Cold Havana Ground

By Arnaldo Correa

Book Overview

"An incisive mind . . . Correa is a wonderful writer."
--Lawrence Block, author of HitList

"I look forward to any book by Arnaldo Correa."
--Martin Cruz Smith, author of Havana Bay

A truly riveting mystery based on actual events on the -island-nation of Cuba involving three Afro-Cuban religions: Santer a, Palo Monte, and the Abaku Secret Society. Correa had access to Havana police records for his lengthy research and has crafted a flawless mystery with an intense and authentic look into little-known aspects of Cuban society. When a Chinese cadaver is stolen from a cemetery in Havana, the Cuban police are stumped. Their investigation leads to a priest in the Abaku Secret Society. The priest stays one step ahead, however, casting a spell to divert the investigation.

Critical acclaim for Correa's Spy's Fate:

"A captivating thriller based on the murky U.S.-Cuban spy wars. Correa deftly paints the history of Castro's Cuban intelligence service and the changing face of the Miami exile community . . . The insightful sociopolitical picture, the nasty maneuverings of both services, and the credible spy plot make this a fascinating read."--Publishers Weekly

"From Cuba with panache, a rare English-language thriller, written with flair, authority, and admirable -detachment, about intelligence operations grown soft . . . Character-driven and consistently entertaining."--Kirkus Reviews (starred)

Arnaldo Correa was born in the Escambray Mountains, Cuba, in 1935. In 1966, he published his first book of short stories, which were praised by Fidel Castro. Correa is considered one of three founders of the Cuban crime-fiction genre. He studied mining engineering at the -University of Alabama, and traveled extensively through the U.S. in the 1950s. He has worked on development projects in Cuba, Vietnam, Angola, and Mozambique. Spy's Fate (Akashic 2002) was his first novel in English translation. He currently lives in Havana.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1888451521
• ISBN13: 9781888451528
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Akashic Books
• Length: 317 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

A Cuban detective story

This is a story about a corpse that goes missing, a Chinese corpse, and a policeman who is called out of early retirement to solve the case because it is harmful to Chinese-Cuban relations. It is also about the mistrust between a priestess of Santeria, an Africa-derived religion, and her brother, a priest. It is about stolen goods, and drug trafficking, the Chinese Revolution, and the machismo of the policeman. As well as the Abakua secret society, and a Chinese secret society. And Palo Monte, a magical practice. For all these things, it is an interesting and unique book, set in Cuba, in and near to Havana. It is well-written, engaging, and a mystery to the end. It is also hard to follow because there are too many characters and too many story lines.