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However Long the Night
Reviewed by Alice D. for Readers Favorite
Nineteen year old Cid Milan leaves Cuba with his family in 1980. His father, the Colonel, had fought with Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, but when he turned against their Marxist leanings, he was put in jail for three years. Twenty-five years pass and Cid is a U.S. citizen and college educated, a successful architect, and has just been named “South Florida’s Hispanic Man of the Year. “He has not spoken to his father in years, but he is called to Tampa as the Colonel, dying of lung cancer, has a confession to make to Cid. What is on the Colonel’s mind? Years before, as the Milans were leaving Cuba, the Colonel knew that Cid’s girlfriend, Sandra, was pregnant with their child, but would not let her join them in their escape from Cuba. Can Cid get back into Cuba to find Sandra and their son, now a grown man?
“However Long the Night” is a well-written and well-edited story of lovers separated for years by their families. The characters of Cid, Sandra, their son Diego, Cid’s brother Manny, and all the other characters both major and minor are well-developed and highly believable. The plot proceeds believably as Cid goes to great lengths to find Sandra and their son. His trip to Mexico to get into Cuba and the people he must find and then interview to reach his long-lost love are quite real and will draw the reader into the story. The build up of suspense as “However Long the Night” comes to its conclusion will keep the reader absorbed until the story’s concluding pages. “However Long the Night” is a sure keeper!
“However Long the Night” by David Pereda
Publisher: Eternal Press
genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery Length: Full Length (281 pgs)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poppy
Cuban-born, award-winning Miami Architect and successful real estate developer Cid Milan suddenly faces a dilemma when his dying father reveals to him a shocking twenty-five year old family secret. Cid realizes there is only one thing he can do to unravel the mystery of his own past and right the wrongs committed. He must return to the land he abandoned. In his quest, Cid rediscovers himself and his roots as he searches frantically throughout Cuba for his teenage flame, Sandra, and the secret she kept from him all these years. In the process, Cid learns an invaluable lesson about love, forgiveness and redemption which changes his life forever.
However Long the Night was a gritty, incredibly realistic portayal of life for Cid Milan, a Cuban who came to America more than twenty years prior to the story’s real beginning. Cid wasn’t always the most heroic of heroes, at least not at the start. I admit I struggled to like him for the first several chapters. He’s arrogant, selfish and I wasn’t overly impressed with his moral compass (especially about what caused an estrangement between him and his brother, Manny). Still, as time and pages passed, it became clear that Cid was molded by his past and that underneath the outer layer was a man with a good heart and a sense of right and wrong. I may not have always agreed with his behavior or choices, but I understood the reason why he acted the way he did.
This story is layered with conflict over conflict, from the discovery of a family secret and Cid’s decision to return to Cuba and the things he learns there, to the internal machinations of people looking to betray Cid within Cid’s own company. There’s so much going on sometimes, it leaves the reader breathless.
I thorougly enjoyed reading about Cuba. For most of us here in America, Cuba is a land of mystery. We know little about it, and Mr. Pereda certainly embued his story with loads of information about the country: its sights, sounds and people — the good and the bad.
I think the story really gained traction once it entered Cuba. More questions were posed, intrigues about Cid’s father’s past there and the hunt for Sandra, the love of Cid’s young life and mother of the son he never knew. The author writes with flavor and sensual detail. Occasionally, it slowed the story, but the reader is never truly bored. Perhaps it’s only because we have so many questions and worries that we get frustrated when things don’t move forward quickly enough to satisfy the need to discover just what’s going to happen.
Overall, though, I recommend However Long the Night, not as a romance as it’s billed by the publisher, though there are romantic elements, but as a fascinating suspense with a Cuban flavor and a completely satisfying ending.
posted May 25, 2012
Jackie reviews “However Long the Night”
David Pereda’s “However Long the Night” smacks of realism, and his three dimensional characters are absolutely believable.
Much of the book is set in Cuba. Readers are allowed to see the changes in the Country and its people over a twenty-year time period as seen through the eyes of his protagonist Cid. Mr. Pereda successfully transports readers to another world fraught with danger, corruption, and poverty.
