| Plot Summary of Death of a Dancer |
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"After having left New Orleans about a year ago, Marshall's Bayou's Chief of Police Dassas Cormier returns to this city for a short visit with his nephew. Though he loves its lively jazz musicians and hum of streetcars, the place brings back dark haunting memories: not long ago, while still a police officer for the New Orleans Police Department, he had shot an innocent woman by mistake, an event that has left him permanently scarred for life.
However, what was meant to be a pleasant stay soon turns into a nightmare when Cormier learns that his dear friend Cherry Blossom, a sweet and kind dancer who once had quite literally saved his life, was murdered, shot twice in her bedroom.
Cormier makes a pledge: to find her killer and bring him or her to justice.
Although a man already has been arrested, after a short interrogation with him Cormier believes this suspect is innocent of the crime. His investigations soon led him to realize that Cherry's death goes beyond a simple murder. His former partner and best friend Ty Fuller seems to know more than he's willing to admit, an emerald necklace has disappeared, a federal agent is following Cormier, and Josiah Powers, one of the most influential mean in the city, soon to run for major, seems to be connected with the murder.
Told in the first person, this is a cozy mystery set in 1920's New Orleans.
"
Mayra Calvani, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Death of a Dancer |
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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 - 50%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Challenging
Time/era of story:
- 1900-1920's
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 90%
Murder of certain profession?
- dancer
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- solving long-past murder
- Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
Kind of investigator
- hard boiled/private eye
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
- Male
Profession/status:
- private investigator
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
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
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
Motive of antagonist
- power
The antagonists are:
- big business leader(s)
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Deep South
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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