SPY'S FATE

This first novel written in English by a veteran Cuban author who worked on "projects" in Angola and elsewhere is a captivating thriller based on the murky U.S.-Cuban spy wars. Correa deftly paints the history of Castro's Cuban intelligence service and the changing face of the Miami exile community. Veteran intelligence agent Carlos Manuel is recalled to Havana after his wife commits suicide, only to find himself out of work when the Soviet economic pullout leaves Cuba strapped. After watching his estranged children set out on a raft for the U.S., he "borrows" a boat with the help of his old boss and rescues the kids from certain death in stormy weather, but shoots another rafter in a fight for a lifeboat before the Coast Guard pulls them in to a Florida detention center. Enter Timothy King, head of the CIA's Cuba desk, who soon learns that Carlos Manuel is the Cuban agent who bested him in Nicaragua and cost him his leg. With his New York sister's help, Carlos hides out in Vermont, where he finds romance and plots to return to Cuba. King pulls out all the stops and kidnaps Carlos's daughter to force his surrender, while the Cuban service assumes he has defected and mounts a hunt of their own. This intriguing look into Cuban culture, with vibrant dialogue and characters, is marred only by the slightly wooden tone of the narrative. The insightful sociopolitical picture, the nasty maneuverings of both services and the credible spy plot make this a fascinating read. (May)

Forecast:A jacket playing up the novel's Cuban themes would have helped this thriller stand out better on shelves (the design features a stylish but neutral bull's-eye). Nevertheless, this should find an audience, particularly if it's marketed in Cuban exile communities.