Cid, his brother Manny, and his best friend Joaquin scour the island home of their youth in search of Cid’s lost love Sandra and his son. Cid’s father, facing certain death in the very near future, finally admits his complicity in many distasteful events. His deceitful actions prior to the family’s exodus from Cuba drastically change many lives. Now, he seeks absolution for his sins from those he wronged.
David Pereda keeps the mystery of his tale alive through to the last pages. Readers will be engaged and keep turning the pages of this award-winning novel. This romance incorporates much historical accuracy, political intrigue, and adventure. Find out for yourself why this book won the Lighthouse Book Award for fiction as well as the Royal Palm Award for fiction.
I highly recommend this book. It was a good read. I give it a 4 star rating, only because, not being bilingual, I found some passages difficult to follow. Thus slowing down the flow of the story.
Reviewed by Jackie
review posted May 24, 2012
The eBook Reviewers review “However Long the Night”
Review: When Cid left Cuba and left behind a girl that he loved very deeply, something shifted within him. The girl carried his child, though he was not aware of this fact. It is only 25 years later he learns this fact, and he has very limited time to get to Cuba find her, and convince her and their son to return to the States with him before Cid’s father takes his last breath. It is a race against time.
“However Long The Night” is very much a book about betrayal, and of course redemption. Often is the case, misunderstandings are grave, and love is never ending.
This book is a contemporary mainstream novel with a romantic elements. It is a clean read, which I highly enjoyed. I found his characters to be a breath of fresh air and the I was unable to put the book down. It is very well paced, the characters were exceptional, and the mystery of what transpired to his lady love after he left Cuba had me on the seat of my chair.
Over all, the heartbreak, the betrayal, the mystery, and at the heart of it all love, wrapped together wonderfully to tell a beautiful story.
This book gets a 4 out of 5.
And Mr. Perada, I have to say as your first shot at a romance was beautifully crafted, I truly hope you will grace us with another in the future.
(The full review, with excerpts and Q&A with the author, can be found at The eBook Reviewers.)
review posted May 22, 2012
David Pereda’s – However Long the Night. A great read.
I was somewhat nervous of doing a professional review, what if I don’t like the book? However, as I had the opportunity to choose the books that interest me on this tour, I was delighted to settle down with David Pereda’s book ‘However Long the Night’ and discover myself pleasantly transported to another country, namely Cuba, and a different world.
During my research I discovered the book was the Winner of the Lighthouse Book Award for fiction and the Royal Palm Award for fiction,. The book in short is a sweeping romance with a depth of suspense and political and historical intrigue. This gives the book weight.
The main character Cid, is a man who discovers that the whole edifice of his success is a lie perpetrated by his own father. Much of the book is set in Cuba and the writing which is sweeping and descriptive evokes the warm sensuality of the country. I have been to Cuba myself and so it was a secondary pleasure to be transported to a living breathing Cuba, rather than the one portrayed for the consumption of holiday makers. It will certainly make me appreciate my experience there all the more. The story is exotically sumptuous. The account transports us on the journey of a Cuban family forced to leave Cuba during the boatlift of 1980. The story is focused on Cid who arrives as a teenager in the United States. He goes on to become successful as an architect in Miami with all the accoutrement of the role. The book however avoids predictability by launching us into a world of intrigue surrounding his father’s past in Cuba. I will not go into the details as it will spoil the story. Suffice to say Cid’s journey risks danger and intrigue.
As a skilled writer David Pereda manages to keep the mystery of the story suspended thus engaging the reader to the very end. I was hooked by the three dimensional complexity of the character development and the swirling description.
As a writer myself I have certainly learned a thing or two. I have nothing but admiration for the quality of the writing and the awards previously won are well deserved. I give this book a well deserved 4.5. The story will stay with you and give you a satisfying excursion into pastures new crossing as it does the area between fiction and faction. Certainly a page turner and one to add to the library. I would be tempted to read it more than once as there is bound to be more to get out of it with each read.
