Publishers Weekly agreed: "Vice has a gift for making the extraordinary plausible, for rendering complex motivations in spare but metaphoric language and searing details."

The reality is that most criminal cases are muddled, confusing affairs, rife with conflicting testimony, jumbled loyalties, complex motivations and equivocal evidence.

The million-dollar prize is the equivalent of the can opener - something introduced from outside the situation that reduces complex human motivations to a single goal.

Aidan Macfarlane, however, reflects much sociological work when he mentions the complex motivations that lead to young people's behaviour.

He is an obvious conceit through which Ms. Margolin explores the complex motivations behind any critical act.

"There is a very deep, complex motivation compelling me to do them," said Mr. Keach, deadpan.

They had undoubtedly a complex motivation.

"I will deny any story in which an android claims to have complex emotional motivations," she replied, haughtily.

However, it's worth the effort, because complex motivations lead to unexpected actions, and such actions create interesting plots.

Every participant has a distinctive character, style and set of complex motivations.