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Book Review By Harriet Klausner
The Black Piano by Constance Little and Gwenyth Little


Constance Little, Gwenyth Little
Rue Morgue Press, March 2004, 14.00
ISBN: 09152305658

Gloria Rouston was on a brief vacation when she was in an accident. Attorney John Cowrer and his Aunt Mamie find her and shelter her while she recovered. Gloria knows someone from her own family threw her off the nearby bridge trying to kill her. When John mentions the scar on her face will make it difficult for anyone to recognize her, Gloria decides to visit a plastic surgeon. Afterward she plans to uncover the identity of the person who tried to kill her.

John falls in love with Gloria and gives her an even better cover as his wife Jane than a job would have provided her. She begins her undercover investigation into her own “demise” starting with her “legal husband” Dick, who fails to recognize the pretty newcomer is his wife Gloria; only a blind man recognizes her. Jane feels bad that when the dust settles she will have hurt John and Mamie who mean the world to her as they showered her with love when they thought she was an injured middle class tourist rather than a wealthy upper crust individual


Harriet Klausner


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%
Special suspect? - lover
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 - 40 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 %
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: - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
Motive of antagonist - money/treasure
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: - Midwest

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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