Book reviews

Murder in the Blood
Gene DeWeese Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography History
Gene DeWeese Books
New book search
Gene DeWeese Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Murder in the Blood
"

Five Star, Oct 2002, 25.95, 290 pp.
ISBN: 0786243244

Nathaniel Wetherston owns most of the town of Whitford including being the chief stockholder of the Allied Insurance Company. He informs Farrell County Sheriff Frank Decker that history teacher Lou Cameron embezzled money from the insurance firm, but he refuses to press charges against the vanished individual. Instead, Nathaniel offers to take care of Lou's family. Frank has problems with picturing Lou as a thief or with Nathaniel behaving as a benefactor rather than a wronged person.

Frank makes inquiries trying to locate the missing teacher. He soon connects Lou with Willis Ardly an English visitor from the sister town also named Whitford, who has vanished too. As he digs deeper, Frank begins to connect a modern day crime including murder to a homicide that occurred over a century ago when people from Whitford, England visited the town last.

MURDER IN THE BLOOD is a fabulous police procedural that readers will fully enjoy. The investigation engages the audience as Frank struggles with a modern case that needs a historical solution. A subplot involving his out of control ex-wife adds little to the tale except to unnecessarily show that the hero is a kind considerate person, which he does through patience with his daughter and mother. Still fans of police procedurals that take fans on a strong investigative spin will want to read Gene DeWeese's fabulous novel.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Murder in the Blood
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).
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? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70%
Kind of investigator - police procedural, American
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - life in that culture
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - police/lawman
Age: - 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use? - just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
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 - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - revenge
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - West

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
Most similar books to Murder in the Blood
Small Town by Lawrence Block
Gone Tomorrow by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
I'd Kill for That by Marcia Talley
Play Dead by Anne Frasier
The Death Artist by Jonathan Santlofer


Click here for more information about this book




Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Thriller/Action books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Big vehicle disaster?

Crime Thriller

Disaster, natural or nuclear

Exploring into the wild

Horror Story?

Legal Thriller

Medical Thriller

Religious overtones?

Spying/Terrorism Thriller

War Thriller

Water adventure

Western



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
Feedback
About us
Bribe your congressman!
Rudy Giuliani



Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Online Dating Advice
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:25:33 AM
George W. Bush 10:18:46 AM
Southampton Row 8:27:14 AM
Deric Longden 7:40:15 AM
Robin Jenkins 4:55:32 AM
John Marsden 11:50:52 PM
Caroline B. Cooney 10:36:06 PM
Wendelin Van Draanen 9:56:14 PM
Ruth Minsky Sender 9:51:27 PM
Erin Hunters 9:44:31 PM
Lorna Freeman 9:19:46 PM
Suzanne Collins 7:22:56 PM
Betty Mahmoody 6:00:12 PM
Ken Catran 3:51:52 PM
Lurlene McDaniel 2:51:46 PM
Zana Muhsen 8:19:55 AM
Linda Berdoll 8:13:25 AM
Warren Getler and Bob Brewer 7:25:18 AM
Marlo Morgan 1:10:31 AM
Kate Brian 10:28:49 PM

More message boards