"Escape to Havana", by Nick Wilkshire

Book #1, in A Foreign Affairs Mystery

A posting to Cuba may be the prefect escape for Charlie Hillier after catching is beloved wife in flagrante delicto during a party at the Swedish ambassador’s residence. Embracing a new challenge, this bureaucrat-turned diplomat-turned amateur sleuth will faced the burden to unravel a mystery in a foreign jurisdiction, with unfamiliar laws, bureaucracies and customs. Following Charlie I had a hoot of a time.

Working for the Canadian Embassy in Havana is far from what he thought. He soon finds out his new life has mysterious and uncomfortable moments, he will need to face questionable people with unsettling connection and before long his only concern will be to survive his posting…..

This fun read is very visual and quite entertaining. The plot plugs along at a snail pace and keeps this Caribbean beat throughout, just the perfect tempo for us to realize that poor Charlie is over his head, facing one challenge after the other: from mysterious packages found in his home, to breathtaking women knocking at his door, having to take care of the spoiled Ambassador’s pooch and coming face to face with no so good people, taking care of incarcerated Canadian and other Embassy duties. Of course Havana is hot, food is great and the women are awesome……maybe too much for this diplomat…..

This novel is well-written: simple and to the point narration with clean dialogue tinted with a bit of humour. The main protagonist is slowly developing into a rounded diplomat…hum wonder if that is good or not  but without any doubt Charlie is a captivating sleuth I enjoyed very much. We find some love interest that may or may not come to fruition in the future but it is good to know the next posting for Charlie is around the corner… to Moscow and Tokyo he goes in another life full of adventure……In a few words “Escape to Havana” is a story that slowly pulls you in, keeps you intrigued and flipping pages till the very end. This book is a real page turner.

My first experience reading this author was a good one and may not be the last. I would like to thank Dundurn.com and NetGalley for this ARC.