Scan barcode
mazza57's review against another edition
this is quite possibly the worst book i have ever read. I only completed it because it fulfilled the requirements of a challenge. The author is pretentious in displaying her knowledge of Maya culture simply to show she has it, All this about dates and names of days has no bearing on the story and simply muddies the tale. Her heroine aka mystery solver has a mouth that is so loose its indefensible. The solving of the crime is so blatantly obvious from the outset and the whole crime solving is so full of holes it would make a better sieve than a novel, The characters are lame and one dimensional - the longer the name - the less interesting they are. It is like the author has invested her all in historic culture and nameography and forgotten to weave a tale that is even remotely interesting
jlynnelseauthor's review
3.0
I really liked how the author threaded information in about the Mayan culture at the start of her chapters. This did not happen for the earlier chapters, but I enjoyed the quick narrative which smoothly morphed into the modern-day tale. Having the chapters marked as Mayan calendar days were also fun additions. I always appreciate a well-told spot of history.
I can’t say the “who” of “who-dunnit” was a surprise. I figured it from the get-go. And compared to the historical chapter starts, the modern mystery seemed a bit simplistic. So Lara’s story was actually not my favorite part of the book. I wanted more from the Hero Twins, etc., that was given in little slices.
One of my favorite moments was when Lara swam out of the cave into the lush landscape of hidden Mayan pyramids and roadways. I thought that was quite well described. I felt enchanted.
The author is a talented writer and does her research well. I appreciated what she tried to do, and I would read another story of hers. However, I hope in the next one the mystery is a bit more mysterious.
I can’t say the “who” of “who-dunnit” was a surprise. I figured it from the get-go. And compared to the historical chapter starts, the modern mystery seemed a bit simplistic. So Lara’s story was actually not my favorite part of the book. I wanted more from the Hero Twins, etc., that was given in little slices.
One of my favorite moments was when Lara swam out of the cave into the lush landscape of hidden Mayan pyramids and roadways. I thought that was quite well described. I felt enchanted.
The author is a talented writer and does her research well. I appreciated what she tried to do, and I would read another story of hers. However, I hope in the next one the mystery is a bit more mysterious.
snholmes13's review
5.0
I really enjoyed listening to this book. I wish it had been available on Audible; however, I listened to it using VoiceOver and really enjoyed it. I have always very much enjoyed listening and learning about the Mayans culture and found that this book contained a lot of very interesting stories which I may look into further, about Xibalba and various beliefs, The various gods and various animals that they used in their beliefs, stories, and languages have always appealed to me. I like that this book has a Canadian touch to it as well as it is not often that I find that. Had I been suited to work outdoors, I think I would’ve loved to have been an archaeologist but instead find learning about the different cultures in books fascinating; I’ve always found the Mayans and Incas, including their architecture and culture, one of my favourites.
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
1.0
Initially I picked up The Xibalba Murders by Lyn Hamilton for two reasons: 1) It's got a lovely "X" right there at the beginning and that knocks off a rather difficult letter for the Alphabet Soup Challenge and 2) It's set in Mexico, so it works for the Around the World Challenge. It also counts for a whole boatload of other challenges, so I thought it was all good. But geez, Louise, it was difficult to finish this rather blah, rather predictable book. First problem: It's written in the first person. Man, I hate those. It's rare that a first-person narrator works well for me. This one doesn't. Second problem: Too much introspection on the part of the narrator (bad divorce, no love-life, blah-blah-blah). Third problem: this supposedly "smart enough to run her own business (pre-divorce) and smart enough to go back to school as a graduate student" woman immediately starts blabbing about why Dr. Hernan Castillo asked her to come to Mexico to the first impressive male stranger she comes across. Bet that's going to work out well for her. But remember--she's told us that she dresses in "student uniform" of denim, khakis, and black to keep the men away ('cause the bad divorce was a thing, you know). Right. She's not interested or impressed by men at all. Uh-huh.
But you want to know what this is about, right? Whether the mystery is interesting. Well, you'd think so from the blurb:
After receiving a cryptic phone call from Dr. Hernan Castillo, an expert in Mayan history, Lara McClintoch travel to Merida, Mexico, to help him with a mysterious project that he has undertaken. But on arriving in Merida, Lara sees no sign of the good doctor--until his lifeless body turns up in his office at the museum. Retracing the doctor's recent footsteps, she is drawn into the jungles surrounding Merida. For in this lush paradise are the temples of Mayan gods--and the camps of modern-day rebels fighting to save their Mayan heritage. As the body count escalates, Lara must uncover the secrets of the Mayan underworld known as Xibalba--and journey into the very heart of darkness....
