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| Plot Summary of The House of Special Purpose |
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"The House of Special Purpose
Christopher Hyde
New American Library a Division of Penguin Group, 2004
ISBN: 0-451-41108-0
In November 1941 cash strapped freelance photographer Jane Todd is introduced by a friend to William "Wild Bill" Donovan, head of America's newly created spy agency the OSS (Office of Strategic Services), and William Stephenson the Canadian born head of British Intelligence operations in North America. America is still officially neutral, the attack on Pearl Harbor is still a month away, but Donovan and Stephenson are hard at work preparing for the day when the U.S. will be in the war.
Donovan and Stephenson want Jane to help them obtain some documentation that, if made public, could prove damaging to the U.S. and Britain in the coming war. Despite their attempts to play down the risks, Jane knows the assignment will be dangerous but finally agrees to accept the assignment once they agree to her demand that she receive the official accreditation necessary to become a war correspondent once the war starts. Jane is then teamed up with Scotland Yard inspector Morris Black and Ian Fleming is assigned as their control officer. Jane and Morris soon learn that the documentation in question is rumored to be linked to the brutal murder of Czar Nicholas II of Russia and his family in 1917 and its contents could prove embarrassing to high officials in the American and British governments and even to the British Royal Family. Britain and the U.S. obviously want to keep this documentation from being made public while others including the Soviets, Nazi Germany and even the Duke and Duchess of Windsor want to obtain it as a tool to obtain their own ends. "
Chuck Nugent, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The House of Special Purpose |
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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 - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%
Tone of story
- depressing/sad
Time/era of story:
- 1930's-1950's
Spying/Terrorism Thriller
Yes
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Who's the terrorist enemy here?
- nazis!
Search for technology?
- state secrets
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- photographer
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
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
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- spy
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a substantial amount
Motive of antagonist
- power
The antagonists are:
- KGB
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- California
- Hawaii
The Americas (not US):
Yes
The Americas:
- Mexico
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- very gorey references to deaths/dead bodies and torture
Sex
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references
- descript of kissing
- touching of anatomy
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Click here for more information about this book
Christopher Hyde Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Chuck Nugent
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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