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| Plot Summary of The Grenadillo Box |
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"
Simon & Schuster, Jan 2004, 25.00, 352 pp.
ISBN: 0743246861
On January 1, 1775, master cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale sends his apprentice Nathaniel Hopson to complete the installation of a library in the home of acrimonious Lord Montfort. As is the lot of the working class including wannabe artisans, Lord Montfort forces Nathaniel to serve as a footman at the dinner in which the lofty aristocrat shows off his lavish new Chippendale bookshelves. However, someone fires a shot and soon afterward once the chaos died down, Nathaniel discovers the corpse of Montfort.
Though it appears that the man committed suicide perhaps over gambling debts he entailed that has ruined his family, Nathaniel believes otherwise. The weapon seems in the wrong place for killing oneself and bloody footprints lead to a window. Unable to resist, Nathaniel begins investigating at the crime scene seeking other anomalies and clues to who killed the odious lord. When he finds two more corpses on the estate, Nathaniel widens his inquiries with the encouragement of another aristocrat.
Though much of the cast seems more like a blueprint than a blueblood, fans of Georgian mysteries will enjoy this delightful tale due to the antics of the lead protagonist. Using his mechanical skills and his artisan eye for balance, Nathaniel is the one complete player who keeps the tale moving forward and focused. The descriptions of life in the late eighteenth century England is as vivid as they come perhaps because of Janet Gleeson's knowledge of the era (see the author's nonfiction THE ARCANUM) that she cleverly imbues throughout the novel. The audience will appreciate THE GRENADILLO BOX and hopefully Ms. Gleeson will write additional Georgian investigative tales.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Grenadillo Box |
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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:
- 18th century
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 70%
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- life in that culture
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- servant
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
Ethnicity/Race
- British
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
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
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
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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