Books

Lie Down with the Devil

LIE DOWN WITH THE DEVIL

(Twelfth in the Carlotta Carlyle series)

St. Martin's Minotaur (August 5, 2008)

ISBN: 0-312-33289-0

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Bestseller and multiple award–winning author Linda Barnes returns with the most personal case to date for her popular Boston PI, Carlotta Carlyle. Carlotta, in unfamiliar territory working on her own behalf, finds herself in the middle of a complicated case that has as much to do with the people she loves as the backstreets of Boston, and beyond.

For starters, Carlotta wants to know what her on-again, off-again boyfriend Sam Gianelli did to earn himself a secret indictment for murder that’s keeping him out of the country. A man with plenty of secrets, he won’t tell her anything, much less let her help, and she isn’t having any more luck with her old friends at the Boston PD. Sam’s exile could be connected to the mob—he is in the family—but she’s not buying it. It couldn’t be that simple. Nothing involving Sam ever is.

Faced with nothing but dead ends, Carlotta goes back to basics and takes a case for a nervous bride-to-be who wants to make sure her fiancé is being faithful. Simple enough, but when her client turns up dead, Carlotta catches the kind of break she wished she hadn’t.

While nothing is as it seems in Lie Down with the Devil, one thing is clear: Readers know that when they’re reading Linda Barnes, they’re in the hands of a maestro.

Reviews

LIE DOWN WITH THE DEVIL

In Barnes’s utterly compelling 12th mystery to feature Boston PI Carlotta Carlyle (after 2006’s Heart of the World), Carlyle is still engaged to her mob-associated fiancé, Sam Gianelli, though she’s waiting for Sam to explain why he’s disappeared in the wake of rumors linking him to a dead girl. Then a woman calling herself Jessica Franklin visits Carlyle armed with a photograph of her fiance and a doubt about his fidelity. After Franklin becomes the victim of a hit-and-run, Carlyle is the most likely suspect. When the police discover that "Jessica Franklin" is an alias, Carlyle, in more trouble than ever, turns to her old friend and former boss at the Boston PD, Joseph Mooney. Together, they delve into a small community on Cape Cod, where a local Native American tribe is lobbying for land—perhaps to use for a casino. The story moves unhesitatingly from point to point, and each character encountered holds his or her space on the page with confidence and distinctiveness. The reader can just sit back and enjoy the ride. (Aug.)
— Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Simply put, this is one of her best books in years and one you should definitely read.
— Kevin R. Tipple, www.bloggernews.net

All the action and suspense you expect from a Linda Barnes book are here in spades, with an emotional denouement you probably won't see coming.
— Bruce Tierney, www.bookpage.com

Another mystery that feels right at home
— Michael Kenney, Boston.com

LIE DOWN WITH THE DEVIL is the 12th outing for Linda Barnes's taxi driving PI, and it's back to what she does best. The familiar faces, such as Mooney and Gloria are back, and the book juggles a thoroughly engaging plot line with character progression and Carlotta's personal life.
— Sharon Wheeler, www.reviewingtheevidence.com

The story line is fast-paced and impossible to put down, but especially entertaining is the teaming up of Carlyle and Mooney. LIE DOWN WITH THE DEVIL will be on the short list for best mystery of 2008 by most detective novel fans as Linda Barnes provides a powerhouse.
genregoroundreviews.blogspot.com

Carlotta is a spunky, likable protagonist.
Romantic Times Book Reviews

For the fans of this series, it is a another really well crafted murder mystery and it finally brings home the on-going question of what will happen between Carlotta and Sam. I loved it.
Reading In Appalachia

Barnes does a terrific job weaving the drama of Carlotta’s personal life with the particulars of the case giving us a solid, traditional detective novel mixed with a nice bit of personal drama. I look forward to reading more from Linda Barnes.
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