Carlotta's on-again, off-again lover, Sam Gianelli, may not be able to escape his heritage this time around--his father is head of a major Mob Family. And Sam, like it or not, is trapped in some nefarious goings-on. Only Carlotta can save him, and she is facing the wrath of two Families, not to mention the usual cast of characters, from her pre-teen and increasingly difficult "little sister," Paolina, to her raunchy roommate, Roz, to a possible new lover.

All in all, the story is a good one, and Carlotta's solution to the puzzle that has threatened so many lives is brilliant. Carlotta still plays killer volleyball, still drives like a maniac (in and out of the cab), and still keeps her cool under pressure. But she has changed a great deal since the earlier books, and is a much more serious--and believeable--person than she ever was before.

A good read, and a strong key to what makes Carlotta tick.


altough it was over 300 pages long, it was worth the reading   March 30, 1998
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

i have read previous linda barnes books and they were not that long, but i enjoyed this 6th novel in the carlotta carlyle series. carlotta is a very dedicated p.i it is a pity she does not take sam her on and off again boyfriend seriously. i also like the relationship she has with her little sister paolina. all the characters are well placed and it makes for interesting reading. linda barnes keep up the good work and i look forward to reading. for anyone out there that have never read a linda barnes novel please do so.


Not one of the best Linda Barnes....   July 14, 2000
 1 out of 2 found this review helpful

I listened to the audio of this book and as always enjoyed C.J.Critts reading. Hardware however was not one of my favorites. Tension has popped up between Sam and Carlotta which seems to be just thrown in as an after thought. Nothing was really explained. Green and white cab company has been targeted, so has Sam. The story doesn't really pick up till near the end. Now if you are a Barnes fan you will probably want to read this, but if you haven't read any of her books try starting with the first one "Trouble of Fools".


Silly ending, shoddy writing   March 9, 1999
 1 out of 3 found this review helpful

After reading other women PI books (eg Kinsey Millhone) this one just didn't cut it for me. The dialogue was inane and I really didn't even care about the ending which was hard to understand. The alleged tension between Carlotta and Sam was not developed or believable. Completely mediocre, i read it because i was on vacation and there weren't any other books around.


Fresh and entertaining with a great protagonist   June 3, 1998
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

This was my first Linda Barnes novel. Her main character is interesting and intriguing. The plot flows quickly with plenty of action, yet it is by no means simplistic. She kept me turning pages and "guessing whodunnit" continuously. I'll definitely try some others. Best female PI character since P.D. James' Cordelia Gray.