Lie Down with the Devil

Starred review from June 9, 2008
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 Sam 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.