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| Plot Summary of Mesozoic Murder |
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"
Poisoned Pen Press, August 2003, 24.95, 292
ISBN 1590580486
A paleoartist uses scientific expertise and a bit of intuition to draw pictures of dinosaurs for museums, book covers and magazines. Ansel Phoenix is one of the best and her work is in demand. Whatever spare time she has is devoted to the Pangaea Society, a non-profit organization devoted to the study of fossils and raising interest, awareness and knowledge of the subject. They bought some land and with a $300,000 bequest they plan to build the Preston Opel Paleohistory center, a storehouse of specimens and research materials pertaining to fossils.
While fossil hunting in a deserted field with three graduate students, Ansel discovers the body of Nick Capos, a former lover and a member of the Pangaea Society. While the police investigate the homicide, Ansel learns that Nick's valuable fossil collection is missing and a man looking for money and the Baltic Amber attacks her in her own studio. She knows nothing about these items. When another member of the Pangaea Society is killed, Ansel intends to find out what is going on before someone else is murdered.
Anyone reading MESOZOIC MURDER will understand why some people become obsessed with fossils and dinosaurs as Christine Gentry makes them come alive for the reader. The mystery itself is well crafted and believable as is the actions of the heroine who stumbles sometimes but makes a lot of progress in a short period of time in discovering who the killer is, but during her investigation trying to stay alive becomes the crux of the matter. Ms. Gentry is a very talented writer who hopefully will write other mysteries starring this feisty protagonist.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Mesozoic Murder |
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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 - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
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
- amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- describing scientific process
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- artist
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
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:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- student
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
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
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
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Click here for more information about this book
Christine Gentry Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Harriet Klausner
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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