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Published Apr 2009
400 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
In her 91 years, Ann-Victoria Hadley has often been the most hated person in Snow Hill, Pennsylvania. But now, it’s worse than ever. After a new school board inserted “intelligent design” into the curriculum, they were sued by a coalition including Hadley, the one member of the board who wouldn’t go along with the rest. With the trial about to start and the town a national laughing stock, Annie-Vic is found clubbed into unconsciousness and not expected to survive. The local police chief, one of the school board members, can’t investigate it himself and doesn’t trust the state police. So he brings in Gregor Demarkian.
Gregor Demarkian, former FBI agent, is happy to help—his wedding is coming up and he’s desperate for a bit of time away from his too-involved neighbors on Cavanaugh Street in Philadelphia. Even if it is to investigate a brutal crime in a powder-keg of a small town.
"Starred Review. Haddam's excellent 24th Gregor Demarkian novel ... explores the inner life of her detective hero without cluttering up the plot - and offers an ingenious fair-play puzzle." - Publishers Weekly
"Haddam ...defeats the anti-scientists with fact as well as tact. If another "monkey trial" comes up, the evolutionists should ask her to write their brief." - Kirkus Reviews.
"Repetition and an overly long telling make this one for devoted series fans only." - Library Journal.
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Jane Haddam (b. 1951) is an American author of mysteries. Born Orania Papazoglou, she worked as a college professor and magazine editor before publishing her Edgar Award-nominated first novel, Sweet, Savage Death, in 1984. Not a Creature Was Stirring (1990) introduced Haddam's best-known character, former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian, a series that spans more than twenty novels.
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