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| Plot Summary of Designer Knockoff |
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"
Signet, August 2004, 5.99, 336 pp.
ISBN 0451212681
Lacey Smithsonian Chase's fashion column for the Eye Street Observer has more to do with crime than fashion. She is at the capital building covering a $40 million dollar appropriation to the National Building Museum but the committee members do not how that item got into the bill that was passed. While observing the proceedings, Lacey notices that Washington Staffer Esme Fairchild who is always around in a high profile manner surprisingly is nowhere in sight.
Lacey cannot get Esme off her mind and as the days go by, the police start to believe she is dead. Esme serves as liaison between fashion designer Hugh Bentley and the committee who wanted to revoke the museum findings. Coincidentally, Lacey wore a premier design from Bentley's first collection. He offers her more money to sell her the suit. She does not give in to his demand because her great aunt believed that he was responsible for the disappearance of factory girl Gloria Adams during WWII who was having an affair with him. Lacey, who wants off the fashion beat decides to investigate Esme and Gloria's disappearance.
Ellen Byerrum is a very talented writer with an offbeat sense of humor and talent for creating quirky and eccentric characters that will have readers laughing at their antics. There are some very good fashion tips spread throughout DESIGNER KNOCKOFF. This is a great beach read because it is the perfect way to relax and enjoy the water.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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"Lacey Smithsonian wants to be a serious journalist, but she is stuck writing a fashion column for a third rate newspaper in Washington D.C. When she learns that a new fashion museum will soon open in D.C. she decides to cover the story. The museum is being financially supported by legandary designer Hugh Bently, and when Bently spots Lacey wearing some of his clothing, he invites her to lunch. While talking to Hugh, Lacey learns of a seamstress in one of Hugh's factories who disapppeared during World War II and was never found. After a little digging Lacey learns that he late aunt had been close friends with the missing girl, and the girl may have been having an affair with Hugh himself. As Lacey continues to investigate the case she discovers ties between this sixty year old unsolved mystery, the recent disappearence of an intern with ambitions of becoming the next Bently spokesmodel, and the recent robbery of a Bently boutique. Lacey uncovers a sixty year old web of lies, greed, and murder."
fran laniado, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Designer Knockoff |
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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?
- 70%
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- solving long-past murder
Kind of investigator
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- politics
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?
- 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
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
- Female
Age:
- 60's-90's
Profession/status:
- wealthy
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
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Southeast
- Mid-Atlantic states
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 1st
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 2
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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