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The year is 1962, and Cuba has become a hotspot in the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Cuba’s leader, Fidel Castro, has become a thorn in the side of the US government since his overthrow of the Batista regime in 1959. Major Escalante is alert to any attempts on Castro’s life and will utilize extreme measures to thwart any and all plots. However, the CIA has resolved to remove the troublesome leader through covert means, including assassination. CIA agent Walter Bishop believes he has found his assassin in Lieutenant Charlie Parnell. Bishop cajoles Parnell into working for the CIA, utilizing both blackmail and bribery. As the CIA’s plans move forward, the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba sends the world to the brink of annihilation.
The skullduggery engaged in by the CIA in its attempts to dethrone Fidel Castro has been written about in nonfiction and fiction books previously. Yet this story is successful in tinkering with the past and weaving in a few atypical but fascinating characters. Charlie must undertake a mission against his will where his success or failure could seal his fate. Despite his compromised situation, he is resolute in dictating his terms in handling the CIA. Charlie’s fish-out-of-water demeanor makes him even more credible as a character. The high drama of the storyline resides in Charlie’s attempt to get within sniper’s range of Castro while the Kennedy White House attempts to navigate the developing missile stalemate with the Soviets. This tale is a near-perfect blend of historical fiction along with pulse-pounding action.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review