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| Plot Summary of Music Across the Wall |
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"
Five Star, Dec 2003, 25.95, 214 pp.
ISBN: 159414074X0
In Chicago, Private Investigator Mike Duncavan blames himself for the failures of his life as he recognizes that he made colossal mistakes. He cheated on his first wife who finally divorced him though she believes that she will always be married to him. He should never have married his second wife, who also divorced him. The Chicago Police Department fired him and now he is barred from practicing law. Financially he is a wreck. Emotionally, he wants his first wife back.
Septuagenarian attorney Artemus Shumway hires Mike to investigate the murder of Tadeusz Bartodzice, a Polish father of six, in a building where a working class Eastern European immigrant had no reason to be five years ago. Robbery was ruled out because his money and credit cards were left behind. On the day before civil suits can expire, the Bartodzice family sued the building's owner Moses Watson for wrongful death. The legal twist is that Mike has only fifteen days to learn why Tadeusz was where he was and any other related matter.
MUSIC ACROSS THE WALL is a superb private investigative tale with powerful insight into the Illinois civil legal system. The story line moves at a rapid pace except when Mike mentally kicks himself for his errors. Mike is a great protagonist, though he seems to be a more knowledgeable lawyer than the plot's other attorneys. His inquiries are fun to follow and the case makes for a delightful thriller that readers will value and want more novels starring Iron Mike making the rounds of Chicago.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Music Across the Wall |
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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%
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- solving long-past murder
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
- Male
Profession/status:
- private investigator
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
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
- average physique
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
- 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
- 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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