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| Plot Summary of Backstabber |
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"
Hyperion, Jul 2004
ISBN: 0786867132
In the Baltimore area, Sisco Fontaine has a slight problem. Lying on the kitchen floor is the murdered corpse of Jake Weisheit with a knife protruding from his back. Sisco has been sleeping with Jake's spouse Polly and recently in a public display of ire he threatened to kill Jake. Obviously the cops can back up with evidence that Sisco had motive, means, and apparently opportunity making him the prime suspect in what appears to be a murder of passion.
A bit upset, Sisco knows only one person who works with the dead, former classmate mortician Hitchcock Sewell. He calls Hitch, but all he wants from his newly rediscovered buddy is to dispose of the body as he knows what will happen to him if the police investigate the murder. Hitch refuses, but puts aside the other bodies, a horde of females wanting to share a coffin, and the formaldehyde high to determine whether Sisco is a BACKSTABBER.
The fifth Hitchcock amateur sleuth investigation is a solid entry in a series a bit off the norm, but always fun to read. As usual, once the audience accepts Hitch as an expert crime investigator, which takes a bit of acceptance, fans will have the usual good time. Hitch is the center of the tale as he keeps it glued together whether he prepares a corpse for a funeral service or making inquiries that lead to the local police wanting to bury him for his interference.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Backstabber |
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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
- very upbeat
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?
- 80%
Special suspect?
- best friend
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards family/friends
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
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
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
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
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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