| Amanda Pepper is a thirty-year-old unmarried English teacher and also an amateur detective. Amanda is visited at her house before school by Liza Nichols who wants to take a nap after being up all night for some unexplained reason. Liza is a part-time dramatics coach at Philly Prep and her first class is not until early afternoon. When Liza fails to show for her class, Amanda returns home to find her murdered. During the next few days Amanda is hounded by the police who think she knows more than she actually does about the killing. She is cleared by the police before Detective MacKenzie decides to use Amanda to help in the investigation. When MacKenzie and Amanda call on actor Eddie Bayer, they find him slain. Shortly thereafter Amanda receives a written threat indicating that she will be the next victim.
There are now only four remaining suspects. Hayden Cole, Liza's fiance, is a candidate for state senator and heir to a family fortune built on slave ships and shaky land grants. Sissie Bellinger is Hayden's former girlfriend who is just completing a costly divorce. Gus Winston is the rejected lover of the deceased Liza. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - very upbeat How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given Time/era of story: What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 50% Murder of certain profession? Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book descript. of violence and chases - 10 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50 % 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 - Female Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 20's-30's Profession/status: How sensitive is this character? Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting United States Yes City? Yes Writing Style Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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