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An Isolated Incident
Seward Island is a tranquil community in the heart of the Puget Sound. But now, the daughter of a prominent family has been found murdered, her bloodied body rolled into a carpet and thrown into a Dumpster. While the killing sends police on a search for suspects, it takes the people of Seward somewhere else: into their darkest prejudices and their worst fears, and to a very human evil living in their midst.
484 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
November 5, 2014
On a small island in Puget Sound, a 15-year-old girl, daughter of one of the area's prominent families, is stabbed to death. Suspicion falls on a high school history teacher, Jewish, who had tutored and befriended her. Did I mention he was Jewish? Jewish, he was.
Everything in this book is just a little bit off. At no point did I think to myself: "That's exactly how 15-year old girls talk: like 55-year olds. This is how neo-Nazis would hold meetings. This man would likely burst into Yiddish right at this point. A newspaper would print dozens of borderline libelous letters just like these. A conscientious police officer who cares deeply about her job and her colleagues would choose this moment to fabricate evidence. A Methodist minister in the early 1990s would preach a sermon just like that one. This is exactly how obsessed a community would be over Jews living in their midst. Two police officers in small-town America would know Tchaikovsky's Pathétique symphony and declare it their favorite on a date. It is normal for the word slacks to be employed so many times in a novel."
Then there was the ending. The case against the Jewish teacher
January 26, 2015
I had really wanted to read this book for a while. I love a good mystery and also used to live in the Northwest. I found it very amateurish and definitely not for a reader with any degree of sophistication. The identity of the killer was so completely obvious in the first 30 pages that I actually thought I had been tossed a red herring and waited for a stunning plot twist (which never came)! The characters were one dimensional and cartoonish. Stereotypes abounded throughout the book. I also didn't need a cheesy three page love scene when I was after a good mystery! (I quickly scanned that part while hoping to get back to a plot). No surprises here-don't waste your time.
May 6, 2025
I liked this book on my first reading. This time, I was less enthusiastic at first, mainly because of the sentimental aspect and the relatively slow start of the investigation, but I was won over by a well-executed plot.
The escalation of a tragic yet well-crafted manipulation leading to the arrest of an ultimately innocent culprit, aimed at hiding a dark truth, against a backdrop of the most despicable and frightening anti-Semitic escalation, is to be commended.
The escalation of a tragic yet well-crafted manipulation leading to the arrest of an ultimately innocent culprit, aimed at hiding a dark truth, against a backdrop of the most despicable and frightening anti-Semitic escalation, is to be commended.
June 24, 2012
Awesome!! Kept me guessing until the last page. Really gripping reading!
November 7, 2009
Excellent Read..this book kept me hooked from the first chapter till the end. I had a hard time putting this book down..was up a couple of night till 2am. reading it. If you love a great mystery/crime book you have to give the book a read..smiles.
January 1, 2013
The vicious murder of a 15-year-old girl shakes the residents of Seward Island, Washington to their very souls. The victim is wealthy, beautiful, and of the sweetest disposition imaginable, and absolutely no one in the tranquil community of Seward Island can imagine the lovely teenager has any enemies who would do her any harm. As the police begin the arduous search for suspects, the murder takes the people of Seward Island somewhere else: into the realm of their darkest prejudices and worst fears, to eventually reveal a very human evil living in their midst.
I absolutely loved this book! This is the first book that I have ever read by Susan R. Sloan, and I must say that the plot was filled with intricate twists and turns that kept me totally engrossed. I thought that the writing was absolutely brilliant and I give An Isolated Incident an A+! I will certainly be looking for more books by Susan R. Sloan to add to my Wish List.
I absolutely loved this book! This is the first book that I have ever read by Susan R. Sloan, and I must say that the plot was filled with intricate twists and turns that kept me totally engrossed. I thought that the writing was absolutely brilliant and I give An Isolated Incident an A+! I will certainly be looking for more books by Susan R. Sloan to add to my Wish List.
May 18, 2008
On an island with a small population of 12,000, 14 year old Tara's body is found in the dumpster. The start of a serial killer's rampage or an isolated incident???
