Mystery Novel Blog

Title: No Such Creature
Author: Giles Blunt



In the novel, No Such Creature, by Giles Blunt, there are two groups of thieves. One group is named the Subtractors, a vicious assembly of thieves who only take from other thieves; they kidnap fellow bandits and “subtract” their limbs until they confess to telling them the location of their hidden loot (thus the name “The Subtractors”). The second, and more important group of thieves in the novel is made up mainly of two people. The first is Max Maxwell, a retired actor, and the second is Owen Maxwell, Max’s adopted son. However, there is more to this father and son duo than meets the eye. Max and Owen travel across America every summer performing elaborate heists along the way. The story begins with their first job in the summer, robbing from a group of wealthy, upper class, citizens of Belvedere, California, gathered at the household of Margaret Peabody. This is when the idea of a protagonist is developed. This protagonist is Owen.

At the time of the heist Owen is only eighteen years of age, but is somewhat of a genius. Owen uses his good looks and charm to successfully pull off sophisticated thefts. Although Owen is intelligent and handsome, his overconfidence is often his downfall. For example, during the heist at the Peabody mansion, Owen is nearly caught by Melinda Peabody herself when he is sneaking about upstairs searching for jewelry (Pg.10). During Owen’s voyage through the United States he thinks of himself as a modern day Robin Hood because he and his father only steal from rich Republicans. Throughout the book the reader sees Owen maturing into an even more intelligent and aware adult who finally realizes what is really important to him.
After their first heist in California, Owen and Max continue their trip across the country completing similar jobs while being followed closely by the Subtractors. One of these jobs takes place when they are in Los Vegas, Nevada. During this heist they find themselves saving a waitress who ends up being the daughter of an old friend of Max.
Eventually, the reader forgets what Owen and Max are doing and sees the morality in their actions; they do what they do out of love for each other, not out of greed.
The plot’s climax is reached near the end of the book during a final heist at a bank where Max is mortally wounded by a bullet wound to the chest. The chapter ends with Max’s final words. The next, and final chapter is written completely differently. During this chapter Owen is walking through New York City recalling all of the memories he has of Max. He remembers Max’s favorite pub on 47th street. At the end of the book Owen quotes Max by saying, “It’s all just a fantasy.”
There were three passages that stood out to me when reading the novel. In all three, imagery contributes to the writing.


The first passage occurs when Owen is describing his tenth birthday. (pg. 35):

Owen’s tenth birthday is the best birthday ever. He is only an only child… his parents tend to go overboard on birthdays. In addition to his presents, which include a telescope, several books and five complete seasons of Doctor Who on DVD, they’re driving down to New York City in the Volvo to see the Lion King on Broadway. It’s a perfect day… before he is wakened by the sirens. He’s too sleepy to sit up, or even open his eyes, but he can hear them getting closer, and his parents’ disembodied voices.
“Police”, his mother says. “My God, there’s someone moving awfully fast back there.”
The sirens get louder. A sudden roar and then the car swerves. Owen sits up, gripping the back of the driver’s seat.
“God, that was a near thing,” his father says, real agitation in his voice. “Idiot barreling along on the inside lane.”
Horns honk up ahead. The sirens gain on them from behind.
“It’s a police chase,” his mother says. “Can we get in the other lane?”
“Unfortunately, everybody else has the same idea.”
“Owen, sit back sweetie. Is your seat belt on?”
Owen sits back and adjusts the shoulder strap across his chest. A police car goes blaring by on the left, red lights flashing.
“Good Lord,” he hears his father say.
Then an oncoming car veers into their lane. His mother’s scream is the last thing Owen hears.

I found this powerful passage to be an example of very effective writing due to its profoundness. During this flashback of Owen experiencing the death of his parents the reader is made to feel that he or she is there, watching the entire event unfold. When reading the passage one notices the subtle details in the beginning that make the sudden tragedy that much more shocking.


The second passage :
(Pg. 152)

“Sabrina touched his lips with a finger. He took hold of her hand and they lay side by side for a long time, talking quietly, sharing the memories of growing up in households where the money came from crime.
“The thing is, Sabrina said, “living with a criminal – or being one – is like living on the Titanic. You just know it isn’t going to end well.”

