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| Plot Summary of Murder Is a Girl's Best Friend |
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"
Berkley, July 2004, 6.50, 320 pp.
ISBN 0425197166
Mystery author and staff writer for Daring Detective magazine Paige Turner is at work when Terence Catcher calls and asks her to meet him. She hesitates until he tells her that her late husband Bob, who died in Korea, was his best friend and he wants to tell her about his last days. When Paige arrives at the restaurant, Terry tells her how Bob gave him confidence when he was scared and lifted his spirits when he was depressed. He then goes on to explain that his sister was murdered in her apartment and the police think it was a robbery gone wrong and closed the case.
Terry is positive his sister's death had to do with the diamond jewelry hidden in a container of oatmeal. Paige tries to wiggle out of helping him because she knows her police officer boyfriend would be furious with her. In the end, she agrees to find the killer because Terry was Bob's friend. Asking questions and following clues results in Paige almost dying when someone throws her on the train tracks; her apartment is broken into; and a viable suspect is killed. If that is not traumatic enough, the killer shoots Paige as the perpetrator demands the amateur sleuth tell where the diamonds are located.
December 1954 in Manhattan is a trip down memory lane and Amanda Matetsky captures the ambience of the era to perfection. The heroine's friend Abby makes a perfect crime-solving partner and some of their adventures are funny. Readers will thoroughly enjoy MURDER IS A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND because of Paige, Abby, and 1950s New York.
Harriet Klausner"
Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Murder Is a Girl's Best Friend |
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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:
- 1930's-1950's
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 70%
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:
- journalist
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- 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:
- Female
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- homemaker
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
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
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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