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Absent Friends
S.J. Rozan Book Review

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Plot Summary of Absent Friends
"

Delacorte, Oct 2004, 24.00, 384 pp.
ISBN: 0385338031

NYC firefighter Captain James McCaffrey is one of the fallen heroes who died trying to save lives during the tragic collapse of the Twin Towers. James had a heroic history with the department before his death; however reporter Harry Randall paints a darker side of the fallen hero. He insists that two decades ago, James and his six Staten Island compatriots probably killed a stepson of a mob kingpin; one of them, Mark, went to prison.

The four survivors of the seven rally to protect their deceased childhood leader's reputation. The final foursome look back at what happened, but soon begin to wonder why James consistently and anonymously gave money to the family of Mark. Could James have been paying off blackmail, guilt or could he be simply taking care of a friend?

The multiple perspectives, which include flashbacks adds complexity, but makes it difficult to keep track of who thinks what of James.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Absent Friends
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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 humorous
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller Yes
Crime plotlets: - wrongly convicted clearing his name
General Crime (including known murderer) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - police/lawman
Age: - 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use? - a little
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - journalist
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - revenge
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
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? - hundreds or more
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Absent Friends
Four to Midnight by Scott Flander
Murder at Monticello by Jane Langton
Death Trap by Sue Henry
Speak Ill of the Living by Mark Arsenault
Now You See Him by Stella Cameron


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