In Passage South, Ireland, the murder of the American art dealer Evangeline Walter would be difficult enough on the townsfolk, but the way she was tied to a tree on the edge of the Glar River made for an even eerier sight as if she floated on the estuary. The village's only police officer, Garda-Sergeant Francis Recaldo has no experience with homicide, but quickly realizes his “innocence” (as a cop that is, not as a lover of a married woman) is over once he sees the corpse.
Francis begins making inquiries by seeking links between locals and the victim. As he digs deeper into Evangeline's affairs in Passage South, Francis finds himself in the worst scenario he could imagine, as the prime suspect is Cressida Sweeney, his clandestine lover.
Psychological mystery fans know that Gemma O'Connor walks on water when it comes to an entertaining who-done-it with deep characters struggling between self actualization (in terms of duty and honor) vs. personal desires and secrets. WALKING ON WATER has that and more as the police procedural is cleverly designed so that the audience looks over the shoulder of Francis while also seeing inside his gut. The townsfolk and the victim (when she was alive and through the investigation) make the village real and the torn lead protagonist's agony genuine. Ms. O'Connor provides readers with a triumphant perceptual murder mystery.
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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?
- 60%
Special suspect?
- lover
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
Kind of investigator
- police procedural, British
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards lover
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?
- 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
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- business executive
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
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Ireland
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
