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* TakeThat: To the novels of Thomas Harris, and the many other works in the thriller genre that portray mental illness or non-heteronormative sexuality as indicators for criminal behavior.
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* TakeThat: To the novels of Thomas Harris, and the many other works in the thriller genre that portray benign forms of mental illness or and/or non-heteronormative sexuality as indicators for criminal behavior.
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* TakeThat: To the novels of Thomas Harris, and the many other works in the thriller genre that portray mental illness or non-heteronormative sexuality as indicators for criminal behavior.
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* BigScrewedUpFamily: When factoring in non-genetic additions to the household such as Inez Gallo and Hugo Villarde.
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* LoonyFan: More than a few of these are permanently camped out at The Peak and have made it their personal playground.
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* StrawHypocrite: By the end of the story, Scott McGrath, supposedly a normal guy investigating a bunch of freaks (or so he sees it), realizes just how much he's projecting his own perverse thoughts on to the Cordova family.
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* DeconstructorFleet: By the end, the novel has a ''lot'' to say about stereotypes of sexuality and portrayals of mental illness in the thriller and horror genres.
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* ArcSymbol: The flying bird, in Cordova's films and in the book.
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* MenAreGenericWomenAreSpecial: Although both Cordova and Scott are men, their obsession is Ashley, while her brother, Theo, despite being apparently very haunted and playing an important role, is barely significant.
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* WomenAreSpecial: Although both Cordova and Scott are men, their obsession is Ashley, while her brother, Theo, despite being apparently very haunted and playing an important role, is barely significant.
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* GoodAllAlong: [[spoiler:For all the teases about Ashley's terrifying nature, one of the major twists of the novel is that she was actually ''protecting'' via magic, rather than seeking to harm, the children she and then, later, McGrath encountered.]]
* MostWritersAreWriters: In two ways: McGrath is a journalist and Cordova is a writer/director (and the book features pictures, extracts, and even a few sound clips).
* ScrapbookStory: Downplayed, but there are several extracts, reviews, and news stories about Cordova, his family, and his films.
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* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: Ashley
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* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: AshleyAshley.
* WhamShot: A rare example of this clearly happening in a novel. Scott is being chased through New York when he sees his stalker and realises that the man is [[spoiler:missing a finger, meaning that he is Theo Cordova.]]
* WhamShot: A rare example of this clearly happening in a novel. Scott is being chased through New York when he sees his stalker and realises that the man is [[spoiler:missing a finger, meaning that he is Theo Cordova.]]
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* WomenAreSpecial: Although both Cordova and Scott are men, their obsession is Ashley, while her brother, Theo, despite being apparently very haunted and playing an important role, is barely significant.
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[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/17322083_sy540_png.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:250:The novel really blurs the line between reality and fiction]]
[[caption-width-right:250:The novel really blurs the line between reality and fiction]]
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* GainaxEnding: [[spoiler: If what happened in Cordova's mansion wasn't a MushroomSamba and Mcgrath isn't undergoing SanitySlippage, that is]]
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When Ashley Cordova, 24 year old daughter of legendary cult horror film director Stanislas Cordova, turns up the victim of an apparent suicide, investigative journalist Scott Mcgrath is on the case. Years ago, Mcgrath's investigation into Cordova cost him his marriage and career. Motivated by a desire to solve the mystery of the seemingly cursed Cordova family, and bolstered by revenge, Mcgrath conducts an off-the-record investigation of the reclusive director that will lead him into some very dark places.
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When Ashley Cordova, 24 year old daughter of legendary cult horror film director Stanislas Cordova, turns up the victim of an apparent suicide, investigative journalist Scott Mcgrath is on the case. Years ago, Mcgrath's investigation into Cordova cost him his marriage and career. Motivated by a desire to solve the mystery of the seemingly cursed Cordova family, and bolstered by revenge, Mcgrath conducts an off-the-record a private investigation of the reclusive director that will lead him into some very dark places.
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* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: [[spoiler: If you believe one version of the story, the Cordova family's troubles were due to Ashley being under a "devil's curse". If you believe another version, Ashley had cancer and everything that happened could be logically explained]].
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* SpookySeance: During a dinner party hosted by Cordova one character describes attending, young Ashley suggests they play a ghost summoning game. The results are quite creepy.
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* SecretUndergroundPassage: [[spoiler: Cordova's estate is full of them]].
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* TheDarkArts: [[spoiler: Cordova is revealed to have been practicing black magic]].
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* OldDarkHouse: Cordova's vast estate, known as The Peak.
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When Ashley Cordova, 24 year old daughter of legendary cult horror film director Stanislas Cordova, turns up the victim of an apparent suicide, investigative journalist Scott Mcgrath is on the case. Years ago, Mcgrath's investigation into Cordova cost him his marriage and career. Motivated by a desire to solve the mystery of the seemingly cursed Cordova family, and bolstered by revenge, McGrath conducts an off-the-record investigation of the reclusive director that will lead him into some very dark places.
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When Ashley Cordova, 24 year old daughter of legendary cult horror film director Stanislas Cordova, turns up the victim of an apparent suicide, investigative journalist Scott Mcgrath is on the case. Years ago, Mcgrath's investigation into Cordova cost him his marriage and career. Motivated by a desire to solve the mystery of the seemingly cursed Cordova family, and bolstered by revenge, McGrath Mcgrath conducts an off-the-record investigation of the reclusive director that will lead him into some very dark places.
