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| Plot Summary of Unholy Dying |
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"
Scribner, Apr 2001, 23.00, 288 pp.
ISBN: 0743201493
While riding a train, West Yorkshire Chronicle reporter Cosmo Horrocks overhears two people discussing the scandalous behavior of the local Catholic priest. Apparently, Father Christopher Pardoe had an affair with nineteen-year old single mother Julie Norris, a parishioner, leaving her pregnant. Also Somebody stole parish money with the Father being the most likely thief. Cosmo, a nasty gossip-mongering “journalist” who would distort any lie to spice up a report, sees a great story in Shipley, England.
Cosmo heads to the small town to confront the various players such as Julie, Father Pardoe, Julie's estranged parents and brother, and other parishioners. After exposing the priest and the teen, an unknown assailant kills the odious Cosmo. Police Inspector Mike Oddie and Sergeant Charlie Peace begin to investigate the homicide. The only problem is anyone who ever met the disgusting man including his family, his staff on the newspaper, and the impacted people in Shipley have motives to wanting Cosmo dead.
UNHOLY DYING is a great police procedural that shows why Robert Barnard is one of the top mystery writers around. His latest work is fabulous because the quaint cast makes the entertaining police investigation so much more fun to follow. The tabloid journalism that attacks Father Pardoe based on rumor and no substance augments a great plot in which everyone except the police are suspects, but the real killer is in plain sight yet impossible to identify.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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"Cosmo Horrocks is the most repulsive journalist on earth. His two main ambitions are to make life miserable for everyone around him and to have a big story that makes it to the London tabloids. When he gets wind of the investigation of a local Catholic priest who is being investigated for an improper relationship with a young woman and questionable handling of funds, he thinks he has hit the jackpot. Instead the story lead to murder and the revelation of many secrets in suburbia. Terrific characters and dialogue and a stinging indictment of "media
culture"."
Linda Sourpuss, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Unholy Dying |
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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
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
- Challenging
Time/era of story:
- 1980's-1999
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 50%
- 80%
Kind of investigator
- police procedural, American
- british mystery (I say!)
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
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
- just the right amount
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- journalist
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
- throughout most of the book.
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
- power
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
Sex
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references
Unusual forms of death
- blunt clubbing (like seals)
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
- significantly more descript than dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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