Barbara K. (wordybird) reviewed Heart of the World (Carlotta Carlyle, Bk 11) on + 52 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Linda Barnes deftly ties together kidnapping, drug dealing, corruption, and native mysticism in this latest Carlotta Carlyle novel. As she searches for her missing "sister," Carlotta must face dangereous situations and work with dangerous men without being able to fully trust anyone's motives. The plot is fast-moving and the story exciting.
Jack Q. (AlabamaJack) reviewed Heart of the World (Carlotta Carlyle, Bk 11) on + 170 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Boston PI Carlotta Carlyle is doing some big digging of her own in this 11th adventure. This time, however, the case is a very personal one. Paolina, Carlottas teenaged Little Sister whom she loves like a daughter, has disappeared and no one except Carlotta seems to care. Carlyle, a part-time taxi driver and part-time PI is very believable in her native Boston as she struggles with her relationship with Mafioso Sam Gianelli. Unfortunately, she doesnt seem to travel well. It doesnt take long for Carlyle to begin to suspect that Paolina didnt run away on her own, but was in fact kidnapped. She hopes the kidnappers were in the employ of Paolinas biological father, a Colombian drug lord known as Roldan. However, there is the possibility that it was enemies of Roldan who engineered the snatch. Carlotta travels first to Miami and tracks down Roldans lawyer and from there it is on to Bogota. While well written, as were previous Carlyle adventures, it is here that the story begins to break down a bit. With her height and red hair, Carlotta fits pretty well into Irish dominated Boston. In Bogotá both work against her, even though she conveniently speaks Spanish. In the midst of all this Sam decides to propose to Carlotta, which leads to an emotional ending that screams for a sequel soon. Overall another good entry from Ms. Barnes, but I would suggest that future adventures remain fueled on New England clam chowder.
Helpful Score: 1
Let's hope the complicated Columbian connection is setting up a NEW book in this series!
Love that Carlotta! Just picturing her makes me smile--and willingly suspend disbelief: 6 ft. tall, red-haired, former Boston cop, Boston taxi driver, Blues Fan, with a "main squeeze" who is the son of a mafia don, and a sort-of-possible-in-the-future shy cop who adores her but is "just a friend." Add in the Salander-like assistant and tenant Roz, and Paolina and her Columbia-American entourage, and how can you not dig this!
The Boston setting alone is enough for New England readers to enjoy. But hey, suspend that disbelief a bit, because she in practically invincible and definitely the sexy but very capable and independent WMN we feminists all adore.
Enjoy!
Love that Carlotta! Just picturing her makes me smile--and willingly suspend disbelief: 6 ft. tall, red-haired, former Boston cop, Boston taxi driver, Blues Fan, with a "main squeeze" who is the son of a mafia don, and a sort-of-possible-in-the-future shy cop who adores her but is "just a friend." Add in the Salander-like assistant and tenant Roz, and Paolina and her Columbia-American entourage, and how can you not dig this!
The Boston setting alone is enough for New England readers to enjoy. But hey, suspend that disbelief a bit, because she in practically invincible and definitely the sexy but very capable and independent WMN we feminists all adore.
Enjoy!
