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| Plot Summary of O' Artful Death |
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St. Martin's, Jun 2003, 23.95, 304 pp.
ISBN: 0312307640
Boston based Professor Sweeney St. George is considered an expert on Victorian burial practices and rituals, especially the art representations including gravestones. Her friend Toby DiMarco persuades Sweeney to spend her Christmas vacation with his relatives at Byzantium, Vermont, a town that once hosted a former artists' colony.
Sweeney immediately accepts the invitation. She wants to know about the unknown artist who carved a highly artistic but strange looking tombstone commemorating the death of Mary Elizabeth Denholm by drowning in 1890. Sweeney's efforts to identify the stone's sculptor seem about to be rewarded when a descendent of the deceased Ruth Kimball offers to provide information. However, before Ruth can deliver, someone kills her, but no one seems too excited over the homicide. Sweeney, assisted by another visitor, turns to Tennyson in a quest for a clue to a killer who will murder again to keep some things secret.
Sarah Stewart Taylor's debut novel is entertainingly refreshing because the who-done-it plays a secondary role to the in depth look at the art of death. Cleverly intertwined into the investigative plot is an intriguing analysis of Tennyson, as well as other artists especially from the Victorian period. Fans will appreciate this cleverly crafted fine arts mystery.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of O' Artful Death |
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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 - 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?
- 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?
- art/artifacts
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- teacher
Age:
- 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of 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?
- 2
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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