Havana Blue (Mario Conde Investigates)
<div><p>Praise for <I>the Havana Quartet:</I></p><p>“Overlaid with a rich smoky patina, an atmosphere that reeks of slums and riches, cigar smoke and exotic perfumes. <I>Havana Black</I> is a strong tasting book, a rich feast of wit and feeling.â€â€”<I>The Independent</I></p><p>“Drenched with that beguiling otherness so appealing to fans of mysteries of other cultures, it will also appeal to those who appreciate the sultry lyricism of James Lee Burke.â€â€”<I>Booklist</I></p><p>“A great plot, perfectly executed with huge atmosphere. You can almost smell the cigar smoke, rum and cheap women.â€â€”<I>Daily Mirror</I></p><p>“<I>Havana Red,</I> another winner from Bitter Lemon Press.â€â€”<I>The New York Times</I></p><p>Lieutenant Mario Conde is suffering from a terrible New Year’s Eve hangover. Though it’s the middle of a weekend, he is asked to urgently investigate the mysterious disappearance of Rafael Morin, a high-level business manager in the Cuban nomenklatura. Conde remembered Morin from their student days: good-looking, brilliant, a “reliable comrade’’ who always got what he wanted, including Tamara, the girl Conde was after.</p><p>But Rafael Morin’s exemplary rise from a poor barrio and picture-perfect life hides more than one suspicious episode worthy of investigation. While pursuing the case in a decaying but adored Havana, Conde confronts his lost love for Tamara and the dreams and illusions of his generation.</p></div>