This is one of the better murder mystery novels I have read in a while.
This is one of the better murder mystery novels I have read in a while.
January 30, 2011
I really like this author and started loving this suspenseful detective book. Unfortunately, I hated the ending and felt like the book was incomplete. I read the whole book looking for closure and it never happened...
January 17, 2023
Presented as a murder mystery in a small town - but there was so much unnecessary exposition and description that it got very boring. Ending was confusing and in my opinion inconclusive. It never straight up said who dun it, which is what I wait for in a murder mystery!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2010
Interesting book about a close knit community with it's first murder. Had everything-bigotry-small mindness-judging the victim-prejudging the suspect. It did tend to drag in a few places.
December 29, 2020
OK, first I want to note these are terrible police officers (yes, I know this is fiction. I mean the author made them terrible police officers).
1) I think this was concerning the Finkles (sp?): Earley says something sexist & stupid about the wife being to pretty for the husband to cheat on
?!?!?!?!
Dear dipstick author,
A GOOD person who knows anything about life knows that's not how that works.
2) Polygraphs don't work. Police officers and polygraph admin have known this since the witch hunt machine was invented. The author should have done a lot more research about this before she wrote this book.
OK, page 302: First, most kids wouldn't even recognize someone as Jewish. Second, they would have no prejudice against it (this isn't the 50's). Third, they wouldn't know a slur for Jewish people anyway.
My bigot of a grandfather used every racial slur there was and he never used the word 'kike'. Heck, this is the first time I knew what that word meant. I'd heard it only once or twice before but didn't know who that word represented. And I'm 47! So if *I* don't know what that word means, those kids on the playground wouldn't.
*********
page 309: If the author's trying to get me to sympathize with deadbeat-dad Malcom, she's doing a terrible job.
Another thing that annoys the crud out of me is the typical "man can whore around (as long as the women he sleeps with 'mean nothing to him') but the woman has to feel guilty about having casual sex" thing oft repeated in way too many books.
Ruben slutted around with a bunch of women after his wife's death. And he supposedly felt guilt because he used those women.
OK, 1) other than the persistent sexism of our current society when it comes to double-standards, what makes the author think the women he whored on weren't looking just for a 1-night stand themselves?
2) the tramp obviously didn't feel bad because he kept whoring around.
When referring to Earley's sex life, there was only ONE brief relationship and (paraphrasing) 'left her feeling empty and used'.
Oh goodness, maybe this IS the 50's.
*******************************
Page 374 (almost done. I don't think any of this is on this page, but I've seen it repeatedly through the book): Men 'laugh' in this book. Women 'giggle'. UGH!
****************************************
Finally done. Set the book aside for a few days because I lost interest. Did a quick-read on the last 200 pages.
Not at all impressed that lonely dude (BTW, how does Ruben get a 'built' body when he never works out?) is still pursuing a relationship with someone who almost got a man a death penalty by forging lab results AND ended up getting that man killed.
And I like the incompetent police officers closing a case because the suspect died (?!?!) They aren't sure he did the crime.
UGH!
No empathy for the main characters.
***************************************
I would like to note that most women in this story were put in 1950's roles (meaning they are support caricatures (NOT characters) of their husband's careers.
And the only woman who has a decent, high-paying career ASKS her husband if they could get away for a few days. A woman with that indie money and power would simply make plans to get away, whether her husband goes or not. And usually she'd be the one doing the driving (another UGH! I hate that most stories in the world have the men doing the driving when both people of the partnership are in the same vehicle.)
All I ask for is a decent story where the author relates to reality.
As of yet, I have one to find.
1) I think this was concerning the Finkles (sp?): Earley says something sexist & stupid about the wife being to pretty for the husband to cheat on
?!?!?!?!
Dear dipstick author,
A GOOD person who knows anything about life knows that's not how that works.
2) Polygraphs don't work. Police officers and polygraph admin have known this since the witch hunt machine was invented. The author should have done a lot more research about this before she wrote this book.
OK, page 302: First, most kids wouldn't even recognize someone as Jewish. Second, they would have no prejudice against it (this isn't the 50's). Third, they wouldn't know a slur for Jewish people anyway.
