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Putnam, Jan 2003, 24.95, 432 pp. ISBN 03991512273 Twelve years ago, Chloe was an average person worrying if she will pass the bar examination and hoping her boyfriend will propose to her. The night she thinks he is going to give her a ring; he gives her instead a diamond heart as an anniversary present. He wants to go up to her house but she is angry and tells him to leave her off at her apartment. When she wakes up in the middle of the night, a man wearing a clown costume rapes and tortures Chloe. In the present, the serial killer who has raped, tortured, and killed ten blonde women ages eighteen to twenty five is caught with a dead body in the trunk by a rookie patrol officer in a routine traffic violation. Chloe, now going by the name of C.J. Townsend, is the prosecutor assigned the case. At the first hearing, she lays eyes on the face of William Robert Bantling and recognizes him as her rapist from his voice and a scar on his arm. She doesn't tell anyone that she should be excused. She decides to prosecute Robert seeking justice or is it retribution? The new star in the legal horizon is Jilliane Hoffman if RETRIBUTION is any indication of her skills. If the answer is yes and more books as great as this follows, fans will discus her name along side of Patricia Cornwell, Linda Fairstein and Perri O'Shaugnessy. The characters are well developed (especially the villain and avenging angel), and the storyline is original with spellbinding action. The trial scenes are particularly fabulous and quite polished as RETRIBUTION is on the way to the bestseller lists. Harriet Klausner | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) Time/era of story: Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Legal Thriller Yes Legal Plotlets 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 % 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 - revenge How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting United States Yes The US: - Southeast Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript |
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