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| Plot Summary of The Ghost and Mrs. McClure |
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Berkley, Feb 2004, 5.99, 272 pp.
ISBN 0425194612
After her husband died, Penelope Thornton-McClure's in-laws wanted to keep her under their thumb so they can raise Calvin's son in the manner that is expected of their brood. When Pen's Aunt Sadie informs her that she's closing her bookstore in Quindicott, Rhode Island, her niece uses the insurance money to escape from her golden cage and invest in the bookstore.
After a thorough remodeling, Pen persuades famous mystery writer Timothy Brennan to do a book signing in their store on the first stop of his tour. His series is based on a hardboiled private detective Jack Shepard who mysteriously disappeared in 1949, but is now haunting the bookstore that Pen owns because that is where he was murdered. The only person who can communicate with him is the unbelieving Pen. Events make her believe in him and she even takes his advice when Timothy is killed in her bookstore and she is one of the prime suspects. Together they try to figure out who the real killer is before Pen is charged with murder.
THE GHOST AND MRS. MCLURE is a charming, funny and quirky mystery starring a suppressed widow and a stimulating ghost who is attracted to her even though they can only meet in her dreams. His is hard boiled in the tradition of Phillip Marlowe and she is a genteel Miss Marple; yet the two opposites make an explosive combination. Alice Kimberly definitely has a hit series if the first book is anything to go by.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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"Penelope McClure is a young widow who leaves the high-powered world of New York publishing for her small hometown, where her aunt needs help reviving the family business, a bookstore. Little does anyone know that the ghost of a 1949 murder victim resides in the building, but it is well known that the private eye Jack Shephard was killed there. Penelope discovers the ghost because of her surprising, and initially disturbing, ability to converse with him in her mind. When another murder occurs in the bookstore--a murder that involves the memory of Jack Shephard--Jack helps her to solve it and also avoid being arrested for it.
The present-day murder victim is the author of crime thrillers who knew Jack Shephard in the 1940's and has taken some of his PI stories as a basis for his novels. He is a has-been writer who has recently achieved new popularity because of the freshness of his latest books. He has chosen Penelope's store for a significant announcement during his book tour--that he will end the series based on Jack Shephard--and turn to non-fiction. His arrival at the store is with an entourage, and it exposes his own unlikable character to Penelope and others, all of which causes confusion to ensue. When he gags to death after a drink of water and a characteristic shot of throat spray, all those who played a part in setting up the event are made suspects."
Blanche, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Ghost and Mrs. McClure |
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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
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 45%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Tone of story
- very upbeat
- 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?
- 70%
- nearly 100%
Special suspect?
- investigator him/herself
Murder of certain profession?
- librarians/book industry
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- solving long-past murder
- Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- ghost buddy
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- small businessman
Age:
- 20's-30's
Has special powers?
Yes
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
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Female
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- jealousy
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
City?
Yes
City:
- New York
Small town?
Yes
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
- rotating 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
- 3-4
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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