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| Plot Summary of Broken Dishes |
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"
Berkley, May 2004, 24.95, 271 pp.
ISBN: 042519597X
In San Celina, California, Shawna Darnell Abbott and her husband Johnny turn the Broken Dis Ranch into a guest ranch in the hope that they can make enough profit to avoid bankruptcy and consequently lose the family spread. Benni Harper and her grandmother help the young couple during the first few weeks of the new operation.
A dog finds a bone on a trail that a guest identifies as human remains. Benni investigates and soon discovers a grave that appears to have been recently dug up. Benni's nemesis Police detective Hudson arrives and learns that the buried individual was a murder victim. Someone releases a prize bull that is about to be sold and arson burns down a barn. Benni tries to uncover the identity of the culprit, but the motive is decades old.
BROKEN DISHES is an exciting combination of a police procedural and an amateur sleuth tale that make for a delightful combination that works and works well. The mystery is cleverly interwoven into a story line that focuses on two individuals trying to save their ranch. Fans will hope the Abbots succeed in this difficult venture that has been made more complicated by the homicides. Earlene Fowler is a grandmaster of characterization starting with Benni and continuing with a strong secondary cast who bring some comic relief to the terse tale.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Broken Dishes |
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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 - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%
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?
- 60%
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- solving long-past murder
Kind of investigator
- police procedural, American
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- running a business/making a living
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- small businessman
Age:
- 20's-30'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
Profession/status:
- mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- California
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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