| Plot Summary of Now You See It... |
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"When a magician decides to commit murder, how does he do it? With poisoned champagne, with an African spear and blowgun, with a pair of 1879 English dueling pistols, with a 19th century Spanish pike, with a coffin, with a freezer ... or with ALL OF THE ABOVE? Maximilian Delacorte, known as The Great Delacorte, has summoned his agent, Harry Kendal, to his rural Massachusetts home for an astonishing showdown with his lover -- Max's second wife Cassandra -- and maybe Cassandra's brother Brian. The events take place almost entirely in a single room and are witnessed by Max's father Emil, the original Great Delacorte, who has been totally paralyzed and speechless since a stroke 14 years ago. Though powerless to do or say anything as the story unfolds, Emil narrates the events for the reader. This short, fast, and compelling narrative, though a bit of a strain on one's credulity, is one heckuva read."
David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Now You See It... |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 30%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
Tone of story
- scarey (primal ax-wielding fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Story partially from villain's perspective
Time/era of story:
- 1980's-1999
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- nearly 100%
Special suspect?
- relative
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- cooped up in spooky house
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards family/friends
Crime Thriller
Yes
Crime plotlets:
- vigilante getting revenge
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
General Crime (including known murderer)
Yes
If story PRIMARILY about main chr. being hunted...
- hunted by killer/stalker
- game where people hunted
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- actor
Age:
- 40's-50's
Eccentric/Mental:
Yes
Eccentric:
- eccentric
- obsessed
- emotionally unstable
How much violence does he/she use?
- a significant amount
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- physically sick
Main Adversary
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- thief/con artist
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a substantial amount
Motive of antagonist
- power
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
Small town?
Yes
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 3-4
Sex
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references
- descript of kissing
Unusual forms of death
- asphyxiation
- poisoning
- frozen
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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