Marcia MullerThe Tree of DeathThis review is based upon the German translation by Mechthild Sandberg. Christina says:
Shortly before the opening of the museum of Mexican Art in Santa Barbara, California, museum director Frank de Palma is found murdered. Elena Oliverez, a curator of the museum, is the main suspect because she not only had a violent argument with Frank but on top of it all also is his designated successor. Since Elena thinks the police don't do enough to find the real murderer, she starts investigating on her own. Marcia Muller's later McCone novels are among my favourite mysteries, so I didn't hesitate to grab The Tree of Death when I saw it on a table with remaindered paperbacks. The book is the first volume in Muller's series about Elena Oliverez which she stopped writing in favour of her McCone mysteries. A wise decision in my opinion. I admit I’m not a fan of amateur detectives nor of Muller's early works. The Tree of Death is a combination of both. Elena stumbles through the plot and trips over hints without realizing for a long time what's really going on, making every mistake an amateur detective can possibly make, the biggest one being to bore the reader stiff. The plot is predictable, the supporting characters are one-dimensional. The fact that I had to deal with a poorly done German translation only made things worse. For me this book was a complete waste of time, but those who like amateur detectives might see it in a different light. |
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Last changes: 15-11-03 Copyright 2003 Books & Movies |
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