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Willa Jansson #7
Havana Twist
Edgar-nominated author Lia Matera's seventh Willa Jansson mystery is packed with “a riveting plot, realistic Havana settings, reawakened romance, and flavorful characters…a winner.” (Library Journal)
Attorney Willa Jansson’s mother has never balked at breaking the law, especially not for a good cause. So when Willa learns her mother has flouted federal regulations and gone off to Cuba, she figures it's just a harmless pilgrimage to lefty Graceland. But when her mother doesn’t return with the rest of her peacenik tour group, Willa fears her mother’s bleeding heart may finally have gotten her into more trouble than she can get herself out of.
But when Willa risks her career and passport by rushing to Cuba to retrace her mother’s steps, she finds that nothing there is quite as it seems. Following clues to neighborhoods tourists never see, through secret tunnels beneath the street, and into the finest luxury hotels, Willa is manipulated, misled, and nearly arrested. And in the meantime, newfound reporter friends—or are they CIA agents?—disappear as suddenly and inexplicably as her mother did. In a deadly game of cat and mouse, Willa follows her mother’s trail from Havana to Mexico City, from California back to Havana…all the while keeping barely one step ahead of two angry governments and at least one ruthless killer.
Attorney Willa Jansson’s mother has never balked at breaking the law, especially not for a good cause. So when Willa learns her mother has flouted federal regulations and gone off to Cuba, she figures it's just a harmless pilgrimage to lefty Graceland. But when her mother doesn’t return with the rest of her peacenik tour group, Willa fears her mother’s bleeding heart may finally have gotten her into more trouble than she can get herself out of.
But when Willa risks her career and passport by rushing to Cuba to retrace her mother’s steps, she finds that nothing there is quite as it seems. Following clues to neighborhoods tourists never see, through secret tunnels beneath the street, and into the finest luxury hotels, Willa is manipulated, misled, and nearly arrested. And in the meantime, newfound reporter friends—or are they CIA agents?—disappear as suddenly and inexplicably as her mother did. In a deadly game of cat and mouse, Willa follows her mother’s trail from Havana to Mexico City, from California back to Havana…all the while keeping barely one step ahead of two angry governments and at least one ruthless killer.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1998
6 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Lia Matera
35 books10 followersLia Matera is a graduate of Hastings College of the Law, where she was editor in chief of the Constitutional Law Quarterly. She was also a Teaching Fellow at Stanford Law School before becoming a full-time writer of legal mysteries. Prior Convictions and A Radical Departure were nominated for Edgar Allan Poe awards. The Good Fight and Where Lawyers Fear to Tread were nominated for Anthony and Macavity Awards. She has written nine novels, including the critically acclaimed Face Value. Matera lives in Santa Cruz, California.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 2, 2022
Havana Twist by Lia Matera is the 7th (final) book of the Willa Jansson mystery series set in late-20th-century Havana, Mexico City, and California. Willa's mother June has been picketing, leafleting, and protesting for causes all Willa's life. But when she doesn't return from her latest crusade (to Havana) Willa panics. Although her actions might result in disbarment, arrest and a hefty fine, Willa goes to Havana to find her mother.
Havana is grimly described in detail. Along the malecon, tourists are escorted to the part of Havana they are supposed to see, and indoctrinated with propaganda nonstop. Tourist Police aka Minders round up and redirect any tourist who attempts to stray into the real Havana. Willa befriends a young man on the malecon. Of course the young people of Havana are not at all free to converse with Americans, so Willa and Ernesto have to pretend not to be talking, not look at each other.
Willa learns the true reality of Havana is a family must line up for hours on a long line, stretching around a building, to obtain one orange, the allocated ration to a family for a week. Residents do not have electricity, gasoline or soap.
Willa befriends two reporters, and they attempt to see what has become of an imprisoned American. She's clearly been drugged. The "model prison" has very few inmates. Obviously not the real prison, just the facade to show tourists.
Willa uses all her tricks to outwit tourist minders, and explore. She finds the tunnels, whose existence are denied by all Cuban officials. She cannot find her mother, or outwit the military police and the elite secret police. She's deported out of Cuba.
But she doesn't give up. Following up on information from the reporters, she investigates in Mexico City. She figures if she traces the mystery of the imprisoned American, and an escaped Cuban poet, it will somehow lead her to her mother (?). The plot thickens; she must face the fact that Mexican officials are just as corrupt as the Cubans, and the reporters were not who they seemed either.
She heads to California with a few leads, but people die (or disappear) just as she is about to question them. Who can she trust? Her old flame from SFPD. Together they return to Havana, until it is clear they will not find June there. Willa's escape solves a mystery: how/why people are smuggled out of Cuba. Months pass before Willa understands what happened to June, and the others she tried to find.
