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An Image of Death
Libby Fischer Hellmann Book Review

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Plot Summary of An Image of Death
"

Poisoned Pen Press, Jan 2004, 22.95, 304 pp.
ISBN 1590581016

When the Soviet Union collapsed, honorable soldiers turned to stealing just to feed their families. When one of these veterans dies, his wife finds out his best friend betrayed him and she doesn't want anything to do with him even though his wife is her best friend. Over time, she learns about the diamond trade and earns enough money to support her family. She takes a vacation to the Grand Cayman Islands where she once again sees and rejects the man most responsible for her husband's death. She goes to the United States where her best friend is working as a prostitute in Chicago.

Ellie Foreman, maker of industrial videos receives one in the mail that shows a woman waiting in a room and two naked men who come in and kill her. Ellie investigates the woman's death which leads to her being in a deserted construction site waiting to die at hands of people who believe she knows too much.

The link between the Russian woman and the videotape is the beginning of a story of greed, corruption and money laundering by prominent citizens (Russians and others). Libby Fisher Hellmann is a fabulous raconteur who writes about people in dire circumstances doing the best they can to survive. AN IMAGE OF DEATH is an entertaining amateur sleuth novel inside a survivor thriller.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of An Image of Death
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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
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? - 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 - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - money/treasure
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged

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? - 1
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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