Havana Black
Leonardo Padura
Translated by Peter Bush
Bitter Lemon Press
Reviewed by Barb Radmore
After the dismissal of his boss from the police Mario Conde hands in
his resignation also. He is frustrated by the wave of corruption
uncovered within the force and the blame directed at this long time
mentor. But his letter of resignation is not accepted by the new
Police Chief. In order for Mario to earn it he must solve the murder of
a recently discovered corpse. If he can find the murderer within three
days he can retire from the job for which he has lost his taste. The
corpse of Miguel Forcade was found on a Havana Beach, killed by a blow
to the head but also with his genitals cut off. After defecting from
Cuba this is the first time Forcade had returned to his parent's house.
Mario must sort through the history of stolen and confiscated artwork
and Forcade's reticent family members to discover the truth.
As Hurricane Felix approaches the island of Cuba, building in speed and
strength so does the pace of the story build and expand. It is an
impending storm that mimics the suspense of the story, from the case to
the anticipated retirement of Mario from the police force to his up
coming 36th birthday. The hurricane is not only Mario's fixation,
it is the winds of time approaching the shores of modern Cuba. The
hurricane becomes a main character of this mystery, waiting in the
wings to make a sweeping entrance, perhaps wiping clean both the murder
and the corruption of the times.
This is a detective story for the senses, a tale that unfolds by
sights, sounds and smell. The land of Cuba, its people and its history
are seen and felt through the descriptive prose of Padura. With
sentences that extend 18 lines or more, Peter Black has been able to
translate the Spanish phrasing into masterful English. The prose is not
for those looking for an easy to read, common crime noir but for those
seeking a uncommon piece of literature.