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When Ashley Cordova, 24 year old daughter of legendary cult horror film director Stanislas Cordova, turns up the victim of an apparent suicide, investigative journalist Scott McGrath is on the case. Years ago, McGrath's investigation into Cordova cost him his marriage and career. Motivated by a desire to solve the mystery of the seemingly cursed Cordova family, and bolstered by revenge, McGrath conducts an off-the-record investigation of the reclusive director that will lead him into some very dark places.
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2013 novel by Marisha Pessl.
When Ashley Cordova, 24 year old daughter of legendary cult horror film director Stanislas Cordova, turns up the victim of an apparent suicide, investigative journalist ScottMcGrath Mcgrath is on the case. Years ago, McGrath's Mcgrath's investigation into Cordova cost him his marriage and career. Motivated by a desire to solve the mystery of the seemingly cursed Cordova family, and bolstered by revenge, McGrath conducts an off-the-record investigation of the reclusive director that will lead him into some very dark places.
When Ashley Cordova, 24 year old daughter of legendary cult horror film director Stanislas Cordova, turns up the victim of an apparent suicide, investigative journalist Scott
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* DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler: When Ashley Cordova crosses the devil's bridge as a child, her soul belongs to the devil. Cordova tries to reverse this by trading the souls of other children.
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* DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler: When Ashley Cordova crosses the devil's bridge as a child, her soul belongs to the devil. Cordova tries to reverse this by trading the souls of other children.]]
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* DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler: When Ashley Cordova crosses the devil's bridge as a child, her soul belongs to the devil. Cordova tries to reverse this by trading the souls of other children.
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* SexyPriest: Hugo Villarde, said to be very attractive and [[spoiler: one of Cordova's lovers]].
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* CreepyDoll: Devold's daughter's doll. the doll was thought to be lost but then it's found in an abandoned kiddie pool, dilapidated and moldy.
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* CreepyDoll: Devold's daughter's doll. the The doll was thought to be lost but then it's found in an abandoned kiddie pool, dilapidated and moldy.severely disfigured.
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* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: Ashley
* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Ashley is said to be highly intelligent and seems far wiser than her young age.
* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Ashley is said to be highly intelligent and seems far wiser than her young age.
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* CreepyChild: Ashley is described as this by several people who met her when she was a girl.
* CreepyDoll: Devold's daughter's doll. the doll was thought to be lost but then it's found in an abandoned kiddie pool, missing an eye and with mold growing out of its neck.
* CreepyDoll: Devold's daughter's doll. the doll was thought to be lost but then it's found in an abandoned kiddie pool, missing an eye and with mold growing out of its neck.
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* CreepyChild: Ashley is described as this by several people who met her when she was a girl.
girl. She also plays one in one of her father's films, about a young girl who brutally murders her entire family.
* CreepyDoll: Devold's daughter's doll. the doll was thought to be lost but then it's found in an abandoned kiddie pool,missing an eye dilapidated and with mold growing out of its neck.moldy.
* CreepyDoll: Devold's daughter's doll. the doll was thought to be lost but then it's found in an abandoned kiddie pool,
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* HarmfulToMinors: Ashley [[spoiler: was five when she witnessed her father and some of the local townspeople participating in an occult ritual]].
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* DefectiveDetective: Mcgrath's obsession with Cordova not only cost him his marriage, but resulted in him being publicly disgraced by the media.
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* NeverSuicide: Mcgrath doesn't believe Ashley's death was a simple suicide, and several people who knew her say she had no reason to kill herself.
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* ReclusiveArtist: Cordova
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* SpookyPhotographs: There are several in the book.
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* CreepyChid: Ashley is described as this by several people who met her when she was a girl.
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* CreepyChid: CreepyChild: Ashley is described as this by several people who met her when she was a girl.
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* AbandonedWarehouse: Ashley's body is found in one.
* CreepyChid: Ashley is described as this by several people who met her when she was a girl.
* CreepyDoll: Devold's daughter's doll. the doll was thought to be lost but then it's found in an abandoned kiddie pool, missing an eye and with mold growing out of its neck.
* LovecraftCountry: Much of the novel takes place in and around New York.
* CreepyChid: Ashley is described as this by several people who met her when she was a girl.
* CreepyDoll: Devold's daughter's doll. the doll was thought to be lost but then it's found in an abandoned kiddie pool, missing an eye and with mold growing out of its neck.
* LovecraftCountry: Much of the novel takes place in and around New York.
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When Ashley Cordova, 24 year old daughter of legendary cult horror film director Stanislas Cordova, turns up the victim of an apparent suicide, investigative journalist Scott McGrath is on the case. Years ago, McGrath's investigation into Cordova cost him his marriage and career. Motivated by a desire to solve the mystery of the seemingly cursed Cordova family, and bolstered by revenge, McGrath conducts an off-the-record investigation of the reclusive director that will lead him into some very dark places.
!!Tropes Found in this Work Include:
!!Tropes Found in this Work Include:
