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Rating: 
Summary: Eye-Opening
Review: I do not ordinarily read crime fiction but occasionally do so to pick up some local color about a place that interests me. In this case, the draw was Barcelona and Mallorca. I got much more than I bargained for, however. Maria-Antonia Oliver shows with this effort that the genre can transcend itself yet remain gripping. I dearly hope for more translations of Oliver's work.
Rating:
Summary: Fast paced, funny, and socially relevant
Review: Study in Lilac is one of those rare mysteries where you're fooled into thinking it's another run-of-the-mill detective story, only to suddenly find yourself engaged in a complex, multi-layered plot that not only delivers intrigue and suspense, but tackles sensitive social issues and examines a culture to its very roots.Set in Barcelona, Study in Lilac begins when Private eye Lonia is hired by an antiques dealer to locate three men she claims defruaded her. Lonia investigates and soon discovers she is chasing a lie, and the truth lands her in hot water with local authorities, a ruthless crime syndicate, and her own close friends. Things grow more complicated when Lonia becomes the reluctant guardian of a pregnant young runaway rape victim, who cannot decide to have the baby or get an abortion. These two threads, while seemingly unrelated, eventually come together in a most unexpected twist, and delivers to the reader a no-holds barred ending that will resonate for some time after the last page is turned. In addition, Study in Lilac also paints a vivid picture of life in Barcelona, examining the attitudes, customs, and culture of the people who live there. HIGHLY RECCOMMENDED!!!
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