Lupe Solano Mysteries

Miami PI Lupe Solano gets drawn into a religious mystery that could roil the Cuban community-on both sides of the Florida straits . . .   Being summoned by a Mother Superior brings back a lot of bad memories from Lupe Solano's Catholic school experience; it's only as a favor to her older sister, a nun, that she agrees to the meeting at all. A mysterious European order has appeared in Miami, one that can boast certifiable miracles in its past-and is now predicting a new one: On the Cuban Day of Independence, the statue of the Virgin of Our Lady of Charity will cry real tears.   This is a direct hit to the Cuban soul, and a suspicious Lupe agrees to help debunk the miracle before it happens. Just when she's able to justify spying on nuns, Lupe finds one drowned in a baptismal font-and that's only the beginning of a case that will make Lupe question whether she's on the side of the angels or devils . . .   "Witty, bubbly, sexy and suspenseful . . . a first-rate mystery." -The Plain Dealer   "A memorable tale of Cuban-American life, this novel boasts an engaging plot and a fiery heroine armed with sharp insights into Cuban and Catholic ways that will lead readers happily into the sultry heat of Little Havana." -Publishers Weekly

Third in the Miami mystery series featuring "spicy, sassy, and thoroughly modern" Cuban-American PI Lupe Solano, taking on a case that could make or break her (The Austin Chronicle).   In 1950s Havana, two men were successful business partners with everything to lose when Fidel Castro came to power. One fled and started over in Miami. The other ended up a political prisoner. And now the son of that prisoner has made his way to South Florida, ready to claim his promised legacy from the family that betrayed his.   When Luis Delgado comes to Lupe Solano's investigation agency, she's pretty sure that he can't afford her, but she's willing to listen. His tale of crossing to Florida on a makeshift raft, theft, and attempted murder implicates one of Miami's most powerful Cuban-American families. Going up against them-and losing-would destroy everything Lupe has built for herself. But she's never been afraid of risk. And now, in one of the hottest cities in the world, she'll find herself walking on thin ice . . .   Praise for the Lupe Solano Mysteries   "Solano has blossomed into one of the genre's most formidable protagonists." -Chicago Tribune   "Suspenseful, provocative, and satisfying." -Publishers Weekly   "Carolina Garcia-Aguilera has created one fine PI in Lupe Solano. The series . . . does well with the wry and, when necessary, wrathful Solano." -New York Daily News

The fifth Lupe Solano Mystery is "a stunning mixture of art history, Cubans-in-exile politics, a uniquely classy Miami heroine, and riveting plot" (Library Journal).   Thanks to dabbling in a couple cases of stolen Cuban art, PI Lupe Solano finds herself in high demand-especially among Miami's wealthy exile community. One such family, who made its fortune in cigars, is rumored to have left a fabled medieval tapestry back in Cuba when they fled. Now, the last wish of the dying matriarch is to be reunited with the family treasure. The job could cost Lupe her freedom and her life-but she's always been drawn to danger . . .   Yet when a sleazy art dealer who tries to recruit Lupe into his smuggling ring is found murdered, she realizes she might be the next victim. At this point, all signs point to Havana, where the Cuban art underworld will reveal all its secrets-or drag Lupe down into its depths . . .   "Lupe Solano is an enjoyably hedonistic sleuth, and Garcia-Aguilera's chatty, congenial style will beguile readers for several pleasing hours and leave them looking forward to Lupe's next foray into Miami vice." -Publishers Weekly   "Garcia-Aguilera combines a clever plot and an endearing protagonist with a fascinating portrayal of Cuba's turbulent history and vibrant culture." -Booklist

Miami's favorite "feisty and engaging" Cuban-American sleuth is back to tackle deadly domestic drama in her second outing following Bloody Waters (People).   With her investigation agency running as smoothly as her Mercedes, Lupe Solano finally has time to take a vacation to Key West, the home of one of her former lovers. But sun and sex will have to wait when her best friend, interior designer Margarita Vidal, passes away in a car accident.   Before she died, Margarita had seemed preoccupied and mentioned that she knew something about Lupe's latest case-a jewelry store owner's killing of a thief. Determined to figure out what Margarita was trying to tell her, Lupe throws herself into the investigation, uncovering unlikely connections between marriage and murder . . .   Praise for the Lupe Solano Mysteries   "Sexy." -Chicago Tribune   "A fascinating hero." -The Miami Herald   "Carolina Garcia-Aguilera has created a new private eye named Lupe Solano, and what a creation she is-strong, sexy, funny, and Miami-smart. A wonderful new addition to the ranks of female PIs." -Nelson DeMille, #1 New York Times–bestselling author

