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Decoy
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Plot Summary of Decoy
"

Mira, Feb 2004, 6.50, 400 pp.
ISBN: 077832012X

While sailing on a yacht, Rosalind “Lady Roz” Beecham knows that she desperately needs money to fund her jet set lifestyle. She threatens several wealthy individuals with exposing the Bonita Partnership though she does not know anything about this venture beyond its name. Instead someone drugs Roz's wine and pushes her into the Atlantic.

Following her funeral, solicitor Nathanial Sherwin informs Roz's daughter Melody and her former husband Wallis Beecham that he did not sire their daughter; In a letter delivered to Melody after the funeral, Roz also warns Melody that Wallis is dangerous. Secret DNA tests that Roz had done without permission or knowledge confirm her contention. Dad tells Roz to get lost and destroys her dream of opening her own gallery.

Roz decides to learn who her father is, which leads to her coming across something called the Bonita Partnership. Unbeknownst to Melody is that those two words mean death for anyone who begins even minor digging.

Though the dysfunctional relationships are difficult to follow and it takes too long to learn what Bonita is, fans will enjoy this taut romantic suspense. The story line is action-packed from the moment Roz is tossed off the vessel until Melody completes her journey of self understanding. Fans of exciting thrillers will enjoy this taut tale.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Decoy
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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 - amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - food/cooking
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes
General Crime (including known murderer) Yes
Who's the criminal enemy here? - breaking up mobsters
If story PRIMARILY about main chr. being hunted... - hunted by killer/stalker

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - unemployed
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 - 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 - power
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

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
Most similar books to Decoy
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A Catered Murder by Isis Crawford
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Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke


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Jasmine Cresswell Resident Scholar Profiles

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Kim Raines  

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