Cuban film producer Cuesta delivers a cinematic spy thriller that celebrates the Cuban people and examines their country’s complex role in global politics.

Celestino “Tino” Font Lavandero finds himself on the cusp of major personal and professional changes. His marriage is ending, and his wife, Claudia, a wealthy Spanish heiress, has plans to return to her homeland with their two young children. The divorce largely stems from complications related to his career as a Cuban intelligence operative working at the highest levels; within the agency, he’s poised to take on a major leadership role. The family’s swan-song vacation to Spain is interrupted when a mysterious assailant attempts to attack and rob Tino in their rented bungalow. This event sets off a thrilling series of chases, cat-and-mouse games, and top-secret diplomatic maneuvers among the Cuban, American, and Russian intelligence apparatuses. At the heart of these conflicts is a damning video of the president of the United States that’s rumored to have been leaked to the Cuban espionage agency. For all of the novel’s jet-setting and international espionage, it’s mostly about Cuba, which Cuesta renders with obvious love and inviting detail while also acknowledging the island’s complexity and challenges. Although the thriller elements all work well—thanks, in part, to some wonderfully clever play with narrative reliability—the story is mainly about Tino himself and his competing motivations to protect Cuba from internal and external enemies and to keep his family safe. The book shines in its quieter moments, whether they involve family members, old friends, or international operatives in high-stakes secret meetings. The dialogue in these latter scenes is a standout feature, as when Russian operative Rosa ironically comments on the current, unnamed U.S. leader: “I never thought I’d see an American president with so many virtues.” Tino becomes a kind of stand-in for Cuba itself: idealistic, admittedly imperfect, and trying to do the best he can while caught between forces beyond his control.

A tight, character-driven adventure that explores Cuba’s geopolitical position with precision and nuance.