My bigot of a grandfather used every racial slur there was and he never used the word 'kike'. Heck, this is the first time I knew what that word meant. I'd heard it only once or twice before but didn't know who that word represented. And I'm 47! So if *I* don't know what that word means, those kids on the playground wouldn't.
*********
page 309: If the author's trying to get me to sympathize with deadbeat-dad Malcom, she's doing a terrible job.
Another thing that annoys the crud out of me is the typical "man can whore around (as long as the women he sleeps with 'mean nothing to him') but the woman has to feel guilty about having casual sex" thing oft repeated in way too many books.
Ruben slutted around with a bunch of women after his wife's death. And he supposedly felt guilt because he used those women.
OK, 1) other than the persistent sexism of our current society when it comes to double-standards, what makes the author think the women he whored on weren't looking just for a 1-night stand themselves?
2) the tramp obviously didn't feel bad because he kept whoring around.
When referring to Earley's sex life, there was only ONE brief relationship and (paraphrasing) 'left her feeling empty and used'.
Oh goodness, maybe this IS the 50's.
*******************************
Page 374 (almost done. I don't think any of this is on this page, but I've seen it repeatedly through the book): Men 'laugh' in this book. Women 'giggle'. UGH!
****************************************
Finally done. Set the book aside for a few days because I lost interest. Did a quick-read on the last 200 pages.
Not at all impressed that lonely dude (BTW, how does Ruben get a 'built' body when he never works out?) is still pursuing a relationship with someone who almost got a man a death penalty by forging lab results AND ended up getting that man killed.
And I like the incompetent police officers closing a case because the suspect died (?!?!) They aren't sure he did the crime.
UGH!
No empathy for the main characters.
***************************************
I would like to note that most women in this story were put in 1950's roles (meaning they are support caricatures (NOT characters) of their husband's careers.
And the only woman who has a decent, high-paying career ASKS her husband if they could get away for a few days. A woman with that indie money and power would simply make plans to get away, whether her husband goes or not. And usually she'd be the one doing the driving (another UGH! I hate that most stories in the world have the men doing the driving when both people of the partnership are in the same vehicle.)
All I ask for is a decent story where the author relates to reality.
As of yet, I have one to find.
June 5, 2010
An Isolated Incident. Susan R Sloan. 1998. Warner Books. 470 pages. ISBN 0446606456.
An Isolated Incident falls into its own unique category, adding a spice of literary content to its fictional and suspense elements. The novel explores racism and discrimination of inhabitants on a small island off the Washington coast after the teenage daughter of a prominent banker is murdered.
An Isolated Incident begins with the murder of Tara Breckenridge, and soon introduces us to detective Ginger Earley, police chief Ruben Martinez, and history teacher Jerry Frankel. Between Ginger's upperclass background, to Ruben's Hispanic heritage, and to Jerry's Jewish religion, we witness the island's reaction and prejudices in regards to how they handle the violent crime.
Susan R Sloan provides us with a tasteful and elegant background and history of the island starting with the original settlers, which creates a perfect visual and understanding of the community. Scattered throughout the novel are snippets of "letters to the editor" from the local newspaper, which further accentuates the colorful (yet accusatory) voices of the island.
An Isolated Incident will give you a combination of mystery, romance, court-room drama, and the incomprehensible story about racism in modern times. If you're smart enough to read between the lines, you'll have a pretty good idea who the sicko is in this one by the time you reach the very last page!
I highly recommend this book to fans of both fiction/literature and mystery/suspense. It was written so well it was hard to put down and I looked forward to reading it every chance I had this past week!
Susan R Sloan currently has three other books published that I'm looking forward to reading. If you like this one, try Guilt by Association (1994), Act of God (2002), and Behind Closed Doors (2004).
Read more book reviews by DreamSE22 at http://dreamworldbooks.com.
An Isolated Incident falls into its own unique category, adding a spice of literary content to its fictional and suspense elements. The novel explores racism and discrimination of inhabitants on a small island off the Washington coast after the teenage daughter of a prominent banker is murdered.
