Customer Reviews

An Educated Death (Thea Kozak Mysteries)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved this book--not for the plot, which comes across as immature a good deal of the time--but for the interplay between the main characters. Yes, the author tends to make Thea describe her feelings too us way too much (we don't need half the details we get!), and yes, she ends up chosing having her way over listening to her boyfriend's VERY REASONABLE concerns for her, but I still loved it. Thea is bright, sassy, has a great sense of humor, and doesn't let anybody walk on her. Don't expect too much depth or heart string tugging, but a great read if you want to laugh a lot.

This book began well, with an intriguing chapter from the point of view of the murder victim, but rapidly went downhill, to the point where I wouldn't have finished it if I hadn't been traveling in Italy and unable to get my hands on anything else in English. As the murders pile up, the heroine behaves more and more like Nancy Drew, doing foolish and unprofessional things so that she has to be rescued - and with constant references to similar behavior in past books that put her in the hospital. Well, duh.... Ultimately, a real let-down.

Thea Kozak is one of the most unusual female amateur detectives in existence. She is a consultant for private schools and often becomes involved in murder with her signigicant other, a policeman fearing for her safety. Bad things happen to the people in the book. The initial victim is a teenage girl with few scruples, but one the reader begins to warm to and sympathize with as Thea probes her background. Buy this book, but only after reading the three proceeding this title which are available in paperback. See the author's note and keep Thea in print.

Bucksport School, an elite private high school in Massachusetts, is the source of a tragedy when a senior is found dead in the midst of a cracked icy pond. The headmistress calls in renowned educational consultant Thea Kozak to assess the situation and to institute damage control measures to insure that the school does not lose any of its donations or students (especially the fees). Thea thinks that her latest assignment will be a straight forward job until she learns that the deceased was two months pregnant.

Once she learns that startling bit of news and questions several people close to the victim, Thea is convinced that the girl's death was neither an accident or a suicide. Thea's inquiries soon stir up a lot of people, including someone trying to kill her. That individual nearly succeeds, but instead of scaring off the tough Thea, she goes after the killer before another attempt on her life can occur.

Kate Flora is a very special author whose stories always are complex and compelling, never following any pre-set formula from the mystery genre. Ms. Flora's ability to write to her own drummer turns her novels into unforgettable works of art. AN EDUCATED DEATH is a multilayered who-done-it, starring characters that are very realistically drawn . On a scale from one to ten, this book is an eleven.

Harriet Klausner