Jurors on a controversial trial are being killed off one by one, and only Detective Kathleen Mallory can figure out why. But the FBI has told her to lay off and leave it to the Feds. That's never stopped Mallory before.
Dead Famous
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
From Amazon
To summarize the plot of Dead Famous would be to spoil it, since O'Connell keeps revealing it layer by layer as you go along--a daring technique, and a rewarding one if you're a patient reader. Suffice it to say that the story involves a seemingly unstoppable serial killer; a beautiful hunchback with tragedy in her past; a radio shock-jock who helps the killer find his victims; an extremely mean house cat; a gloomy veteran cop drinking himself into oblivion; and, at the center of it all, NYPD detective Kathy Mallory, who returns here for her seventh outing. Mallory (don't call her Kathy) is one of the strangest, most intriguing series heroines in crime fiction: a former street waif who's brilliant and gorgeous, but also sociopathic, manipulative, and obsessive-compulsive.
No formulaic cop thriller, Dead Famous is instead a crime tale that focuses on its quirky, often outre characters. There isn't a lot of conventional suspense. Yet near the end, the story gathers tremendous narrative momentum and rises to a real tragic power. O'Connell's quirky writing style and approach aren't for everyone, but her fans--old and new--will find much to appreciate here. --Nicholas H. Allison --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
O'Connell's post-feminist detective Kathleen Mallory returns full-throttle for an eighth grisly urban crime saga. And O'Connell's prose-sharp, gritty and streetwise-is in top form. In her previous case (2002's Crime School), Mallory solved a very personal murder and faced the doubts of coworkers about her competence. Now she's in total control, overseeing the recuperation of old friend and partner Riker, victim of an arrest-related shooting (she sets up a bogus fund to send him disability payments) and staying two steps ahead of a belligerent FBI agent named Marvin Argus. Two other vivid characters figure prominently in the story (or three, counting New York City itself, which O'Connell gives a palpable neo-noir grit): Argus is hounding Johanna Apollo, who's fled Chicago in the wake of a high-profile murder of another FBI agent named Timothy Kidd. A hunchback with extra-long legs, porcelain skin and raven hair, Johanna is working long, difficult hours as a crime scene cleaner. In Chicago, she was Kidd's therapist, and maybe his lover... and maybe she killed him, too. O'Connell devilishly fills in the pieces of the puzzle so that the reader's perspective undergoes constant shifts. Shock jock Ian Zachary-more abrasive off the air than on, if possible-exhorts loyal listeners to locate the members of a jury that let a killer walk free. And with his encouragement (if not instruction), a serial killer calling himself The Reaper has been obligingly knocking off the jurors. The way these two cases fit together is ingenious; once again, O'Connell sets the standard in crime fiction.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
THE BLACK VAN HAD NO HELPFUL LETTERING ON the side to tell the neighbors what business it was about on this November afternoon. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
THE BLACK VAN HAD NO HELPFUL LETTERING ON the side to tell the neighbors what business it was about on this November afternoon. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By K. L Sadler
Format:Hardcover
I never know what to expect from O'Connor's mysteries, except for one fact. They are not like anything I've ever read before. I think part of the reason I love her work, is because I studied neuroscience for six years, specifically on the brain. Her mysteries are psychological mysteries, ones that deal with people on both the good and bad sides, whose flaws are almost too obvious. Yet, each person within her books has psychological short-comings...even the so-called normal ones (and those are few). This book center around Riker, Mallory's sidekick and mentor, who is undergoing massive trauma due to a near-death experience. He refuses to recognize his needs (sounds like Mallory), so Mallory tries a little shock treatment on him...which backfires on her.
O'Connor characters are the best things about her books. They are rich and they are deep, her characters have flaws, but most of them (not the criminals) have tangible good points about them. In this book, Riker meets a woman who helps to restore his damage psyche who is physically imperfect, and I think O'Connor dealt with this problem of being visually imperfect in a society that demands perfection with just the right touch.
The plot is very convoluted to say the least. O'Connor tends to have several intertwining plots going on a once, and I guess some people will find it very difficult to keep these plots separate in their minds. Me, I have come to expect this from O'Connor, and I enjoy trying to make sense of all of the twists. As usual, I cannot wait until the next Mallory book!
Karen Sadler
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
I was thrilled to find a new Kathy Mallory novel in the bookstore late last year. I immediately grabbed it and gave it to my husband. "This is a Christmas present for me!" And so it was.
Couldn't put this one down at all -- I love the intricacies and characters in all of the Kathy Mallory novels. This one, in particular, kept me guessing until the end, and actually made me cry. Excellent, excellent book.
When is the next one coming out? Can't wait!
By PJ
Format:Hardcover
Carol O'Connell's writing is wonderful, with vivid descriptions and delicious sentences and metaphors. Despite that, I found the plot (plots?) choppy, and the book overall schizophrenic. The book shifts focus too many times, from Riker and Johanna, to Mallory, to psychological descriptions on various characters' craziness. It began with a creepy-seeming emphasis on Johanna's physical characteristics, but the creepy tone was dropped almost immediately and her deformity was not important, so I'm not at all sure why it was even in there. The end - or the last half or third - was pretty drawn out and really bounced around a lot. It'd be interesting to try to outline this book, using color-coding to note the focus and tone - I think that would show how disjointed it is. It almost seems like parts were written by different authors, or like O'Connell was experiencing very different moods as she wrote it, and never went back to try to reconcile the different sections. Read it anyway, because I think Riker's development in this book may be important to the next book.
Want to see more reviews on this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 26 reviews
4.1 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another Satisfying Character Study
This novel continues the revelation of new aspects of the characters we have all grown to love. However, Carol O'Connell does not share a lot of new information about Kathleen... Read more
Published on Oct 31 2003
2.0 out of 5 stars
Unsatisfying
Kathleen Mallory is a splendid, complex character any writer would love to develop stories around. I would _love_ to read more about her. Think of the possibilities! Read more
Published on Oct 11 2003 by John D. Angus
4.0 out of 5 stars
not the usual
No need to re-cap the storyline; that's available elsewhere. But I feel a warning is necessary. A line on the cover labels this "A Mallory Novel. Read more
Published on Sep 29 2003 by Michael Shouse
5.0 out of 5 stars
O'Connell's Best Mallory book EVER!
This is ellen in atlanta and have stayed with the Mallory series through thick and thin - and can only tell you that this book is the BEST of the series and if Carol backpedals to... Read more
Published on Sep 18 2003
5.0 out of 5 stars
great police procedural
It has been many months since New York homicide detective P. Riker was shot in the chest four times by a psychopath who was found not guilty of homicide in a trial in which Riker... Read more
Published on Sep 18 2003 by Harriet Klausner
5.0 out of 5 stars
A compelling audio selection
As an avid reader of audiobooks, I am always on the lookout for new titles that can hold my attention while I am doing other things. This is certainly one of them! Read more
Published on Sep 12 2003 by Rachel Lourdes
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible Audiobook!
The narrator is fabulous and this story is so compelling it will keep you listening all day and night!
Published on Sep 4 2003 by Alfred C. Martino
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