This passage especially appealed to me because it stays true to this character- based novel and it contrasts the harsh theme of crime at the same time. In the passage the imagery used to describe the actions of Sabrina and Owen effectively contributes to Owen’s character development by showing his softer side. The reason I chose this passage was mainly because of the interesting thing that Sabrina says at the end, which foreshadows events to come.


The third passage:
(Pg. 270)

“That’s Max. Slow but steady.” Owen put a dollar into the bagpiper’s open jar, then jerked his thumb at the door. “I’m going back in.”
“Okay. But I was thinking -- a young couple, maybe scouting out wedding rings, could really get a good look at places like that. They could walk right in and who would suspect them?”
Owen shook his head. “Not interested.”
“I know. It was just a fantasy.”
“Then again,” Owen said, sweeping his arm to include the street, the oblivious bagpiper, the entire vast immensity of New York City, “the whole damn thing is a fantasy.”


I chose this passage partially because it is the emotional ending to the book, but also because the notable use of imagery. When the narrator describes New York City, its’ size is described as “the entire vast immensity.” This puts the image of a colossal city into the mind of the reader. Overall, I believe the story was very well written, and the development of Owen as the protagonist was done expertly.

Ted Kennedy's Eulogy by Obama

From watching the eulogy I learned that Ted Kennedy had a unique attitude to service. He seemed to make every bad situation better with his warm spirit. After 911 Ted Kennedy contacted and consoled each family who had lost a loved one on board United Flight 175. Ted Kennedy shared his experience with dealing with lost family members to help comfort 177 effected families. Although Ted Kennedy had a serious side, he had a joking and fun loving side as well. In the eulogy Obama tells stories of times where Ted Kennedy used his wonderful sense of humor to do good. One event that stood out to me was the time when a reporter called him one of the greatest senators of all time along with Webster. Kennedy replied, “What did Webster do?” With this unique sense of humor Ted Kennedy helped to write more than 300 bills and change the Democratic Party forever.

The use of videos and pictures during the eulogy brought Obama’s words to life and gave them added poignancy. However, the use of photographs, videos, and live shots in the church were restrained to avoid eclipsing Obama’s words. One of the first images was a happy picture of a young Ted Kennedy with his brothers, Robert and John, before they were assassinated. There were also live shots of the crowd in the church specifically showing members of Ted Kennedy’s family reacting to the eulogy as it was spoken. Obama’s final uplifting words were describing a video playing with a joyous shot of Ted Kennedy sailing with his wife at an old age.

One of the reasons that Obama is considered to be one of the world’s strongest public speakers is because of his ability to convince the audience. In the case of Ted Kennedy’s eulogy he is speaking to an audience composed of the friends and family of Senator Ted Kennedy. To help describe the achievements and lifestyle of Ted Kennedy, Obama uses rhetoric. The most used of any kind of rhetoric used during the eulogy was contrast. Obama continuously contrasts Ted Kennedy’s private life and his career as a senator. It is explained that Ted Kennedy was a serious Senator as well as a caring surrogate father to the children of his brothers. Obama also uses repetition when he repeats “we carry on”. He repeats this near the end of the eulogy. As he repeats “we carry on” his words seem to echo through the church. With this repetition Obama makes his words twice as powerful and meaningful.

Summer Reading: The Long Walk

Title: The Long Walk
Author: Richard Bachman (pen name for Stephen King)


The Long Walk takes place in the near future. The story is based around a teenage boy’s experience as he takes part in a terrifying foot race called the long walk. The long walk is made up of 100 contestants who are competing for “the prize.” The race begins in North Eastern United states and continues down the East coast. The race has no finish line. The long walk is a test of endurance, and the winner is the last man standing, literally. Throughout the race walkers must maintain a speed of at least four miles per hour. If they fail to do so they will be warned. After three warnings a walker obtains “a ticket”. At the beginning of the story the description of getting a ticket is kept vague to keep the reader thinking, but well into the book the reader realizes that being ticketed means being shot dead. However, the one boy alive at the end of the race is granted “the prize”. The description of “the prize” is also kept very vague for the beginning of the story. The reader eventually learns that the prize is one wish. Any wish. Although the prize is the ultimate incentive, the protagonist, Ray Garraty, learns that its not worth it in the end.

