Book Review: Heart of the World

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Heart of the World     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon UK HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Linda Barnes
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Private Investigator
Series: Carlotta Carlyle # 11
St. Martin's, May 2006, $24.95

Boston Private Investigator Carlotta Carlyle is worried about her teenage friend Paolina Fuentes, who apparently vanished without a word of warning. Carlotta loves Paolina as if the youngster was her offspring so she visits the mother, who barely notices her child is gone. Instead the selfish distracted woman has a new boyfriend that requires special care from her.

Carlotta begins to wonder if perhaps Paolina’s biological father Colombian drug lord Roldon might have abducted his daughter, leaving her potentially in danger from some of his meanest rivals and even associates. However finding the criminal is almost impossible as everyone believes he is dead. Still Carlotta travels initially to Miami, which leads to her flying to Bogotá where she hopes to pick up the trail of an alleged dead man who apparently came back from the grave to snatch Paolina.

The eleventh entry in the Carlotta Carlyle investigative series is a fantastic novel as the near panicking sleuth searches for a teen she loves like a daughter who she believes is in trouble. The story line captures Carlotta’s fears and other deep feelings as the case takes her to South America. Also moving forward is her relationship with Sam, but to see where that goes means (hopefully) reading the next novel. Fans of the series will appreciate Linda Barne’s strong entry.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner

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