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An Hour to Kill
Karin Yapalater Book Review

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Plot Summary of An Hour to Kill
"

Morrow, Aug 2003, 23.95, 288 pp.
ISBN: 0068816599

In Central Park Police Detectives James Gurson and Didi Kane investigate the burned body of former cop Charlene Leone found in the Brambles and the apparent asphyxiation suicide of Dr. Orrin Gretz in his Mercedes buried in the snow. Charlene used to be Didi's lover and partner before being fired for drug use. Orrin's chosen weapon of death mirrors that of James' father, a cop who did his job well until the unfair charges that could have led to jail time did lead to his suicide in the family garage.

Soon Gurson, a psychology major, and Kane find themselves making inquiries amongst Manhattan's analyst world, a close mouthed group unable to answer as opposed to asking questions. As they dig deeper, ties to their personal lives surface beyond the already known obvious. However, Kane begins to wonder if her funky partner, as a means of enacting vengeance on the former ADA who played his father false, might be orchestrating one link.

AN HOUR TO KILL is a superb psychological police procedural that rips into the world of analysts especially those who use patients for sexual pleasure. The key is the believability of the cast from the dedicated but emotional hurting cops to the analysts pulling the wagons around in a siege mentality even though one who may have committed malpractice is dead and connected to a homicide. Though the very end feels more like a couch trip, readers, except psychoanalysts, will appreciate Karin Yapalater's strong debut.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of An Hour to Kill
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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? - 70%
Murder of certain profession? - psychologists/patients
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 - Swiss
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - doctor
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - revenge
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

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? - 2
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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