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| Plot Summary of Murder In Coney Island |
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"
St. Martin's, August 2003, 24.95, 320 pp.
ISBN 0312308019
It is nine months since the tragic events of September 11th and Captain Bill Donovan, head of Special Investigations, is depressed, because he isn't part of the World Trade Center investigation. To cheer him up, his wife Marcy arranges a family outing at Coney Island that includes their three-year-old son Daniel. While waiting on a line at Nathan's to buy a “world famous”, he hears police sirens and decides to go to the nearby crime scene.
Business mogul James Victor is found murdered in the basement of a candy store and the owner has no idea how he got there or why he would even be in the basement. The storeowner was suing the victim who wanted to tear down the block and build an expensive housing resort. Donovan doesn't really suspect him because everything is too pat and there are plenty of other suspects who wanted the man dead. Imagine Donovan's surprise when the killing is tied to the September 11th attack, and the captain is able to contribute to the bigger inquiry while trying to nab the killer.
Every time Michael Jahn writes a police procedural starring Captain Bill Donovan it turns out to be an exciting page-turner and MURDER ON CONEY ISLAND is no exception. The author humanizes the protagonist by escorting the audience into his personal life and showing how the World Trade Center disaster hurt him personally and makes him want to be a part of the war on terrorism. The interesting twists that the plot takes will keep readers interested to the point that they finish this electrifying novel in one sitting.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Murder In Coney Island |
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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 - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
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?
- 60%
Misc. Murder Plotlets
- Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
Kind of investigator
- police procedural, American
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:
- police/lawman
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- small businessman
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- almost none
Motive of antagonist
- jealousy
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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