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| Plot Summary of The Counterfeit Crank |
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"
St. Martin's, August 2004, 3.95, 288 pp.
ISBN 0312319495
In Elizabethan England the acting troupe of Westfield's Men is having their share of woes. Playwright Edmund Hoode has taken ill and it is up to his protégée Michael Grammaticus to finish the new play the actors are to perform. Michael is so grateful to his mentor for his support that he pays for the doctor and the special food he prescribes. A card player Alexander Marwood entices some of Westfield's Men into a game of cards with him. More times than not he is the winner, but there is no evidence that he is cheating but bookholder Nicholas Bracewell has his suspicions.
Someone steals their best costumes; nobody has a clue who is behind the thefts. Two young beggars who Nicholas befriended end up at Bridewell's workhouse where Dorothea is raped before she is released and her best friend Hywell is killed for his righteous attempt to hunt down the people who run the workhouse. Nicholas is determined to bring those responsible for the boy's death to justice as well as a couple of thieves who thought Westfield's Men were easy pickings.
Readers get a taste what it was like for actors who have the backing of a lord in Elizabethan England. Nicholas Bracewell is more heroic than usual as he tries to right many wrongs by bringing thieves and killers to justice. THE COUNTERFEIT CRANK is an exciting historical mystery and readers will be delighted to become reacquainted with characters they have come to regard as friends as it is always a treat to read about the endearing Westfield's Men.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Counterfeit Crank |
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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)
Time/era of story:
- elizabethan era
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
The crook is....
- stalking/killing innocents
Any non-mystery subplot?
- rapes
Crime Thriller
Yes
Mostly a criminal POV story
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- actor
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
Ethnicity/Race
- British
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:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average 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
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
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
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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