This review is also printed at Writervamp.blogspot.com
posted May 21, 2012
Reviews at Amazon
Judy Thomas – 4 stars
This review is from: “However Long the Night” (Paperback)
He’s handsome, rich, successful, and in a relationship with a beautiful model. He has it all–or does he? Nobody realizes the emptiness inside caused by what he perceives as the betrayal and rejection of the one woman he loved. When his father reveals the truth of that, events are set in motion which will forever change Cid Milan.
However Long the Night is very much a plot-driven book. There were some very interesting characters–loved the blonde porn stars mom and daughter–but they were not the focus of the book. The story was…and there were enough twists, turns, and almost-misses to keep me reading to find out what happened.
There was one character in the book that overshadowed the others–and the changes in that character, the effects those changes had on the plot were vital–Cuba itself. I was fascinated by seeing Cuba through the eyes of Cid–the Cuba he remembered, the Cuba he returned to.
All in all, However Long the Night was a very interesting book, and I look forward to reading more of David Pereda’s work.
posted May 25, 2012
By Iamfurfur
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Novel!, March 19, 2012
I loved David Pereda’s novel, “However Long The Night.” I often get bored with novels, but this one hooked me in and I finished it more quickly than any book I’ve read in a long time.
I love reading both fiction and non-fiction that take place in Latin America and the Caribbean. Cuba is especially fascinating to me due to both its proximity to the US, and the complicated relationship between the two countries. David did a wonderful job of combining historical references with intriguing fictional characters, and helping us get to know a place most of us have never visited.
The characters were complex and well-developed. I especially enjoyed getting to know the lead character, Cid. Through David’s vivid descriptions, the reader easily becomes sympathetic to Cid’s plight of being pulled back and forth between his adult life in Miami, and the life and people he left in Cuba as a teenager.
HLTN is an exciting page-turner, and I look forward to David’s next book!
5.0 out of 5 stars Escape with David, March 16, 2012
By Lynette355 “Have you ever noticed the age 40 … (Texas (of course))
It is great having the grandbabes here. But after several days, I remember that I am old. Well old enough to need a break. Thankfully Dear Hubby took over bath/bed time last night and let me chill for a lil while. So with my glass of wine I curled up and lost myself for a few hours with my personal signed copy of David Pereda’s book “However Long the Night”.
Former Latin American government consultant and prolific author, David Pereda, has released his mainstream novel “However Long the Night”, published by Eternal Press. Winner of the Lighthouse Book Award for fiction and the Royal Palm Award for fiction, “However Long the Night” is a romantic tale with a major dose of suspense, a tense love triangle, buried family secrets, corporate shenanigans and a historical background. I have to say, reading of his main character, Cid Milan, was a great time out for me.
In “However Long the Night”, Cid is a successful businessman who suddenly finds out that his success has been built on lies told by his dying father twenty-five years ago that have done irreparable damage to the lives of people once dear to him. He returns to Cuba in search of the woman he left behind and the son he never knew. In the process, he learns an invaluable lesson about love, forgiveness and redemption. We all know there are times in our lives we wish could take back or change. It is refreshing to read how Cid was able to follow up on those feelings.
David Pereda enjoys writing thrillers and mainstream novels. Before devoting his time solely to writing and teaching, David had a successful international career where he worked with the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Peru and Qatar. “What I learned then,” says David, “has helped me enrich my novels with exotic places and distinctive characters.”
5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic romance with a twist!, March 6, 2012
By ReviewsByMolly (Willow Spring,NC USA) (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
Okay, let’s be honest here. A romance novel….from a GUY? Yeppers. And let me tell you this. David Pereda really KNOWS how to capture the reader instantly with his characters, and a twistful plot line that will knock you down….and keep you hooked until the end.
Combing history with fiction, Pereda takes a dive into the Cuban world in the 1980s. He takes his plot line and adds the characters to the mix in such a way that the reader will not be let go. You become the characters and feel every emotion that they do. He adds lies to the story that will leave the reader wondering how anyone could do that.
Cid left Cuba in the 1980’s with his father, to land in America. He left behind his ways of life and the people that were important to him, only to live a life that was based on lies,hurt and anger. But, once in America, he embraces it, and moves on. Little did he know, that back in Cuba….there’s the answer to a long lived lie, waiting for him.