An Isolated Incident begins with the murder of Tara Breckenridge, and soon introduces us to detective Ginger Earley, police chief Ruben Martinez, and history teacher Jerry Frankel. Between Ginger's upperclass background, to Ruben's Hispanic heritage, and to Jerry's Jewish religion, we witness the island's reaction and prejudices in regards to how they handle the violent crime.
Susan R Sloan provides us with a tasteful and elegant background and history of the island starting with the original settlers, which creates a perfect visual and understanding of the community. Scattered throughout the novel are snippets of "letters to the editor" from the local newspaper, which further accentuates the colorful (yet accusatory) voices of the island.
An Isolated Incident will give you a combination of mystery, romance, court-room drama, and the incomprehensible story about racism in modern times. If you're smart enough to read between the lines, you'll have a pretty good idea who the sicko is in this one by the time you reach the very last page!
I highly recommend this book to fans of both fiction/literature and mystery/suspense. It was written so well it was hard to put down and I looked forward to reading it every chance I had this past week!
Susan R Sloan currently has three other books published that I'm looking forward to reading. If you like this one, try Guilt by Association (1994), Act of God (2002), and Behind Closed Doors (2004).
Read more book reviews by DreamSE22 at http://dreamworldbooks.com.
June 17, 2011
Not only a great thriller/mystery, but a chilling look at how insular a small community can become, looking at "us" and "them." People can sneer and say that these sorts of things don't really happen, but I grew up in a town just like this and it is true - if someone with darker skin, or the "wrong" religion showed up, they were an outsider and not accepted and treated with suspicion. Ms. Sloan showed how difficult it was for the few sympathetic townsfolk to stand up for the "outsiders," as well as to stand up against the popular view about whodunit.
The book is so cleverly written that it is almost impossible to tell who the culprit is until it is revealed in the last paragraph - then the true depravity of the situation hits home and the book becomes horror, in essence. I loved it. I felt it was well-written, held together nicely and kept all the disparate elements going quite well. Give it a try!
The book is so cleverly written that it is almost impossible to tell who the culprit is until it is revealed in the last paragraph - then the true depravity of the situation hits home and the book becomes horror, in essence. I loved it. I felt it was well-written, held together nicely and kept all the disparate elements going quite well. Give it a try!
June 13, 2022
Libro Físico
Parte 1:
El Crimen. "El asesinato no tiene lengua pero hablará" - William Shakespeare.
Parte 2:
El Sospechoso. "Nada es más peligroso que una idea, cuando es la única que tenemos" - Emile Auguste Chartier.
Parte 3:
La Víctima. "Aquel de vosotros que esté libre de pecado, que arroje la primera piedra" - Evangelio según San Juan 8:7
Estás fueron las citas que encontré en cada parte del libro, jamás me espere el final sin embargo, lo peor que puede pasar es que si haces algo con dolo, la consciencia no te dejará tranquila.
En lo personal, a mi me encantó este libro y sin dudarlo lo leería nuevamente.
Por eso yo le doy 5⭐
Parte 1:
El Crimen. "El asesinato no tiene lengua pero hablará" - William Shakespeare.
Parte 2:
El Sospechoso. "Nada es más peligroso que una idea, cuando es la única que tenemos" - Emile Auguste Chartier.
Parte 3:
La Víctima. "Aquel de vosotros que esté libre de pecado, que arroje la primera piedra" - Evangelio según San Juan 8:7
Estás fueron las citas que encontré en cada parte del libro, jamás me espere el final sin embargo, lo peor que puede pasar es que si haces algo con dolo, la consciencia no te dejará tranquila.
En lo personal, a mi me encantó este libro y sin dudarlo lo leería nuevamente.
Por eso yo le doy 5⭐
June 16, 2017
I am of two minds about this book. I liked the fact that the author took her time to build the story and present the dynamics of a small isolated town. The downside for me was that I think she rushed the end. She presents the killer and then the book ends leaving various situations unresolved after having spent over 400 pages setting up the story. It is a reasonable thriller with a good presentation of life in small insulated community but I was disappointed in how the book ended, it felt too abrupt.
