| Alex Cross, an FBI agent, is on vacation with his family in Disneyland. His new love interest meets them there as well. So he is not too happy to be called back to work. But when he hears what has happened - a famous actress has been shot dead outside her home in Beverley Hills - he hurries back. Adding mystery to the tragedy is the fact that the killer seems to be a woman. Shortly after the murder, a Los Angelos Times editor receives an email describing the murder, and signed, Mary Smith. More killings are threatened, and sure enough, they happen, with similar emails sent to the same editor.
Meanwhile, we read about a woman called Mary Smith, a harried working mother. Her story sounds similar to many families; she gets angry at her children sometimes, but loves them and is trying her best to give them what they need. The killings continue, and the clues certainly lead to a woman called Mary Smith. But Alex Cross suspects there is more to the story. Now two men are killed - the killer has broken the pattern of murdering successful young women with children. A cold case of 20 years before and some brilliant detective work by Cross leads him to the real killer. | ||
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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? - 80% Misc. Murder Plotlets - killer purposefully leaves puzzle clues Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Any non-mystery subplot? descript. of violence and chases - 30 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 % Crime Thriller Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 40's-50's Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Motive of antagonist - jealousy How sensitive is this character? Setting United States Yes The US: - California Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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