The title Havana Twist is apt for the many plot twists, however Willa is told in Cuba the term refers to simple hand-rolled cigars smoked by the workers who harvest tobacco, who of course are not allowed (and can't afford) the expensive cigar products exported from Cuba.
After reading Havana Twist, it's likely to drop off any list you may have of places to visit someday.
Havana is grimly described in detail. Along the malecon, tourists are escorted to the part of Havana they are supposed to see, and indoctrinated with propaganda nonstop. Tourist Police aka Minders round up and redirect any tourist who attempts to stray into the real Havana. Willa befriends a young man on the malecon. Of course the young people of Havana are not at all free to converse with Americans, so Willa and Ernesto have to pretend not to be talking, not look at each other.
Willa learns the true reality of Havana is a family must line up for hours on a long line, stretching around a building, to obtain one orange, the allocated ration to a family for a week. Residents do not have electricity, gasoline or soap.
Willa befriends two reporters, and they attempt to see what has become of an imprisoned American. She's clearly been drugged. The "model prison" has very few inmates. Obviously not the real prison, just the facade to show tourists.
Willa uses all her tricks to outwit tourist minders, and explore. She finds the tunnels, whose existence are denied by all Cuban officials. She cannot find her mother, or outwit the military police and the elite secret police. She's deported out of Cuba.
But she doesn't give up. Following up on information from the reporters, she investigates in Mexico City. She figures if she traces the mystery of the imprisoned American, and an escaped Cuban poet, it will somehow lead her to her mother (?). The plot thickens; she must face the fact that Mexican officials are just as corrupt as the Cubans, and the reporters were not who they seemed either.
She heads to California with a few leads, but people die (or disappear) just as she is about to question them. Who can she trust? Her old flame from SFPD. Together they return to Havana, until it is clear they will not find June there. Willa's escape solves a mystery: how/why people are smuggled out of Cuba. Months pass before Willa understands what happened to June, and the others she tried to find.
The title Havana Twist is apt for the many plot twists, however Willa is told in Cuba the term refers to simple hand-rolled cigars smoked by the workers who harvest tobacco, who of course are not allowed (and can't afford) the expensive cigar products exported from Cuba.
After reading Havana Twist, it's likely to drop off any list you may have of places to visit someday.
February 17, 2017
This book was too complex to be of my liking. Lots of characters and plots made very confusing.
April 1, 2023
beach read
July 5, 2024
Easy beach read. I read it as a standalone, and it definitely would have been helpful to have previous context
Read
January 11, 2009Havana Twist, by Lia Matera, B.
downloaded from audible.com.
Publisher’s notes say as much here as I can:
Attorney Willa Jansson's mother has never balked at breaking the law, especially not for a good cause. So when Willa learns her mother has flouted federal
regulations and gone off to Cuba, she figures it's just a harmless pilgrimage to lefty Graceland. But when her mother doesn't return with the rest of her
peacenik tour group, Willa fears the feds might consider the trip "trading with the enemy", with a penalty of ten years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
In Lia Matera's Havana Twist, Willa risks her career and passport by rushing to Cuba to retrace her mother's steps. But she finds that nothing there is
quite as it seems. Following clues to neighborhoods tourists never see, through secret tunnels beneath the street, and into the finest luxury hotels, Willa
is manipulated, misled, and nearly arrested. And in the meantime, newfound reporter friends (or are they CIA agents?) disappear as suddenly and inexplicably
as her mother did. Soon the U.S. State Department, the Cuban Interior Ministry, and Willa's old flame, San Francisco Homicide Lieutenant Don Surgelato,
get into the act. But politics and police work are a poor substitute for those things only a daughter would know. So, in a deadly game of cat and mouse,
Willa follows her mother's trail from Havana to Mexico City, from California back to Havana, all the while keeping barely one step ahead of two angry governments
and at least one ruthless killer.
I liked some of the descriptions of Cuba. But this book didn’t really grab my attention. More of a thriller than a mystery. Things summed up in the end to bring the book to a close. She could have done so much more with the dynamics between Willa and her mother. And too much re-kindling of the old flames between her and Sam. I know this is a series, so maybe I would have felt differently if I had read previous books first.
downloaded from audible.com.
