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Some Deaths Before Dying
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Plot Summary of Some Deaths Before Dying
"A dying woman investigates the loss of one of her long-dead husband's antique dueling pistols and finds answers to a puzzle that has haunted her for many years. The book is a murder mystery, but more importantly, a search for the truth. As Rachel Matson is almost completely paralyzed she uses her many photo albums and the help of her nurse to solve the mystery. The book is almost completely dialogue driven, and a masterly portrayal of a certain type of British "gentlewoman" that almost certainly no longer exists."
Linda Sourpuss, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Some Deaths Before Dying
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
How difficult to spot villain? - Challenging
Time/era of story: - 1980's-1999
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - nearly 100%
Special suspect? - relative
Misc. Murder Plotlets - "All in the family" murder
Kind of investigator - british mystery (I say!)
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - homemaker
Age: - long lived adults
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How much violence does he/she use? - just the right amount
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 - average physique

Main Adversary
Profession/status: - thief/con artist
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some
Motive of antagonist - power
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK
Asia/Pacific Yes
Asian country: - Southeast Asia
Misc setting - fancy mansion

Style
Person - rotating 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 2
Sex Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Some Deaths Before Dying
A Murder Too Many by E.X. Ferrars
The Embroidered Corpse by Brian Kavanagh
Broken by Martina Cole
Storm by Boris Starling
The Breaker by Minette Walters


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