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Halloween Murder
Shelley Freydont Book Review

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Plot Summary of Halloween Murder
"

Kensington, Sep 2002, 22.00, 312 pp.
ISBN: 0758201249

After an extended business trip in Europe, Lindy Haggerty is happy to be home though her husband and their daughter are in Europe and their son in Boston. The only family member around to keep Lindy company, is her son's dirty dog. However, in a definite weak moment or perhaps the beginning of senility, Lindy agrees to direct an amateur production during the town's Halloween carnival as part of the Mischief Night Marathon.

However, the friendly intent at the onset quickly converts into people battling over the events. Soon someone takes the squabbles up a notch with pranks based on Spencer's Seven Deadly Sins. The antics start turning nastier and uglier until murder finally occurs. The killer turns towards Lindy as the eighth sinner worthy of death unless the retired dancer can find a different ending to this drama that allows her to voice the final coda.

The fourth Lindy Haggerty amateur sleuth mystery, Halloween Murder, is a fun who-done-it that sub-genre readers will enjoy because the plot seems real due to the bickering of the ensemble cast that makes up the Mischief Night Marathon committee. The story line engages the audience from the very beginning when Lindy, feeling like a sucker, lectures the dirty dog snoozing in her car until the final curtain call. Series fans will relish this Halloween treat while newcomers will commence with a Shelley Freydont marathon.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Halloween Murder
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%




Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 60%
Kind of investigator - amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - animal antics
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - homemaker
Age: - 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use? - none
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - revenge
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 1
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Halloween Murder
Lead a Horse to Murder by Cynthia Baxter
The Beastly Bloodline by Patricia Guiver
The Midnight Band of of Mercy by Michael Blaine
Putting on the Dog by Cynthia Baxter
Jingle Bell Bark by Laurien Berenson


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