I really tried to like this book, but it was so poorly written I couldn't even read it all. ( )

current day Paris — Aimée Leduc Haitian — stealing *** *** hidden $ — World Bank IMF — Int'l monetary fund
catacombs — underground France — very interesting

When a Haitian woman arrives at the Paris office of Leduc Detective and announces that she is P.I. Aimée Leduc’s sister, Aimée must dig into her father’s past to solve a murder. A virtual orphan since her mother’s desertion and her father’s death, Aimée has always wanted a sister. She is thrilled.

Her partner, René, however, is wary of this stranger. Under French law, even an illegitimate child would be entitled to a portion of her father's estate: the detective agency and apartment that Aimée has inherited. He suspects a scam. But Aimée embraces her newfound sibling and soon finds herself involved in murky Haitian politics and international financial scandals leading to murder in the Latin Quarter on the Left Bank of the Seine, the old university district of Paris.

This was such a fun fun read! A friend gave it to me to read on my way to Paris, and devoured it the whole time! Have since wished to read more, but they are kinda expensive little books for a series! Good thing my local library has all of them...now to pay off an old library fine so i can add more of Cara Black's books to my repertoire! ( )

Evil crook pollutes Haitian water, does deal via World Bank but is caught out by pig expert and Aimee Leduc, harum scarum around Paris. Bizarre. ( )

This is not Black's best Aimee Leduc work. I found long stretches quite tedious and the wrap-up was abrupt and unsatisfying when balanced against the interminable "second act" false clues, dead ends, and reality-challenging escapades the heroine engages in. Aimee so consistently acts against her best interests, and the story line on her business partner Rene seems ripe for development though neglected. Since several earlier installments have been much better plotted, I will likely read her again. ( )