| Plot Summary of Scandal in Fair Haven |
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"This is the second novel in the Henrie O series. Henrie O's friend, Margaret, is sick and hospitalized. They had planned a vacation at Margaret's cabin in Tennessee.
Margaret insists Henrie O should go on her own. The first night of her stay she is awakened by Craig, her friend's nephew, wearing a shirt stained with blood, and obviously in trouble.
Craig Matthews says he did not kill Patty Kay, his wife, the local heiress and philanthropist as well as the owner of the bookstore where he works. Patty Kay has been found shot dead in the playhouse of their property. He tells Henrie O, and the police, that he received a call at work to go and pick up a fruit basket for a dinner party that evening, but when he arrived at the store, no basket had been ordered and he had to have one prepared. That's his alibi.
Henrie O, a retired journalist, who drives an MG, decides to help and introduces herself as Craig's aunt.
When Craig gets arrested, she questions the neighbors, the stepdaughter, the ex-husband, the sister, the tennis friends, the political enemies as well as Craig's lawyer. She uncovers family disagreements over money, sexual affairs and small town jealousy. Then, Amy, one of the bookstore employees gets murdered too.
Henrie O also learns how a young neighbor, Franci Hollis, committed suicide just before Patty Kay's murder, after receiving “nasty notes” from a bully.
Could the two cases be linked? Patty Kay also taught at the local private school, and had been seen talking to the young girl before her suicide.
"
Lydie Barquet, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Scandal in Fair Haven |
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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).
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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 - 60%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Tone of story
- very upbeat
How difficult to spot villain?
- Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story:
- 1980's-1999
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 70%
Special suspect?
- relative
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
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:
- journalist
Age:
- 60's-90's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Female
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- wealthy
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- almost none
Motive of antagonist
- power
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 3-4
Sex
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references
Amount of dialog
- significantly more descript than dialog
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