Cid’s father, Colonel Milan is sick. On his deathbed, he tells Cid just what he wants. To return to Cuba and bring back his grandson, and Cid’s former love, to meet him. Cid, shocked at the revelation and not sure what to think of that, dives into his past and returns to the land of his youth. What ensues there, will leave the reader on a fabulous ride of romance and suspense as lies turn into truth,betrayal into trust and forgiveness is pursued.
This is an interesting twist on a romance novel, and it’s one that I am glad that I had the pleasure of reading. It grips the reader so wholly that before they know, it’s over, and you’re left with a feeling of needing more. This is most definitely a 5 Book worthy novel, and I am so pleased to say that I am a new fan of this highly talented author! I can’t wait to read more work by him, even if they aren’t romance novels! If they are as good as this book, then they will be awesome!
This review originated at Reviews By Molly in part with a blog tour.
4.0 out of 5 stars An Intriguing Mixture Of Romance And Suspense, February 29, 2012
By Kathleen Anderson “~ Books Are Food For My So… (Browns Mills, NJ)
What would you do if in an instant, your life as you’ve known it is suddenly all a lie? Would you be able to go back to your past and right the wrongs? Would you be able to pick up the pieces and make everything right? These are the questions that Cid Milan has to answer as he goes on a journey of self-discovery. Will he be able to seek and find forgiveness, love and redemption from the long-held family secrets?
Cid Milano is a Cuban born man, who at the age of nineteen, along with his family settled in the United States, as part of the 1980 Mariel boatlift from Cuba to Florida. When his family settled in Tampa, Florida, unfortunate circumstances led Cid to eventually strike out on his own. He reinvented himself in Miami, severing his Cuban roots and immersing himself in the American way of life. His hard work and determination over the years led him to become an accomplished, well-known and successful architect and real estate developer. His success has come with a price, as he cannot forget his past in Cuba, and a phone call from his estranged father changed life as he knew it in an instant. His father, the former Colonel Jose Milan, was loyal to his country until he became an outspoken political dissident to Castro’s Marxist regime. Colonel Milan brought his family to the United States to escape the oppressive regime, but he also had secrets that he only shared with his wife. These secrets would be shared with Cid twenty-five years later, when his father called requesting that he come home, because he is dying from lung cancer and only has a month to live. His father’s dying wish is to clear up the family secrets and betrayals that he has lived with since leaving Cuba. Cid and his younger brother Manny embark on a journey to Cuba, to right past wrongs, bring closure and seek redemption … it is an odyssey that will forever change their lives.
However Long The Night is a story that has an intriguing mixture of romance and suspense. The storyline is well written and captivates the reader from the beginning. I found that the story reads like a history lesson, the author’s descriptions of Cuba’s history and the 1980 Mariel boatlift to the US was very detailed and fascinating. The characters were complex and realistic, their individual stories and intertwining lives gave the story more depth and made it powerfully compelling. I couldn’t help but love Cid’s character, his compassion and determination to make things right had me cheering him on as he went on his journey of self-discovery. The storyline has many plots, with twists and turns that keeps the reader intrigued, it is a fast-paced story with lost love, found love, betrayal, forgiveness and redemption … all of these themes create a story that is so much more than just a contemporary romance novel.
I enjoyed reading However Long The Night, and would recommend this novel to romance fans who would enjoy reading a story that is so much more than just the typical romance novel. It is well worth the read, and it won’t leave you disappointed.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author and/or publisher for my honest review.
5.0 out of 5 stars An Emigre’ Romance for the Ages, February 23, 2012
By Moss Bliss “Moss” (Blaine. TN USA)
David Pereda has been busy. This is his 3rd book with Eternal Press, and his first Romance novel — although there is plenty of romance scattered through the pages of his Havana Series. However Long the Night details a fabric of lies, which all the liars believe were necessary, but it’s time to put them to bed. The Colonel, Cid’s father, calls him to his bedside after 25 years of separation to tell him the lies are over, and informs him that it was he who sent Cid’s girlfriend away when they caught the Mariela Boat Lift to America to escape Castro’s Cuba. Then he drops the bombshell — she was pregnant with Cid’s child at the time, and they were both still alive in Cuba. His dying wish was for Cid to go back to Cuba and bring them back to see him before he passed.
