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Suspicious Origin : A Novel
 
 
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Suspicious Origin : A Novel [Hardcover]

Patricia MacDonald (Author)
3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)


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Book Description

April 29, 2003
Patricia MacDonald has captivated readers worldwide with her page-turning suspense novels that are filled with surprising twists and turns and psychologically perceptive characterizations. Now MacDonald delivers her most masterful work to date -- a chilling thriller about a woman who, while investigating her sister's death in a house fire of suspicious origin, uncovers the work of a twisted killer who has taken refuge in an idyllic Vermont town.

When Boston cable television news producer Britt Andersen learns of the death of her beautiful sister, Greta, she heads straight for her sister's hometown. Estranged from Greta since their father died, Britt meets for the first time her attractive brother-in-law, Alec Lynch, the owner of a successful snowmobile dealership, and her eleven-year-old niece, Zoe, who narrowly escaped the fire with her life. Surprised by the emotional bond that springs up between her and Zoe, Britt decides to spend time with her sister's family to help her niece recover from the tragedy. But soon Britt clashes with her brother-in-law and picks up clues about her sister's unhappy marriage and Alec's likely infidelity.

When the fire marshal discovers the house fire was set deliberately, Britt pushes the police to question Alec more closely. An outsider in a small town whose ways she doesn't understand, Britt finds it difficult to sort the truth from the gossip and the innuendos. Why does Dr. Olivia Farrar, with whom Greta worked, hold a grudge against Alec? Is pretty Lauren Rossi merely Alec's devoted employee or "the other woman"? And what do the Carmichaels, Alec's former neighbors, really know about the events that led to the deadly conflagration? WhenBritt learns a closely guarded family secret she begins to question everything she believed about her sister's life and death...and unwittingly places herself on a collision course with a killer.

With a vibrant cast of memorable characters, unerring insight into the dark side of human nature and exciting twists of plot, "Suspicious Origin" holds readers engrossed as it races to its stunning, emotionally charged conclusion.


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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Some clever hiding of clues in plain sight distinguishes Edgar nominee MacDonald's (The Unforgiven) otherwise unremarkable contemporary thriller. Britt Andersen finds herself playing Nancy Drew after Greta, her estranged older sister, perishes in a fire that also almost claims the life of her 11-year-old niece, Zoe. Remorseful at having lost her chance at reconciliation, Britt leaves Boston, where she produces a late-night news talk show, for the rural Vermont community where her sister lived and died. Her intended short stay for the funeral is extended both by unexpected feelings of connection to Zoe and by the alarming news that the fatal blaze was of "suspicious origin," a phrase that develops a personal resonance when she learns that Greta was trying to locate their mother, who'd deserted them when they were little. After her brother-in-law starts behaving oddly, Britt joins forces with a local reporter to build a case against him. Predictably, Britt too becomes the target of arson and attempted murder. While the author plays fair by giving reasonable hints that still allow for a pleasurable surprise twist, her paper-thin characters generate little interest. A successful professional who must have considerable emotional intelligence to do her job, Britt acts as if the most basic human feelings of love and attachment are an unknowable mystery. Her strictly amateur sleuthing succeeds only by accident. Readers for whom romance matters more than crime-solving, however, will like the hopeful, heart-warming ending.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

After her estranged sister dies in a fire, Britt suspects the charming ex-brother-in-law she has just met.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Atria (April 29, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0743423585
  • ISBN-13: 978-0743423588
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,230,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
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2 star:
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1 star:
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Average Customer Review
3.4 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it, June 30, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Suspicious Origin : A Novel (Hardcover)
when I read "Not Guilty" I thought I had read the best book by Ms. MacDonald. That was before I read Suspicious Origin. This book is fantastic. It's got you from the first page. It sure makes you think. I finished it in just a few days and that was only reading a few hours a day. I just didn't want to put it down. It is very easy to get involved with all of the people in this book & it keeps you guessing & when it gets close to the end you can start to figure out who the killer is. Ms. MacDonald is a wonderful author but this is her best book so far.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars A deadly fire throws a family into chaos., June 5, 2003
This review is from: Suspicious Origin : A Novel (Hardcover)
Britt Andersen, a cable television news producer in Boston, is the heroine of Patricia MacDonald's latest thriller, "Suspicious Origin." Britt has been estranged from her sister, Greta, for many years. When Britt learns that her sister was killed in a fire, she goes to Vermont to attend Greta's funeral. Britt meets her brother-in-law, Alec, and her eleven-year-old niece, Zoe, for the first time. Only later does Britt learn that the fire was deliberately set, and that, in fact, Greta was murdered.

MacDonald sets up her plot reasonably well, and in Britt, she has created a sympathetic, smart and vulnerable heroine. Although I thought that I had figured out the mystery by the halfway point of the book, it turned out that MacDonald had a few surprises up her sleeve. Unfortunately, the book's weaknesses outweigh its strengths. The dialogue is often wooden and the ending is somewhat contrived. Still, fans of spunky heroines may find "Suspicious Origin" to be a diverting thriller.

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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars strong suspense thriller, April 23, 2003
This review is from: Suspicious Origin : A Novel (Hardcover)
When Kevin Carmichael wakes up one night, he sees his neighbor's home on fire and he rushes out to try and save them. He manages to save ten-year-old Zoë but is unable to get to her mother Greta who dies of smoke asphyxiation. Luckily, Zoë's father Alec was out of the house at the time so the child has someone to cling to in this tragedy. Alec calls Britt Anderson to tell her that her sister has died. Though the siblings were estranged, Britt races to their side.

When Britt arrives, the surviving father and daughter are staying at a neighbor's home. Zoë takes to her immediately but Alec is cold and rude. When the investigation into the fire shows that arson was involved, Britt begins to gather evidence that shows Alec is the perpetrator. It is only after he is arrested that Brett begins to doubt Alec's guilt. She does her best to prove his innocence, but her efforts nearly gets her killed by somebody who wants Alec found guilty.

Patricia MacDonald, well known for her suspense thrillers, has written a work that rivals the novels of Marry Higgins Clark. The protagonist is a feisty woman who fights for her beliefs and is then not afraid to admit she might have made a big mistake. The story line moves along at such a brisk pace that readers will finish the book in one sitting and then put it on their keeper shelf, because it is too good to give away.

Harriet Klausner

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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
Kevin Carmichael awoke with a start in his darkened bedroom and waited for the thudding of his heartbeat to subside. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
pink parka, alibi witness
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Aunt Britt, Chief Stern, Alec Lynch, Dean Webster, Ray Stern, Jean Andersen, Miss Andersen, Kevin Carmichael, Donovan Smith, Britt Andersen, Bayberry House, Lauren Rossi, Greta Lynch, Medford Road, Sam Boudreau, Coleville Police Station, Mid-State Medical Center, Miss Rossi, Nancy Lonergan, Norman Dietz, Randy Porter, Brightwater Road, How's Vicki, Little Women, Todd Griswold
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