A Matter of Latitude by Isobel Blackthorn

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A Matter of Latitude

by Isobel Blackthorn

Published by Creativia on December 7, 2018
Genres: Action and Adventure Mystery Thriller
Pages: 290
Format: Kindle
Goodreads
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon

When local Lanzarote anti-corruption activist, Celestino, is t-boned on a lonely stretch of road, he knows the collision was no accident.

Wounded and fearing for his life, he hides in an abandoned fishing village, waiting for a chance to make it home. Meanwhile his wife, English expat Paula, is distraught. Her pursuit of answers is deflected when her neighbor, troublesome retiree Shirley Mobad, co-opts Paula on her escapades around the Canary Islands.

Paula’s search for her husband quickly descends into mayhem, danger and intrigue. Before long, she realizes she’s being followed. She needs answers, and fast.

But where is Celestino, and will he ever make it back alive?

“A Matter of Latitude simmers with danger, betrayal and treachery, drawing the reader into the island’s history of shady dealings and uneasy relationships between natives, tourists and expats... Isobel Blackthorn has crafted an atmospheric and setting-rich novel with alluring lyrical style.” – Sandi Wallace, award-winning crime fiction author

Will Paula find Celestino alive?

A Matter of Latitude by Isobel Blackthorn is an excellent mystery. I enjoyed the plotting and the depth of the characters. However, it took me a few chapters to get into the story. I think it was just me getting used to Ms. Blackthorn’s writing style.

You’ve read the plot summary so moving on from it. There are three points of view, but I will focus on the main character, Paula.

Our Sleuth

Paula Cray Diaz is our sleuth. Although not a very good one. Paula is personable, yet doesn’t have many friends. She wears sunglasses almost always while outside as the sun’s glare bothers her eyes, which makes her seem unapproachable. Paula has a three-year-old daughter, Gloria. And it appears that since Paula has moved to the island to be with Celestino and had Gloria, her whole life has centered around her family. Her parents also moved to the island to be near her and Gloria. It felt like Paula had lost herself and was functioning just as “Gloria’s Mom” and “Celestino’s wife.” Until the day of Celestino’s disappearance.

Paula begins moving around the island looking for her husband; she truly starts to see the island as her home. I liked the way the author showed Paula’s awareness of not only the surroundings but also the realization of what her life has become and her new found need for change. Paula also finally understands her husband’s view of what is happening with regards to the tourism industry on the island. She remembers why she fell in love with Celestino. Absence does make the heart grow fonder. I adored that Paula was smart and remarkably well developed. I could see her clearly in my head.

The one thing that I thought was weird about Paula was that she continually worried about speaking in Spanish, but she corrected other English people’s pronunciation in Spanish.

Mystery

There are a few red herrings and incidents that our sleuth must decide if they are part of the whole or not. I loved this part; it kept the mystery going and me guessing. A few times I found myself literally on the edge of my seat. There are also a couple of murders along the way that made it even more mysterious and filled with suspense. The entire book is written in the time frame of a week which also heightens the suspense. I totally loved it.

What I liked

• Shirley Mobad, she is a wonderfully eccentric character. I have known a Shirley-like-person in my life. Oh, and her over the top outfits are perfect.
• I adored the setting; I have never been to the Canary Islands. However, I feel as though I had a well thought out behind the scenes tour of Lanzarote.
• Corruption point of the story. I believe that it isn’t isolated to the Canary Islands, but the author does such a fantastic way of bringing the whole hidden side of tourism on the island to light.
• The way the author showed art and artists fitting it into the plot along with the different styles and galleries that she introduced.
• I also liked the knowledge about the original islanders and how they farmed the fields and such.

Things that I didn’t care for

• Celestino was ok, but at times he rubbed me the wrong way.
• Richard H. Parry is another character that drove me crazy. Seriously, I wanted to slap him across the face, tell him to grow up and go home to your wife where you belong.

4 Stars for A Matter of Latitude by Isobel Blackthorn

My rating for A Matter of Latitude by Isobel Blackthorn is four stars. The mystery and intrigue are outstanding. Although it took me a bit to get used to Ms. Blackthorn’s writing style, once I was there the story seemed to bound off the pages and formed such a beautiful picture. The conclusion and the character growth were so perfectly executed. I recommend this book to those with a more mature love of mysteries.

This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book on your site.

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