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| Plot Summary of The Bookman's Promise |
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"
Scribner, March 2004, 25.00, 384 pp.
ISBN 0743249925
After getting a little heavy handed with a suspected criminal in his custody, Denver Police officer Cliff Janeway leaves the force to become an antiquarian book dealer. His friendship with rare book collector Judge Leighton Huxley led him to bid and win at auction, PILGRIMAGE TO MEDINA AND MECCA by Richard Burton for just under thirty grand. He's very satisfied with his purchase until Josephine Gallant, an elderly frail woman claims that his new purchase and the whole library of Burton's books were originally hers until the Treadwells conned them out of her late husband.
As she lies dying Janeway promises to find the collection and donate it to a library. She gives him a Richard Burton book to be split between him and Denise and Mike Ralston who took care of her in her final hours. Shortly after Josephine dies Denise is murdered, a homicide that Janeway thinks is linked to the Burton book collection. The bookman's search leads him to Koko in Baltimore who used to visit Josephine in the nursing home. Her life is in danger for what she knows so she accompanies Janeway to Charlotte where he intends to learn why Denise had to die and Koko's house torched.
John Dunning can always be counted on to give his audience a wonderful reading experience and THE BOOKMAN'S PROMISE is no exception. Readers learn a lot about legendary explorer Richard Burton and the exhilaration a collector feels when they find the book they consider a treasure. The protagonist's search for answers takes him on a long and winding road that circles back to the starting point. This special book will be enjoyed by mystery and readers of mainstream fiction
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Bookman's Promise |
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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?
- 70%
Kind of investigator
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- searching for $$$/treasure
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- small businessman
Age:
- 40's-50'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
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- a lawyer creature
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
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
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Southeast
- West
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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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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