More Haiti

I've shared in a previous book review that I like to have a mystery tucked away in a bottom drawer for those days when both the weather and my mental outlook are a bit dreary. Last week right after I finished "Mountains Beyond Mountains" I had one of those days, so I pulled out this Cara Black mystery, "Murder in the Latin Quarter." Right on the heels of Tracy Kidder's story about Dr. Paul Farmer's work in Haiti, I found myself deep into a murder mystery centered around Haiti, Haitian illegals in Paris, and clean water for Haiti research. Seems as if I can't get enough Haiti in my life lately! While I wouldn't recommend a fictional story for factual information about Haiti, I would say that good mystery writers research the details for their mysteries and those details can pique your interest to learn more. Yes, this mystery is a good, fast-paced story. It's also enriched with wonderful details about the Latin Quarter of Paris. And Cara Black's references to tonton macoutes, Baby Doc Devalier, voudou, and the Haitian pig scandal may just lead you to Mr. Google and a better understanding of Haiti today.