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Book Review By Harriet Klausner
Silver Scream by Mary Daheim



Morrow, May 2002, 23.93, 306 pp.
ISBN 0380978679

    Judith McMonigle Flynn grew up in Hillside Manor and when her husband died, she moved back home and turned it into a bed and breakfast inn. For over a decade, she put her blood, sweat and tears into the place and in spite of the few murders that took place there, she made it a success. She now has more business than she knows what to do with.

    Over the Halloween weekend, she had to turn down some guests because Hollywood producer Bruno Zepf and his entourage are staying there. He is previewing his latest movie and he always stays at a B&B because it brings him luck. Unfortunately, his good Karma runs out this time and Judith finds him drowned in her kitchen sink with the cupboard door above it open. Afraid that she will be sued for negligence because she knew the cupboard door needed to be repaired, she frantically tries to prove that Bruno was murdered.

    SILVER SCREAM is a delightful and charming cozy starring a heroine and a support cast that readers will find utterly delightful. The readers really become involved in this mystery, trying to figure out along with the heroine, exactly what happened. The solution is very believable, and even though the author gives a few hints, there is no way that anyone could guess who is responsible for Bruno's death. Mary Daheim's latest mystery is fantastic.

Harriet Klausner


Plot & Themes
How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 60%
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 - 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: - 40's-50's
Ethnicity/Race

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - 60's-90's
Profession/status:
Motive of antagonist - insanity
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Pacific NW

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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