I know I thought so. But even though I know in these cozy mysteries we have to agree to believe the amateur detective is going to outsmart the police, I just couldn't do it this time. Because quite honestly, I don't believe Lara is smart enough. She does some really stupid things and trusts people that she has no reason to trust. And Hamilton gives no explanation in the storyline to make me believe that she should have a reason. One star.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
But you want to know what this is about, right? Whether the mystery is interesting. Well, you'd think so from the blurb:
After receiving a cryptic phone call from Dr. Hernan Castillo, an expert in Mayan history, Lara McClintoch travel to Merida, Mexico, to help him with a mysterious project that he has undertaken. But on arriving in Merida, Lara sees no sign of the good doctor--until his lifeless body turns up in his office at the museum. Retracing the doctor's recent footsteps, she is drawn into the jungles surrounding Merida. For in this lush paradise are the temples of Mayan gods--and the camps of modern-day rebels fighting to save their Mayan heritage. As the body count escalates, Lara must uncover the secrets of the Mayan underworld known as Xibalba--and journey into the very heart of darkness....
I know I thought so. But even though I know in these cozy mysteries we have to agree to believe the amateur detective is going to outsmart the police, I just couldn't do it this time. Because quite honestly, I don't believe Lara is smart enough. She does some really stupid things and trusts people that she has no reason to trust. And Hamilton gives no explanation in the storyline to make me believe that she should have a reason. One star.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
cmbohn's review against another edition
2.0
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 and heads to Mexico to visit a former colleague. She gets caught in political intrigue, theft, and a romance. (see above) It was still kind of fun, but you have to be in the right mood for it. 2.5 stars.
Come to think of it, I've basically given you the whole plot of the book right there. Lara is recovering from a divorce and heads to Mexico to visit a former colleague. She gets caught in political intrigue, theft, and a romance. (see above) It was still kind of fun, but you have to be in the right mood for it. 2.5 stars.
chrystal0830's review against another edition
3.0
Solid Mystery
A very solid mystery. Enjoyed the references to the ancient Mayan culture and to the days and calendar the Mayans used. The characters were also well developed and though i thought i knew who did it,it still had me guessing till the end.
A very solid mystery. Enjoyed the references to the ancient Mayan culture and to the days and calendar the Mayans used. The characters were also well developed and though i thought i knew who did it,it still had me guessing till the end.
plantbirdwoman's review against another edition
3.0
This series was recommended to me recently because of my interest in archaeology and my love of reading mystery series. Since this is billed as an archaeological mystery series, it certainly seemed like the perfect fit.
The Xibalba Murders, the first book in the series, seemed especially promising since it is set in Mexico and involves a mystery about a Mayan artifact and archeological dig. I've been fascinated by Mayan history ever since my long ago college days when I did a research paper about that culture for my Cultural Anthropology class. And so, I settled down to read the book with some enthusiasm.
On the whole, I found the book to be mildly entertaining. There were things that I liked about it and things that i didn't like, but considered as a whole, it was okay.
What I liked about it could be summed up as the Mayan aspects. The author names every chapter after a day in the Mayan calendar and she relates the events of that day to the characteristics which the Mayans attributed to the day. That was a clever way of telling the story.
Also, throughout the book, Hamilton gives brief dissertations on various parts of Mayan mythology, especially as it relates to the Hero Twins and their battles with the Lords of Death, rulers of Xibalba, the Mayan underworld. These explanations were to the point and clearly stated, something that can be difficult to accomplish with that very convoluted mythology. They added a lot to the story and made the fascination with the potential of discovering a previously unknown Codex, which is at the center of the plot, more understandable.
The plot itself was pretty interesting. A noted Mexican archeologist is on to what he believes will be a great discovery of a Mayan artifact. For some inexplicable reason (and this was a weakness in the plot), instead of turning to other archeologists for help, he calls his friend Lara McClintoch, an antiques dealer in Toronto, and asks her to come down to help him. McClintoch has just gone though a messy divorce and has had to sell her antiques store and divide the profits with her ex. Now, she is at loose ends and jumps at the chance to go to Mexico, to the little Yucatan town of Merida to aid her friend.
When she gets there, she receives a message from the archaeologist delaying their meeting. Soon the action heats up and dead bodies are appearing around town - the first one discovered by Lara, which in the eyes of the local police, makes her the prime suspect.
Into the mix comes a tall, dark, and handsome British-born archaeologist and his handsome and darker Mexican friend. Lara, of course, is almost immediately besotted with the Brit, which perhaps tells us everything we need to know about her judgment in men since the guy is obviously such a rotter!
Okay, here's a thought. Why do mystery writers with women as their main characters seem to always feel they have to throw in that "tall, dark, and handsome" guy as a romantic interest for the woman? Did Miss Marple ever have a love interest? I don't think so, and yet she managed to solve mysteries just fine. Unlike Lara McClintoch who doesn't really solve the mystery so much as having its solution thrust upon her.
Do you get the idea that i didn't much like Lara? Well, you would be correct in that deduction. She really came across as much too slow-witted to ever be a successful detective. I knew who the culprit(s) was(were) as soon as I met him/her and I found myself wanting to shake Ms. McClintoch as she made bad decisions at every turn. Moreover, Lara often trusts the wrong people and distrusts those she should trust. Not a good recommendation for a "detective."
