Castro's Daughter

Kirk McGarvey #16

by David Hagberg

This latest installment in David Hagberg's New York Times bestselling Kirk McGarvey series takes the former CIA director on another deadly international adventure in Castro's Daughter.

Cuban Intelligence Service Colonel Maria Leon is called to the bedside of the dying Fidel Castro. She is his illegitimate daughter but has never been acknowledged by her father until now. Castro makes her promise to contact the legendary former Director of the CIA Kirk McGarvey to help her on a mysterious quest to find Cibola, the fabled seven cities of Gold.

As the Cuban government unravels, Leon has to use every means at her disposal just to find the elusive McGarvey, all the while fending off men in her own Operations Division who want her job or her death. In desperation, Leon kidnaps McGarvey’s closest friend, Otto Rencke, to force McGarvey's hand.

Mac's meeting with Leon launches the most bizarre mission of his entire career that takes him from Cuba to Mexico City, to Spain and finally to an ancient site in New Mexico that the Spanish conquistadors called the Jornada del muerto—the Journey of Death.

On the run from Cuban intelligence agents and blood thirsty Mexican drug cartel soldiers who will stop at nothing for a piece of the fabulous treasure, McGarvey struggles to decipher the truth buried in Leon's deception.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Espionage

384 pages, Hardcover

First published July 17, 2012

About the author

aka David Bannerman, Sean Flannery, David James, Robert Pell, Eric Ramsey

David Hagberg is a former Air Force cryptographer who has traveled extensively in Europe, the Arctic, and the Caribbean and has spoken at CIA functions. He has published more than twenty novels of suspense, including the bestselling High Flight, Assassin, and Joshua's Hammer.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidh...

Reviews

[Skip · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weak effort by Hagberg. On his deathbed, Fidel tells his illegitimate daughter, Colonel Maria Leon, to solicit the help of Kirk McGarvey. She engineers the kidnapping of Louise, Otto Rencke's wife, to get Rencke to Cuba, knowing McGarvey will come to his rescue. The three of them determine that El Commadante wants them to find a long lost gold horde, turning this book into a Clive Cussler mystery with the wit and charm of Dirk and Al. Lots of deceit in the Cuban intelligence department, and McGarvey's harebrained scheme is ridiculous, including the President's blind acceptance. McGarvey #17 better be an improvement.

[Roger Scherping · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of the most frustrating books I've ever read.

This passage appeared many times: "He asked Mac about his plan, and he told him [end of chapter]." No explanation for the reader. No idea what was going on. I feel like I read this book completely in the dark. It was impossible to figure out what was going on or why.

I only kept going because I thought it would all be clear at the end. It was not. Nothing was cleared up at the end.

[Creeker868 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay read. Little slow. Didn't feel involved with characters.

[Waheed Noori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read several of the Kirk Mcgarvey's novels and have rated them mostly 5 stars, but this one did not grip me at the edge of my seat as the other ones.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book 16, in the Kirk McGarvey series

I picked this book up with blinders on from my local library, not knowing anything about this author and even less about the series. I was curious about the title and the synopsis sounded interesting, so I gave it a go. Rarely do I let myself be lured in such a way, I usually read a bit about authors new to me….not this time…I should have dug a bit deeper.

To my disappointment, this book was pure fiction. The story is of Maria Léon, a Cuban Intelligence colonel and Castro’s illegitimate daughter and her quest to fulfill her dying father’s wish and seek the help of Kirk Mc Garvey in her search for Cibola, the fabled Seven Cities of Gold.

The lead character is Kirk McGarvey, the legendary former director of CIA now resting on some Greek island after the death of his family (apparently in one previous installment). To pull Kirk in, Maria needed to get through to Otto, a CIA computer geek and Kirk’s friend, and to get to Otto, she needed a ruse and Louise, Otto’s wife was the star candidate….and the ball started rolling…and rolling….and rolling and the story got heavier as it moved along in a series of contrived events.

The first part was terrific with lots of conniving action but soon the plot grounded to a crawl almost stopped and completely fell apart towards the end. Apparently to make matters worse we can expect the subject to be rehashed in the future. The main character is boring or maybe tired after a long series or simply was caught in a very bad executed plot. The personalities of the secondary characters, almost too many to keep them all straight, were weak in their manipulation and deception. On a positive note, although I found this story unreal and over the top I was curious enough to never have let my mind meandered too far….:) and I stayed with it to the very last words. I may not think this story to be the best but apparently this author is very well liked for his wonderful style and captivating storylines…..Too bad I choose the know him with a so late installment I may have otherwise loved this one. My lost……

[Tom Tischler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fidel Castro is on his death bed and he sends for Colonel
Maria Leon and acknowledges that he is her father. He also
tells her a tale of stolen gold and asks her to find former
CIA director Kirk McGarvey to help her find it. Upon his
death though she has her hands full fending off the men of
her own division who want her job or her dead. The only way
to get McGarvey to Cuba that she can think of is to kidnap
his best friends wife which she does. McGarvey show up and
decides to help. Now he heads from Cuba to Mexico City then
to Spain and finally a site in New Mexico where the gold is
supposed to be. At the same time McGarvey has Cuban Intel-
ligence agents and Mexican drug cartel soldiers on his tail
who will stop at nothing to get a piece of this treasure.
Another interesting tale from David Hagberg and also another
page turner. I think that a follow up book will be along
the way shortly.

