Carlotta is not prepared for the case that she is more or less forced to take. Her assistant, Roz has been won over by a young woman, Jessica Franklin. Roz urges Carlotta to help her. Jessica has an unusual request. She wants Carlotta to tail her fiancé whom she suspects is two timing her. Her instructions to Carlotta are precise. Follow him that evening. If he goes home, she will go through with her marriage. If he meets the suspected lover, the proposed marriage will be cancelled.

Carlotta follows the prospective bridegroom, but loses him before the night is over. Somewhat chagrined, she wonders how she will explain her ineptitude to her client. The answer to this dilemma is not at all what she had envisioned. She is called to a murder scene to identify a victim who is none other that her client, Jessica Franklin. But, and there is always a but… the victim has assumed the name of another woman.

Now Carlotta is really confused, a bit angry that she has been duped, and determined to get to the bottom of this mess, especially since it appears that Sam Gianelli may be involved in the crime.

Despite the fact that this novel is the eleventh in a series  Linda Barnes is a talented enough author to introduce her series characters to newcomers without boring her faithful followers with an extended discussion of the major players and their relationships to each other. She incidentally refers to the back story to give new readers more depth but in no way jeopardizes the plots of earlier books. Some of the information which leaks out of Carlotta about her childhood is even news to her close friend Mooney.

While Carlotta gets her share of physical abuse as one would expect in a job such as hers, Ms. Barnes does not dwell on vivid description to create a semblance of reality. If you are into blood and gore you will have to supply it though your own imagination in this story. There is just enough reality for documentation; not so much to create mad page turning to avoid the grisly details.

The plot is not too elaborate and it makes sense. There is a decided lack of lucky circumstance or confession to aid Carlotta in her hunt for information. This is not to say people don’t tell her things, but she finds out in a believable manner. She is smart and is a PI which gives her access to avenues Susie Q on the street doesn’t have, but she has to work to find useful clues.

After eleven novels Carlotta has evolved although she does appear to be aging well. She still has the physical stamina to persevere. Even though her enthusiasm for her mob boss seems to be on the wane, her spunky character holds one’s interest.  

--Andy Plonka