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Hark
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Plot Summary of Hark
"

Simon & Schuster, Aug 2004, 24.95, 293 pp.
ISBN: 0743250354

“Sonny Sanson”, an alias the Deaf Man used for this job to mean “I am without sound” has a gun pointed at the heart of his former associate Gloria. He demands she give to him whatever is left from an illegal drug sale. Gloria apologizes for her betrayal of him and cooperates, but Sanson is disinterested. Quoting Macbeth he shoots her twice in the chest before tying her to her bed just as she did to him.

The Deaf Man is back and has begun his quest for vengeance. His next target is the 87th Precinct, specifically Steve Carella, but others will do. This time he taunts his opponents with Shakespearean citations or anagrams that have the cops struggling to decipher. Steve knows that this cat and mouse game is going bad for the police who do not know whether their dangerously brilliant opponent is even deaf. If he only had to stop a delusional homicidal genius Steve would be okay, but he also must pay for the double weddings of mom and sis, which is why he is in a panic.

The latest Ed McBain police procedural is the usual delightful tale that mixes the personal troubles of the members of the 87th with minor cases and a major investigation.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Hark
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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)
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
The crook is.... - stalking/killing innocents
Crime Thriller Yes
Mostly a criminal POV story Yes
General Crime (including known murderer) Yes
Who's the criminal enemy here? - finding a known killer
If story PRIMARILY about main chr. being hunted... - hunted by killer/stalker

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? - middling 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: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - killer
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount
Motive of antagonist - insanity
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: - 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
Most similar books to Hark
The Dragon Man by Garry Disher
Good Morning, Darkness by Ruth Francisco
Counting To Infinity by J.L. Abramo
Blind Alley by Iris Johansen
Southtown by Rick Riordan


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