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14 March 2008
A mix of old and new
I have read all of Jan Burke's Irene Kelley mysteries. It is fair to say she has progressed as a writer and the tales become more complex and interesting.
In this book, Burke uses some typical plot devices and character references but Burke continues to enhance and develop more complex characters. I really liked this book for the character development more than anything else. She really shows many sides to the female persona without creating caricatures. The male characters are less developed and feel more typical - I couldn't see them in my mind's eye as I could with the females.
Burke seemed inspired by "The Sopranos" when writing about the anatagonists in this book. Of course, direct parallels for the characters do not exist, but the incestuous, self-aggrandizing, and insular antagonists work to create a family-only utopia. This vision is nearly achieved by anti-social personalities run amok. Only because the vileness accelerates coupled with unchecked arrogance, do the antagonistics slip up and the nastiness retreats.
I met Burke during her Bones book tour a few years ago. I think she is a smart and interesting lady, not unlike her lead character. I look forward to the next Irene Kelley book because I am always entertained by Burke's writing.