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The Fourth Durango
Ross Thomas Book Review

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Plot Summary of The Fourth Durango
"

Dunne, Dec 2003, 13.95, 288 pp.
ISBN: 0312315856

Already accused of taking a bribe that he never did, former State Judge Jack Adair hides in Durango, California, a place where people voluntarily vanish to when others want them silenced anyway they can. Durango accommodates its “tourist” trade. His world is already is a cesspool due to his family trials. His daughter is a guest of a mental hospital, his son-in-law is a disbarred attorney and his son apparently committed suicide though the Judge believes murder occurred.

Jack's appearance in town leads to a murder spree. Desperate to stop the killings, sometime lovers Mayor Barbara Huckins and Chief of Police Sid Fork seek a serial killer who poses as a priest or as a plumber. The culprit will have no problem eliminating the two locals if they get in the way of killing the Judge.

This reprint of a powerful Ross Thomas thriller is an exciting tale that will please the fans of the great suspense writer as well as introduce his wonderful repertoire to new readers. The story line is action-packed as the heroes try to stop a killing machine from further homicides. Though not quite at the level of some of Mr. Thomas' other works (see the reprint of TWILIGHT AT MAC'S PLACE), THE FOURTH DURANGO is a terrific tale better than much that is offered today.

Harriet Klausner

"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of The Fourth Durango
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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: - 1980's-1999
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 80%
Kind of investigator - police procedural, American
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - police/lawman
Age: - 20's-30'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: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - killer
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 - average physique

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? - 5-7
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to The Fourth Durango
A Clean Kill by Leslie Glass
Death Splits a Hair by Nancy Bell
Murder in Alphabet City by Lee Harris
Dark Eye by William Bernhardt
Pier Pressure by Dorothy Francis


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