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Mumbo Gumbo
Jerrilyn Farmer Book Review

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Plot Summary of Mumbo Gumbo
"

Morrow, March 2003, 23.95, 256 pp.
ISBN 038097889X

Mad Bean Events is one of the industry's most well known event planners but with the economy in a downward spiral and the international scene so frightening, business is hurting. Co-owner Madeline Bean has only one more affair to cater before she faces an empty calendar. Greta Greene, the producer of the famous quiz show Food Freak, offers her a temporary job as a writer for the production because the head writer Tim Stock is missing.

At first Madeline enjoys the research needed for the show but when her office is ransacked, the taping has to be delayed because the script and the answers were there. When Madeline starts fixing up the room, an unknown assailant conks her over the head and she comes to the conclusion that someone is looking for something. Maddie goes over to Tim's home to see if he is there but what she finds is a burning building and a body that might be Tim. She's determined to get answers to all the questions surrounding the people associated with Food Freak and Madeline always get her answers, even the unpleasant ones.

Jerrilyn Farmer has developed a first rate series starring a strong heroine. The story line moves along at warp speed so that readers became quickly involved in the plot. The audience will be fascinated by the hard work it takes to get one segment of a game show into production. Madeline is a very credible amateur sleuth who solves crimes by persistently asking questions and usually getting the answers so she can put the pieces of the puzzle together leading in the case of MUMBO GUMBO to a scrumptious treat.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Mumbo Gumbo
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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%
Kind of investigator - amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - feelings towards family/friends
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - small businessman
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 - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 60's-90'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? - middling sensitive to others' feelings

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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