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The Black Piano
Constance Little and Gwenyth Little Book Review

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Plot Summary of The Black Piano
"
Constance Little, Gwenyth Little
Rue Morgue Press, March 2004, 14.00
ISBN: 09152305658

Gloria Rouston was on a brief vacation when she was in an accident. Attorney John Cowrer and his Aunt Mamie find her and shelter her while she recovered. Gloria knows someone from her own family threw her off the nearby bridge trying to kill her. When John mentions the scar on her face will make it difficult for anyone to recognize her, Gloria decides to visit a plastic surgeon. Afterward she plans to uncover the identity of the person who tried to kill her.

John falls in love with Gloria and gives her an even better cover as his wife Jane than a job would have provided her. She begins her undercover investigation into her own “demise” starting with her “legal husband” Dick, who fails to recognize the pretty newcomer is his wife Gloria; only a blind man recognizes her. Jane feels bad that when the dust settles she will have hurt John and Mamie who mean the world to her as they showered her with love when they thought she was an injured middle class tourist rather than a wealthy upper crust individual


Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of The Black Piano
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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 - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%




Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story: - 1930's-1950's
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70%
Special suspect? - lover
Kind of investigator - amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - life in small town
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - wealthy
Age: - 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use? - a little
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - 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: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - wealthy
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
Most similar books to The Black Piano
It Had to Be You by Jill Churchill
Letter From Home by Carolyn Hart
Fire When Ready by Kate Kingsbury
A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie
Sunset and Sawdust by Joe R. Lansdale


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