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| Plot Summary of Murder of a Barbie and Ken |
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"
Signet, Nov 2003, 5.99, 272 pp.
ISBN: 0451210727
After she graduated high school Skye Denison couldn't wait to get away from her small Illinois hometown of Scumble River. The only reason she moved back was because her fiancé dumped her, she lost her job and her credit cards were maxed to the limit. The townsfolk have given her a second chance and she has made a place for herself as the school district psychologist and part-time homicide solver. She is seriously involved with Simon Reid, the town coroner and funeral director who has finally realized that if he wants Skye in his life, he has to come to terms with her investigations.
His resolve is severely tested when Skye goes over to Barbie's house to back up the merchandise she ordered at a neighborhood party and finds her hostess and her husband Ken murdered. Naturally she wants to find out who the killer is and many people, including the sheriff ask her to look for clues. Her mind is not totally on the case because Simon's estranged mother comes to town and maneuvers herself into Skye's home and life.
Fans of small town cozies are going to have a good time reading MURDER OF A BARBIE AND KEN. Between dealing with her boyfriend's mother, tracking down a killer, taking care of her students and trying to find some private time to spend with Simon, the beleaguered heroine does not have time to breathe. Denise Swanson has written a clever, well thought out mystery that is almost impossible to solve, but it is the heroine that makes the novel.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Murder of a Barbie and Ken |
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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
- very upbeat
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%
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- life in small town
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- psychiatrist
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
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Midwest
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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Click here for more information about this book
Denise Swanson Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Kathy Thomason
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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