| Kit Deleeuw is a private detective in Rochambeau, New Jersey, an affluent suburb. Deleeuw used to work on Wall Street but was fired in a scandal which almost sent him to prison.
Two kids from the local high school are found dead on the Brown estate. It looks to the police like a murder-suicide. The Brown estate is sought by developers who will pay $60,000,000 just for the land. The two dead students are Ken Dale and Carol Lombardi. Friends of Ken approach Kit for help in clearing Ken's name. They do not think he is capable of committing the crime. A murder which occurred over one hundred years ago bears a striking similarity to the current mystery. Blackhead Gowdy, a descendent of the man executed for that killing, is living in a local nursing home.He holds a life-long grudge against Benchley Carrolton whose family benefited from the old tragedy. Both become suspects along with the town bully, Jamie Hart, and the students' teacher, Richard Handley. Kit meets a lot of resistance from the local police chief but receives much needed help from Benchley and Luis Hebron, a former lawyer in Cuba who now owns a hamburger stand near Kit's office. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) Time/era of story: Misc. Murder Plotlets - solving long-past murder Kind of investigator 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 Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 40's-50's Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Profession/status: Motive of antagonist - power Setting United States Yes The US: - Northeast Small town? Yes Small town people: - nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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