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Missing in Machu Picchu
High in the Andes Mountains on the legendary Inca Trail, four thirty-something professional women embark on an Ivy League hike to help them confront their online dating dependency, only to find themselves victims of a predator’s ruse, and soon in a fight for their very lives. The women are eager to leave relationships behind for a while, but their intent to cast off their search for a soul mate falls by the wayside when handsome, magnetic Rodrigo, their hike leader, proves too mesmerizing to resist. Friend is pitted against friend as the women vie for Rodrigo’s attentions. Rodrigo manipulates them into participating in a heinous ancient sacrifice that will guarantee the success of his megalomaniacal dreams. But unbeknownst to the hikers, they have been under the vigilant presence of Taki and Koyam, two elderly indigenous women who understand the danger the women are facing at the hands of Rodrigo.
- GenresMystery
344 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2013
3 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Cecilia Velástegui
10 books15 followersCecilia Velástegui was born high up in the Andes mountains in Quito, Ecuador, where she spent her childhood. Although she now lives at sea level in Monarch Beach, California, she still has two friendly alpacas, Tupac and Khipus. Cecilia was raised in California and France, and has traveled extensively in over 50 countries. Her favorite country is always the most recent country she visited.
She received her graduate degree from the University of Southern California, and speaks four languages. She was a marriage and family therapist, but now she is a devoted writer. Cecilia is on the board of directors of several cultural and educational institutions.
She received her graduate degree from the University of Southern California, and speaks four languages. She was a marriage and family therapist, but now she is a devoted writer. Cecilia is on the board of directors of several cultural and educational institutions.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 10, 2021
Well I think I mainly liked the book because I was at Machu Picchu when I read it. I was actually on the train going back to Cusco when I was reading the scenes on the train station and trains. I just recently walked on Plaza de las Armas in Cusco with all those old street vendors. So I was in the right place for it. Otherwise I am not too crazy about the book.
The premise was 5 women go to Machu Picchu to get rid of their obsession for online dating and fall for their guide who is not who he seems to be. I liked the idea but didn't really like how it went for the most part. It isn't a mystery novel but thriller is maybe also a bit too much. There isn't much real action until the end and then it mainly seems ridiculous.
I find it interesting that the author seems to see that women in the book didn't live their life their right way by having too many men and now are paying for it. While I am one of those woman who enjoyed life too much and am the same age as the characters who are constantly called old in the book I actually liked it. A different perspective in our times is a good thing.
I guess I am not very much in all those mystical powers so the old vendor women who can predict things, bless people etc. weren't my thing. I also didn't like all those paragraphs telling the reader about history and habit of Incas. Not that I don't want to know it but it felt kind of forced into a fiction book.
The premise was 5 women go to Machu Picchu to get rid of their obsession for online dating and fall for their guide who is not who he seems to be. I liked the idea but didn't really like how it went for the most part. It isn't a mystery novel but thriller is maybe also a bit too much. There isn't much real action until the end and then it mainly seems ridiculous.
I find it interesting that the author seems to see that women in the book didn't live their life their right way by having too many men and now are paying for it. While I am one of those woman who enjoyed life too much and am the same age as the characters who are constantly called old in the book I actually liked it. A different perspective in our times is a good thing.
I guess I am not very much in all those mystical powers so the old vendor women who can predict things, bless people etc. weren't my thing. I also didn't like all those paragraphs telling the reader about history and habit of Incas. Not that I don't want to know it but it felt kind of forced into a fiction book.
April 25, 2017
I’ve read all of Cecilia Velastegui’s novels and I’ve learned so much from all of them. She is from South America and she’s lived in many countries. In this novel, I really appreciated her knowledge of the ancient Inca’s and the believes and traditions that their descendants still honor. I thought that the four, Ivy League graduates, who are the main characters, were very complex characters, but I loved the two elderly, indigenous, women who recognized the evil that the American hikers were facing, and they set out to rescue them using totally unique ways to defeat evil. I recommend this novel to people who love to read accurate descriptions of other cultures and how we Americans interact with these cultures when we travel abroad.
April 24, 2017
In this very atmospheric, visual, historical novel, Velástegui tells us a cautionary tale about the perils of on line dating, but she sets this very contemporary situation on the Inca Trail in ancient Machu Picchu. The author blends the supernatural, the history of Peru, folktales, and the spine-chilling story of four women on a perilous hike with a madman. Our book club chose this book because of the setting since a few members were going on a hike in Peru. Once they returned, the other club members couldn’t stop talking about how accurate the author’s depiction of Cusco, the Inca Trail, and the indigenous Peruvians.
April 24, 2017
This is a very interesting book and semi-historical account, where the author cleverly uses creative license and a great deal of personal research to create an intriguing story which will captivate most readers. This novel is set in 2010, during a torrential rain in Machu Picchu, Peru. Four intelligent women go on a hike of the Inca Trail during the storm and face unbelievable dangers from the elements and from their megalomaniac, but very sensual, hike leader. The unusual characters, the original plot and the subplots are beautifully interwoven to form, perhaps, one of the best new novels of I’ve read in years.
