Title: Lorelei’s Secret

Author: Carolyn Parkhurst

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Number of Pages: 279

Date Completed: July 24th 2010

Rating (5): 2.5-

Writing Analysis & Characteristics:

 Divided by chapters
 Font Variation (Book titles, notes, and letters)
 Dialogue
 Dashes, Ellipses, Italics

Plot Analysis:
 Exposition- Paul Iverson’s wife is found dead in the backyard after falling out of a tree. The
death is ruled an accident, but Paul has suspicions. He wants answers. Answers are hard for him
to find, that is with no witnesses except their dog Lorelei.

 Rising Action- Paul, who is a linguist, decides to try and find out what Lorelei knows. He plans
to teach her to talk. Meanwhile, he tells the story of how he and Lexy met and their life together.
After many attempts with little progress, Paul writes to Wendell Hollis, a man who is in prison
after operating on his dog. Paul has always kept Dog J’s ability to talk as his motivation. In only a
few days, Wendell writes back and sends disturbing pictures of how to operate to mutilate
Lorelei. Wendell also tells of his friend Remo, who will soon be contacting Paul. Remo leaves a
message in Paul’s mailbox telling him about the meeting of their secret society, the Cerberus
Society.

 Climax- It’s at the meeting where Paul is even more disturbed by the animal cruelty he sees. It’s
not long after being asked to become a member and listening to Dog J “speak” that the police
arrive after secretly following Paul there. Paul flees home to discover Lorelei missing and figures
Lucas (from the society) must have taken Lorelei. After all, Lorelei used to be one of their dogs
until she escaped on them.
  Falling Action- It’s not long after the investigation that Remo and Lucas are found, and the many
dogs held captive with them. Lorelei is returned, after having her larynx cut out. Lady Arabelle, a
psychic, returns Paul’s phone call and reveals her notes to him about the call Lexy made just
before her death. The pieces start to fall together for Paul. She was pregnant, she didn’t want to
be a mother, she couldn’t handle herself. He knows why the books in the house were arranged
differently, why the steaks had been cooked, and why she let herself fall out of the tree.

 Resolution- Knowing the truth sets Paul free. He begins back at work and moves on with his life.
He even accepts a dinner invitation from Grace, who worked at the pound where he got Lorelei
back.

Theme: Loss is difficult, especially when it happens to the one you love most. Paul spent a whole year
searching for answers as to why Lexy fell from the tree, or why Lexy was in the tree in the first place.

Character Analysis & Summary:

 Paul Iverson- Protagonist. Round. Dynamic. Paul was a professor who was content with his life,
until his wife Lexy died. He losses himself in the mystery surrounding Lexy’s death, but after his
search for answers he finally accepts and understands Lexy’s death.
 Lexy- Minor Character. Flat. Static. It’s clear that Lexy loved Paul, but she always worried
about herself. Her lack of self-confidence eventually led to her death.
 Lorelei- Minor Character. The dog is Paul’s only hope for figuring out the truth.
 Remo- Foil Character. Flat. Static. Remo was accepting of Paul and inviting Paul into the
society. However, Remo only had one interest, getting dogs to talk. He felt he could do this by
any means, including surgery on the dogs.
 Lucas- Antagonist. Foil Character. Static and Flat. Lucas wants revenge on Paul. This leads to
Lorelei’s kidnapping and surgical removal of her larynx. He also specializes in animal cruelty.
 Matthew & Eleanor- Static. Round. Minor Character. Old friends of Paul who offer their help
to him.

Other: The story is told through Paul, who tells the story in first person. Also, this book I found in the
Non-Fiction section of the Seneca Public Library. After beginning to read the book it’s clear that this
book is fictional. This also became clear when I noticed the main character is Paul who tells of his wife
dying, but the book is written by a female.

Notes on Author: Lorelei’s Secret is Carolyn’s first novel, although her other fictional work has been
published in American Literary journals.

Personal Review: “I found the book to be okay, a quick read. The story flowed and the changes
between the present story and his past with Lexy were smooth However, I did find many aspects of the
book to be disturbing. I’m not a fan about reading about mutilating animals.”