Bloody Secrets (Lupe Solano Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Carolina Garcia-Aguilera (Author)

Book Description

Series: Lupe Solano Mysteries | Publication Date: February 2, 1998

Miami P.I. Lupe Solano has been called "funny, sexy, and Miami-smart" by Nelson DeMille, and "an absolute joy" by The Miami Herald. Now the celebrated sleuth returns. In a sweeping story that takes readers from the last days of Batista's Havana, to the Guantanamo Bay refugee camp, to Miami's high society, Lupe takes the case of a balsero-a refugee who escaped Cuba by raft. Luis is a drifter living in a flophouse, but he claims Miami's most prominent Cuban couple has robbed his family and arranged for his murder. Lupe is instantly drawn to Luis, and his sense of honor. But the case becomes troubling when innocent people are killed and when her feelings for her client become more than professional. A page-turning mystery, a remarkable glimpse into the lives of all strata of Cuban-American society, and a fascinating look into the moral quandaries an investigator faces, Bloody Secrets is Garcia-Aguilera's boldest achievement yet.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Despite the tacit disapproval of her body- and health-conscious cousin and co-worker, Cuban American investigator Lupe Solano, last seen in Bloody Shame (LJ 2/1/97), takes a case involving a raft refugee from Cuba. Aristocratic Luis Delgado's long-dead parents sent part of their wealth to Miami with friends when Castro took over, but when Luis claims the money, the now-prominent "friends" try to erase the debt by hiring a hit man. Lupe treads carefully, both because of the family's influence and because she finds her client attractive. Lupe's energetic lifestyle, her fascinating friends, and the author's fluid segues make this an essential purchase.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Miami private investigator Lupe Solano's new case goes back 40 years--to the evening before Castro captured Havana, when Luis Delgado's father and Miguel de la Torre decided to liquidate their holdings and leave Cuba. The de la Torres escaped, but Luis' family did not. Luis eventually left Cuba by raft and is now trying to reclaim the family share of the money from the de la Torres, who have become among the most prominent of Miami families. After he is nearly murdered, Luis uses a diamond his parents gave him to hire Lupe and attorney Tommy McDonald, Lupe's occasional boyfriend, to recover the money. This third Lupe Solano novel is uneven but not without interest. The dialogue is lively; the intriguing and amusing characters are well developed; and Garcia-Aguilera does a good job of educating readers about recent Cuban history. Unfortunately, the mystery element is weak, a flaw throughout the series. Still, Lupe is unique among Miami sleuths, and as a whole, the series' strengths outweigh its weaknesses. John Rowen

Product Details

• Hardcover: 274 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult (February 2, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399143866
• ISBN-13: 978-0399143861
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,790,690 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing tale, September 26, 1999

By 

Rosalee ([e-mail]) (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bloody Secrets (Paperback)

I have read the author's other two books and enjoyed them immensely but this one left me flat. Lupe is tired and is need of a vacation away from her office, Leonard, etc. Carolina's characters are wooden and flat this time and so is the story compared with the other two I have read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very entertaining reading, May 23, 2000

By 

Scott Partridge "X-LEO" (Miami, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bloody Secrets (Lupe Solano Mysteries) (Hardcover)

As a 35 year resident of Miami and a Private Investigator, I found Bloody Secrets to be both great fun and very accurate. The author captures the essence of a truly magic city and its inhabitants. It is a excellent entertainment value. I have read the two previous Lupe Solano books and have particularily enjoyed the maturing that Ms. Garcia-Aguilera has demonstrated as a writer. I look forward to reading her latest works.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A little disappointing in a great series, June 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bloody Secrets (Lupe Solano Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Bloody Secrets, the third book in the Miami PI Lupe Solano series, is not quite up to Garcia-Aguilera's high standards. The setting was, as usual, superb, but the plot was thinner than in the previous two novels. The author used the word "honor" so much that it lost its meaning. The relationship between Luis and Lupe was never fully developed, and her attraction to him leaves a reader wondering, "Where did this come from?" However, the relationship between Lupe and her assistant continues to grow and evolve. Worth reading, but the first two books (Bloody Waters and Bloody Shame) are superior reads.