Kensington, May 2005, 24.00, 325 pp.
ISBN 0758206194
Ventura County probation officer Carolyn Sullivan has an uncanny knack for getting prisoners to confess to her whey they won't speak to anyone else. She uses what they say to insure the judge gives them the maximum amount of prison time. Her latest subject is Raphael Moreno who was convicted of second degree murder in the deaths of his mother, sister and a family of five, one of which was a six month old baby. She plans to talk to him but her boss conducts the interview instead and winds up hospitalized.
Carolyn gets sidetracked by her brother Neil, who saw the body of Laurel the woman he loves and planned to marry floating in his pool. The police think he killed her by lethal injection but Carolyn knows he couldn't hurt anyone. Another woman in the neighborhood was also killed by the lethal injection containing the same chemicals used to kill Laurel. When tests are done on her brother's car, blood is found that matches that of Raphael Moreno. The police want to find the link between the two men and ask Carolyn to talk Moreno again, a situation that almost leads to costing the probation officer her life.
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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%
Special suspect?
- relative
Kind of investigator
- police procedural, American
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards family/friends
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- criminal
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
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
