Essay on "Silent Joe" by T. Jefferson Parker, a Masterful Study in the creation of a Character

Essay on Silent Joe
by T. Jefferson Parker
Student: Eric Kasum
Advisor: Rachel Pollack
Goddard College
February 21, 2004 - Winter/Spring
I first heard about Silent Joe at the Bare Bones Writers Retreat, held in the mountains above San Diego by the Sisters In Crime. T. Jefferson Parker, its author, was invited to speak. The buzz: "I couldn't put the book down." Everyone seemed to agree that Silent Joe was the best-written character they'd ever seen. I never read murder mysteries. Don't like 'em. But I picked up a copy of Silent Joe.
From the first page, T. Jeff Parker salt-and-peppe…