April 24, 2017
There are many aspects of this book I really liked. I greatly enjoyed the language describing Machu Picchu. It was descriptive and made the setting come alive. I look forward to my my upcoming visit to Peru. The elderly characters, Taki and Koyam, are complex, interesting, and I learned a lot from their wisdom. I strongly recommend this book to readers who want to learn about other cultures but also like a current setting.
May 4, 2013
"Missing in Machu Picchu" by Cecilia Velastegui is a wonderful thriller, travel adventure story with just the tiniest elements of a chick lit with a mythical twist.
In the book a group of American women go on a hike to the ancient city for a ritualistic goodbye to their online dating past. Enigmatic but dangerous tour guide Rodriguez is leading them on the hike to the city, causing trouble between the women from the word go.
An Inca seer and her friend who know about Rodriguez's evil past are on their heels, as is a French woman who was wronged by him, too.
While some of the initial dialogue between the four women is reminiscent of romance novels this is only a set up for later developments. The skilfully composed blend of genres has much more to offer, particularly the contrast between the American women, gringas, and the two Inca women trying to protect and help them gives a lot of food for thought. The book feels philosophical at times as it is informative about the Inca mythology, culture and beliefs.
I was attracted to the book because of my own romantic notions about the city and was surprised to learn quite a bit new about the history of the city, the Spanish occupation and the controversy around the actual 'discovery' of the city in the 1910s.
The descriptions of the countryside and of the trail are wonderful and the adventure and thriller part of the plot move everything along fast and nicely. As the story unfolds the characters are developing in different ways and with varying degrees of depth, which makes this a very rewarding read.
In the book a group of American women go on a hike to the ancient city for a ritualistic goodbye to their online dating past. Enigmatic but dangerous tour guide Rodriguez is leading them on the hike to the city, causing trouble between the women from the word go.
An Inca seer and her friend who know about Rodriguez's evil past are on their heels, as is a French woman who was wronged by him, too.
While some of the initial dialogue between the four women is reminiscent of romance novels this is only a set up for later developments. The skilfully composed blend of genres has much more to offer, particularly the contrast between the American women, gringas, and the two Inca women trying to protect and help them gives a lot of food for thought. The book feels philosophical at times as it is informative about the Inca mythology, culture and beliefs.
I was attracted to the book because of my own romantic notions about the city and was surprised to learn quite a bit new about the history of the city, the Spanish occupation and the controversy around the actual 'discovery' of the city in the 1910s.
The descriptions of the countryside and of the trail are wonderful and the adventure and thriller part of the plot move everything along fast and nicely. As the story unfolds the characters are developing in different ways and with varying degrees of depth, which makes this a very rewarding read.
August 12, 2023
I enjoyed the history and the setting of this novel but I despised all of the characters. There was not one character I connected with. The Rodrigo character was just so over the top. Women are not that stupid that one man could have hundreds of women just fall for him. I just did not go for this story and it just felt very forced.
August 22, 2013
When I was approached by the publishers about reviewing this book, I was surprised to discover that I had overlooked it on Netgalley. But having looked at the cover I could see why: it didn't look like a magic realism book and the plot summary didn't make it seem like it was magic realism either. It looked like a chick-lit book, which is not my personal choice of reading matter. But having read Missing in Machu Picchu I can now say that a) it is magic realist fiction and b) it is not chick-lit, or at least not just chick-lit. It is in fact very hard to place this book neatly in any genre. I see that is listed under mystery/thriller in Netgalley, and the group of women travellers at the centre of the book are certainly in great danger from the psychopathic Rodrigo, but there is more to this book that that.
As for the magic realism this rests with my two favourite characters, Taki and Koyam, old indigenous women who uphold the old traditions in the face of the modern ideas of their children. Cecilia Velastegui was born high in the Andes Mountains and has a personal understanding of the ancient beliefs in the spirits of the ancestors which dictate the old women's actions. Even after she moved to California as a child she feared the wrath of the soul of great-great-great grandmother if she failed in her exams.
One of the fascinating aspects of the book is the clash between the commercial exploitation of the Inca customs, artifacts and remains and the beliefs of the descendants of the Incas and that exploitation continues to this day as Koyam notes These foreigners are tricky. You invite them to your house and pretty soon you're the one sleeping outside. And as the writer makes clear, this exploitation goes back to the "discovery" of Machu Picchu by American Hiram Bingham. Exploitation of the indigenous people sits in the background to the book. Rodrigo is involved in the human trafficking and the writer donates a proportion of the income from the book to tackling this terrible crime.
As you will have gathered by now, I soon got past my initial worries about the story of four online dating addicts going on a trek to find true love and my lack of empathy for them and found much more to enjoy in this book. I had some problems with the dialogue, which at times jarred and nowhere more so than when the author was using it to inform us about the local traditions: "You know" Taki explained "in the olden days, in Camay, what is now our month of January, the boys..." But these were minor and I soon found myself swept along by the story.
