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| Plot Summary of Danger Music |
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"
Five Star, Jul 2004, 25.95, 238 pp.
ISBN: 1594141975
True Hollywood Insider freelance writer Kenny Rubin suffers from bipolar disorder in which faces morph into famous sometimes-dead celebrities. Currently she is doing a story on the upcoming TV movie about the life and death of Melinda Rivers. Someone strangled the actress with her own panty hose five years ago, but no one was charged with the crime. Several suspects will “incestuously” work on the film as Hollywood exploits the tragedy.
During an interview with Melinda's former husband actor Terence Marcuso, Kenny turns manic. The writer and Melinda's former roommate Jocelyn Sumner takes Kenny home with her to play a tape she just found of what sounds like blackmail between the victim and perhaps her killer. While Jocelyn is on the phone, a mania driven Kenny leaves the house. When she returns, she finds Jocelyn dead and the tape gone. Terence arrives at that moment and calls the police.
A few days later, a “normal” Kenny blames herself for Jocelyn's death, as she left the door open for the killer to enter. She wonders if Terence, who conveniently arrived in time to enter the crime scene to call the cops, is the culprit. Though Detective Micklin insists she stay out of it, Kenny feels she owes a debt that can only be paid by bringing a killer to justice.
This engaging amateur sleuth works because of the unique heroine whose disorder will seem strange to readers who have not witnessed the impact of a mania-depressed person. The story line is fast-paced though the twin murders take a back seat to Kenny's bi-polar disorder. Jackie Diamond Hyman dexterously and with heart interweaves Kenny's condition throughout a wonderful Hollywood mystery.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Danger Music |
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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 - 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:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 70%
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings of fear/loss/inadequacy
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- journalist
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- 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:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
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:
- California
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 2
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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Click here for more information about this book
Jackie Diamond Hyman Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Harriet Klausner
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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