Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
The Moche Warrior
Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Lyn Hamilton
Class/Genre: Mystery Woman Main Character Amateur Sleuth Archaeology
Series: Lara McClintoch # 3
Berkley Prime Crime, Apr 1999, $21.95, 336 pp.
In Toronto, antiques' dealer Lara McClintoch knows that her and her partner Sarah Greenhalgh will never become wealthy with their work, but both enjoy their avocation. However, Lara's pleasure in the buying and selling of antiques becomes disturbed when her former spouse Clive Swain, opens up a competitive store right across the street from Greenhalgh and McClintoch. Clive adds to the insult by stealing a good client right in front of Lara, which starts a personal war between them.
Lara and Clive attend an auction hosted by the exclusive Molesworth & Cox. After he outbids her on something she desperately wanted for a customer, she once again retaliates overextending herself by bidding on a box of replications of ancient Peruvian artifacts. Before Lara knows what has happened, she finds herself caught in the middle of illegal contraband, murder, and implied accusations from the law. So what is a modern Canadian woman to do? Simple, you go girl to the source in Peru to clear up your name and that of your associates by solving the mystery even if it costs you your credit cards and perhaps your life.
The second McClintoch archeology mystery, THE MOCHE WARRIOR, is an entertaining, fun to read, and educational who-done-it. The action-packed story line never quits even when it teaches the audience about the ancient Moche people and their civilization along the Northern coast of Peru. Lara remains an intelligent and warm character, whose internal dialogues are humorous yet poignant. The secondary players, especially the returnees from the previous novel, THE XIBALBA MURDERS, enhance the plot and add dimension to Lara's persona. Even the new players, some who appear very fleetingly, provide depth to a brilliant book.
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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