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Thieves Break In
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Plot Summary of Thieves Break In
"

Bantam, Nov 2004, 6.99, 336 pp.
ISBN: 0553584316

During construction work at Datchworth Castle in the village of Wallwoon in Oxfordshire, England, a secret room is uncovered. Expensive silver dating from the Cromwell era and manuscripts are found in the forgotten room. Rob Hillman is hired to translate and catalogue the manuscripts, a job he loves. Not long afterward, castle owner Sir Gregory asks his butler to bring Rob to him, but after he seemingly vanished; the translator is found murdered on the grounds although the police can find no motive for killing the popular Rob.

Reverend Kathryn Koerney was planning a visit to Oxford to show her New jersey parishioners the real city beneath the modern day glass. She also was going to see her cousin Rob, but learns he is dead. She turns the tour over to a friend and accompanied by Police Chief Tom Holden journeys to Datchworth castle to pick up Rob's belongings and hopefully to uncover a clue, not understanding that the killer has no mercy especially if someone starts sniffing too close.

Christina Summers uses flashbacks from various post World war II years so that readers obtain a feel for the families who occupied Datchworth Castle, but that sense of location and tradition also confuses the audience because there seems no link to the homicide. Thus in spite of a fun amateur sleuth working with a professional law enforcement official, the interesting trivia disrupts an intriguing who-done-it (especially the why).

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Thieves Break In
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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? - 60%
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 - Female
Profession/status: - religious figure
Age: - 40's-50'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 - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - 40's-50's
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - insanity
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK

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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