November 26, 2010
Susan Sloan is not well known, but does an excellent mystery. Try her.
March 25, 2021
Pretty mediocre and predicatable. I would not waste time on it
February 11, 2022
Well I suppose I have mixed emotions on this book as many of the other reviews seem to relate to. At first, it seemed to be moving slowly and didn’t grip my attention right away. I was kind of dreading the fact that it was almost 500 pages but felt obliged to continue reading. Once the storyline(s) got going, I definitely found myself more intrigued. The way the plot focused so heavily on the teacher being the murderer, I was pretty certain that it was not him and ultimately he was being framed (surprise, surprise).. I did enjoy how the author included the way bigotry, classism, sexism, racism, is very much present in our society and the role it can play in major situations such as a murder case and also in “everyday” situations such as interracial relationships. Was it an entirely “spot-on” representation? I don’t think I am truly able to speak on that as a white woman, however, I do believe a lot of what was touched on is entirely possible even today and has been displayed all throughout history. The storyline seemed to drag out a bit honestly and the ending did feel a bit rushed. I thought that the neo-nazi basement meetings were glazed over and didn’t really serve it’s purpose within the story. The ultimate ending left me wanting more of an explanation. I am slightly confused as to whether the father was the one having relations with his daughter and murdered her after learning of her pregnancy or what that last page was implying. I was suspicious of him throughout the book and am concluding this was the author’s intent with the ending, but it wasn’t my favorite. Overall, a good read and kept me on my toes. Couldn’t put it down once it got going.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Originally removed from my shelves and added to my donate pile, but this will be promptly added back to the shelves now that I have given it a chance. Pleasantly surprised by this one!
15-year-old Tara Breckenridge, daughter of the prominent Kyle & Mary Breckenridge, descendent of the Seward Island founders, has been murdered. Rolled up in a carpet and left in a dumpster, Tara is the victim of the small-town, 200-year-old Island’s very first homicide. Can the small-but-not-inexperienced police department solve this mystery so that the Island’s residents can feel safe in their homes again, & the Breckenridge family find closure?
Though I’ll admit there were parts that dragged on a bit, the author kept me guessing until literally the very last sentence as to who was the murderer.
This is a suspenseful whodunit, intelligently written (aside from just a handful of typos), which also manages to address racial bias and discrimination in a painfully truthful manner all along the way. I definitely recommend this book and might just see if I can find more works by this author - what a shame she is not more popular - only 97 written Goodreads reviews on this book - which was published in 1998.
Originally removed from my shelves and added to my donate pile, but this will be promptly added back to the shelves now that I have given it a chance. Pleasantly surprised by this one!
15-year-old Tara Breckenridge, daughter of the prominent Kyle & Mary Breckenridge, descendent of the Seward Island founders, has been murdered. Rolled up in a carpet and left in a dumpster, Tara is the victim of the small-town, 200-year-old Island’s very first homicide. Can the small-but-not-inexperienced police department solve this mystery so that the Island’s residents can feel safe in their homes again, & the Breckenridge family find closure?
Though I’ll admit there were parts that dragged on a bit, the author kept me guessing until literally the very last sentence as to who was the murderer.
This is a suspenseful whodunit, intelligently written (aside from just a handful of typos), which also manages to address racial bias and discrimination in a painfully truthful manner all along the way. I definitely recommend this book and might just see if I can find more works by this author - what a shame she is not more popular - only 97 written Goodreads reviews on this book - which was published in 1998.
November 30, 2020
Seward Island's first homicide that anybody can remember is fifteen year old Tara Breckenridge, daughter of the most prominent families on the Island of less than 12,000 inhabitants. As the investigation progresses, certain clues are presented to the readers, which may make it easy for the reader to figure out the identity of the killer.
The appeal of this novel was not the question of who the murder was, and if justice will prevail, but the presentation of Seward Island and it's inhabitants as a microcosm of the world. In today's society, individuals react differently to events, based on the way facts are presented in the media and their own upbringing and prejudices that will skew their opinions, resulting in prejudgment of the suspects and the behaviour of the people involved in the news story. Some people may become involved through protests, demonstrations, fund raising, etc., even though they don't know the people involved in the original story. Some people become so opinionated about what happened, that they will get into arguments with people that have different opinions, or become physically violent.
