Scribner, June 2004, 24.00, 288 pp. ISBN 0743257367 The small town of Blessed, located in Northern Michigan, is divided into two groups, full time residents and the summer people who live in their “McMansions”. Edward and Paige Norbois and their four children don't even bother with the summer residents because the father is a loner who come up to Blessed to get away from people. Except for the youngest children, all the members of the family have a problem or secret they wish to hide. The family is getting ready to fly on their new plane when someone executes everyone except for the little girl who dies from a blow to the head. Sheriff Hugh De Witt takes charge of the investigation but he is very short of help and the Ann Arbor Chief of Police can't help him because he has his own big investigation to cover. Someone is killing female co-eds and the college town is in an uproar wanting the perpetrator found yesterday. As Hugh investigates the killings, he finds a link between the massacre at Norbois' summer home and the Ann Arbor murders. Now he has to do is find out where that link will take him. While working the investigation, the sheriff is learning to let go of the intense pain he has felt ever since his eleven month old died from SIDS. It is fascinating reading about the investigation as the author takes us through it step by step. THE TARNISHED EYE is a very visual book that would make a good movie because the readers come to know and care about the DeWitt family inside a powerful police procedural. Judith Guest has written a very exciting and enjoyable psychological suspense thriller. 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? - 80% 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 - 50 % 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: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 20's-30'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: - Midwest Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript |