Mallory's Oracle
Encyclopedia
Mallory's Oracle is the first novel in the Kathy Mallory
series by author Carol O'Connell
. The book was nominated for an Edgar Award
and a Dilys Award
. It was first published by Hutchinson
in May 1994.
, a policewoman who is 5'10", blond, beautiful, and stunningly green-eyed. She also has immense street and computer smarts. O'Connell describes Mallory as a sociopath.
New York City police detective Louis Markowitz picks up a 11 year old homeless street urchin for stealing. Instead of arresting her, he takes Kathleen Mallory home and raises her as his own. Mallory (as she likes to be called) stills deals with issues from her childhood (unemotional, hardnosed, a loner, etc.), but she has an undying love for her adopted parents. She follows Louis to the police academy and ends up in the special crimes unit, specializing in computer research.
Louis begins investigating the brutal murders of several older, wealthy women from Grammercy Park. Working alone and hot on the trail of this serial killer, he is murdered alongside another victim. Mallory takes it upon herself to take on this investigation (without police sanction, of course) and tries to piece together all the bits of information Louis had gathered. Louis trained Mallory well, but there is still the possibility that following his trail will cause Mallory to make the same mistakes he did, and lead to her becoming another victim.
Along the line, Mallory uncovers a complicated plot that deals with magic, séances, and insider trading
. There is also a whole list of colorful characters who are all suspects, and the identity of the killer comes as a complete surprise.
praised the novel as "an important suspense debut with a fascinating protagonist.
Kathleen Mallory
Kathleen 'Kathy' Mallory is a fictional New York City Police Department detective featured in nine dark mystery novels by author Carol O'Connell...
series by author Carol O'Connell
Carol O'Connell
Carol O'Connell is an author of crime fiction, with a large series of crime books focusing around the character Kathy Mallory. The first book of nine novels about Mallory is Mallory's Oracle which was sent to England where it was auctioned in Europe, successfully. When it was brought back to the...
. The book was nominated for an Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
and a Dilys Award
Dilys Award
The Dilys Award have been presented every year since 1992 by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. It is given to the mystery title of the year which the member booksellers have most enjoyed selling. The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association is an association of retail businesses...
. It was first published by Hutchinson
Hutchinson (publisher)
Hutchinson & Co. was an English book publisher, founded in 1887. The company merged with Century Publishing in 1985 to form Century Hutchinson, and was folded into the British Random House Group in 1989, where it remains as an imprint in the Cornerstone Publishing division...
in May 1994.
Plot
The series stars Kathleen MalloryKathleen Mallory
Kathleen 'Kathy' Mallory is a fictional New York City Police Department detective featured in nine dark mystery novels by author Carol O'Connell...
, a policewoman who is 5'10", blond, beautiful, and stunningly green-eyed. She also has immense street and computer smarts. O'Connell describes Mallory as a sociopath.
New York City police detective Louis Markowitz picks up a 11 year old homeless street urchin for stealing. Instead of arresting her, he takes Kathleen Mallory home and raises her as his own. Mallory (as she likes to be called) stills deals with issues from her childhood (unemotional, hardnosed, a loner, etc.), but she has an undying love for her adopted parents. She follows Louis to the police academy and ends up in the special crimes unit, specializing in computer research.
Louis begins investigating the brutal murders of several older, wealthy women from Grammercy Park. Working alone and hot on the trail of this serial killer, he is murdered alongside another victim. Mallory takes it upon herself to take on this investigation (without police sanction, of course) and tries to piece together all the bits of information Louis had gathered. Louis trained Mallory well, but there is still the possibility that following his trail will cause Mallory to make the same mistakes he did, and lead to her becoming another victim.
Along the line, Mallory uncovers a complicated plot that deals with magic, séances, and insider trading
Insider trading
Insider trading is the trading of a corporation's stock or other securities by individuals with potential access to non-public information about the company...
. There is also a whole list of colorful characters who are all suspects, and the identity of the killer comes as a complete surprise.
Reception
Ellen DatlowEllen Datlow
Ellen Datlow is an American science fiction, fantasy, and horror editor and anthologist.-Biography:Datlow was the fiction editor of Omni magazine and Omni Online from 1981 through 1998, and edited the ten associated Omni anthologies...
praised the novel as "an important suspense debut with a fascinating protagonist.