Audio book/unabridged. Very good Carlotta Carlisle mystery about missing teenager and missing witness.

The 1990s was a great period for American crime fiction, with the emergence of a band of strong, independent and resourceful female private investigators such as Sarah Paretsky’s
V I Warshawski, and Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone. Another member of that group, although one who seemed to draw less recognition than her counterparts, was Carlotta Carlyle, the tall, flame-headed, guitar playing protagonist of an entertaining series of novels by Linda Barnes.

Based in Boston, Carlotta is, like many of her fictional PIs, a former cop. One of the pitfalls of the private sector is that the work doesn’t always flow smoothly, so to help make ends meet, Carlotta can often be found on the night shift driving a cab, which also gives her access to unconventional sources of information. She has also maintained friendships with several of her former colleagues on the local force, although one of the reasons she had quit was the all too prevalent spectre of corruption, and the influence of local politics.

After a relatively lean period, she suddenly finds herself with two cases to follow. One is brought to her by a former colleague who has been suspended following allegations tat he beat up a suspect arrested after an altercation in a bar. The other is to find a teenaged girl who seems to have run away from home and her exclusive private school.

The stories are related in the first person by Carlotta, and she has an engaging style. The action moves at a brisk pace, peppered with Carlotta’s wry observations on the city around her and the shady characters whom she encounters. The plots are well constructed, and watertight. There are no frills, just clear, concise storytelling. ( )

A good, fun, funny, book deals with some serious topics, in a style reminiscent of Robert B. Parker, who is one of several mystery writers whose recommendations appear on the back jacket. ( )

My blog post about this book is at this link.
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Audiobook - I am loving this series - there is mystery, romance, drama and comedy - love it!! ( )