If it's suspense you want, you've come to the right place. Count on Nelson DeMille. He won't leave a reader wanting when it comes to ratcheting up the pace, placing his heroes in harm's way, and letting them bulldog their way out. If you've ever read any in the John Corey/Kate Mayfield series, "Wild Fire," "Nightfall," or "The Panther," you'll also know that DeMille has a devilishly snarky sense of humor that isn't remotely PC.
This new novel, "The Cuban Affair," may signal the beginning of a new series featuring Afghanistan War veteran Daniel "Mac" MacCormack, a guy still questioning his five years and two terms of service, a little unsure where life is taking him, but currently chilling out in that chilliest of places, Key West. He and the bank own a good size fishing boat, and he's got a second mate, Vietnam veteran Jack, who he'd trust with his life. When they aren't squiring tourists out to the best fishing holes, they hole up at a comfy dive bar, drink and tell war stories.
Some might call it the good life. So why on earth would Mac fall for the fast- talking "offer too good to be true" that comes from the unlikely Cuban-American attorney Carlos? A woman, of course! Sara is gorgeous, mysterious, and low-key. She's sent in to seal the deal. Sara and Carlos want to hire Jack, Mac, and the boat to participate in a ten day fishing tournament in Cuba. At least that's the cover story. The money they're offering is an astonishing amount. Mac could pay off the loan on his boat and then some. But is it worth his life?
Originally I decided to read this novel thinking that, because of the Florida setting, I could give it a rousing review for my radio program. http://news.wgcu.org/programs/florida-book-page
It didn't take me long to realize that I could disabuse myself of that idea. In fact, one of the main characters in this book is Cuba herself. DeMille spent time in the country in order to authenticate his writing but, sadly, he did not come to appreciate her.
When the Obama administration finally opened channels with Cuba I was thrilled. I've always thought it would be a fascinating country to visit. The difference between me and DeMille is that his view of the detente and the country is jaundiced and he's not ashamed to show his bias.
By the time Sara confesses her real reasons for being in Cuba, to retrieve boxes of documents, land deeds, and records of wealthy Cubans who escaped to Miami and points north during the Castro revolution, she and Mac are ensconced on a "cultural tour" arranged under the auspices of the Yale College Alumni Association. They are under constant surveillance by the Cuban tour guide who may or may not be undercover police, yet they need to connect with Sara's underground network in Havana to complete the mission they're being paid to do. To complicate matters even more, they're in the middle of a hot and heavy affair that has Mac thinking with something other than his head.
There's never a dull moment in a Nelson DeMille book and this romp will not disappoint. I was left guessing right to the very end. Whose side are we on? Who might turn on whom? Who's lying? Who's using whom? If you're looking for a great weekend escape then dig into "The Cuban Affair." Just don't let it deter you from traveling to this beautiful country.
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