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Blood Lies
Marianne MacDonald Book Review

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Plot Summary of Blood Lies
"

St. Martin', August 2002, 23.95, 272 pp.
ISBN 0312283059

Normally Dido Hoare is a serene even-tempered individual but the events of the previous winter are still affecting her and now she needs a vacation. When her old friend Lizzy Waring invites her and her infant son to stay with her and her husband in the Village of Alford, Dido jumps at the chance to leave London and her antiquarian bookstore.

Alford isn't the bucolic village of her imagination. There is a dark undercurrent rippling under the surface of the pleasant little town personified by the presence of Teddy who was just released from jail after serving five years on a manslaughter conviction. Teddy shot a burglar in his home but didn't offer any defense. The buried bones of a woman who was missing at the same time that Teddy shot the burglar convinces the police to reopen an investigation even as Dido goes into sleuth mode.

BLOOD LIES is the story of a family with secrets, many of which they will go to any lengths to see that they stay buried. The heroine is a catalyst who stirs things up and set certain actions in motion. The story line is fast-paced and enjoyable reading for fans of amateur sleuth novels. Marianne MacDonald has written another intriguing installment in her popular cozy series.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Blood Lies
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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 - 20%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%




Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70%
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? - life in small town
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - small businessman
Age: - 20's-30'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 - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - 60's-90's
Profession/status: - homemaker
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some
Motive of antagonist - revenge
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 2
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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Murder of a Pink Elephant by Denise Swanson


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