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| Plot Summary of Fatal Remains |
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"
St. Martin's, Dec 2003
ISBN: 0312300972
Lincoln Prairie, Illinois police detectives Marti MacAlister and Vik Jessenovik investigate the death of an apprentice archaeologist on the property of Josiah Smith. The deceased was working on a dig to prove that nothing of value was on this segment of the Smith property because the elderly Josiah planned to sell the land to a developer. However, instead of cooperation from Josiah and his family, the octogenarian patriarch informed, or perhaps warned his brood to offer nothing to the cops.
To Josiah's chagrin, the dig uncovers the remains of a Potawatomi Indian settlement and slave tags indicating that ancestor Idbash Smith was connected to the Underground Railroad, but not necessarily as a positive helper. Marti and Vik begin their own style of digging in an effort to ferret out a modern day killer amidst the silent Smiths while others from a ghost to slave descendents to Native American preservation groups arrive to convolute the suddenly dangerous investigation.
Fans of complex police procedural tales will appreciate FATAL REMAINS due to two strong mysteries (past and present) and the wonderful lead cops. The story line is at its best when Vik and Marti either investigate or provide a glimpse inside their personal lives especially the male protagonist who struggles with his wife's MS illness. The historical aspects of the case (the Potawatomi tribe and the slave manacles) add a sense of heritage and depth to the modern day inquiries.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Fatal Remains |
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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?
- 60%
Kind of investigator
- police procedural, American
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:
- police/lawman
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
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
United States
Yes
The US:
- Midwest
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
Amount of dialog
- 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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