St. Martin's, Jan 2004, 24.95, 336 pp.
ISBN: 0312307489
In 1958 American expatriate Pete Deacon hides in Cuba from powerful mobsters and business moguls though he sees no difference between the two groups wanting to harm him. Pete loves to play the trumpet and misses his beloved Anita, lost as a byproduct of the IVORY COAST fiasco. His foes want a piece of his butt and own Anita but Pete knows there is nothing he can do except hide his body in Cuba and his mind with alcohol.
To further disguise himself, Pete, who has been in Havana for three years, uses the name Sloan and plays a substitute at best trumpet, a coronet, as part of a jazz band at the Tropicana. However, as is the luck of Pete by any name, Anita escorted by tycoon Nick Calloway enters the Tropicana. Surprisingly, Nick cherishes Anita perhaps as much as Pete treasures her. When the rebels abduct Anita, a weird assortment of allies try to rescue her. However the hills are alive with the sound of treachery, hidden agendas, and double dealing led by American Fed Cardoso as an assassination plot to keep Batista in power unfolds.
This is an exciting historical thriller that brings to life Cuba just prior to the Castro revolution.
Harriet Klausner
"
Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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Review Analysis of After Havana
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book descript. of violence and chases - 10% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30% How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller
Yes
Crime plotlets:
- escape/rescue from kidnappers
General Crime (including known murderer)
Yes
Who's the criminal enemy here?
- breaking up mobsters
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- musician
Age:
- 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
The Americas (not US):
Yes
The Americas:
- The Caribbean
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 0 (not a murder mystery)
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
