Synopses & Reviews
Indiana and Amanda Jackson have always had each other. Though their bond is strong, mother and daughter are as different as night and day. Indiana, a beautiful holistic healer, is a free-spirited bohemian. Teenage Amanda is fascinated by the dark side of human nature—as is her father, the SFPD's deputy chief of homicide. Brilliant and introverted, Amanda is a natural-born sleuth addicted to Ripper, the online mystery game she plays with her beloved grandfather and friends around the world.
When a string of strange murders occurs across the city, Amanda plunges into her own investigation, probing hints and deductions that elude the police department. But the case becomes all too personal when Indiana suddenly vanishes. Could her mother's disappearance have something to do with the series of deaths? Now, with her mother's life on the line, the young detective must solve the most complex mystery she's ever faced before it's too late.
Review
“Allendes tightly plotted tale of crimes obvious and masked is sharply perceptive, utterly charming, and intensely suspenseful.” Booklist, starred review
Review
“Appealing characters, a fast-paced plot, and a successfully imagined killer add up to great entertainment.” Library Journal
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“The novelists charming first murder mystery features an irresistible teenage sleuth.” New York Times Book Review, Editor's Choice
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“[A] rip-roaring, entertaining crime novel… Allende remains a remarkable spinner of stories. Her prose is sparkling and graceful… her ability to portray passion and action undimmed. “Ripper” grabs you, toys with you, amuses you…” Minneapolis Star Tribune
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“Thoroughly charming book… [A] lot of fun to read.” New York Times Book Review
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“Literary icon Isabel Allende mesmerizes with her first crime novel…this race-against-the-clock thriller is pure magic.” People Magazine, Four Stars
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“[Allendes] facility with plotting and pacing will keep readers turning the pages.” Publishers Weekly
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“Allende doesnt miss a beat, smoothly exposing the underbelly of the city and the shenanigans of its wealthy elite. You might guess the identity of the killer before the last pages, but you wont care-the shocks and unexpected twists will keep you riveted until the end.” More Magazine
Review
“It must have been surprising to discover that [Allendes] particular literary strengths - a talent for dramatization, a delight in world-building and a passion for investigating relationships between family members - lend themselves so well to a genre shes never bothered with before. I am hoping shell continue her killings.” San Francisco Chronicle
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“There are deliciously creepy elements in ‘Ripper, much like those in the dark Scandinavian crime novels one of its characters loves.” Seattle Times
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“Like many of Allende books its a joy to read with sentences to savor and read aloud. An excellent novel, RIPPER is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.” I Love a Mystery (Blog)
Synopsis
Isabel Allende—the
New York Times bestselling author whose books, including
Mayas Notebook, Island Beneath the Sea, and
Zorro, have sold more than 57 million copies around the world—demonstrates her remarkable literary versatility with
Ripper, an atmospheric, fast-paced mystery involving a brilliant teenage sleuth who must unmask a serial killer in San Francisco.
The Jackson women, Indiana and Amanda, have always had each other. Yet, while their bond is strong, mother and daughter are as different as night and day. Indiana, a beautiful holistic healer, is a free-spirited bohemian. Long divorced from Amandas father, shes reluctant to settle down with either of the men who want her—Alan, the wealthy scion of one of San Franciscos elite families, and Ryan, an enigmatic, scarred former Navy SEAL.
While her mom looks for the good in people, Amanda is fascinated by the dark side of human nature, like her father, the SFPDs Deputy Chief of Homicide. Brilliant and introverted, the MIT-bound high school senior is a natural-born sleuth addicted to crime novels and Ripper, the online mystery game she plays with her beloved grandfather and friends around the world.
When a string of strange murders occurs across the city, Amanda plunges into her own investigation, discovering, before the police do, that the deaths may be connected. But the case becomes all too personal when Indiana suddenly vanishes. Could her mothers disappearance be linked to the serial killer? Now, with her mothers life on the line, the young detective must solve the most complex mystery shes ever faced before its too late.
About the Author
Isabel Allende is the bestselling author of eleven works of fiction, four memoirs, and three young- adult novels, which have been translated into more than twenty-seven languages with over 57 million copies sold. In 2004 she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She received the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award in 2012. Born in Peru and raised in Chile, she lives in California.
Nacida en Perú y criada en Chile, Isabel Allende es la autora de nueve novelas incluyendo más recientemente Zorro, Retrato en Sepia, Hija de la Fortuna e Inés del Alma Mía. También ha escrito cuentos cortos, tres libros autobiográficos incluyendo Mi País Inventado y Paula, y una trilogía de libros para jóvenes. Sus libros han sido traducidos a más de 27 idiomas y son bestsellers a través del mundo entero. En 2004, fue nombrada a la Academia de Artes y Letras de los Estados Unidos. Vive en California.