Overall this is a good example of magic realism being used in popular fiction. I admire the way the author has integrated it into a book which will appeal to many readers who are unfamiliar with the genre. I admire also her ability and willingness to tackle important issues in a way that is accessible and enjoyable. Missing in Machu Picchu has already won The International Latino Book Award and is featured in the Huffington Post's recommended summer reads. Let's hope that it is to be found in many a beach bag over the next few months.
I was given this copy by the publisher in return for a fair review.
As for the magic realism this rests with my two favourite characters, Taki and Koyam, old indigenous women who uphold the old traditions in the face of the modern ideas of their children. Cecilia Velastegui was born high in the Andes Mountains and has a personal understanding of the ancient beliefs in the spirits of the ancestors which dictate the old women's actions. Even after she moved to California as a child she feared the wrath of the soul of great-great-great grandmother if she failed in her exams.
One of the fascinating aspects of the book is the clash between the commercial exploitation of the Inca customs, artifacts and remains and the beliefs of the descendants of the Incas and that exploitation continues to this day as Koyam notes These foreigners are tricky. You invite them to your house and pretty soon you're the one sleeping outside. And as the writer makes clear, this exploitation goes back to the "discovery" of Machu Picchu by American Hiram Bingham. Exploitation of the indigenous people sits in the background to the book. Rodrigo is involved in the human trafficking and the writer donates a proportion of the income from the book to tackling this terrible crime.
As you will have gathered by now, I soon got past my initial worries about the story of four online dating addicts going on a trek to find true love and my lack of empathy for them and found much more to enjoy in this book. I had some problems with the dialogue, which at times jarred and nowhere more so than when the author was using it to inform us about the local traditions: "You know" Taki explained "in the olden days, in Camay, what is now our month of January, the boys..." But these were minor and I soon found myself swept along by the story.
Overall this is a good example of magic realism being used in popular fiction. I admire the way the author has integrated it into a book which will appeal to many readers who are unfamiliar with the genre. I admire also her ability and willingness to tackle important issues in a way that is accessible and enjoyable. Missing in Machu Picchu has already won The International Latino Book Award and is featured in the Huffington Post's recommended summer reads. Let's hope that it is to be found in many a beach bag over the next few months.
I was given this copy by the publisher in return for a fair review.
May 17, 2017
I absolutely LOVED the heroin/sleuths in this story. This story mixes modern Machu Picchu with the old ways of their Gods. Some tourists are lured via the Internet to go on a hiking tour of Machu Picchu & end up victims of a sinister guide! I can't say too much because this story has.some unlikely twists. This was supposed to be a life changing tour! Ha! You can say that again!
June 30, 2013
2.5 Stars
'Missing In Machu Picchu' is a contemporary fiction novel that follows four friends who get together to hike the Andes Mountains and to catch up with each other's lives. Along the way, they realize they have been misled and must now find a way to survive. Enter in the gorgeous hike guide named Rodrigo, and the friends find themselves vying for his attention while turning on each other in the process. Only Rodrigo isn't who he seems and the four women will find out just what they are made of if they are going to make it back alive.
This novel had an interesting premise and the plot sounded promising, but the writing and the lack of character development made it come up short for me. The writing itself was done well enough, but the dialogue felt forced and unnatural and the descriptions seemed to be overdone. The characters were all stereotypical and not developed at all - they didn't really have any personalities and I wasn't able to identify on a deeper level with any of them. Things did get a big cheesy when they all fight over their typical "hot and mysterious bad-boy" tour guide. After that, the book completely lost it's grip on me and I didn't have much interest left. The ending wasn't bad, but what happened in the middle of the book could have been done in a more accessible way for the reader to invest in both the plot and in the characters. The writing was pretty good and flowed well most of the time, but there were parts that felt false and choppy.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
'Missing In Machu Picchu' is a contemporary fiction novel that follows four friends who get together to hike the Andes Mountains and to catch up with each other's lives. Along the way, they realize they have been misled and must now find a way to survive. Enter in the gorgeous hike guide named Rodrigo, and the friends find themselves vying for his attention while turning on each other in the process. Only Rodrigo isn't who he seems and the four women will find out just what they are made of if they are going to make it back alive.
This novel had an interesting premise and the plot sounded promising, but the writing and the lack of character development made it come up short for me. The writing itself was done well enough, but the dialogue felt forced and unnatural and the descriptions seemed to be overdone. The characters were all stereotypical and not developed at all - they didn't really have any personalities and I wasn't able to identify on a deeper level with any of them. Things did get a big cheesy when they all fight over their typical "hot and mysterious bad-boy" tour guide. After that, the book completely lost it's grip on me and I didn't have much interest left. The ending wasn't bad, but what happened in the middle of the book could have been done in a more accessible way for the reader to invest in both the plot and in the characters. The writing was pretty good and flowed well most of the time, but there were parts that felt false and choppy.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2015
a total waste of time.
October 29, 2017
Great book for anyone who plans to visit Machu Picchu or is just interested in adventure and discovery.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews