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Abracadaver
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Plot Summary of Abracadaver
"Sergeant Cribb and Constable Thackery are plunged into the world of Victorian music halls. Spangles, tights, footlights, and frolics meet the cynical Cribb as he investigates a series of bizarre and embarrassing accidents to different performers. Can he and his hirsuite constable discover who's responsible before a fatality? The sword-swallower, the trapeze artistes, the strongman, the singer ... all from different music halls - what is the connection? They meet the irritating private investigator Major Chick, the charitable patroness Mrs. Body, the music-hall manager Plunkett and a full bill of the odd, ribald, talented and bad acts. But Cribb and Thackery must get to the bottom of the case ... even if burly Thackery must wear white silk stockings!
"

Alan J. Bishop, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Abracadaver
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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 - 60%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%




Tone of story - very humorous
How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story: - 18th century
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 90%
Murder of certain profession? - actors/producers/directors
Kind of investigator - police procedural, British
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - police/lawman
How much violence does he/she use? - none
Ethnicity/Race - British
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - none

Setting
City? Yes
City: - London

Style
Part of a series? Yes
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Sex Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Peter Lovesey Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Alan J. Bishop  

SCHOLARS:
Harriet Klausner  


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