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Nikki Garcia #4
Missing in Miami
Medical tourism can be a shady business…
A woman is dead, a teenager is missing, and the partners of a vacation stem cell travel agency in Miami are suspects. Nikki Garcia, a female sleuth with experience in kidnappings, is called in to solve the case.
Following a trail of evidence on the young girl, Nikki assumes an undercover identity and flies to Havana only to find a world of deceit, betrayal, and espionage at a stem cell clinic.
Nikki’s colleagues in Miami fear the worst when communication with her becomes impossible.
Missing in Miami is a gripping story that has the ring of authenticity to it. Kathryn Lane knows what she's writing about. I loved the Cuban scenes. If Nikki Garcia ever decides to leave the detective profession, she has a future in the spy business. I'd hire her in a heartbeat.
─James M. Olson, former CIA Chief of Counterintelligence, and the author of To Catch a Spy: The Art of Counterintelligence.
A woman is dead, a teenager is missing, and the partners of a vacation stem cell travel agency in Miami are suspects. Nikki Garcia, a female sleuth with experience in kidnappings, is called in to solve the case.
Following a trail of evidence on the young girl, Nikki assumes an undercover identity and flies to Havana only to find a world of deceit, betrayal, and espionage at a stem cell clinic.
Nikki’s colleagues in Miami fear the worst when communication with her becomes impossible.
Missing in Miami is a gripping story that has the ring of authenticity to it. Kathryn Lane knows what she's writing about. I loved the Cuban scenes. If Nikki Garcia ever decides to leave the detective profession, she has a future in the spy business. I'd hire her in a heartbeat.
─James M. Olson, former CIA Chief of Counterintelligence, and the author of To Catch a Spy: The Art of Counterintelligence.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 23, 2022
130 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Lane
11 books340 followersKathryn Lane writes mystery and suspense novels usually set in foreign countries. In her award-winning Nikki Garcia Mystery Series, her protagonist is a private investigator based in Miami who travels extensively to investigate crime cases. Her latest novel, Murder in Monte Carlo, is set in Italy and Monaco.
Her stand-alone novel, Stolen Diary, is an award-winning coming-of-age novel about Jasmin, a socially awkward math genius.
Kathryn’s short story collection, Backyard Volcano and Other Mysteries of the Heart, is also an award-winner. It relates stories set in Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico.
Kathryn and her husband, Bob Hurt, reside in Texas. They often travel for Kathryn to gather information and to do research for her novels.
Her stand-alone novel, Stolen Diary, is an award-winning coming-of-age novel about Jasmin, a socially awkward math genius.
Kathryn’s short story collection, Backyard Volcano and Other Mysteries of the Heart, is also an award-winner. It relates stories set in Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico.
Kathryn and her husband, Bob Hurt, reside in Texas. They often travel for Kathryn to gather information and to do research for her novels.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 22, 2022
Armchair travelers will love Nikki Garcia’ latest adventure. Her settings take readers from Miami’s posh high rises and gated communities to Havana’s beaches and cafes, where everyone spies on everyone else. In addition to creating a strong sense of place through her details, author Kathryn Lane is a master of suspense. As the protagonist and her husband Eduardo track a colorful cadre of suspects, their imprisonments and escape from Cuba are guaranteed to keep readers engaged. With close to three dozen characters in Missing in Miami, the character list at the beginning of the book is helpful as is the Spanish glossary. A champagne toast to Nikki and the author!
October 28, 2022
“Missing in Miami” is a high-stakes contemporary novel in the mystery genre penned by author Kathryn Lane. When a girl goes missing in Miami, Floyd, Nikki’s boss, assigns her the case owing to her competence and sharp-wittedness. When Nikki begins her investigation, she finds it strange that the missing girl’s father, Yoani, has been reluctant to file a report of his missing child on claims that he and his family are undocumented foreigners.
As she continues digging for answers, Nikki finds out that Andrea, the missing girl, has been suffering from a potentially fatal condition and its connection to Yoani’s business. The enigma escalates when Nikki comes across a mutilated body and the wife of Yoani’s business associate, Urbano, goes missing as well. She is eventually forced to turn to her husband, Eduardo, for help in solving the mystery.
