Hey everyone! I've just finished my first of five books I'll be reading and annotating this semester and wanted to post my annotation and reaction here. I read Tall, Dark, and Deadly by Heather Graham, a romantic suspense. The only problem was that it was no where near as romantic nor suspenseful as I had thought it would be. Sure there were a few suspenseful moments and the end of a chapter but then literally all you had to do was turn the page and you had your resolution. There was no great build-up to the end of the book where you're flipping through pages as quickly as possible to figure out whodunit or how it all ends. Another pet peeve was that the story takes place in Miami, Florida, which is a relatively large city, but the felt like it took place in a small town. Everyone knew everyone else, they all worked out at the same gym, ate out at the same restaurants and cafes...I just didn't buy it. If I were to rate it out of 5 it would maybe get a 2. It wasn't a complete waste of time, and it did read pretty fast, but that was about all it had going for it, in my opinion. Anyway, read on for a plot summary, read-alikes and more.
Title: Tall, Dark,
and Deadly
Author: Heather
Graham
Genre: Romantic
Suspense
Publication Date: July
1, 1999
Number of Pages: 400
Geographical Setting:
Miami, Florida; Everglades
Time Period: Contemporary
Series (If
applicable): Part of “The Suspense Series,” as listed on Stop! You’re
Killing Me! Other titles include: Long,
Lean, and Lethal, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Dying to Have Her, Picture Me Dead, and
The Presence. Note: This is not a series
in the traditional sense (as in, recurring characters and locations). They are a series only in that they are
romantic suspense books by the same author.
Plot, characters, and settings vary from book to book.
Plot Summary: When Marnie Newcastle, a powerful,
independent, and beautiful Miami-based attorney goes missing her friend and
neighbor Samantha Miller knows something fishy is going on. With the police slacking on Marnie’s case
Samantha springs into action trying to find Marnie and running into plenty of
trouble, a little love, and lots of dead bodies along the way. Will Samantha solve the mystery and find
Marnie before she ends up as alligator food in Florida’s murky Everglade
swamps?
Subject Headings: Romantic
suspense, fiction, Florida, rock musicians, women attorneys, missing persons,
crime and mystery (from WorldCat)
Appeal: Fast-paced; Atmospheric; Steamy; Suspenseful
(from Novelist)
3 terms that best
describe this book: Multilayered plot with multiple points-of-view;
Fast-Paced, Exotic Locations (Note: Neither suspenseful nor romantic are terms
to best describe the book, in my opinion.)
Similar Works: Similar appeal factors and genres make the
following good read-alike options.
-Smash Cut by
Sandra Brown: Hired by a woman who believes that the accidental shooting of a
friend was actually orchestrated by the victim's depraved nephew, defense
lawyer Derek Mitchell comes to realize that the nephew is a psychotic movie
buff who enjoys acting out violent film plots. (Summary
from Novelist)
-Turbulent Sea by Christine Feehan: Born with magical gifts, Joley
Drake has a talent for singing that made her an overnight rock sensation. But
when her life is threatened, her dangerously charming bodyguard, Ilya
Prakenskii, is the only man she needs. However, Illya's dubious reputation as a
secret Russian hit man may put Joley in even greater peril. (Summary from Novelist)
-Call After Midnight by Tess Gerritsen: Newlywed
Sarah Fontaine must join forces with special agent Nick O'Hara to find her
husband Geoffrey, who is presumed dead, and as they journey to Europe to
discover the truth, they become the pawns in a deadly game of espionage.
(Summary from Novelist)
3 Relevant
Non-Fiction Works and Authors:
-Everglades by Jean
Craighead George and Wendell Minor:
Describes the Florida Everglades, the evolution of this unique area, and
the impact humans have had on its once-abundant life forms (summary from
WorldCat). Relevent because it will give
readers insight into the exotic landscapes described in Tall, Dark, and Deadly.
-Danger Road: A True Crime Story of Murder and
Redemption by John P. Contini: Danger Road chronicles the incredible true story of three drug
dealers who were brutally murdered in 1983 on Danger Road in the Florida
Everglades. Lured into a phony drug deal each victim hoped would be his big retirement
score, they allegedly found themselves at the business end of a gun wielded by
a Miami-Dade police officer…(summary from WorldCat). Related to Tall, Dark, and Deadly because it’s a true crime novel that takes
place in the Florida Everglades.
- Women Lawyers:
Rewriting the Rules by Mona
Harrington: Explores the issues faced by women lawyers in a male
dominated profession (summary from WorldCat). Relevant because one of the books
main characters, Marnie, was a female lawyer.
Thanks for stopping by! In another few weeks I'll be posting about Poppy Z. Brite's Lost Souls, from the horror genre!
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