| When Carol Spencer, an attractive young woman from a wealthy family, goes to the family's summer home to open it for her brother Greg while he's on leave from the military, one of her servants finds the body of a young woman in the linen closet, and the body had been burned in there. The woman's clothes and other belongings are missing, showing that whoever killed the woman wanted to hide the woman's identity.
Carol is frightened and baffled, but then a man who is house-sitting in one of the nearby summer homes comes over to offer his assistance to Carol, and also to do his own investigating independent of the local police. Carol appreciates his help, because she is stressed and frightened, even though she doesn't know that much about him. He says he was in the military and is only out until his wounded leg heals, but a neighbor tells Carol that there is no record of this man in the military. When a neighbor tells Carol that she saw Carol's sister Elinor's car leave the house the night that the murder likely took place, Carol wonders whether her sister is responsible for the murder. Then evidence links the murdered woman to Carol's brother Greg, and Carol suspects Greg. However, after Elinor comes to stay at the house and is shot late at night, Carol is confused. Greg and Elinor have always looked out for each other, and Greg would never shoot Elinor. Carol doesn't know who to trust or who to suspect, especially since some of the neighbors are also acting strangely. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues Time/era of story: What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70% 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 - 20 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20 % 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: - 40's-50's Profession/status: Motive of antagonist - power How sensitive is this character? Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting United States Yes The US: - Northeast Small town? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths Unusual form of death? Yes Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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