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| Plot Summary of A Dilly of a Death |
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"
Berkley, Jan 2003, 23.95, 336 pp.
ISBN 0425193993
China Bayles left a thriving law practice in Houston to become a shop owner in Pecan Springs, a quiet little town except for the occasional murder that somehow China is always investigating. Homicide is the last thing on China's mind as she gets ready for Picklefest, an annual event celebrating Morgan's Premier Pickles, the largest pickle making place west of the Mississippi.
Phoebe Morgan controls Picklefest with an iron fist in a velvet glove. When the committee needs to meet with Phoebe, neither she, nor her boy toy Todd Kellerman can be found. A hard rain flushes Phoebe's body out of a containment area right outside the pickle factory. It isn't long before, the sheriff discovers that she was killed but she had so many enemies who wanted to kill her, he doesn't know where to start investigating first. Lucky for him he has China and Ruby who dig up enough information that China begins to realize who the killer might be.
A DILLY OF A DEATH is a fantastic amateur sleuth novel as China deals with two businesses, Ruby's illegitimate daughter's problems, her & husband's her career all the while she is trying to find out who killed Phoebe and Todd. Readers care about China because the most important people in her life is her husband and her stepson and she never puts them on the back burner even when she is pulled in several directions at once. Susan Wittig Albert once again provides a who-done-it that is almost impossible to solve by a mere mortal.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of A Dilly of a 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?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 80%
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards family/friends
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- small businessman
Age:
- 40's-50's
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:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- small businessman
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
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Texas
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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