|
|
| Plot Summary of Flat Crazy |
|---|
"
St. Martin's, Sept 2004, 24.95, 320 pp.
031232135X
Blanco County, Texas has had it shares of BUCK FEVER and BONE DRY lunacy as game warden John Marlin can testify, but the latest craziness makes Texas tall tales seem small. The locals believe that the vampiric chupacabra has killed an outsider due to a fang bite wound in his neck. John assumes a human killer committed the homicide and plans to prove that before hysteria turns everyone FLAT CRAZY.
The chupacabra tale leads the tabloid reporters to overrun Blanco County and interfere with John's inquiries because a fang related unsolved killing makes provocative headlines through innuendos. Seeing an opportunity to get rich, good ole boys Red O'Brien and Billy Don Craddock take advantage of the local fears, but wind up only messing up the investigative trail that John tracks involving phony buck trophies. Adding to the confusion is the invasion of the Chinese dwarfs from Hollywood as Wang, Hung, Lo, etc. are making a film and wrecking clues. To John, all this is another “normal” investigation unlike those CSI types working pristine crime shows.
This third wacky Blanco County mystery is as crazy and fun as its predecessors are (kind of like moving those Southern Florida wild tales to Texas). Once again John plays straight man to a cast of eccentrics and wacko opportunists, who are over the edge into slapstick at times. Though readers know who the killer is and why from almost the start, the fun is observing John work through the lunacy, trampled evidence, and the unintended red herrings caused by nutty secondary characters to try to solve the case. Ben Rehder continues to display a unique freshness with his marvelous mirthful Marlin mysteries.
Harriet Klausner
"
Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
|
|
|
| Review Analysis of Flat Crazy |
|---|
|
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).
|
|
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
- very humorous
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very obvious
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 80%
Kind of investigator
- police procedural, American
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- 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:
- Texas
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
|
|
|
Click here for more information about this book
Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
Use our site!
Feedback
About us
Bribe your congressman!
Rudy Giuliani
Most recent discussions:
General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Online Dating Advice
Clive Cussler
6:42:43 PM
Southampton Row
5:55:38 PM
George W. Bush
4:31:19 PM
David Pelzer
3:24:06 PM
Teri Woods
2:47:11 PM
Suzanne Collins
2:15:08 PM
Suzanne Weyn
12:43:26 PM
Ray Bradbury
10:32:15 AM
Ann Patchett
2:29:34 AM
Barack Obama
11:49:29 PM
Robert Stanek
9:34:55 PM
Christopher Paolini
5:59:07 PM
David Clement-Davies
4:57:31 PM
Haruki Murakami
11:22:38 AM
Megan Whalen Turner
1:11:22 AM
Gordon Korman
11:31:13 PM
Adele Geras
9:27:08 PM
Libba Bray
6:34:03 PM
Online Dating Advice
4:49:57 PM
David Pelzer
4:02:14 PM
More message boards
|
