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Decorated For Murder
M.T. Jefferson Book Review

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Plot Summary of Decorated For Murder
"

Berkley, July 2002, 6.50, 288 pp.
ISBN 042518224x

John Groover was a lookout for the armed robbery of the armored truck that was delivering payroll for the steel mill in Robinsville, Pa. Three other participants were given hard time but Johnny was given a chance: jail or the military. He chose the Marine Corps where he was in on the mission to take Gauadalcanal. He acquitted himself admirably, winning three purple hearts and getting wounded in action.

The military plans to use the new hero as a spokesperson for selling war bonds. He returns to Robinsville as a hero and the town rolls out the red carpet for him. Not all the people are glad he's back and one goes so far as to kill him, leaving the body on the football field. It takes amateur sleuth Kate Fallon five minutes to discover who did it and then the cover-up begins.

DECORATED FOR MURDER is a little different from other books in the series. Kate Fallon does not have a starring role and the protagonist is a likable hero who represents Joe Q. Public. Author M.T. Jefferson finds a clever way of inserting himself into the story line, a gimmick that works. Perhaps the real star of the book is the townsfolk of Robinsville who are diverse group of people yet are united in the war effort.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Decorated For Murder
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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 - 50%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%




Tone of story - very upbeat
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? - life in small town
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Age: - 20's-30'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 - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - criminal
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some
Motive of antagonist - insanity
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of 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? - 1
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Decorated For Murder
Murder of a Barbie and Ken by Denise Swanson
Bad Company by Virginia Swift
The Chocolate Chip Murder Mystery by Joanne Fluke
Donna Rose and the Slug War by Norma Tadlock Johnson
Death by Deep Dish Pie by Sharon Short


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