"Revere Falk is an FBI agent assigned to interrogate prisoners at the American military prison in Guantnamo Bay, Cuba. His style of interrogation, while far gentler than that of the CIA, has been getting results. In particular, a young Yemeni, Adnan al-Hamdi has begun giving him important information. The CIA agents also distrust Falk because he speaks fluent Arabic.
Falk is carrying a secret that could put him on the wrong side of the interrogator's table. Years ago, when he was stationed in Guantnamo as a Marine, he took a trip to Havana. Helping him with a phony British passport and travel arrangements was a man named Paco. Paco, it turned out, was a Cuban intelligence agent. Now that Falk has returned to Guantnamo as an interrogator, Paco is blackmailing him. Javier Perez, a.k.a. Harry, is a handyman at Guantnamo and Paco's courier.
Falk is especially worried because a group of high-level military and security officers are inspection Guantnamo. Several interrogators have been placed under house arrest, including Falk's girlfriend, Pam.
To add to Falk's worries, he has been put in charge of an investigation into a drowning. While it appears accidental, the body of a soldier, Sgt. Earl Ludwig, has washed up in Cuban waters. The tides and currents should have pulled the body in the opposite direction, deeper into American territory.
Gradually, Falk becomes convinced that the soldier was murdered. One of three teenagers imprisoned at Guantanamo saw a boat passing by at about the right time. As he pursues in investigation, he discovers that before his death Ludwig was the officer on duty when several unauthorized people interrogated Yemeni prisoners. As he tracks down the people, who have not signed for the prisoners as required, he realizes that he is heading into a hornet's nest.
Then Falk is placed under house arrest. One of the officers involved in the mysterious investigation of interrogators warns him that they are aware that he has no relatives in the states who would miss him. In other words, he could just disappear into the prison and no one would notice.
Falk has one last favor to ask of Paco. If it works, Falk may yet escape. He slips past the guards and confronts the murderer, who has a gun and threatens to shoot Falk.
Falk must now find a way to get past the murder, the mysterious officers who are plotting to use Guantanamo for their own ends and even his former friend and fellow ex-marine Bo Bokamper. And he can only pull it off with the help of Paco, the Cuban intelligence agent.
"
David Gordon, Resident Scholar
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Review Analysis of The Prisoner of Guantanamo
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book descript. of violence and chases - 30% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20% How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 30%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 20%
Murder of certain profession?
- soldiers
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- terrorism/spies
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- government investigator
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
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- politician/elected ruler
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- power
The antagonists are:
- government bureaucracy
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
The Americas (not US):
Yes
The Americas:
- The Caribbean
Island?
Yes
Island:
- Caribbean Island
Misc setting
- prison
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
Amount of dialog
- significantly more descript than dialog
