Havana Heat

Wow! Hang on to your seat again in this continuing series of Miami woman private investigator Lupe Solano, as she brings stolen art treasures out of Havana. As usual in all of Garcia-Aguilera's books, be prepared for a surprise twist and BLOCKBUSTER ENDING! I literally could not put this book down as I gripped the arms of my chair reading it. Plenty of good food and drink, men in her life, and all-around excitement. The fact that the author sometimes goes a bit overboard on aristocratic Cuban-American society only makes the books more humorous and interesting. I really enjoy that, and the way she is able to constantly turn a clever phrase. The author knows well what she is talking about, being a Cuban-American herself, and having spend 10 years as a Miami woman PI before becoming an investigator. I really appreciate learning a lot from her books about the Cuban subculture.If you have the chance to read Bitter Sugar first, the first book in this series, by all means do so. But if you are not able to, this book stands well on its own.

"Havana Heat," by Carolina Garcia-Aguilera, is a detective thriller featuring Miami-based private investigator Lupe Solano. She is a Cuban-American woman in her 30s. She's tough, resourceful, daring, and sometimes a little lusty. The author bio inside the back cover notes that Garcia-Aguilera was born in Cuba, and like her heroine worked as a licensed private detective in Miami.In this story Lupe becomes involved in two cases involving valuable works of art. Along the way she faces personal danger, deceit and murder. This is a fast-moving, colorful, and sometimes funny tale. The international intrigue and adventure often give the book a sort of James Bond feel--in fact, I could imagine agent 007 finding a worthy partner in Lupe if one of his assignments ever brought him to Miami.The author does a particularly effective job in illuminating the practical, nuts-and-bolts aspects of Lupe's detective technique. The book is not only an exciting detective thriller--it also is very much about Cuban-American history, politics, and identity. As an "ethnic" American detective, Lupe could be seen as sort of a soul sister to Harry Kemelman's Rabbi Small. But whether you look at this book as a straightforward mystery or as part of the tradition of ethnic American literature, I think that "Havana Heat" is a winner.

Garcia-Aguilera's CAP (Cuban-American Princess) detective Lupe Solano has found a topical issue to stick her nose into; the shady trade in Cuban art. This gray market in art from Cuba is not widely known, but is attracting more attention from the art world and the law enforcement community. It's common knowledge that the Castro government seized the personal property of those who fled the island. The general perception is that this consisted mostly of real estate. Less well known is that it included art, both Cuban and foreign in origin. With the continuing economic crisis the government has taken to selling this art abroad for hard currency. But who does it really belong to, the original owners or the regime that appropriated it with something less than due process of law? To crack the case - and for the second time in the series (Bloody Waters was the first) - Lupe heads to Cuba with her cigar-smoking, rum-drinking, machete-swinging friend Barbara, and once again she's so busy keeping her head down and getting the job done that she hasn't much time to gawk at her homeland. Possibly because of this her adventures on the island have an air of verisimilitude, so much so that you wonder if the author, who was born there, has been back doing research. She mixes these elements with an intriguing take on the mystery surrounding the "Hunt for the Unicorn" tapestries (currently part of the Cloisters Collection in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art), her usual generous dollop of Miami-Cuban culture and private investigator procedure and, inevitably, a few dead bodies, to make a thoroughly enjoyable story.

Once again, Carolina Garcia-Aguilera takes us into the world of Cuban-American politics and sentiments as Lupe takes on her fifth case. One of my favorite protagonists, Lupe still sizzles as she delves into the world of smuggled art treasures, once owned by prominent Cuban families, then confiscated by Castro & his minions during the revolution. When she's asked to "liberate" the famous missing eighth Unicorn tapestry from a family homestead in Havana, Lupe has doubts. But when the bodies begin to fall, she realizes that there's more to it than just one family's desire to get their art back.HAVANA HEAT is a winner all the way! I already can't wait for the next installment in the Lupe Solano series.

Cuban-American private investigator Lupe Solano cannot stand attending the society wedding even if her cousin is the bride. However, the boring reception picks up when the groom,'s Aunt Lucia declares that an eighth Unicorn Tapestry exists in Havana. Lupe knows that the Upper Manhattan Cloisters Museum houses the seven known tapestries, but the possibility of another one is intriguing except for a trip back to Cuba to obtain the priceless item.As Lupe mulls over the wisdom of a clandestine visit to Havana, sleazy art dealer Angel Estrada tries to hire Lupe to also go to Cuba to smuggle out paintings by his sister. Finally, her former lover attorney Tommy McDonald wants Lupe to look into the ownership of an apparently stolen painting. When murder enters the fray, Lupe realizes Havana may be her only chance of not becoming the next victim.HAVANA HEAT, the fifth Lupe Solano mystery, is an exciting tale that provides focus on the Cuban-American population. The story line includes three cases that keep Lupe hopping non-stop. Lupe retains her freshness and the support cast propels the tale forward, provides humor to the plot and adds insight into the lead character. Carolina Garcia-Aguilera has written another strong ethnic mystery that showcases her ability to provide the audience with an engaging novel.Harriet Klausner