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Trip Wire: A Cook County Mystery
Of Jackson Park, the first Cook County mystery featuring an unconventional trio of sleuths, Margo Jefferson of The New York Times said, “Charlotte Carter blends street savvy with wry urbanity and delivers a truly modern big-city crime tale.” Now Carter returns with another suspenseful novel that brings the black experience to vivid life during one of the most turbulent times in American history.It is December 1968. In the wake of assassinations and the violence of the Democratic convention in Chicago, “Summer of Love” idealism has disintegrated into suspicion and disillusion. On the city’s North Side, twentyishCassandra Perry longs to be independent. She leaves the overprotective embrace of her granduncle and grandaunt, Woody ans Ivy Lisle, and moves into a multiracial commune dedicated to brotherhood and just causes. But Cassandra’s search for identity plunges her into the dark side of peace, love, and unlimited freedom–even before she discovers the brutally violated bodies of the commune’s most charismatic activist couple.As Cassandra investigates with the help of Woody and Ivy, she begins to see some friends–especially one of her dearest–in a disturbing, deadly light. But when the three amateur sleuths run afoul of a police cover-up with explosive political ramifications, they face a desperate enemy determined to bury the–along with the truth.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
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About the author
Charlotte Carter
9 books73 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Charlotte Carter is the author of an acclaimed mystery series featuring Nanette Hayes, a young black American jazz musician with a lust for life and a talent for crime solving. Coq au Vin, the second book in the series, has been optioned for the movies. Her short fiction has appeared in a number of American and British anthologies, including John Harvey's Blue Lightning. The first in a new series set in Chicago against the tumultuous backdrop of the 1960s will be published in late 2002 - early 2003. Charlotte Carter has lived in the American Midwest, North Africa and France. She currently resides in NYC with her husband.
Charlotte Carter is the author of an acclaimed mystery series featuring Nanette Hayes, a young black American jazz musician with a lust for life and a talent for crime solving. Coq au Vin, the second book in the series, has been optioned for the movies. Her short fiction has appeared in a number of American and British anthologies, including John Harvey's Blue Lightning. The first in a new series set in Chicago against the tumultuous backdrop of the 1960s will be published in late 2002 - early 2003. Charlotte Carter has lived in the American Midwest, North Africa and France. She currently resides in NYC with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 30, 2017
nothing exceptional in this book, easy reading book but a bit uneventful and flat
February 2, 2022
This book turns almost all the conventions of whodunnit plotting on their heads, which is a mixed blessing, but mostly a blessing. And it captures the feeling of 1960s Chicago and a communal hippie pad so accurately it makes you squirm.
December 22, 2025
Trama muy floja y que en su mayor parte se explica en el Epílogo.
En lo positivo, su brevedad (150 páginas epub) y la ambientación en una comunidad negra de Chicago el año de la muerte de M Luther King.
En lo positivo, su brevedad (150 páginas epub) y la ambientación en una comunidad negra de Chicago el año de la muerte de M Luther King.
July 12, 2020
This was not my usual type of book but loosely fell into the genre I enjoy. This book, set back in 1968, while a departure was very good. I will look for more by this author.
February 21, 2017
Chicago, 1969. Una muchacha negra desaparece y su abuelo pide ayuda para encontrarla. Por supuesto, no la pide a la policía porque tras los disturbios por la muerte de Martin Luther King no están por la labor de ayudar a los negros, sino a Woody, el tío abuelo de Cassandra. Nos adentramos en los barrios negros de Chicago donde todo es miseria y cutrez, y en los grupos de protesta de negros universitarios, desde donde se lucha contra el poder (blanco) establecido.
Cassandra tuvo una infancia de mierda, y sólo se libró de ser una adolescente problemática gracias a que su madre la abandonó y su abuela se murió cuando Cass empezaba a despuntar. Ivy y Woody la acogieron en su casa y le dieron una educación que no habría tenido en otras circunstancias. Ivy y Woody son negros, sí, pero de un estatus diferente al de los negros empobrecidos. Y es a Woody a quien el abuelo de la muchacha desaparecida pide ayuda. Y pronto se da cuenta de que esa desaparición es, cuanto menos, rara. Y peligrosa para sus vidas. Y se van metiendo los tres en una trama violenta en extremo que les hace arriesgar sus vidas.
Es un libro muy al estilo de las pelis de Humphrey Bogart. Te lo imaginas en blanco y negro, con esos cochazos de antes. Pero no me ha acabado de calar, la verdad. Aunque es corto y se lee bastante rápido, no ha sido una historia que me haya acabado de gustar.
Cassandra tuvo una infancia de mierda, y sólo se libró de ser una adolescente problemática gracias a que su madre la abandonó y su abuela se murió cuando Cass empezaba a despuntar. Ivy y Woody la acogieron en su casa y le dieron una educación que no habría tenido en otras circunstancias. Ivy y Woody son negros, sí, pero de un estatus diferente al de los negros empobrecidos. Y es a Woody a quien el abuelo de la muchacha desaparecida pide ayuda. Y pronto se da cuenta de que esa desaparición es, cuanto menos, rara. Y peligrosa para sus vidas. Y se van metiendo los tres en una trama violenta en extremo que les hace arriesgar sus vidas.