Cid had been putting together one of the top architectural firms in Miami, and had to leave a lot of business in bad straits to drop everything and renew his contacts with his boyhood best friend, Joaquin, and leave for Cuba via Mexico, with his brother Manny, to try to rescue his past love and his son.
The plot moves deftly along, with Pereda plucking the plotstrings deftly and surely. While I didn’t catch a lot of surprises, there is tension enough to keep anyone reading and enough romance and pathos to please discriminating readers. The contrast between the two cultures is explored in depth without slowing the story in the least.
This is a story worth your time. Do yourself a favor and take it.
Disclaimer: I have been friends with Senor Pereda for a number of years.
5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging romance tale, February 22, 2012
By Theresa
This book looks at a man and his relationships in the aftermath of the Cuban exodus in 1980s. After leaving Cuba and developing a successful life in Miami, Cid finds that the people he left behind and shut out of his mind have not been living the lives he thought they would. The story is engaging, grabs you in the prologue, and finishes strongly. It gives insight into immigrants who leave their country, friends, and family behind.
Review on Barnes and Noble lynette355
Posted March 16, 2012
It is great having the grandbabes here. But after several days, I remember that I am old. Well old enough to need a break. Thankfully Dear Hubby took over bath/bed time last night and let me chill for a lil while. So with my glass of wine I curled up and lost myself for a few hours with my personal signed copy of David Pereda’s book However Long the Night.
Former Latin American government consultant and prolific author, David Pereda, has released his mainstream novel However Long the Night, published by Eternal Press. Winner of the Lighthouse Book Award for fiction and the Royal Palm Award for fiction, However Long the Night is a romantic tale with a major dose of suspense, a tense love triangle, buried family secrets, corporate shenanigans and a historical background. I have to say, reading of his main character, Cid Milan, was a great time out for me.
In However Long the Night, Cid is a successful businessman who suddenly finds out that his success has been built on lies told by his dying father twenty-five years ago that have done irreparable damage to the lives of people once dear to him. He returns to Cuba in search of the woman he left behind and the son he never knew. In the process, he learns an invaluable lesson about love, forgiveness and redemption. We all know there are times in our lives we wish could take back or change. It is refreshing to read how Cid was able to follow up on those feelings.
David Pereda enjoys writing thrillers and mainstream novels. Before devoting his time solely to writing and teaching, David had a successful international career where he worked with the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Peru and Qatar. “What I learned then,” says David, “has helped me enrich my novels with exotic places and distinctive characters.”*****
Other Reviews
The Laurel of Asheville
However Long the Night David Pereda In local author David Pereda’s latest novel, Cuban-born, award-winning Miami architect and real estate developer Cid Milan is at a crossroads in his life. His dying father confesses to him the truth about a 25-yrear-old family secret. Cid then realizes he has no choice but to unravel the mystery of his past and, if he can, right the wrongs committed.
Winner of the Lighthouse Book Award for fiction and the Royal Palm Award for fiction, However Long the Night is a tantalizing romantic tale interlaced with suspense, a tense love triangle, family secrets and corporate shenanigans, all playing out against an historical background.
In the story, Cid’s quest forces him to rediscover himself and his roots as he searches frantically throughout Cuba for Sandra, his teenage flame, and the secret she’s kept from him all these years: his son. In the process, Cid learns lessons about love, forgivess and redemption that change his life forever. Pereda is an award-winning author and college writing and ESL instructor living in Asheville, and is a contributor to The Laurel of Asheville. He is the regional director of Florida Writer’s Association’s Western North Carolina division, and the founder of Asheville’s Writing Enthusiasts. – The Laurel of Asheville, May 2012
Sandra Landry
Superstation Ckle.fm -New Brunswick, Canada
“I talked about your book on our morning show this week and Wow! After the first page… I was not able to let it go. I love the way you present the characters and the way the story goes.”
It’s Raining Books
I started reading this not really knowing what to expect. I only hoped I wouldn’t be bored. Well, I was far from bored, I was fascinated.
The story starts with a Cuban family being forced to leave Cuba during the boatlift of 1980. The story is focused on Cid Milan, who was a teenager when he first arrived in the United States.
When we meet him, he’s a very successful architect in Miami, and I expected the story to follow in a predictable pattern. He was handsome, wealthy, had a large company, and a beautiful girlfriend. However, he wasn’t totally content with his life. He spent very little time with his family as there was, apparently, a lot of conflict with them. This is when I began to be really hooked because there was clearly more to this than I had first believed.
When his dying father requested that he come to see him, he did so, begrudgingly. Once there, however, he found out that twenty-five years before, his father had done something to him and to someone he loved which was unforgiveable. Now he realized that he would have to return to Cuba to resolve the situation. He talks his brother into accompanying him and makes his plans.
I became totally involved now. What would happen to him when he returned? Certainly it would be extremely dangerous, but he felt he had to go. I couldn’t put the book down. I had to know what would happen.
This was fascinating to me, as I discovered all the difficulties he faced as he tried to resolve all the problems his father had caused. It was so interesting to follow him in Cuba, a country which we have heard so much about, but in these past years have really not known much about and what was happening there, and how dangerous it actually was.
I was on the edge of my seat as the mystery of what had happened slowly unfolded. I was completely involved in the characters and the story. Mr. Pereda is very skilled, and his writing kept me glued to my chair, flipping pages, dying to see how everything was resolved. The result was a very unusual but very happy ending.
This story was probably one of the most well written that I have read in a long time. It really kept my interest, was well worth all the time I put into reading it, and it was something I kept thinking about long after I set my eReader aside. I would give this a 5 Plus, if that was possible.
Rated 5/5 flowers.
Jersey Girl Book Reviews
However Long The Night is a story that has an intriguing mixture of romance and suspense. The storyline is well written and captivates the reader from the beginning. I found that the story reads like a history lesson, the author’s descriptions of Cuba’s history and the 1980 Mariel boatlift to the US was very detailed and fascinating. The characters were complex and realistic, their individual stories and intertwining lives gave the story more depth and made it powerfully compelling. I couldn’t help but love Cid’s character, his compassion and determination to make things right had me cheering him on as he went on his journey of self-discovery. The storyline has many plots, with twists and turns that keeps the reader intrigued, it is a fast-paced story with lost love, found love, betrayal, forgiveness and redemption … all of these themes create a story that is so much more than just a contemporary romance novel. I enjoyed reading However Long The Night, and would recommend this novel to romance fans who would enjoy reading a story that is so much more than just the typical romance novel. It is well worth the read, and it won’t leave you disappointed.
Havana: Killing Castro
Reviews at Amazon.com
5.0 out of 5 stars Cuban-American thriller rocks!, February 8, 2010
By Dr. Gerald L. Bliss (Asheville, NC United States)
From the death of Pepe Orosco (thought to be Fidel Castro), Raymond Peters’ life gets more and more complicated. Intrigue, sex, deceit, sex, seduction, and of course more sex, fills this book and keeps you riveted to page after page. The weather is hot, the sex it hot, and the plot is more twisted than the murderer. Is Castro dead? Only his brother Raul knows until you find out.
This book is the sequel to Mr. Pereda’s excellent Havana: Top Secret, and there are rumors of a third book forthcoming. I’m sure you will be writing Mr. Pereda to verify the rumor, begging for it to be true.
From The Laurel of Asheville
David Pereda has done it again. In Havana: Killing Castro he continues intriguing readers with the story begun in Havana: Top Secret published last year.
In this sequel, when an old fisherman is gunned down on a Mexican breach, prominent Miami surgeon Raymond Peters becomes the prime suspect. The dead fisherman is believed to be Fidel Castro whom Dr. Peters had helped disguise through clandestine plastic surgery on a trip to Cuba two years earlier. But is the body really that of the Cuban leader?
In order to save his own life, the beleaguered physician must find the killers and retrieve a mysterious journal. And this has to be done while outwitting Marcela, a sensual killer sent by Castro’s brother Raul.
David is an award-winning author and college writing instructor living in Asheville, and is a frequent contributor to The Laurel of Asheville. He is the regional director of the Florida Writers Association’s Western North Carolina division and the founder of Asheville Writing Enthusiasts.
