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The Presence
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Plot Summary of The Presence
"

Mira, Sep 2004, 6.99, 384 pp.
ISBN: 0778320741

Toni MacNally and her five friends (David, Kevin, Ryan, Gina, and Thayer) convert a dilapidated Scottish Castle into a tourist attraction using reenactments of stories of love and lore. As Toni and the others perform for a crowd of visitors, a big hunk in kilt shouts for the leader of this charade to face him. Laird Bruce MacNiall apparently has arrived.

Bruce informs the sextet that his castle was not for leasing and they were conned, but allows them to at least recoup their costs by continuing their performance for now. Bruce, an ex-cop, investigates a series of murders in which the culprit dumps the corpses on his land. Toni has weird dreams in which she sees through the eyes of the serial killer, but also feels a strange connection to Bruce. As she falls in love with the Laird of the castle, Toni wonders if he is the killer. Bruce shares her feelings of love and wants to keep Toni safe even at the risk of his own life.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of The Presence
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of story - Present (2000-2010)
Action/suspense subplot? Yes
Action: - chased by/chasing kidnapper/killer
Hidden Identity/Secret Motive Yes
Is really... - a criminal (possibly)

Main Male Character
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Age/status: - 20's-30's
How sexual is this person? - very picky
How romantic is this person? - somewhat romantic
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
What % of story is romance related? - 60%
Focus of story - equally on him and her
How much dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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