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Bantam, Jan 2001, 21.95, 304 pp. ISBN: 0553801287 In the highly visible and dangerously charged Calhoun “Handsome Cal” Whitman murder trial, Atlanta assistant District Attorney Mary Crow attains the homicide conviction. After a particularly ugly final courtroom scene on the part of Cal, Mary returns for the first time in over a decade to her childhood home in Little Jump Off, North Carolina to complete unfinished business. Mary needs closure on the rape-murder of her beloved mother Martha twelve years ago. Accompanying Mary on her hiking trip is friends Alexandra McCrimmon and Joan Marchetti. However, the camping sojourn turns dangerous as a local individual and Cal's brother attack the three women. As the violence against the trio of females increase, Mary and her cohorts know they must fight back to survive. IN THE FOREST OF HARM is a distaff version of DELIVERANCE. The story line is exciting and the relationships between the three women is idealistically beautiful yet seemingly genuine. The two predators perform their attacks in a near perfect way as they try to trap their prey. However, those supermen like abilities of the two males add energy and action to a non-stop thriller that should make Sallie Bissell a household name. Harriet Klausner | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - scarey (primal ax-wielding fear) Time/era of story: Exploring into the wild Yes Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book descript. of violence and chases - 20 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20 % Crime Thriller Yes General Crime (including known murderer) Yes If story PRIMARILY about main chr. being hunted... - hunted by killer/stalker Main Character Gender - Female Profession/status: Main Adversary Identity: - Male Profession/status: How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting United States Yes The US: - Southeast 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 |
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