The appeal of this novel was not the question of who the murder was, and if justice will prevail, but the presentation of Seward Island and it's inhabitants as a microcosm of the world. In today's society, individuals react differently to events, based on the way facts are presented in the media and their own upbringing and prejudices that will skew their opinions, resulting in prejudgment of the suspects and the behaviour of the people involved in the news story. Some people may become involved through protests, demonstrations, fund raising, etc., even though they don't know the people involved in the original story. Some people become so opinionated about what happened, that they will get into arguments with people that have different opinions, or become physically violent.
October 10, 2021
This had been on my bookshelf for at least 20 years (passed along by my m-in-law who also liked to read true life and fiction murder mysteries). She passed away last year so I decided to try and read some of the ones she had passed along and this was one of them. We live in the PNW so the location and connection to the area the book was based on was a draw and the murder from the start was helpful to pull you in immediately. The book kept me coming back which is one of my criteria for my really enjoying and thinking the time to read it is worth it. I was not super happy with how it ended but it was definitely a twist and truthfully left it open to be able to do more with some of the characters or wrap it up in a future book if the author wanted to. It is an older book but I think stands the test of time and if you are into murder mysteries this one will keep you in it I think.
October 20, 2022
Only problem I had was that the author left you hanging about the results of the DNA test done on the fetus. The killer was finally revealed, but did he have to pay for his crimes? The DNA results would have at least proven that the man the police had harassed because the detective was SURE he had done it and had falsified evidence to prove it was innocent. He literally lost everything. I really wanted the bigots in this town to know how wrong they were.
October 19, 2017
(c)1998 Crime. Suspense. Set on a small island where everyone seems to know everyone and murder is something that is so unexpected. Fingers are pointed and family and friends become divided after a 15 year old female is murdered. Just when you as the reader think you know who the killer is new evidence comes along. The ending will really take you by surprise.
December 21, 2021
On a trendy, close knit fictional island about a 20 minute ferry ride from Seattle, the body of a popular teenage girl is found in a dumpster. Ginger Early is a native of the island and a member of the small police force. Ruben Martinez is the police chief. Together they discover how this tiny island's community came to suffer this tragedy.
August 8, 2022
Just finished this book- which I did not want to put down. The killer was obvious- early on, so I knew there had to be some other twist. It was a bit tricky to follow, and I am not sure I actually have figured out exactly what happened. I wish there were a few more pages- telling me exactly what happened. And since there are not- I am left with 3 different options in my mind.
December 7, 2025
Realmente es impresionante como esta novela de misterio no nos deja ni un segundo en paz porque hay tantos hechos que formulamos distintas alternativas de sospechosos.
Aunque me haya encantado el libro, es muy injusto y raro el final con el que se concluye es por eso que le doy 3 estrellas.
Si tienen la oportunidad de leerlo, háganlo!!!
saludos.
Aunque me haya encantado el libro, es muy injusto y raro el final con el que se concluye es por eso que le doy 3 estrellas.
Si tienen la oportunidad de leerlo, háganlo!!!
saludos.
February 20, 2019
Who done it. On a small island the first murder and it's the daughter of one of the most prominent citizens. Suspect's are thin on the ground. No one is free of suspicion. The culprit isn't who you would think it would be. Keeps you gripped and page turning.
September 19, 2023
A little inconclusive, a little predictable. Couldn’t put it down past a certain point so I guess it kept me reading and wanting to know what happened, but didn’t fulfil that need very well at all. Left feeling somewhat confused and disappointed
May 19, 2025
Really wanted to rate 3.5 but not available. Interesting story and characters. However, the ending left much to be desired. I prefer books who wrap everything up and the guilty get their due. It appeared to me that a follow-up book was planned and did not happen.
February 3, 2017
Absolutely Awesome, +++++ This book definitely keeps you guessing till the end and what a Shocker!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews