Havana Fever

This historical crime novel (285 pages) was published in May of 2009 by Bitter Lemon Press. The book takes you to steamy Cuba. Melissa read Havana Fever and loved it; it wouldn't be on our site if she didn't recommend it.

amazon
buy
bookshop.org
buy

Bookshop.org is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support independent bookstores and give back to the book community.

rule

Havana Fever

Mario Conde Investigates

Leonardo Padura, Peter Bush (translator)

Our hero Mario Conde is a retired policeman and now makes his living in the much more civilized world of antiquarian books. He spends his days ferreting out fine book collections, paying a fair price to people who desperately need it, and then reselling the books for a tidy profit.

One day, as Mario flips through a volume in a vast library of valuable books, he finds a faded newspaper clipping about a 1950s bolero singer, the alluringly named Violeta del Rio. She disappeared under mysterious circumstances decades ago, and, against all reason, Mario becomes obsessed with finding the truth. What happened to her? What’s her connection to this library? And just how was Mario’s father involved? ‘I won’t fail to find out what happened to Violeta del Rio,’ he tells his friends. ‘I want to find out why history swallowed her up.’

Following his hunches, and wandering into places he definitely should not go, Mario’s investigation takes him through the neighborhoods of modern Havana and deep into its glamorous past — to the time of all-night dancing and nonstop casinos, when movie stars shared cocktails and cigarettes with gangsters, and knowing the wrong secret could be deadly.

Hot, steamy, and sometimes a little melancholy, this story is drenched in boozy atmosphere. Author Leonardo Padura was born in Havana and was an investigative journalist before turning his talent to fiction. His Cuba pulses on the page with rat-a-tat dialogue and descriptions that will make you hear the music, taste the rum on your tongue, and feel that seductive tingle of danger up the back of your neck.

As soon as the doors to the library slid open, the smell of old paper and hallowed places floating in that mind-blowing room overwhelmed him. In his far-off years as a police detective, Mario Conde had learnt to recognize the physical signs of his situation-saving hunches: he must have been wondering if he’d ever experienced such a powerful flood of sensations. Initially, he was all set to be ruthlessly logical, and tried to persuade himself that it was pure chance he’d come across that shadowy, decaying mansion in El Vedado: an unusual stroke of good fortune for once had deigned to come his way. — Leonardo Padura

keep reading

Cozy murders, procedurals, historical novels, spy thrillers, domestic noir, family crime — we've collected our favorite mysteries and thrillers to take you on a world tour of action, adventure, and danger. Buckle up.
If reading makes us more empathetic, then reading books in translation gives us super-empathy. In these beautifully translated stories, you'll meet unforgettable characters and expand your reading world.
This picadillo recipe is homey, earthy, a little bit exotic, and tastes even better when it's shared with the people you love. Fire up the stove, crank the timba music, pour a cuba libre, and dance in your kitchen.
Cuba has a tough history, but the island itself is welcoming, a candy-colored dreamscape of pastel buildings, lush greenery, sparkling beaches, and friendly people — plus rum cocktails and dancing in the streets.

sharing is caring!

Wanna help us spread the word? If you like this page, please share with your friends.

our mission

Strong Sense of Place is a website and podcast dedicated to literary travel and books we love. Reading good books increases empathy. Empathy is good for all of us and the amazing world we inhabit.

our patreon

Strong Sense of Place is a listener-supported podcast. If you like the work we do, you can help make it happen by joining our Patreon! That'll unlock bonus content for you, too — including Mel's secret book reviews and Dave's behind-the-scenes notes for the latest Two Truths and a Lie.

get our newsletter

Join our Substack to get our FREE newsletter with podcast updates and behind-the-scenes info — and join in fun chats about books and travel with other lovely readers.

no spoilers. ever.

We'll share enough detail to help you decide if a book is for you, but we'll never ruin plot twists or give away the ending.

super-cool reading fun
reading atlas

This 30-page Reading Atlas takes you around the world with dozens of excellent books and gorgeous travel photos. Get your free copy when you subscribe to our newsletter.

get our newsletter
Sign up for our free Substack!
follow us

Content on this site is ©2024 by Smudge Publishing, unless otherwise noted. Peace be with you, person who reads the small type.