Havana Lost

Honors and Accolades:

— Finalist in Foreword Review Magazine's Thriller of the Year contest 2013

— "Notable Page-Turner" in Shelf Unbound Magazine's Book of the year — 2014

— Honorable Mention in Chicago Writers Association Best Fiction Book 2013

On the eve of the Cuban Revolution, headstrong 18-year-old Francesca Pacelli flees from her ruthless Mafia-boss father in Havana to the arms of her lover, a rebel fighting with Fidel Castro. Her father, desperate to send her to safety in the US, resorts to torture and blackmail as he searches the island for her. 

So begins the first part of a spellbinding saga that spans three generations of the same family. Decades later, the family is lured back to Cuba by the promise of untold riches. But pursuing those riches brings danger as well as opportunity, and ultimately, Francesca's family must confront the lethal consequences of their choices. From the troubled streets of Havana to the mean streets of Chicago, HAVANA LOST reveals the true cost of chasing power instead of love. 

HAVANA LOST is award-winning author Libby Fischer Hellmann's tenth novel and third thriller that explores how strife and revolution affect the human spirit. The novel is a testament to Hellmann's gift for authentic historical detail as well as her talent for writing compulsively readable thrillers.

"A many-layered adventure…smart writing, done in accomplished style by an author who never talks down to her readers." Mystery Scene Magazine

"A riveting historical thriller… This multigenerational page-turner is packed with intrigue and shocking plot twists."Booklist 

"A sprawling tale… the story of the Cuban revolution, as well as the Cuban military efforts in Angola, is fascinating…"

Publishers Weekly "Hellmann's writing has matured considerably since her early novels. Her plotting has become more solid and assured, her characters more realistic, her settings wonderfully described. This is a fine, extremely well told novel." Deadly Pleasures 

"Masterfully crafted…Hellmann has a superb gift for the colorful depiction of her characters. I can't imagine any noir aficionado not enjoying Havana Lost. "A Literary Reeder