[Rock · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm giving this a tentative 3 stars because the writing is terrific but the story is ridiculous.
The most frustrating thing about this book is the constant non-explanations from McGarvey.
"I expected that" with no explanation how or why, "I'll explain later" then never does or the chapter ends.
He manages to get just about every foreigner, general, and leader, even the president to go along with whatever he wants without explaining anything to them, or if he does we're left in the dark.
McGarvey is pretty much always right, reminds me of Jack Bauer in the tv series 24, yet in previous books pretty much always has to defend himself against not only enemies, but friends as well, whereas in this they just take him at his word all of a sudden.
Weird.
However this seems to be the beginning of an, at least, 2-parter that continues in the next book 'Blood Pact'.
If it turns out the story becomes more believable I will change it to 4 stars.

[Wayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite as realistic as most Kirk McGarvey stories, Castro's Daughter still held my interest and provided a few hours of entertaining, exciting reading. I did find it hard to believe that the President of the United States would give Kirk McGarvey 'carte blanche' to carry out plans that even the President was kept in the dark about. Putting that complaint aside, it was typical McGarvey. Here he had to figure out why Otto's wife had been kidnapped by Castro's daughter and why Otto had flown to Havana to save her. Then, McGarvey came up with an outrageous plan to discover hidden gold in New Mexico that might play a part in Cuba's internal political intrigue following the death of Fidel Castro. A little complicated and far-fetched, but a fun read anyway!

[Renee Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems as if I've been reading this book forever! Granted I've read about six books in between reading this one but goodness. I'm usually pretty fond of a cat and mouse chase but this moved a little slow for me. The story line was not a bad one as searching for lost treasure is always fun, mysterious and even dangerous at times but I'm hoping to get a little more background on Mr. McGarvey. I felt there were pieces missing.

[Mike Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the better Kirk McGarvey novels compared to the past few. I really found it refreshing that Hagberg was able to use a story line outside of the tired Arab Terrorist that every single Espionage/CIA thiller seems to use these days. The epilogue seems to hint at another books along the same lines, we will see. This book sort of renewed my interest in this series.

[Michael Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love novels involving the tensions between Cuba and the U.S. There are so many Cuban Americans and connections. This novel features intrigue and double crossed agents. I would classify it as historical fiction. Castro's daughter is beautiful and deadly in this novel. Military background with a need to be recognized by her Father. I need a Part Two.

[Marc]

This book is hilarious! But I doubt the author intended it. I can’t wait to see the movie: Chevy Chase as Mac.

But really, I am so tired of these clown stories about Cuba. Of this military flotsam I’ve never read his previous stink. But this one goes on the turd heap.

So looking to my southern neighbour, I am wondering what a companion book titled, “Trumps Daughter” might look like?

[Tommy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read most of Hagberg's books, even those he wrote as Flannery, and I thought this was one of his worst. It wasn't like any of his other Kirk McGarvey books which always told a good story with lots of action. And, the way this one ended, there may be a sequel in the works.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Hagberg's latest book. It was a good book, but not his best. Very interesting premis about gold buried somewhere in New Mexico that was Spanish Gold that was shipped through Havana, Cuba and Mexico. Hagberg's books are alwasys good reads.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Hagberg's work. He takes you to exotic ports in such detail, you feel like you're there. Excellent with twists, never knowing who will survive in the end. I loved the daughter, such a strong, mysterious character. She should have her own series of novels.

[Samuel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrific. David Hagberg is a pulp fiction writer with flourishes of Ian Fleming. Previous entries had been the after-mentioned influences with a dash of Clancy. Here's it's more of a Dan Brown hybrid. Utterly ludicrous with a plot that isn't relevant.

[Marianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was, IMO, like taking a huge mouthful of cotton candy. Ya know how it melts into nothing.
A very complicated, convoluted plot that kind'a fizzled. Couldn't quite get all the hoop-la.
At the ending, I got the impression that Hagberg was using the whole book to set up for the sequel.

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I did like this book, there seemed to be an element of "politicizing" about Cuba and how the country and their government function. But McGreavy and his buddy Rencke and others manage to pull the government's butt out of crisis once again and set McGreavy up for his next case.

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful tale of life after Fidel's death. His daughter is caught up in a power struggle and incorporates a former Director of Intelligence from the US.

Great story and a lot of action.

Hagburg is quickly becoming one of my favorite authers.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. I'm a big fan of the McGarvey series, but this one was just weak. Hagberg appears to be completely out of good ideas for this character.

[Douglas Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was more along the lines of a Clive Cussler book than the typical Hagberg with Mcgarvey series.
It was decent reading, but the edge of seat excitement was not there for me.

[Fara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not up to par with his previous books, leaves a lot to be desired. This wonderful author was really stretching from the shelves of Clive Cussler on this one.

[Joan Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting plot and subplots. The ending is very surprising. The book provides a glimpse of Cuba and politics.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out as a good book, but by the final 5/6 chapters, I just wanted it to end. Not my favorite Kirk McGarvey novel.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

dangling end obviously a sequel in the making

[Al Menaster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well paced, pretty good. But the ending didn't make much sense, which means that much of the plot didn't make much sense either.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have read this author before, only a few books. This sounded interesting. Have just started. Liked this book, it was a little slow in the beginning but then really held my interest.

[Carol · Rating 1 out of 5]

Violence, violence, and more violence. Not my cup of tea.

[Allan Pendlebury]

Mixed feelings. I really couldn't understand the plot involved with the Cubans. I'll see if his next in line (Blood Pact) helps out.