| Plot Summary of Bitch Slap |
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St. Martin's, August 2004, 23.95, 288 pp.
ISBN 0312305303
The two largest companies in Dumont County, Wisconsin, Quatro Press and Ashton Mills, are engaging in a friendly merger depending on the due diligence findings of independent auditor Tyler Pennell; the CPA checks the books of both companies to make sure there are no irregularities. Gillian Reece, CEO at Ashton Industries will run Ashton/ Quatro and Perry Shield, CEO at Quatro Press, will probably retire with millions in stock sales.
Neil Waite, architect extraordinaire and significant other of Mark Manning, owner-publisher of the Dumont Daily Register, is erecting a showcase home for Gillian and her husband Esmond. When Mark and his reporter Glee Savage go over to look at the new home, Glee slaps Gillian when she sees her. Over the next few days, Gillian shows her true colors as she slaps Esmond who wants her to keep a promise and interior designer Todd, for not giving her the curtains she demanded. Afterward, Mark and his second in command at the paper find Gillian dead at the bottom of the ladder. The coroner thinks she fell accidentally but an anonymous tip details the victim's dirty dealings that involve embezzlement that could have bankrupted the county if her plans had gone into affect. Mark is determined to find the tipster and the possible killer but everyone who knew her is a suspect with very viable motives.
The Mark Manning mysteries are always fascinating, entertaining amateur sleuth novels because the protagonist always finagles his way onto a homicide investigation. In the latest installment, Mark has his work cut out for him because everyone who knew the victim had a reason for wanting her dead. The loving relationship between the hero and his partner adds an extra layer of depth to a creative who-done-it. Michael Craft deserves a Lambda award for this book and the whole series
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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"Newspaper editor Mark Manning's company is about to merge with a conglomerate headed by Gillian Reece, an arrogant and self-absorbed businesswoman who will stop at nothing to ensure her dominance over others in the business world as well in her own marriage. Her husband, Esmond, remains with her as a matter of convenience, although he is somewhat smitten with another, thereby adding an air of tension in this tentative relationship.
Suspicions abound about Gillian's dealings and she begins to distance herself from all around. Gillian also has a past and quite stormy relationship with Mark's features editor Glee Savage. Gillian doesn't help matters by literally slapping all that incur her wrath, including Todd Draper, the man hired to restore her new mansion and a friend/associate of Mark's partner Neil. Gillian eventually dies as a result of an accidental fall.
However, a mysterious letter emerges, opening the door suggesting that Reece's death may have been a case of murder. When that question arises, the suspects include her husband, Savage, Draper, the accountant that discovered her unsavory dealings, as well as Manning's lover, Neil.
Mark, with the assistance of his sheriff friend Doug, seeks to determine the killer's identity. He must also deal with his relationship with his lover, Neil, and the attraction felt toward the visiting Draper."
Reginald D. Garrard, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Bitch Slap |
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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
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 15%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
- Moderately Challenging
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 40%
- 70%
Special suspect?
- lover
Murder of certain profession?
- businessmen
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards lover
- feelings towards family/friends
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
General Crime (including known murderer)
Yes
Is Romance a MAJOR (25%+) part of story?
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- journalist
Age:
- 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
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
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
- Female
Age:
- 20's-30's
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- business executive
- artist
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
- an average amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
- power
The antagonists are:
- big business leader(s)
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
- 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
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
Sex
Yes
What kind of sex:
- homosexuals doing their thing
Unusual forms of death
- asphyxiation
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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