In this muddled follow-up to 2006's engaging The Assassins Game, Robbins attempts to create suspense by revisiting the multiple attempts made on Fidel Castro's life in the early 1960s. Professor Mikhal Lammeck—an expert on political murder—arrives in Cuba on the eve of the much-rumored U.S.-supported invasion at the Bay of Pigs, but soon finds himself transformed from detached academic into participant. Thrust into this murky world of double-crossings and shadowy government missions, Lammeck becomes privy to a conspiracy involving a former U.S. marine sharpshooter. Robbins has set himself a daunting task in maintaining tension and interest when the reader knows Castro will survive. Unfortunately, the author doesn't manage to overcome the challenges he sets for himself, and his efforts to weave together fictional characters and historical events are heavy-handed at best. (Feb.)
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Professor Mikhal Lammeck, last seen in The Assassins Gallery (2006), when he was charged with foiling an attempt on FDR’s life, returns for another brush with history. In 1961, with the world still stunned by Fidel Castro’s rise to power, Lammeck goes to Havana to witness what he believes will be the dictator’s assassination. He doesn’t realize that he will become the key to the success or failure of the scheme. Along with building suspense, Robbins’ dialogue-heavy tale includes fascinating reflections on the complexities of who to trust and how to choose one’s allies, all of which provides considerable insight into the cold war at its peak. Surprises await along the way, although the biggest twist might be obvious to a history major. The novel concludes with two sets of annotations: one to reference while reading and the second to use only after the entire novel is finished. This betrayal game should be played by anyone with a love for blendings of history and suspense; fans of Stephen Hunter’s Havana (2003), also about a planned assassination of Castro, will be especially interested. --Jeff Ayers
