from Drusilla: he must come to talk to the vet taking care of the dog. Although it's a bad time to leave France, he goes, so excited about the prospect of seeing Drusilla; she says she doesn't care about what she had asked him to do, she just wants him. Gray goes back to England, can't find the vet's address, can't find Drusilla, and discovers there has been a murder in his hovel. Is it someone who broke in or is there more to the story? | ||
|
Plot & Themes Tone of story - depressing/sad How difficult to spot villain? - Moderately Challenging Time/era of story: What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 20% 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 - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20 % Crime Thriller Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - Female Age: - 20's-30's Profession/status: How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting Europe Yes European country: - France Forest? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
||