Havana: Killing Castro, softcover, $13.95, is published by Eternal Press and is available in bookstores and at Amazon.com and davidpereda.com. It is also available as an ebook and for Amazon’s Kindle.
http://www.thelaurelofasheville.com/ March 2011
Reviewed by: Gary Sorkin, Pacific Book Review
Sitting back, reading David Pereda’s novel, Havana: Killing Castro brought the imaginary aroma of a Cohiba Siglo VI cigar to my olfactory sense along with the cerebral stimulation burst of a Cubano con Lache coffee. The book, from literally the very first page, draws you into a fast paced plot of intriguingly wicked characters with power, influence and epic historical importance. David Pereda’s candidly honest writing style illuminates the thoughts of his characters down to their deepest carnal motivations. This technique is awesomely exploited throughout the novel, bringing a sensuous undercurrent of sexuality to the actions of his characters. This is dramatically illustrated by Marcela, a seductively attractive female assassin possessing hypnotizing beauty and a quick stiletto bite, sensually aroused by the sweet scent of her victim’s dying breath.
His dialog throughout is laced with foreign vernacular and terse subtleties. His characters have survival instincts sharp as a caffeinated cricket in an iguana cage. The only way out is to solve a mystery before they become the prey. The realism of his descriptions make you feel the humidity, the heat, along with the temperate breeze over the 90 mile stretch of ocean separating Cuba from Florida’s Keys and Miami. The work is indeed a masterpiece of entertainment, in the caliber of genius. Something Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy or Michael Crichton would raise an eyebrow in admiration. David Pereda’s “2009 Reader’s Favorite” award winning novel, just over 300 pages, is covered in a photographic portrait montage of its main characters along with the Cuban flag and a subliminal image of Fidel Castro. A perfect book for screenplay adaptation and a blockbuster movie, of which I believe plans may be in the making. Inside, the scores of short chapters play out a fast paced “mental storyboard” of scenes seemingly at first disassociated but brilliantly laced together. David Pereda develops suspense with the timing of a virtuoso. He allows for the reader’s mind to skip along his words while venturing into imagination and back like a rock skimming along the surface of water once flicked. In full control of the reader’s knowledge base, he foreshadows and illuminates events satisfying one’s curiosity while always respecting the intelligence of his audience.
Whether you’re a seasoned suspense novel enthusiast, or just an evening “cup of tea” story fanatic, this is food for thought. For me, I couldn’t wait to pick up and finish Havana: Killing Castro – and my first thought when done, “Wow.”
Havana: Top Secret
Reviews on Amazon.com
5.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced, tight and intense!, November 7, 2011
By Patricia M. Terrell “p.m.terrell” (NC)
This book starts off at a gallop and never lets up. David Pereda’s writing is tight and intense. Each chapter seems to end with a cliff-hanger that will keep you turning the pages well into the night. I like the way he moves back and forth between the female assassin, Marcela, and the doctor, Raymond, and how effortlessly he blends their very different backgrounds together as he propels the story toward the final breathtaking climactic scene.
Pereda’s descriptions of places and people are unique and can create a visual in just a few words, which keeps the story moving. This is the first in a series, and I am anxious to find out what happens to the main characters as the series progresses. He ends this book with a great beginning to the next one, which guarantees I’ll be coming back for more!
In my opinion, it’s only a matter of time before this author is discovered and placed on the bestseller lists. I understand they are shopping his books around for a movie deal, and I for one would be front row and center to watch any movie made from his books. The characters are unforgettable, the plot intense, the backdrop exotic – and this book has all the makings of a bestseller.
5.0 out of 5 stars Havana: Top Secret (Paperback) by David Pereda, June 13, 2009
By Anita Bates (Asheville, NC)
So good, I bought a second copy for my college student nephew.
David has the ability to make you feel you are there and part of the action in Fidel Castro’s Cuba. Sex, intrigue, sex, danger, sex, conspiracy, more sex – what else could you ask for?
After reading this book, I am not sure that Fidel hasn’t retired to a luxurious resort in Mexico, leaving some American dupe to act as figurehead to legitimize the rule of Raul Hector Castro.