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Hello, Darkness Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Hello, Darkness


"Valentino" phones a late night radio show to announce that he will kill his captive girlfriend in 72 hours. He's angry that his girl tried to dump him, and he blames Paris Gibson, host of the Austin, Texas radio show. Paris contacts the police but they have few leads. Investigations soon discover that the girlfriend belongs to an on-line sex club. Probing deeper, detectives expose a few probable suspects and make an arrest. It is then, "Valentino" strikes, unwittingly revealing his true identity to detectives. Will they find him before he claims another sexual victim?
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The review of this Book prepared by Tracey Ray






Simon & Schuster, Oct 2003, 25.9, 400 pp.
ISBN 0743245520

Valentino isn't at all pleased when his girlfriend called radio host Paris Gibson for advice, especially when the talk jock advises her to dump him after hearing that he is getting too possessive. In fact, Valentino is so angry that he calls Paris and berates her saying that he is holding his ex-girlfriend and will kill her in seventy-two hours. Paris believes him and takes the audiotape to the police who take the threat very seriously especially after a judge's daughter goes missing.

With little time to find the teen, the police ask their resident psychologist to help them. When Dean and Paris see each other for the first time in seven years, all the old buried feelings rise to the surface. The situation is made even more volatile when Valentino threatens Paris and Dean is determined to protect her so they can have the chance that was once denied them.

When one thinks of Sandra Brown one thinks of extraordinary suspense thrillers and her latest work only enhances that reputation. There is plenty of action in this tense and gritty tale but the author also keeps the sexual tension high between the two protagonists. Their personal drama is played out over several key chapters without distracting the reader from the main story line that blends into a great read.

Harriet Klausner

The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner



Chapter Analysis of Hello, Darkness

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Plot & Themes

Composition of Book descript. of violence and chases 15%Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives 35%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?    -   Difficult, but some clues given Time/era of story:    -   2000+ (Present) What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot?    -   60% Special suspect?    -   investigator him/herself Murder of certain profession?    -   prostitutes/stripper/porn Misc. Murder Plotlets    -   character killed during/after sexing Kind of investigator    -   police procedural, American Kid or adult book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book The crook is....    -   stalking/killing innocents Any non-mystery subplot?    -   feelings towards lover Crime Thriller    -   Yes Crime plotlets:    -   escape/rescue from kidnappers Is MAIN CHARACTER an EVIL criminal?    -   Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown)    -   Yes General Crime (including known murderer)    -   Yes If story PRIMARILY about main chr. being hunted...    -   hunted by dangerous boy/girlfriend/spouse Is Romance a MAJOR (25%+) part of story?    -   Yes

Main Character

Gender    -   Female Profession/status:    -   TV/radio talk show host Age:    -   20's-30's Ethnicity/Race    -   White/American    -   Swiss

Setting

United States    -   Yes The US:    -   Texas

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   generic/vague references to death/punishment    -   moderately detailed references to deaths Explicit sex in book?    -   Yes What kind of sex:    -   touching of anatomy    -   actual description of sex    -   descript. of breasts    -   rape (yeech!) Unusual forms of death    -   rough sex    -   perforation--bullets Unusual form of death?    -   Yes Amount of dialog    -   significantly more dialog than descript    -   roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Sandra Brown Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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