Well, this was the first in the series and it wasn't uniformly awful, just kind of meh. One of the attractions of reading series is that they often get better after the initial offering, so I think I will probably read a couple more in the series to give it every chance to grow on me. Maybe Lara will wise up a bit by then.
The Xibalba Murders, the first book in the series, seemed especially promising since it is set in Mexico and involves a mystery about a Mayan artifact and archeological dig. I've been fascinated by Mayan history ever since my long ago college days when I did a research paper about that culture for my Cultural Anthropology class. And so, I settled down to read the book with some enthusiasm.
On the whole, I found the book to be mildly entertaining. There were things that I liked about it and things that i didn't like, but considered as a whole, it was okay.
What I liked about it could be summed up as the Mayan aspects. The author names every chapter after a day in the Mayan calendar and she relates the events of that day to the characteristics which the Mayans attributed to the day. That was a clever way of telling the story.
Also, throughout the book, Hamilton gives brief dissertations on various parts of Mayan mythology, especially as it relates to the Hero Twins and their battles with the Lords of Death, rulers of Xibalba, the Mayan underworld. These explanations were to the point and clearly stated, something that can be difficult to accomplish with that very convoluted mythology. They added a lot to the story and made the fascination with the potential of discovering a previously unknown Codex, which is at the center of the plot, more understandable.
The plot itself was pretty interesting. A noted Mexican archeologist is on to what he believes will be a great discovery of a Mayan artifact. For some inexplicable reason (and this was a weakness in the plot), instead of turning to other archeologists for help, he calls his friend Lara McClintoch, an antiques dealer in Toronto, and asks her to come down to help him. McClintoch has just gone though a messy divorce and has had to sell her antiques store and divide the profits with her ex. Now, she is at loose ends and jumps at the chance to go to Mexico, to the little Yucatan town of Merida to aid her friend.
When she gets there, she receives a message from the archaeologist delaying their meeting. Soon the action heats up and dead bodies are appearing around town - the first one discovered by Lara, which in the eyes of the local police, makes her the prime suspect.
Into the mix comes a tall, dark, and handsome British-born archaeologist and his handsome and darker Mexican friend. Lara, of course, is almost immediately besotted with the Brit, which perhaps tells us everything we need to know about her judgment in men since the guy is obviously such a rotter!
Okay, here's a thought. Why do mystery writers with women as their main characters seem to always feel they have to throw in that "tall, dark, and handsome" guy as a romantic interest for the woman? Did Miss Marple ever have a love interest? I don't think so, and yet she managed to solve mysteries just fine. Unlike Lara McClintoch who doesn't really solve the mystery so much as having its solution thrust upon her.
Do you get the idea that i didn't much like Lara? Well, you would be correct in that deduction. She really came across as much too slow-witted to ever be a successful detective. I knew who the culprit(s) was(were) as soon as I met him/her and I found myself wanting to shake Ms. McClintoch as she made bad decisions at every turn. Moreover, Lara often trusts the wrong people and distrusts those she should trust. Not a good recommendation for a "detective."
Well, this was the first in the series and it wasn't uniformly awful, just kind of meh. One of the attractions of reading series is that they often get better after the initial offering, so I think I will probably read a couple more in the series to give it every chance to grow on me. Maybe Lara will wise up a bit by then.
jenniferforjoy's review
challenging
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
This was way too slow, and the way it was weekend was strange. As if it were a directed text, like a testimony, which is what I fully expected it to resolve as. It didn't, so that just made the whole vibe weirder. Why was it written that way? It felt awkward.
The writing is very procedural, in a kind of bland "this happened, then this happened, then this happened" way. I never felt invested in the characters or story. Though it was essentially a murder mystery, I didn't care and ultimately was not very surprised by the ending. I absolutely would not have finished this if it weren't the last book needed for a lengthy yearlong reading challenge.
The writing is very procedural, in a kind of bland "this happened, then this happened, then this happened" way. I never felt invested in the characters or story. Though it was essentially a murder mystery, I didn't care and ultimately was not very surprised by the ending. I absolutely would not have finished this if it weren't the last book needed for a lengthy yearlong reading challenge.
lorihenrich2021's review against another edition
3.0
Lara receives a cryptic phone call from Dr. Hernan Castillo. Dr. Castillo is an expert in Mayan history. He requests Lara come visit to help him with something. So Lara heads to Merida, Mexico. When she arrives he doesn't show up for their meeting. Not unusual for the Dr. Castillo to disappear for a few days, but when no one hears from him, his friends become worried. What was he looking for? When the good doctor shows up dead, Lara is on the hunt for what he was searching for and for who killed him.
When I started reading this story I was skeptical as to whether I was going to like it. But I found myself engrossed in the story and waiting to turn every page. The characters were engaging and likeable. There was some history interspersed within the story, but it was done it a way that helped the story and didn't detract from it.
When I started reading this story I was skeptical as to whether I was going to like it. But I found myself engrossed in the story and waiting to turn every page. The characters were engaging and likeable. There was some history interspersed within the story, but it was done it a way that helped the story and didn't detract from it.