“Missing in Miami” is fascinating. The book trills with authenticity, allowing for the crystalline cadences of her prose free rein. Lane’s brush strokes render the proceedings fiendishly clever and graceful. The whole narrative is elevated by its beautifully molded characters. A well-written mystery can uncover the inner sleuth in you. This whodunit does just that as it beats to its unique rhythm.
Nikki, the main protagonist, is volatile, resolute, and valiant with her flaws as well, and readers will enjoy careening through the pages, rooting for her along the way. The writer deftly handles complex themes such as the immigrant issue while offering escapist entertainment in equal measure. Lane is every bit as adroit in establishing suspense, highly strung twists, and turns, and holds readers’ attention till the very last pages.
Reading this five-star book reveals that the author is an astute social observer. She makes the ordinary seem baleful and her ability to provide various suspects keeps one guessing and expectant to find out who was behind the murders. Further, the scenes are keenly observed, with a strong sense of belonging and ceaselessly thrilling. Truly, “Missing in Miami” by Kathryn Lane is one of those books whose plot is bound to stay with you long after the reading is done, and is a character-driven story not to be missed.
As she continues digging for answers, Nikki finds out that Andrea, the missing girl, has been suffering from a potentially fatal condition and its connection to Yoani’s business. The enigma escalates when Nikki comes across a mutilated body and the wife of Yoani’s business associate, Urbano, goes missing as well. She is eventually forced to turn to her husband, Eduardo, for help in solving the mystery.
“Missing in Miami” is fascinating. The book trills with authenticity, allowing for the crystalline cadences of her prose free rein. Lane’s brush strokes render the proceedings fiendishly clever and graceful. The whole narrative is elevated by its beautifully molded characters. A well-written mystery can uncover the inner sleuth in you. This whodunit does just that as it beats to its unique rhythm.
Nikki, the main protagonist, is volatile, resolute, and valiant with her flaws as well, and readers will enjoy careening through the pages, rooting for her along the way. The writer deftly handles complex themes such as the immigrant issue while offering escapist entertainment in equal measure. Lane is every bit as adroit in establishing suspense, highly strung twists, and turns, and holds readers’ attention till the very last pages.
Reading this five-star book reveals that the author is an astute social observer. She makes the ordinary seem baleful and her ability to provide various suspects keeps one guessing and expectant to find out who was behind the murders. Further, the scenes are keenly observed, with a strong sense of belonging and ceaselessly thrilling. Truly, “Missing in Miami” by Kathryn Lane is one of those books whose plot is bound to stay with you long after the reading is done, and is a character-driven story not to be missed.
February 23, 2022
A good thriller doesn’t just—thrill—it peels back the layers of society to show relationships between the world of the characters and the world of the reader, and this is just what Kathryn Lane has done with her newest Nikki Garcia novel, Missing in Miami.
Detective Nikki Garcia is hired to find a missing teenaged girl—a girl whose parents seem oddly ambivalent about her absence. Garcia nonetheless follows the trail of the missing girl through the neon-lit streets of Miami and then across the Florida Straits to Havana and beyond. Kathryn Lane keeps the plot moving with sharp dialogue, tight exposition, well-paced action, and interesting compelling characters.
Readers who enjoy books by Megan Abbot, Tana French, or Sara Gran will feel right at home in these pages—and, yes, feel thrilled. A successful, suspenseful, enjoyable page-turner.
Detective Nikki Garcia is hired to find a missing teenaged girl—a girl whose parents seem oddly ambivalent about her absence. Garcia nonetheless follows the trail of the missing girl through the neon-lit streets of Miami and then across the Florida Straits to Havana and beyond. Kathryn Lane keeps the plot moving with sharp dialogue, tight exposition, well-paced action, and interesting compelling characters.
Readers who enjoy books by Megan Abbot, Tana French, or Sara Gran will feel right at home in these pages—and, yes, feel thrilled. A successful, suspenseful, enjoyable page-turner.
January 31, 2022
I have been following Kathryn’s character Nikki starting with her adventures in Colombia to Mexico, Spain and now Cuba and find it so difficult to stop reading. In addition to the actual investigation work, one gets an incredible amount of information about cultures, medical research, technology, government agencies in the United States as well as Cuba not to mention a sight seeing tour!
