In this Carlotta Carlyle classic, a serial killer is stalking Hispanic women, all illegal aliens, in Carlotta's native Boston. The murders are grisly and vicious, and fear of being sent back to their equally grisly and vicious native lands are keeping the victims' friends from talking. Carlotta finds herself in the middle of the trouble after an anonymous woman asks for help--and it's soon Carlotta herself who needs the help.

As readers of these mysteries know, Carlotta has a beloved "little sister," a Hispanic child named Paolina, whom the detective loves dearly. But with the dark mystery threatening the Hispanic community, Paolina changes overnight from a sunny, bright and loving child to one who is surly and uncommunicative. Is Paolina's mother Marta in danger from the serial killer? Is Paolina herself being threatened? What is the secret they will not reveal?

Even though this reader guessed the killer about halfway through the book, it in no way detracted from the great story, and chilling secrets revealed in the end.

A great read, and worth digging for.


Carlotta, The Big Sister P.I.   April 26, 1998
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Illegal aliens, immigration officers, fear and distrust combine for a great book. The author has intertwined the abuse and turmoil illegal aliens face and written an interesting and captivating tale. The main character, Carlotta, standing six-one with red hair, demonstrates her strength while maintaining her allegiance to others. As the dead bodies emerge, Carlotta is determined to identify the victims and find the killer. The police can't get fingerprints and the people who might know something won't talk. Mix in the tender relationship Carlotta has with her 'little sister' Paolina, the complicated relationship with her ex boss, and the drive she maintains to solve the crime, and you have a book you don't want to put down. The variety of characters created by the author provide a humorous, yet realistic, aspect to the book. Very entertaining and enjoyable to read.


Volleyball playing PI with wicked sense of humor   April 5, 1998
 3 out of 6 found this review helpful

Carlotta Carlysle drives a cab, has convoluted love life and precocious little sister, but has time to take on bad guys and lead her reader on a non-stop thrill ride as she ferrets out illegal alien underworld. A real page-turner. A must-read if you like Sue Grafton's books.


Not bad, considering...   May 25, 2004
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

After reading the reviews and editorial blurbs about this one I didn't expect to like it. Everything seemed too goooood, what with a female PI big sister, illegal aliens, poverty, ya dee yaa dee yaa. I'm honestly not certain why I tried it on.

I'm glad I did. Boston's changed a lot from the city I lived in during the early 1960s, but not so much it isn't recognizable and enjoyable. The characters don't beat the reader over the head with the social ills we all know about. We aren't preached to with in-your-face feminism, mostly, and there's a degree of finesse when it happens at all. In those instances it passes for a more-or-less legitimate young female with attitude, arguing about who gets to drive and why, who pays the check, etc etc etc, realism we don't have to like in the character to believe in a way to suggest it's not so much a social bludgeoning as actual characterization.

I was never tempted to trash this book before I finished it. I don't believe you'll be, either.


Illegal immigrant comes to Carlotta   August 21, 2004
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Carlotta Carlyle is a tall, red-headed, wisecracking, volleyball-playing private investigator who drives a cab on the side. This case begins when a young immigrant woman comes to Carlotta and asks for her help in recovering a green card which she claims is hers and which was found on a woman who was brutally murdered. When Carlotta begins investigating, she becomes embroiled with Immigration officials, drug lords, and so-called "coyotes" who make a profit from people who are desparate to enter the U.S. She senses that her little sister (as in Big Sisters) Paolina is somehow involved and this puts up a wall between Paolina, her mother, and Carlotta. Adding a little spice is the handsome young INS man who flirts with Carlotta and tempts her to betray Sam, who is on a trip abroad.
All of these elements combine to produce a book which is sure to please fans of Linda Barnes and Carlotta Carlyle.