Allreaders.com

Days of the Dead Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Days of the Dead




Bantam, Jul 2003, 23.95, 306 pp.
ISBN: 0553109545

In 1835, free man of color Benjamin January accompanied by his wife Rose leave New Orleans for Mexico City to provide mental support to his friend opium user, classics user Hannibal Sefton, being hanged for murder. Sefton was one of twenty-four guests attending a dinner provided by Don Prospero de Castellon. However, he is the chosen one accused of poisoning the host's son, the loathed Fernando.
Click here to see the rest of this review...


Prospero anticipates Fernando's ghost returning home during the Day of the Dead celebration and when his son's spirit visits he will explain how Sefton killed him. Though the day is soon here, the Guardia Civil Capitan wants to hang Sefton today, but Generalissimo Santa Anna orders him to wait. Seeking to insure that “all's well that ends well”, Benjamin and Rose investigate the numerous guests, workers, and family members to ascertain motive and means in order to prove that Sefton may quote Lady MacBeth but is not the killer.

Though a scorecard is needed to keep track of the suspects that number more than two teams on a football field, DAYS OF THE DEAD is a cleverly written locked door historical mystery. Moving Benjamin to Mexico City provides the audience a different fresh look to 1835 and to the now married protagonist. The lead couple remains a pleasure to follow as they serve as hosts to an intriguing era on the North American continent within a fun to try to solve who-done-it.

Harriet Klausner

The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner



Chapter Analysis of Days of the Dead

Click on a plot link to find similar books!

Plot & Themes

Composition of Book descript. of violence and chases 10%Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives 40%Feelings, relationships, character bio/development 30%How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) 20% Tone of story    -   suspenseful (sophisticated fear) How difficult to spot villain?    -   Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues Time/era of story:    -   1600-1899 What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot?    -   70% Misc. Murder Plotlets    -   Proving innocence of very obvious suspect Kind of investigator    -   amateur citizen investigator Kid or adult book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book Any non-mystery subplot?    -   life in that culture Crime Thriller    -   Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown)    -   Yes

Main Character

Gender    -   Male Profession/status:    -   small businessman Age:    -   20's-30's Ethnicity/Race    -   Black

Setting

The Americas (not US):    -   Yes The Americas:    -   Mexico

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   generic/vague references to death/punishment Amount of dialog    -   significantly more dialog than descript

Books with storylines, themes & endings like Days of the Dead

Barbara Hambly Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
2 Ways to Search!
Or



Our Chief Librarian