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Cold Pursuit
T. Jefferson Parker Book Review

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Plot Summary of Cold Pursuit
"

Hyperion, April 2003, 25.95, 372 pp.
ISBN 0786868058

In 1952 San Diego, a Braga killed a McMichael in what was called self-defense. A few months later Pete Braga's son Victor was beaten up so severely that he sustained brain damage. He would always have the mind of a ten-year-old. The rumor went around town that Gabriel McMichael beat up Braga's son but it was never proven.

In the present San Diego Police Homicide Detective Tom McMichael is on duty when Pete Braga's body is found in his home, beaten to a bloody pulp. When he arrives on the scene, McMichael finds the nurse with blood on her face, clothes and shoes but she explains that she was trying to revive her client. Paintings and jewelry from the Braga home are found in the nurse's apartment but she has proof that he gave them to her as gifts. McMichael is forced to look at Braga's enemies, including those from his own family. In the course of his investigation he almost gets himself suspended for dating a suspect and then almost loses his life when the killer kidnaps him.

COLD PURSUIT is a tour de force police procedural thriller that starts off fast and just keeps increasing in speed. Readers will love the protagonist, a loving father and a man who is willing to own up to his mistakes. It's fascinating watching Tom connect the dots in the investigation, so much so readers will ignore why he was not removed due to a conflict of interest as he uses professional police methods and intuition to crack the case. T. Jefferson Parker has once again proven he is a gifted writer who delivers a best seller.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Cold Pursuit
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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 - police procedural, American
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - feelings towards lover
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - police/lawman
Age: - 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use? - just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - wealthy
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - money/treasure
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: - California

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 Cold Pursuit
Never Forget by Thom Racina
Eleventh Hour by Catherine Coulter
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Four Blind Mice by James Patterson
Cold Justice by Jonnie Jacobs


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