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Index Interviews: Martha C. Lawrence Cracking the Women's Magazine Market Do-It-Yourself Music Publishing--Part II Upcoming Events Calendar Reader Mail Return to This Issue's Index Return to Homepage Subscribe
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Mystery/Thriller Book ReviewsPage Three of FourThe Moche Warrior by Lyn HamiltonBerkley Prime Crime, April 1999.Hardcover, 321 pages. ISBN: 0425168093. Ordering information: Amazon.com. 
Canadian antiques dealer Lara McClintoch has no idea
of the consequences when at an auction she outbids both her ex-husband and
a mysterious Peruvian gentleman for an antique snuff
box and a box of odds and ends, including what appears to
be a replica of some ancient Moche artifacts. When her store is torched,
and a strange man is found murdered, the police naturally
begin to look askance at Lara. Determined to find out who
attacked her assistant and set fire to her beloved store, Lara
flees to New York, and eventually to Peru. Under a false
identity, Lara ingratiates herself into an archeological
expedition who is searching for the tomb of a warrior-priest
from the Moche tribe, an advanced ancient culture known for
its fantastic artifacts which rival those of the Egyptians in
value and artistic merit. Murder and violence seem to
follow anyone who possesses a Moche artifact (as
does Lara). She will face multiple perils on her quest
to clear her name and discover a murderer.
Lyn Hamilton has created a wonderful series starring antiques dealer Lara McClintock (See, The Xibalba Murders and The Maltese Goddess). For anyone who loves history, archeology or antiques the series is a must-read, because of Hamilton's intriguing descriptions of ancient cultures, such as the Moche. But the series works equally well as a straight thriller. Lara is a plucky and intelligent heroine, with a subtle sense of self-deprecating humor and an adventurous spirit. Altogether, a wonderfully satisfying read. Movie Cat by Garrison AllenKensington, May 1999.Hardcover, 293 pages. ISBN: 1575664135. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
When a movie company comes to eccentric Empty
Creek, Arizona to shoot a big-budget western
the town's inhabitants are generally thrilled at the
chance to have their moments on the silver screen.
But filming is interrupted when director
C.D. Masterly is found murdered. Enter Penelope
Warren, bookstore owner and self-appointed sleuth.
Penelope and her bizarre cast of friends (such as the
calendar pinup girl/mayor and her 25lb. cat Mycroft)
set out to find a murderer who's ready to strike again.
Penelope is quite funny, and her antics while acting as an extra in the movie are entertaining. Garrison Allen throws in enough suspects, clues and red herrings to keep readers guessing -- when they're not laughing, that is. This is great fun for mystery readers who like humor and lovable, oddball characters. Mystery Reviews Page One | Page Two | Page Three | Page Four ** To visit the archives of mystery books reviewed in The IWJ, please click here Click Here to Return to the Book Reviews Index |