August 11, 2022
I enjoyed reading this latest mystery in the Nikki Garcia detective series. Nikki is a private investigator in Miami, and she's been assigned to search for Andrea, a missing teenager. Right away, Nikki notices that the girl's parents are behaving oddly and withholding critical information. Early in her investigation, Nikki finds the dead body of a woman wearing one of Andrea's blouses; although the body turns out not to be Andrea, it belongs to a family acquaintance, and there's no love lost between the victim and Andrea's mother.
Andrea has some medical issues that have been treated with stem-cell therapy in Cuba. Her father is part-owner of a travel agency that arranges medical trips to Cuba and other destinations where patients can obtain treatments not available in the United States. Nikki suspects Andrea may have been taken to Cuba again.
Nikki and her hunky doctor husband, Eduardo, assume fake identities and travel to Cuba, where there is a medical conference going on. Eduardo runs into Dr. Urbano Barriga, Andrea's godfather and her father's business partner. Eduardo shares too much information and, as a result, he and Nikki are followed and arrested.
This was a nail-biting page-turner, with a great sense of place. Highly recommended.
Andrea has some medical issues that have been treated with stem-cell therapy in Cuba. Her father is part-owner of a travel agency that arranges medical trips to Cuba and other destinations where patients can obtain treatments not available in the United States. Nikki suspects Andrea may have been taken to Cuba again.
Nikki and her hunky doctor husband, Eduardo, assume fake identities and travel to Cuba, where there is a medical conference going on. Eduardo runs into Dr. Urbano Barriga, Andrea's godfather and her father's business partner. Eduardo shares too much information and, as a result, he and Nikki are followed and arrested.
This was a nail-biting page-turner, with a great sense of place. Highly recommended.
March 23, 2022
Absolutely a great book. I started it and couldn't put it down. Intrigue at its best. The descriptions of Cuba made me feel as if I was there. I could smell the car fumes and the Cuban foods. This is by far the best of this series. Can't wait for the next one. Every time you got lulled into everything is going to be OK, something else would come about. Loved this book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2023
A solid cop drama. The heroine is a PI who had police connections. She’s been employed to find a missing teenage girl. Her search leads her to murder and eventually to Cuba. I found the description of being in Cuba particularly interesting. It’s true to life in that the violence is minimal and everybody they talk to lies.
Not sure I’ll follow up with the next in the series
Not sure I’ll follow up with the next in the series
August 23, 2022
What starts out as a missing teenage girl case turns into something entirely different. It doesn't help that the parents are not giving Nikki truthful answers. Nikki has her work cut out for her with this case.
September 16, 2023
4th book in this fun mystery series finds Nikki Garcia and her husband trying to find a missing teenager in Miami. When their search finds a dead woman, they fear for the teen’s safety and end up in Cuba. It’s an exciting read and I was sorry to see no other books in this series…yet!
October 5, 2024
Loved
Nikkie is awesome to read about! Love Eduardo too. Floyd and Charlotte are good too. Very easy read and loved the info about Cuba! Can't believe Cuba is still Communists!!! An easy page turner!
Nikkie is awesome to read about! Love Eduardo too. Floyd and Charlotte are good too. Very easy read and loved the info about Cuba! Can't believe Cuba is still Communists!!! An easy page turner!
August 6, 2022
A bit challenging keeping track of
the characters but a good mystery.
the characters but a good mystery.
January 17, 2023
twisty and full of surprises, most of them bad!
April 17, 2023
Who killed Raquel and why??? Stealing research??? I enjoyed this story and recommended the book.
October 29, 2024
Kept my attention to the end.
January 22, 2026
Nikki Garcia is my new go to murder mystery writer.
I enjoyed the novella that I got for reviewing the book and look forward to reading more from Kathryn Lane.
Well done character building.....hope the next reader enjoys the book as much as I did.
I enjoyed the novella that I got for reviewing the book and look forward to reading more from Kathryn Lane.
Well done character building.....hope the next reader enjoys the book as much as I did.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews