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| Plot Summary of Criminal Intent |
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"
Putnam, Aug 2002, 24.9, 416 pp.
ISBN: 0399149171
Producer Richard “Big Dick” MacArthur dies by apparently falling off the deck of his Baker Beach, California home. The police detain the movie mogul's third wife, Angelina Chavez, who was found by a bridge unconscious in a family car. After questioning and checking out her story, the police accuse Angelina of murdering her spouse as the murder weapon, his Oscar, is in the trunk of her vehicle. San Francisco attorneys Mike Daley and Rosie Fernandez become the defense team because Angelina is the niece of the former.
The Big Dick case would be difficult enough to provide a defense for without the family connection. However, the lawyers have other clients in various states of legal trouble with most related in some way to the firm. Trying to balance each one's need while working a homicide case keeps Mike and Rosie working overtime.
The latest Daley-Fernandez novel is an engaging legal thriller that is superior when the story line focuses on either the Big Dick homicide case or the tour of the Streets of San Francisco. The secondary legal cases feel like filler and leave the impression that except for the police, the entire Bay Area is related to Mike, Rosie, or someone else in the firm. Still the prime plot is cleverly developed so that sub-genre readers will enjoy the homicide defense while series fans will like insight into the extended family.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Criminal Intent |
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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 - 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
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards lover
Legal Thriller
Yes
Legal Plotlets
- finding out whether someone is really guilty
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- a lawyer creature
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
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
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- business executive
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
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
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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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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