| Sheila Travis is an amateur detective who has to rank as one of the most reluctant sleuths in fictional history. Already well-known in Peachtree Corners near Atlanta because of her exploits in a previous case, Sheila gets involved in another caper in Snellville.
Her neighbor Sara Sims Tait invites Sheila to a family gathering on her grandmother's farm for which developers are now offering $10,000,000. Grandma Sims has fourteen living descendants at the affair. News of the big offer gets everybody there brushing up on their arithmetic and fractions. In the following days, three potential beneficiaries and one family dog are eliminated. Sheila solves the mystery with only minor assistance from Detective Belk of the Snellville police. More helpful is Aunt Mary who discusses matters with Sheila at length. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - Dry-cynical How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given Misc. Murder Plotlets - local police w/ IQ of a houseplant - "All in the family" murder Kind of investigator descript. of violence and chases - 10 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 70 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 % Crime Thriller Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes Main Character Gender - Female Profession/status: Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Motive of antagonist - money/treasure Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Setting United States Yes The US: - Southeast 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 - significantly more dialog than descript |
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