Miami P.I. Lupe Solano overhears a conversation and finds herself drawn into a hunt for a legendary masterpiece, the eighth Unicorn Tapestry, a piece of art that someone is willing to kill for. Lupe Solano is a sexy, scrappy Miami PI whose social status as a daughter of the Cuban-exile aristocracy opens a lot of doors in South Florida. What's behind those doors in Havana Heat include family secrets, tangled political alliances, and the rumored (but undiscovered) final tapestry in the Unicorn series, the Flemish masterpieces bought from a French aristocrat by John D. Rockefeller and given by him to New York's Cloisters Museum, where they draw thousands of admirers annually. A lavish wedding uniting two members of Cuban-American royalty sets the scene for the secret assignment pressed on Lupe by Lucia Miranda, whose ancestor sailed with Christopher Columbus, got off the boat in Cuba after the last voyage, and supposedly kept his captain's gift from Queen Isabella--the eighth Unicorn tapestry. Lucia wants Lupe to retrieve the tapestry from its hiding place in Havana and smuggle it back to Miami. Since Lupe's already made a specialty of reuniting the stolen or confiscated work of Cuban artists with the rightful owners, and the Unicorn tapestries have a special place in her heart, she agrees to the proposition--much to the dismay of her boyfriend, a sexy Cuban activist lawyer. But there's a backup boy toy waiting in the wings who offers Lupe another job that dovetails neatly with the Unicorn hunt and points her to Havana in her father's luxurious Hatteras yacht. There's enough suspense here to fuel an interesting plot, along with the allure of a closed society whose rituals and mores are exotic and largely unknown to many readers, and a heroine whose combination of sass, smarts and style make her consistently fun to hang out with. You could do a lot worse than curl up with Lupe until Sue Grafton pens another in her alphabet series. --Jane Adams Lupe Solano's (Bloody Secret) detecting life suddenly focuses on stolen Cuban art and a trip to CubaDall thanks to a couple of recent successful cases. After telling Lupe a fantastical tale about a fabulous unicorn tapestryDlike those at the Cloisters MuseumDa wealthy Cuban American woman hires her to smuggle it out of Cuba, where it is still hidden. Lupe's determination to take the case jeopardizes her current romance and may be connected to the murder of her underworld art contact. A stunning mixture of art history, Cubans-in-exile politics, a uniquely classy Miami heroine, and riveting plot make this highly recommended. Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. In her latest adventure, Miami private-eye Lupe Solano is sought after by two clients who have ties to Cuba. Lucia Miranda wants to hire Lupe to retrieve a priceless tapestry, hidden years ago in her family's Havana home. Then Angel Estrada, an art dealer with somewhat dubious ethics, approaches Lupe about getting valuable original paintings out of Cuba. Not sure whether to take either case, Lupe is asked by her former associate (and ex-lover), defense attorney Tommy McDonald, to investigate a piece of stolen Cuban art. Of course, gutsy Lupe takes all three cases, which eventually tie in together and lead Lupe to Havana and a suspenseful finale. Garcia-Aguilera combines a clever plot and an endearing protagonist with a fascinating portrayal of Cuba's turbulent history and vibrant culture. Jenny McLarin Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved "Garcia-Aguilera provides a unique glimpse into the Cuban exile community in Miami." -- -- Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel Carolina Garcia-Aguilera was born in Havana, Cuba, and her family emigrated to the United States one year after Fidel Castro took power. A former licensed detective in Miami, handling both civil and criminal cases, Carolina decided, after more than ten years in the business, that she would much prefer writing detective stories to living them. She now makes her home in South Beach. Carolina is the author of three previous Lupe Solano mystery novels.