The Chalk Girl

A Mallory Novel, Book 10

By: Carol O'Connell

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Audie Award Nominee, Best Thriller/Suspense Category, 2013

New York Times best-selling author Carol O’Connell has won a wide fan base with her popular novels starring NYPD detective Kathy Mallory. In The Chalk Girl, a little girl is abandoned in Central Park—with her uncle’s body in a tree not far away. Recognizing a kindred spirit in the girl, Mallory takes the case. But her investigation soon leads to a trail of murder and blackmail spanning 15 years.

©2011 Carol O'Connell (P)2012 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"[A] rich, character-driven series." ( Library Journal)

Don't understand this author's lack of fame!

What did you love best about The Chalk Girl?

The story itself is a masterpiece. Carol O'Connell is so very talented that it boggles my mind that she is not as well known as some other authors of the genre. The performance was pitch perfect as well. I love, love, love Mallory and all the "supporting" characters.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Most definitely.

Have you listened to any of Barbara Rosenblat’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. This is her best performance yet.

Carol O'Connell is always brilliant

If you could sum up The Chalk Girl in three words, what would they be?

I love her characters, especially Mallory. I also loved the Chalk Girl and her rats. I don't notice O'Connell's writing, which means I am enjoying it quite a lot. She's one of my favorite mystery writers.

misandrist sociopath or schizoid PDO?

Kathy Mallory is back in 10th book. This is the only one I've heard but my wife has read all. If you're wondering if this is for you, a couple comments: Mallory is a rare female counterpart to the schizoid personality disorder type or gunslinger. She has some admirable strengths -- tough, smart, relentless in pursuit of solving murders -- qualities found in many male characters but blended into a well-dressed tomboy homicide detective.

As a male listener, I'm put off somewhat by 2 things: 1. Barbara Rosenblat has an unpleasant smoker's type voice, can't really do a male or child's voice. (She also reads for Nevada Barr, a distinctly misandristic author). 2. In an early scene, Mallory cruelly destroys the property of a teen- or tween-age boy for no good reason. When I was 12, I worked about 140 hours on a farm to earn the money for a similar toy (a cassette-radio in the early 70's) and deeply treasured this possession. I would have been devastated if someone had done this to me and just can't cheer for a character who is so outright mean.

As the story progresses, Mallory enjoys hurting or intimidating many others, but males certainly take the brunt of this. I'm guessing that the presence of a vulnerable little girl in the narrative is supposed to balance all this out. Thematic tension begins to mount: though the girl adores Mallory, is this really reciprocated? Or does Mallory coldly play the girl like she does everyone else?

If you don't need a warm and fuzzy protagonist and perhaps enjoy the turnabout in gender roles delivered by a gruff older female voice, this isn't a bad listen. (If you're already a fan, my view as a newbie is impertinent anyway. You already knew you were going to listen.)

Well written and intelligent, big plot hole though

I love Carol O'Connell, but have to overlook some fundamentals of human nature to believe the plot of The Chalk Girl. The story centers on several gruesome old murders tied to a school. In the story no adult seems to care about the children, absolutely no one, not even the parents. Certainly in real life there are people who neglect or disregard evidence of child abuse, but in this book it's absolutely every adult from the parents,to the teachers, to even the kindly janitor who turn a blind eye to obvious injuries and deaths in this school. This book takes place in the modern day and the abuse took place 15 years in the past, so we're not talking Charles Dickins' day here.

Having said that, this is a book you can't put down. There is very little fat on the meat of the story. O'Connell is a talented writer and compared to a lot of the fiction being produced today, you can forgive the required leaps of faith to keep the plot rolling. The characters are complex and fully developed. The bad guys are really bad and the good guys are human. Lots of fun and I can't wait to read the next one.
The narrator is great too. She understands the story she's reading. She has distinct voices and gives a finely nuanced performance.

Compelling story and superb narration

Carol O'Connell has crafted yet another wonderful story with Mallory, Charles, Riker, et al, and has spiced the mix with the addition of a small lost child found in Central Park. Despite herself, Mallory becomes involved with the little girl, although she certainly never would admit it. But some feelings are there. Barbara Rosenblat's narration is superb! She gives each character exactly the voice I had heard in my head while reading the earlier books, with great expression of emotions and of New York attitude. Wish I hadn't already read all the earlier Mallory books, so I could listen to Barbara Rosenblat read them.