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Ask a Dead Man
Robert S. Levinson Book Review

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Plot Summary of Ask a Dead Man
"

Five Star, Dec 2004,
ISBN: 1594142556

In a Belfast bar, a Plowman sent by the notorious Thirty-Two kills their former leader Frankie McCrory in front of his wife Katie McCrory because they obtained evidence that he turned traitor and worked for an American espionage agency called TRIAD.   While Kate mourns her loss, Frankie's odious brother Liam blackmails his sister-in-law into doing a job for the Thirty-Two. She is to deliver money and equipment to a Plowman who will assassinate an African leader named Mustamba. If she fails to deliver, her beloved "adopted" family the Osbornes in Pasadena, California will die.

On the train heading to Pasadena, Katie kills the same Plowman who murdered Frankie before he could assassinate her. In Pasadena she checks in with her TRIAD boss, the devious Walter Burkes, who wonders who his agent works for since her beloved died. As she seeks vengeance, but not sure against whom, Katie risks her life to keep the Osbornes safe and to obtain the truth. Only her former lover Los Angeles Police Detective Peter Osborne tries to keep her safe though he is not sure what is going on.

It is difficult to keep track of the players, their agencies, and the twists (Katie feels the same way). Katie is a heroic protagonist wanting revenge yet needing to keep the Osbornes safe.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Ask a Dead Man
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).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 20%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
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
Crime Thriller Yes
Crime plotlets: - vigilante getting revenge
General Crime (including known murderer) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - spy
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 - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - power
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - California

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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