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| Plot Summary of If She Should Die |
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"
St. Martin's, Jan 2004, 6.99, 432 pp.
ISBN: 0312983131
In Winston, West Virginia, Christine Ireland manages the Prince Jewelry store owned by lawyer Ames Prince who took her and her mentally impaired brother Jeremy into his home when their parents died seven years ago. Deputy Sheriff Michael Winter informs Christine and Ames that they found the decomposed body of a teenage female wrapped inside a plastic. The flooding of the nearby Ohio River washed it ashore. Michael believes this is the body of Ames' daughter Dara, who vanished three years ago. Ames says this is impossible because Dara is in Arizona sending him letters.
Jeremy finds Dara's diary hidden in a tree near the bridge where she supposedly died. In her journal Dara mentions that someone wants her dead. She says her prime man is Rey, but that she has two other lovers that she dubs S.C. and The Brian and is pregnant. All three of her lovers are angry at her, but one is stalking her. As Michael and Christine fall in love, Ames remains in denial though the evidence mounts that his daughter is dead. Someone tries to kill Christine while others related in some way to Dara are murdered.
As expected from Carlene Thompson (see ALL FALL DOWN and SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE) IF SHE SHOULD DIE readers receive an exciting action-packed thriller. The story line is fast paced, but contains a strong cast especially the lead couple and several secondary players. Several short flashbacks enable the reader to understand Dara. Though the killer comes out of nowhere forcing a lengthy explanation of motives, suspense thriller fans will enjoy Ms. Thompson's fine novel.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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" Three years have passed since Dara Prince disappeared from Winston, West Virginia, leaving a note saying she had run away. Now a body has been found in a creek that Christine Ireland suspects could well be her adopted sister Dara. When Dara's diary turns up unexpectedly, Christine is plunged into her lost sister's mysterious past. Dara was certain somebody was stalking her, just as someone is watching Christine's every move.
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Greg Bryant, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of If She Should Die |
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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)
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 80%
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- solving long-past murder
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
Is Romance a MAJOR (25%+) part of story?
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- small businessman
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
- a little
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:
- business executive
Eccentric:
Yes
- obsessed
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
- power
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Deep South
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 3-4
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Click here for more information about this book
Carlene Thompson Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Greg Bryant
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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