Disillusioned

The book exposes the lives of the characters that first appeared in Unidentified Person in Italy and continues in Disillusioned. This story provides an insight into how people whose lives have been in turmoil still have opportunities to make decisions that will alter and impact them forever. Beppe, now incarcerated in Florence, Italy and awaiting trial, attempts to explain the motivation and life’s setbacks that drove him to be a suspected serial killer. He writes a journal to the young woman he fell in love with, and kidnapped, in hopes of defending himself and proving his innocence. He believes she is the only one he can trust and if he can tell her his reasons for taking her that night and can he convince her to return to Italy to help him? How is it possible that his kidnapped victim holds his life in her hands?

“Barbara Loos has unraveled the story of Leslie Lotton and the mysterious Italian characters we met in "Unidentified Person in Italy " in her sequel, "Disillusioned." In this heady sequel we find out about the lives of the people she encountered in Italy as she attended the Italian language school. We find out about the life of the man who kidnapped Leslie and went to prison for murdering several women. Leslie finds that the Italian culture can run deep and wide with secret and dangerous people tied to drugs, prostitution and death. All the characters have their own stories that Ms. Loos's readers will be hungry to read about. Along the way, readers will understand why Leslie was kidnapped and how the so called serial killer is exonerated.” Vickie Stockman

“Barbara spins an intriguing story about two people whose lives come together again after their first anonymous encounter in Barbara's earlier book, "Unidentified in Italy." They are destined to meet again under very unusual circumstances. Leslie Lotton is one of the characters and Nico "Beppe" Parello is the other. The earlier book involving these characters tells of Leslie's kidnapping while visiting and studying in Florence, Italy. She escapes without ever knowing the kidnapper. This story starts with Beppe being in prison accused of being a serial killer and writing a journal about his life, his wife, his daughter and their respective family entanglements some of whom are prominent and others who may have mafioso roots and criminal activities. The story gets very captivating when several years after her kidnapping, Leslie returns to Florence to assist the police in pursuing a lead about criminal who may have some connection to her past while in Florence. Initially, Leslie doesn't grasp why the police need her help, but when she views a police lineup, the fear and anxiety of the kidnapping reawakens. She is allowed to talk to one of the suspects alone. The tenseness and fear is vividly portrayed and holds the reader's attention. Your attention will be held intensely as mine was right up to the surprising ending. Hugh

“Disillusioned did not disappoint!! From the first chapter it had my attention and I found myself not wanting to put it down. Barbara Loos did a great job with the characters and making them "alive" for the reader. I won't spoil the ending for you - but it did leave me wanting to read a third book about Leslie Lotton and what she is up to now!” Suzy Bushman