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| Plot Summary of To Die or Not To Die |
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"
Five Star, Sep 2003, 25.95, 215 pp.
ISBN: 0786254440
In 1919 English Professor John Darnell and his wife of seven years Penny are expecting their first child in a couple of months so he plans to so no sleuthing. However, Mayor Blake Aylmer of Stratford-on-the-Avon calls to ask John to look into two sightings of ghosts on the eve of the American John Barrymore performing Macbeth and Hamlet. Penny persuades John that they can enjoy the performances while he conducts an investigation.
In Stratford, while John begins his inquiries, Penny visits the sights. However, the case begins turning ugly as dead cats (out of Othello) are found and a near fatal accident occurs. Soon the actress Portia Regan is murdered with suspicion on the director Rex Flint, who had an affair with the actress and offers a shaky alibi. A second murder follows, that of a night watchman, who must have seen something though he insisted he slept through the Portia killing. With a Scotland Yard friend on the scene with John, they investigate two homicides while the great Barrymore does justice to Shakespeare.
The latest Darnell historical mystery is an interesting tale that places a great deal of emphasis on John Barrymore so that the audience receives a sense of knowing the actor. The investigation is fun, but takes a back seat to the era and the stage. The cast is a solid group that enables readers to better observe post WW I England. The answer to whether to read or not to read Sam McCarver's latest work is an affirmative for those fans of early twentieth century who-done-its with an emphasis on the times.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of To Die or Not To Die |
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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?
- Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 80%
Murder of certain profession?
- actors/producers/directors
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- teacher
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than 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
- jealousy
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
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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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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