| Plot Summary of Tough Cookie |
|---|
"Goldy's catering business is presently shut down because the local health inspector told her that she will need different drains to operate out of her house. The problem is that the new drains will cost several thousand dollars, and since Tom and Goldy just did some remodeling in the house, they are short of money. Goldy's friend Eileen helps her out by getting her a cooking show that will air on PBS for a few weeks, but even though Goldy appreciates it and hopes it will get her a position as a personal chef, the show itself will not provide Goldy with enough money to get the new drains.
Tom and Goldy have also tried to sell Tom's historic, signed skis valued at about $10,000, but the shops they've contacted offer them only about half that amount. Goldy decides to contact Doug Portman, a man she once briefly dated, because she knows he collects historical items. He agrees to buy the skis, but because Goldy knew Tom would not approve of her selling the skis to Portman, she asks Portman to meet her where she is filming the show. Portman agrees and brings the cash, but before the transaction can take place, he is killed while skiing. Goldy then finds out from the police that after she had dated Portman, he became the chairman of the parole board in Colorado. This makes her look suspicious to the police, as it looks like she may have tried to use the skies to bribe Portman to not give parole to her ex-husband who had been abusive to her.
Then as Goldy is driving back home, she is in a pile-up that sends her van over a cliff. Miraculously, she is not killed, and she finds out later that the pile-up was not an accident. Someone deliberately hit the vehicle in back of hers to make it hit her van. Now that Goldy knows the incident was personal, she wonders whether Portman's death was not an accident either, and whether the two incidents may be linked. Goldy once again starts her own sleuthing.
"
Crystal, Resident Scholar
|
|
| Review Analysis of Tough Cookie |
|---|
|
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).
|
|
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 30%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
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?
- Difficult, but some clues given
- Challenging
Time/era of story:
- 1980's-1999
- present (2000-2010)
Spying/Terrorism Thriller
Yes
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 60%
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- food/cooking
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
General Crime (including known murderer)
Yes
Who's the criminal enemy here?
- finding a known killer
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- chef
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- killer
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
- money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- West
Mountains/Cliffs
Yes
Mountains:
- climbing on trails
- skiing off
Small town?
Yes
Misc setting
- resort/hotel
- fancy mansion
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 3-4
Sex
Yes
What kind of sex:
- descript of kissing
Unusual forms of death
- dropped from large heights
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
|
|
