The Carbon Murder: A Periodic Table Mystery (Gloria Lamerino Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Mrs. Camille Minichino (Author)

Book Description

Series: Gloria Lamerino Mysteries | Publication Date: March 1, 2004

Gloria Lamerino's goddaughter, Mary Catherine Galigani ("MC" to her friends), needs a change in her life. She decides to move back to her hometown of Revere, Massachusetts, thereby ridding herself of both an abusive relationship and an unfulfilling job in Houston, Texas. At least that's the plan.

When two homicides disrupt MC's peaceful return to Revere, Gloria applies her not inconsiderable detecting skills to help the police solve the crimes. At the same time, Gloria must face the medical problems of her partner, Detective Matt Gennaro, and the next steps in their relationship. In this sixth periodic table mystery, Gloria delves behind the scenes into the worlds of nanotechnology and show horses, and unwittingly uncovers a crime ring larger than the distance between Texas and Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Minichino returns with her sixth mystery featuring retired physicist Gloria Lamerino. If it's number 6, it must be carbon, and sure enough, the latest in these periodic table-named novels centers on a young woman named MC, who happens to have been working for a carbon-research center in Houston. Now MC, the daughter of Gloria's best friend, Rose, is back in the Boston suburb where Gloria and Rose live, trying to fend off an abusive ex-boyfriend turned stalker. When the murdered body of a young woman MC knew in Houston is found nearby, Gloria and her boyfriend, Detective Matt Gennaro, are suspicious. Was something amiss back in Houston, and are the carbon researchers out to clean up loose ends? Hindering Gloria's attempts to protect MC and solve this mystery is her struggle to help Matt, who has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Artfully mixing science and suspense, Minichino continues to make the most of her winning formula as she works her way through the elements. Jenny McLarin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Praise for Camille Minichino's Mysteries Featuring Gloria Lamerino

"An impressive series."
--Publishers Weekly

"Camille Minichino is smart and funny--an absolute delight!"
--Tamar Myers, author of Gruel and Unusual Punishment

"Camille Minichino manages to take a retired physicist sleuth and the periodic table and through some strange chemical process turn them into a fast-paced, fun, and even sexy mystery!"
--Rhys Bowen, author of Evan's Gate

"Enough clues to give the intelligent reader some guesses at the solution, a dash of romance, and (what a relief) a heroine who doesn't jog."
--Charlene Weir, author of Murder Takes Two

"Minichino's touch is perfect--light, deft, and full of detail. And her heroine, the snooping, good-hearted, savvy Gloria Lamerino, is a wonderfully unique and loveable creation. Open this book and you will be caught. Finish it, and you will be left awaiting anxiously for the next installment of the Periodic Table Mystery series."
--Roland Merullo, author of Revere Beach Boulevard

"A solid, grown-up series, well plotted and well peopled, with dialogue that keeps you smiling."
--Shelley Singer, author of Royal Flush

"Gloria Lamerino is my kind of heroine: independent, resourceful, intelligent, good-natures--and, best of all, real."
--Penny Warner, author of Blind Side

"Physicist Gloria Lamerino is both an intelligent and appealing heroine who's impossible not to like."
--Susan Holtzer, author of The Wedding Game

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312319584
• ISBN-13: 978-0312319588
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,596,965 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great cozy, September 5, 2004

By 

Miss Marple - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Carbon Murder: A Periodic Table Mystery (Gloria Lamerino Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I enjoy Ms. Minichino's books. You can't help but learn a little about physics and she explains things quite well and in layman's terms.

This mystery involves "buckyballs", horses, research, computer ID chips and of course murder or murders. As if Gloria doesn't have enough to cope with, throw in cancer, friends in danger and a spiteful lover's sister. If you really like cozies, this is highly recommended!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous crime thriller, February 29, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Carbon Murder: A Periodic Table Mystery (Gloria Lamerino Mysteries) (Hardcover)

After retiring from her job as a research professor at a California college, physicist Gloria Lamerino returns to her hometown of Revere, Massachusetts. In her late fifties, she met the love of her life homicide detective Matt Geneva and after a two-year courtship, she moves into his home. Matt undergoes a physical that reveals he suffers from prostrate cancer.

Meanwhile Gloria, a police consultant, is forced to work with Matt's partner on a case that is very close to her heart. Her goddaughter M.C. Galigani, who left her teaching and research position in Houston, believes that her abusive ex-boyfriend Jake Powers is stalking her. Her former coworker Wayne Gallen is the one who shows up at her apartment warning of the danger she is in because of a misdirected email. When a private investigator posing as a student of M.C. is found murdered in Revere, Gloria really starts to worry. Between taking care of Matt and connecting the dots on an illegal medical experiment run by someone who doesn't hesitate to kill those who get in his way, Gloria is busier than when she worked two jobs on the Pacific coast.

Two of the reasons Camille Minichino's mysteries are popular is that they are intelligent and believable. The heroine is a police consultant who handles herself in a professional manner, which gives her legitimacy to readers who appreciate some realism in their novels. Superb plotting, likeable characters and enough romance to appeal to fans of that genre turn THE CARBON MURDER into a fabulous crime thriller

Harriet Klausner

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Retired research professor turned sleuth, October 9, 2005

By 

Dawn Dowdle "Mystery Lovers Corner reviewer" (Lynchburg, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Carbon Murder: A Periodic Table Mystery (Gloria Lamerino Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Gloria Lamerino is now a police consultant. She is a retired research professor and physicist. Her goddaughter M. C. Galigani believes her ex-boyfriend Jake Powers is stalking her. Wayne Gallen, a former co-worker, shows up to warn her that she's in danger because of some misdirected e-mail.

Then a student of M.C.'s that was an undercover private investigator is murdered. Gloria is very concerned about the whole situation.

Gloria's boyfriend, Matt Geneva, is a police detective. He isn't very involved in this case as he has just been diagnosed with prostrate cancer. Gloria is torn between helping M. C. and taking care of Matt.

Gloria uncovers an illegal medical experiment run by someone who doesn't seem to stop at murder. Can she protect M. C. while bringing everything to light?

This was the first I've read in this series. I will definitely be reading more of this series. Gloria is such a likeable character. I was so worried that since this series is the periodic table series, there would be too much scientific talk. That wasn't the case. She uses her knowledge of science, but the book is very enjoyable to those who don't know science.

I highly recommend this book.