Delacorte, Jan 2004, 21.95, 324 pp.
ISBN: 0385337132
Minneapolis Police Detective Sarah Pribek, an expert on missing-person cases, worries about her partner, Genevieve Brown, whose mental collapse is understandable since her daughter was recently raped and murdered. The accused Royce “Shorty” Stewart is free due to a legal technicality, which adds to Genevieve's stress due to a lack of justice providing her some closure.
Sarah's husband, Police Detective Mike Shiloh, leaves for a four-month training class at Quantico with the FBI, but never arrives at his destination. Sarah investigates the disappearance though her peers and superiors believe Mike walked out on her after two months of marriage. Sarah finds no clues in her spouse's trek east or in his behavior just before his departure. She looks into Mike's past, but her inquiries lead to her Utah-based family while also bringing Genevieve back among the living assisting her on her quest. However, the long and winding road seems to have one more twist around the bend, but always returns to Minneapolis, but what will Sarah find at the end of this rainbow?
"Sarah Pribek is a detective for a Minnesota County Sheriff's department. She investigates missing persons. But her job really hits home when she must investigate the disappearance of her husband of two months, Mike Shiloh. Mike was supposed to be in Quantico, training for the FBI, but he never arrived.
As she delves into the mystery, back stories are told, particularly about her partner Genevieve whose teenage daughter was brutally raped and murdered, and the perp went free. Sarah and Mike had been with Genevieve when the battered daughter was found. Another back story is about Mike and his strong religious background that helps make up his stoic, inscrutable character. Another gives hints at Sarah's dysfunctional family and how she grew up, and tells how she and Mike got together.
All the stories are woven through Sarah's not-quite "by the book" search for clues about what happened to Mike, including her trip to Utah to interview members of his estranged family.
In the end, the stories meld to a probable resolution with a twist that hints at future Sarah Pribek mysteries.
"
K Cheatham, Resident Scholar
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Review Analysis of The 37th Hour
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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)
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller
Yes
Crime plotlets:
- escape/rescue from kidnappers
General Crime (including known murderer)
Yes
Who's the criminal enemy here?
- hunted by BAD vigilante getting revenge
If story PRIMARILY about main chr. being hunted...
- hunted by killer/stalker
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
- just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most 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 little/some
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Midwest
- West
City?
Yes
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 0 (not a murder mystery)
- 2
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
- significantly more descript than dialog