For Cuban-American PI Lupe Solano, nothing adds up in a case of a good girl gone bad. The seventh Miami-set mystery from the author of Bitter Sugar. Leave it to private inspector Lupe Solano to take on the case of the rarest type of person Miami has to offer-a virginal call girl. Midwestern beauty Madeline Meadows (professional name Mary, of course) has become the highest-paid escort in South Beach. And she's about to be charged with two murders. When another body is added to the count-Madeline's ex-boyfriend-Lupe has to pull off the second-rarest feat in Miami: proving Madeline innocent of a triple homicide in a death penalty state when her fingerprints are on the gun used in all three killings. Does her so-called innocence extend to crime? Lupe's about to find out. Because the picture-perfect woman is hiding something-a secret that could explain how the Virgin Mary turned into Miami's latest serial killer. "While the investigation is in itself engaging, it receives competition from Ms. Garcia-Aguilera's detailed presentation of Lupe's family life, part of a larger portrait of Miami's Cuban-American community . . . At once over-the-top and down to earth, Bloody Twist can't help but make readers smile." -Florida Weekly

"Surprises abound in Lupe Solano's sixth foray into the seamier side of Miami's Cuban Amigra community . . . Garcia-Aguilera saves her best surprise until last, leaving fans wanting more." -Publishers Weekly Private investigator Lupe Solano knows that her old-school Cuban father has never really approved of her career choice, which makes it all the more meaningful when he turns to her for help. His best friend and fellow exile, Ramón Suarez, has been offered millions of dollars by a Spanish company for his now-defunct sugar mills that were confiscated by the Cuban government, and he wants to know why-even though Ramón has no intention of selling off his family's legacy. International business matters are not Lupe's cup of tea-or café con leche, in her case. However, she's soon on more familiar ground when Ramón becomes the prime suspect in the murder of his nephew, the co-owner of the sugar mills. Greed is the obvious motive for the family feud, but as bodies begin to pile up around Lupe, she'll realize just how far this case reaches-and how what happens on an island ninety miles away can still put her six feet under . . . "Simultaneously juggling various current and past boyfriends, Lupe cracks the case with style and a sense of humor-and teaches readers a bit about Cuba in the process." -Booklist

"Garcia-Aguilera has created a new private eye named Lupe Solano, and what a creation she is-strong, sexy, funny, and Miami-smart." -Nelson DeMille, #1 New York Times–bestselling author   Guadalupe Solano was raised learning about Cuba from her immigrant parents. But all Lupe knows is that growing up in a traditional Cuban-American household in Miami hasn't been easy for a woman with an independent streak and no desire to settle down. Being single and a PI is a constant test of her close-knit family's tolerance . . .   Nevertheless, Lupe is good at her job-and has a soft spot for children, even if she doesn't want any of her own. So when the adoptive parents of a young girl with an inherited rare blood condition want Lupe to find their daughter's birth mother for a bone marrow transplant, she can't refuse. The adoption was private-and illegal-facilitated by a high-profile Miami attorney running a baby-selling scheme from Cuba. Lupe will go to any lengths to save this girl's life, even if it means her first-ever trip to the homeland just might be her last . . . "Sexy." -Chicago Tribune   "Fascinating . . . witty . . . compelling." -The Miami Herald   "Carolina Garcia-Aguilera adds a long-awaited voice to the South Florida panoply of crime writers. Cuban-born Lupe Solano is a bright and sassy PI, and Bloody Waters provides an auspicious debut. Welcome to the neighborhood Ms. Solano." -Les Standiford, New York Times–bestselling author   "The Cuban-American Catholic background is a facet of Florida life not often explored in this genre. A talent worth watching." -Kirkus Reviews