Hidden In Havana

by: Jose Latour

Published by: St.Martin's Minotaur

Reviewed by Caryn St. Clair

While Cuba is not off limits to most of the world, it is to Americans. So when I could review a book set in Havana, I jumped at the chance. Cuba, and Havana in particular, has always fascinated me. Hidden in Havana, did not disappoint.

Years ago, before the revolution, a cache of diamonds was hidden in an apartment wall in Havana. Now, the person who hid the diamonds wants them back. Unable to go himself, he sends a fellow Viet Nam veteran to retrieve the treasure. Posing as Canadian tourists, Sean and Marina have to figure out if the diamonds are still where they were left, and if so, how to get them. No easy task given that Elena Miranda and her brother, Pablo, are living in the apartment where the diamonds were hidden. And, Sean and Marina are not the only ones looking for the diamonds.

Things are further complicated when Pablo is found murdered. Then we meet Capt. Felix Trujillo, who is assigned the murder investigation. While the book’s basic premise is a straightforward treasure hunt, many complicating factors are woven throughout. Why was Pablo murdered? Who sent Sean and Marina to Cuba? Why were the diamonds left behind in the first place?

Several aspects surprised me. Because Cuba has been under the rule of a Communist dictatorship, I had many wrong preconceived ideas about life in Cuba. I assumed that people would be very suspicious of outsiders. Therefore, I was surprised with how easily Sean and Marina were able to gain access to the apartment and befriend Pablo and Elena. I assumed that their technology would be years behind the United States, so I found it interesting how up to date the investigative methods used were.

Latour, a Cuban expatriate, has done a wonderful job of bringing Cuba to the rest of the world through his work. While reading Hidden in Havana, I was right there with Sean and Marina. I could see the giant ficus trees, smell the food and generally bask in the atmosphere. The mystery was a good, but the trip to the forbidden Cuba was great.

Armchair Interviews says: Revel in this excellent story as you travel to Havana.