Death by Demonstration [Paperback]

Patricia Carlon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2003

An anti-Vietnam War demonstration by angry Australian college students in the sixties results in the death of a young woman marcher. No one seems to know how she came to be struck down. But as the police seek to charge one of the leaders of the protest, Jefferson Shields, a private detective, eliminates the most likely suspects and, a la G. K. Chesterton, identifies the only possible culprit.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Unlike Australian author Carlon's previous, highly praised novels, this latest thriller (first published in 1970) is unlikely to please her fans. Private detective Jefferson Shields, a stone-faced man with a passionate heart, tries to find out how a young woman was killed during a large student demonstration at a generic university. Forensic evidence has shown that the woman was not struck by a police truncheon. She was surrounded by other students who allegedly were unarmed. A photograph of the demonstration shows her in obvious distress bearing an iron bar. How did she get the weapon that apparently was used to kill her? Was she the victim of random violence? Or did someone stalk her in that crowd intent on killing her? Shields's only clue is an anonymous "older man" whom the student had claimed to be dating but whose name she had told no one. The case widens to involve some very nasty people who use student demonstrations as a cover for some very nasty work. Written in the late '60s, when many people were disturbed and angry over student violence, Carlon included, the book suffers from excesses of its own, especially verbose dialogue. Everyone Shields talks to delivers interminable speeches. The author makes an intelligent effort to understand the student unrest, though Shields's (Carlon's?) analysis of the "criminal" nature of the demonstrations is hogwash. The sheer rhetorical weight of her exposition buries what drama and suspense there is. The final verdict: tedious, very tedious. (July 15) Forecast: After so many gems, this relatively weak offering won't hurt Carlon's rep too much, but it won't build her sales, either.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Originally published in Australia in 1971, this eighth Carlon title to be published by Soho Crime is a departure from the psychological suspense for which the author (Hush, It's a Game, The Unquiet Night) is known. This is a classic whodunit, as exemplified by protagonist Jefferson Shields, a man who deals in puzzles and problems. When a student demonstration protesting the jailing of a conscientious objector turns violent and leaves a young woman dead, the case stymies police, and Shields finds it far more complex than it first seems. A straightforward student action is found to have far-reaching tentacles, involving bribery, arson, and thievery, with murder almost a footnote, as Shields sums it all up at the end. More Agatha Christie than Ruth Rendell, this approach still wears well after 30 years. A solid choice for mystery collections. Michele Leber, Fairfax Cty. P.L., VA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Soho Crime (July 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569472572
• ISBN-13: 978-1569472576
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.1 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,182,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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