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Die In Plain Sight
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Plot Summary of Die In Plain Sight
"

Morrow, Jul 2003, 24.95, 400 pp.
ISBN: 0060504129

In California, renowned artist Susa Donavon will paint a canvas in front of an audience. Her work will be auctioned as part of raising money for the Friends of Moreno County. Additionally Susa will appraise any works brought in by patrons of the arts with the money raised also donated to the Friends of Moreno County.

Art buyer and artist Lacey Quinn brings in paintings done by her late grandfather in the 1920s for Susa to evaluate. Susa feels that the works owned by Lacey are from highly regarded plein air artist Lewis Marten. Though she doubts it, Lacey, already interested in the life of her relative, cannot resist researching the darker portrayals of murder, but soon finds evidence that the homicides occurred and that history repeats itself.

Insight into the California art scene adds a taste of reality to a suspense-laden tale. The heroine is a delight as she seeks her place feeling like the outsider in her family especially when compared to her two siblings. The murder mystery is thirty plus years old with frozen tundra trails yet Lacey relatively easily solves them, which takes credibility away from a well written fun story that readers will still value.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Die In Plain Sight
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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? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 60%
Misc. Murder Plotlets - solving long-past murder
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - artist
Age: - 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use? - a little
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: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some
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: - California

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 8 or more
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Die In Plain Sight
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