Garraty enters the race knowing the rules and consequences for stopping, but during his time as one of the final contestants the reader realizes how much he has developed since the beginning of the race when Ray learns how brutal and horrible the long walk really is. King’s diction is advanced, but it is still comprehendible. The diction helped create an image in my mind that helped me better understand the plot of the story. I found the dialogue to be very convincing. It made me believe that these characters were almost real, and I felt that I could relate to the feelings of Garraty. The dialogue served to highlight the descriptive narrative by expanding on the feelings of the characters.


Pg. 199: -Suddenly Curley Screamed. Garraty looked back over his shoulder. Curley was doubled over, holding his leg and screaming. Somehow, incredibly, he was still walking, but very slowly. Much too Slowly
Everything went slowly then, as if to match the way Curley was walking. The soldiers on the back of the slow-moving fast track raised their guns, the crowd grasped, as if they hadn’t known this was the way it was, and the walkers gasped, as if they hadn’t known, and Garraty gasped with them, but of coarse he had known, of coarse they had all known, it was very simple, Curley was going to get his ticket.
The safeties clicked off. Boys scattered from around Curley like quail. He was suddenly alone on the sun washed road.
“It isn’t fair!” he screamed. “It just isn’t fair!”
The walking boys entered a leafy glade of shadow, some of them looking back, some of them looking straight ahead, afraid to see. Garraty was looking. He had to look. The scatter of waving spectators had fallen silent as if someone had simply clicked them all off.
“It isn’t--“
Four carbines fired. They were very loud. The noise traveled away like bowling balls, struck the hills, and rolled back.-


This passage is one of the most important parts of the book. This is because it is when the reader learns what a “ticket” is. This passage appeals to me because this is when the storyline begins to pick up and get exciting. The first time I read this passage I forced myself to read over again and again because I couldn’t fully process what had just happened.


Pg. 431: -McVries looked up at him sleepily and smiled. “No, Ray. It’s time to sit down.”
Terror pounded Garraty’s chest. “No! No way!”
McVries looked at him for a moment, then smiled again and shook his head. He sat down cross-legged on the pavement. He looked like a world beaten monk. The scar on his cheek was a white slash in a rainy gloom.
“No!” Garraty screamed.
He tried to pick McVries up, but, thin as he was, McVries was much too heavy. McVries wouldn’t even look at him. His eyes were shut. And suddenly two of the soldiers were wrenching McVries away from him. They were putting their guns to McVries’s head.
“No!” Garraty screamed again. “Me! Me! Shoot me!”
But instead they gave him his third warning.
McVries opened his eyes and smiled again. The next instant, he was gone.


I chose this passage because I found it interesting the way King chose for McVries to die; in a calm meditative manner. The reason this passage appeals to me is because this is when Garraty finally realizes how horrible the long walk is. He just wants it to end. At this point he would rather sacrifice himself than see another friend die.


Pg. 433: - Garraty stepped aside. He was not alone. The dark figure was back, up ahead, not far, beckoning. He knew that figure. If he could get a little bit closer, he could make out the features. Which one hadn’t he walked down? Was it Barkovitch? Collie Barker? Percy what’shisname?...
A hand on his shoulder. Garraty shook it off impatiently. The dark figure beckoned, beckoned in the rain, beckoned for him to come and walk, to come and play the game.
And it was time to get started. There was still so far to walk.
Eyes blind, supplicating hands held out before him as if for alms, Garraty walked toward the dark figure.
And when the hand touched his shoulder again, he somehow found the strength to run.


This is possible the most powerful and important part of the book. This is when Garraty has won the race and he sees a dark figure in the distance. This passage appeals to me because it allows the reader to choose the ending of the book. Some people may believe that the dark figure is just a hallucination. Personally, I believe that the dark figure represents all of the friends that Ray Garraty lost throughout the duration of the long walk.