Es un libro muy al estilo de las pelis de Humphrey Bogart. Te lo imaginas en blanco y negro, con esos cochazos de antes. Pero no me ha acabado de calar, la verdad. Aunque es corto y se lee bastante rápido, no ha sido una historia que me haya acabado de gustar.
October 13, 2009
Continuing with the characters introduced in Jackson Park, Charlotte Carter returns to 1968 Chicago where an older Cassandra Perry is caught up in the "hippie" lifestyle popular during that era. She is a rebel having moved from the protective home of her aunt and uncle into a multi-cultural commune where vegetarian diets, free love, and an endless supply of drugs are the norm. She is playing "grown up" and her latest decision is to drop out of college - an act that would break her family's heart.
Things quickly change when the lead interracial couple of the commune is brutally murdered and the commune members become the prime suspects. Common for her generation, trust in the police is eroded by years of corruption, racism, and apathy, so she starts her own investigation into the death of her friends. With the help of her aunt and uncle, she discovers a complex plot involving drugs, Black Nationalists, and vengeful Viet Nam war protestors.
Carter has a gift for transporting the reader to another time and place via references to the music of period, the clothes, and use the slang terms and dialogue of her characters. This is a very quick, enjoyable, and easy read for mystery lovers.
Things quickly change when the lead interracial couple of the commune is brutally murdered and the commune members become the prime suspects. Common for her generation, trust in the police is eroded by years of corruption, racism, and apathy, so she starts her own investigation into the death of her friends. With the help of her aunt and uncle, she discovers a complex plot involving drugs, Black Nationalists, and vengeful Viet Nam war protestors.
Carter has a gift for transporting the reader to another time and place via references to the music of period, the clothes, and use the slang terms and dialogue of her characters. This is a very quick, enjoyable, and easy read for mystery lovers.
March 27, 2015
The setting for this mystery story is in 1968, Chicago. Cassandra Perry moves away from his uncle and aunt’s home to a commune, where she considers all the members her good friends, in the beginning. When two members of the commune are murdered, Cassandra takes it upon herself to find the killers, despite the fact that, however intelligent, she is gullible and inexperienced in life and with interpersonal relationships.
Despite her rebelliousness, Cassandra’s aunt and uncle help her along the way, making a deal with her for her to return home once the murders are solved. The details of the mystery and other relationship facts in the plot are up to the reader to find out.
The background of Chicago and the time of the story with its racial and political upheavals are skillfully shown, without them overcrowding the plot. Yet, the storytelling especially in the beginning was a little less than desirable. I also found the different and quirky secondary characters to be more interesting and relatable than the main character. The ending of the story, however, is a twist with complications and very well told.
Despite her rebelliousness, Cassandra’s aunt and uncle help her along the way, making a deal with her for her to return home once the murders are solved. The details of the mystery and other relationship facts in the plot are up to the reader to find out.
The background of Chicago and the time of the story with its racial and political upheavals are skillfully shown, without them overcrowding the plot. Yet, the storytelling especially in the beginning was a little less than desirable. I also found the different and quirky secondary characters to be more interesting and relatable than the main character. The ending of the story, however, is a twist with complications and very well told.
November 15, 2015
I found that adding the "Summer of Love" twist to a murder mystery to be an interesting thing to do. You never really think about hippies in the 1960's and 1970's being murdered and what their friends would do if it did happen. I did enjoy that story, but thought that it lacked the ability to form a connection with the reader to the main character.
I found Cass to be very annoying in her "I used to be a good girl and now I trying to fit in by being something I'm not and showing a lot of immature attitude to cover it up" tyrants. When she finally gets down to investigating the murders, I found I liked her more, but still was never able to get over the earlier attitude.
Still, this book has something to offer that most other mysteries do not . . . a laid back hippie perspective of a murder of close friends.
Overall, I enjoyed Trip Wire, and it is a good story, it just didn't "wow" me like I was hoping because I never really got into the main character.
I rated this book a 7 out of 10.
I found Cass to be very annoying in her "I used to be a good girl and now I trying to fit in by being something I'm not and showing a lot of immature attitude to cover it up" tyrants. When she finally gets down to investigating the murders, I found I liked her more, but still was never able to get over the earlier attitude.
Still, this book has something to offer that most other mysteries do not . . . a laid back hippie perspective of a murder of close friends.
Overall, I enjoyed Trip Wire, and it is a good story, it just didn't "wow" me like I was hoping because I never really got into the main character.
I rated this book a 7 out of 10.
July 5, 2016
[library audiobook]
The strength of this book is depiction of the counter culture of the late '60's. As with many of its type, the plot depends on the willful mistakes of the main character, Cassandra, but in this instance her motivation is counter culture and rings true. Her smoking dope and engaging in casual and risky sex were also strengths. African american characters are rare. The deductions come from a muddy backstory for her uncle Woody, and a conspiracy that emerges from near no where.
Might read others.
The strength of this book is depiction of the counter culture of the late '60's. As with many of its type, the plot depends on the willful mistakes of the main character, Cassandra, but in this instance her motivation is counter culture and rings true. Her smoking dope and engaging in casual and risky sex were also strengths. African american characters are rare. The deductions come from a muddy backstory for her uncle Woody, and a conspiracy that emerges from near no where.
Might read others.
June 28, 2009
listened...didn't finish. Didn't care for the venue, language, political leaning
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews