Bloody Shame (Lupo Solano Mystery)

Rating:
Summary: A real plot-twister
Review: Bloody Shame, the second book in the series starring Miami PI Lupe Solano, is an exciting read. The plot twists just enough, and Garcia-Aguilera paces the novel well with the series of interviews with the suspects. Her references to the Mercedes and over-active sex life can be tiresome, but the environment places the reader right in the heart of Miami and Coconut Grove. A good read and a good series!

Rating:
Summary: The most authentic portrayal of daily Cuban-American life.
Review: In "Bloody Shame", Carolina Garcia-Aguilera reveals the most accurate portrayal I've ever come across in fiction of the inner workings of the Cuban-American Miami psyche. Granted most Cuban-Americans in Miami are not P.I.s and are not as extravagantly wealthy as Lupe Solano. But when Lupe sits down and relishes her freshly made cafe con leche, or when she is harassed by her worried sisters for not having phoned home in the last 24 hours, the reader is introduced to the small things of daily life that make the Cuban-American culture unique.

Rating:
Summary: A real plot-twister
Review: In "Bloody Shame", Carolina Garcia-Aguilera reveals the most accurate portrayal I've ever come across in fiction of the inner workings of the Cuban-American Miami psyche. Granted most Cuban-Americans in Miami are not P.I.s and are not as extravagantly wealthy as Lupe Solano. But when Lupe sits down and relishes her freshly made cafe con leche, or when she is harassed by her worried sisters for not having phoned home in the last 24 hours, the reader is introduced to the small things of daily life that make the Cuban-American culture unique.

Rating:
Summary: An enjoyable ride
Review: Lupe Solano is an interesting and engaging character. Ms. Garcia-Aguilera lays out the story well and throws in enough twists to keep the story moving at a good pace. Despite the rejection of most things "American" (wich means anything or anybody not Cuban or Latino) the reader is kept guessing as Lupe investigates the circumstances surrounding the death of a Cuban "rafter" shot in self-defense by the wealthy owner of a jewelry store. The Solano family, the offbeat characters, the wonderful culture and color of the Cuban community and of course, Lupe, combine for a very enjoyable reading experience.