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| Plot Summary of Hello, Darkness |
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"
Simon & Schuster, Oct 2003, 25.9, 400 pp.
ISBN 0743245520
Valentino isn't at all pleased when his girlfriend called radio host Paris Gibson for advice, especially when the talk jock advises her to dump him after hearing that he is getting too possessive. In fact, Valentino is so angry that he calls Paris and berates her saying that he is holding his ex-girlfriend and will kill her in seventy-two hours. Paris believes him and takes the audiotape to the police who take the threat very seriously especially after a judge's daughter goes missing.
With little time to find the teen, the police ask their resident psychologist to help them. When Dean and Paris see each other for the first time in seven years, all the old buried feelings rise to the surface. The situation is made even more volatile when Valentino threatens Paris and Dean is determined to protect her so they can have the chance that was once denied them.
When one thinks of Sandra Brown one thinks of extraordinary suspense thrillers and her latest work only enhances that reputation. There is plenty of action in this tense and gritty tale but the author also keeps the sexual tension high between the two protagonists. Their personal drama is played out over several key chapters without distracting the reader from the main story line that blends into a great read.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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""Valentino" phones a late night radio show to announce that he will kill his captive girlfriend in 72 hours. He's angry that his girl tried to dump him, and he blames Paris Gibson, host of the Austin, Texas radio show. Paris contacts the police but they have few leads. Investigations soon discover that the girlfriend belongs to an on-line sex club. Probing deeper, detectives expose a few probable suspects and make an arrest. It is then, "Valentino" strikes, unwittingly revealing his true identity to detectives. Will they find him before he claims another sexual victim? "
Tracey Ray, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Hello, Darkness |
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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 - 15%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 35%
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?
- 60%
Special suspect?
- investigator him/herself
Murder of certain profession?
- prostitutes/stripper/porn
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- character killed during/after sexing
Kind of investigator
- police procedural, American
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
The crook is....
- stalking/killing innocents
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards lover
Crime Thriller
Yes
Crime plotlets:
- escape/rescue from kidnappers
Mostly a criminal POV story
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
General Crime (including known murderer)
Yes
If story PRIMARILY about main chr. being hunted...
- hunted by dangerous boy/girlfriend/spouse
Is Romance a MAJOR (25%+) part of story?
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- TV/radio talk show host
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
- a little
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
- Swiss
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
- police
Eccentric:
Yes
- obsessed
- wild
- emotionally unstable
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
- an average amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
- jealousy
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Texas
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 3-4
- 5-7
Sex
Yes
What kind of sex:
- touching of anatomy
- actual description of sex
- descript. of breasts
- rape (yeech!)
Unusual forms of death
- rough sex
- perforation--bullets
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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