The Xibalba Murders (Archaeological Mysteries, No. 1) (1997)

Fascinating mystery set in Mexico in the town of Merida and the area surrounding it.

There is a lot of history tied up in this one. Some I was able to follow, some lost me completely. I'm not up on Mayan calendars, gods and beliefs. It was a good read but not an easy one.

I did figure out part of the "who dunnit" part, missed the other part. There is a good mystery here but it takes some effort to work through it in and amongst all the historical information given.

I'm going to have to think about whether or not I want to read more by this author. I do know if I do I will have to give myself some time, she writes a very "dense" mystery. ( )

The writing in this mystery was not the best, and I figured out the who-done-it about halfway through. I would have put the book down unfinished because of the clumsy writing and poorly developed characters, except for one thing: the author's way of bringing the Yucatan to life. She makes the history of the Maya and the modern culture of this part of Mexico so very interesting! Food, religion, artifacts, historic sites and all were so interesting to read about. It was a silly mystery novel, but a great introduction to this part of the world! Well worth slogging through a so-so mystery to me. ( )

Lara McClintoch is taking a break from the antique business after a recent divorce from her husband. She doesn't want him to be able for him to obtain a larger divorce settlement. When a friend asks her to come to Merida, Mexico, she does so, even though she doesn't know a lot about the nature of what he wants. When she arrives, he cancels their first dinner and then disappears, turning up dead. The Mexican officials confiscate her passport so that she can't leave the country. She doesn't have a lot of faith in the investigator, so she begins an investigation of her own, placing herself in danger. It was a fun read that I couldn't put down. I'm not sure that I ever sorted all the characters fully in my mind though. I'm not sure if that is because of the rapidity of my reading or if that would have been the case had I read it in a slower manner. I do believe that some of the characters were developed more than others. It's not my favorite in the series, but it's worth the read if one is interested in the Mayan culture. ( )

I liked this mystery, but as late as halfway through I was still unclear about the date until it specifically says that it's set in the 1990s. I think that was because of the prevalent "Had I But Known" vibe that was almost overpowering the book. For those who don't know, that was a technique common to mysteries in the 1930s by authors like Mary Roberts Rinehart and then the 1980s in Gothic mysteries by Phyllis A. Whitney and E. X. Ferrars. It features lots of foreshadowing, a heroine in trouble, and two romantic rivals. The heroine almost always picks the wrong one right up until the last minute.

Come to think of it, I've basically given you the whole plot of the book right there. Lara is recovering from a divorce, heads off to visit a former colleague, and gets caught up in political intrigue and theft. It was still kind of fun, but you have to be in the right mood for it. 2.5 stars. ( )

The Xibalba Murders by Lyn Hamilton is the first in an 11 book archeological mystery series that focuses on a former antiques shop owner and student of Maya history, Lara McClintoch.

Lara receives a phone call from an old friend of her's, Dr. Hernan Castillo, asking her to come join him in Merida, Yucatan to help him with a mysterious project. Intrigued, Lara flies to Merida only to have Dr. Castillo mysteriously disappear, and then later to be found dead in his office. While trying to uncover the secret to the mysterious project that brought her to Merida in the first place, Lara encounters a growing web of possible suspects, and a growing body count.

The story provides some great historical background on Maya history and culture, presented in a manner that doesn't bog the reader down in historical meanderings that swerve off the plot's path. There is a steady flow of action to keep the story moving forward. The characters are somewhat predictable and recognizable to a reader of the mystery genre but in all I found the story to a fun, interesting mystery romp. ( )