Publisher’s notes say as much here as I can:
Attorney Willa Jansson's mother has never balked at breaking the law, especially not for a good cause. So when Willa learns her mother has flouted federal
regulations and gone off to Cuba, she figures it's just a harmless pilgrimage to lefty Graceland. But when her mother doesn't return with the rest of her
peacenik tour group, Willa fears the feds might consider the trip "trading with the enemy", with a penalty of ten years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
In Lia Matera's Havana Twist, Willa risks her career and passport by rushing to Cuba to retrace her mother's steps. But she finds that nothing there is
quite as it seems. Following clues to neighborhoods tourists never see, through secret tunnels beneath the street, and into the finest luxury hotels, Willa
is manipulated, misled, and nearly arrested. And in the meantime, newfound reporter friends (or are they CIA agents?) disappear as suddenly and inexplicably
as her mother did. Soon the U.S. State Department, the Cuban Interior Ministry, and Willa's old flame, San Francisco Homicide Lieutenant Don Surgelato,
get into the act. But politics and police work are a poor substitute for those things only a daughter would know. So, in a deadly game of cat and mouse,
Willa follows her mother's trail from Havana to Mexico City, from California back to Havana, all the while keeping barely one step ahead of two angry governments
and at least one ruthless killer.
I liked some of the descriptions of Cuba. But this book didn’t really grab my attention. More of a thriller than a mystery. Things summed up in the end to bring the book to a close. She could have done so much more with the dynamics between Willa and her mother. And too much re-kindling of the old flames between her and Sam. I know this is a series, so maybe I would have felt differently if I had read previous books first.
August 13, 2009
When attorney Willa Jansson's "superlefty" mom disappears in Cuba, Jansson sets out to find her, traveling back and forth between Havana and Mexico City. After several murders, former flame Homicide Lt. Don Surgelato joins her. I liked this book for several reasons: there's quite a bit of humor among the plot twists and turns (sort of like a Kinsey Millhone abroad) and because she depicts the Cuba of the 1990s with harsh accuracy. The hotel Willa stays at could have been the same one I once stayed at: one with a small, drab hotel room that reeked of mildew. Says Willa about a second trip to Havana: "I dreaded returning to Cuba, not because America had demonized it for forty years, but because of the scarcity and sadness hanging over it, swallowing up residents and tourists alike." This is the seventh and, as far as I can tell, the final Willa Jansson book in the series. It's a shame, because I would have liked to have read much more about Willa
December 8, 2010
Two thirds of the way through Ken Follett's 1000 page "Pillars of Heaven" I needed to take a break. Why not a quick little mystery novel to bring me briefly out of the middle ages to the world of today. Being half Cuban I picked "Havana Twist".
After a while I almost gave up on it, but it was just intriguing enough to keep me going. That about sums it up. A competent venture in the genre somewhat reminiscent of the Sue Grafton alphabet series of mysteries (a sardonic independent woman living in a California coastal town confronting the who-done-it question) with just enough to keep us curious. The last third picked up & it certainly had an original premise & setting. Not great literature, but it did the trick.
After a while I almost gave up on it, but it was just intriguing enough to keep me going. That about sums it up. A competent venture in the genre somewhat reminiscent of the Sue Grafton alphabet series of mysteries (a sardonic independent woman living in a California coastal town confronting the who-done-it question) with just enough to keep us curious. The last third picked up & it certainly had an original premise & setting. Not great literature, but it did the trick.
August 5, 2012
When attorney Willa Jansson's rebellious mother fails to return home from a pilgrimage to Cuba, Willa goes from California to Mexico City to Havana in search of her mother. She gets caught up in a deadly game of cat and mouse, with a ruthless government, a killer, and an homicide detective hot on her trail.
Pretty good. Amusing twists and dialogue, but the plot gets a little convoluted. Interesting Cuban setting and details (although it was written in 1998, so if it was indeed accurately detailed then, it may not be the same today).
Pretty good. Amusing twists and dialogue, but the plot gets a little convoluted. Interesting Cuban setting and details (although it was written in 1998, so if it was indeed accurately detailed then, it may not be the same today).
November 25, 2008
This was a fast, smart, and extremely witty tale, filled with solid characters, an intelligent plot and wonderful pacing. Apparently, this is actually the 7th book in the 'Willa Jansson mystery' series, but my first experience with this author. Her characters and her timing put me in mind of Evanovich's Plum series; I'm just sorry I didn't come across this series sooner (now, I'll have to go and back-read "last Chants" and "Star Witness")
April 24, 2012
I enjoyed this -- a nice summer read about intrigue in Cuba and Mexico City. Don't know that I'll seek out another Willa Jansson mystery, as she seemed pretty useless most of the time -- the mystery would never have been unravelled without the involvement of other, more clever characters.
July 16, 2012
Good, but I am annoyed at the fact that Willa can't deal with her mother at all. She spends beaucoup money and time and emotional energy rescuing her mother from Cuba, and in return gets no appreciation for it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2012
This was a decent book that was a nice, quick read. I enjoyed reading about Cuba and now want to read more recent descriptions of the conditions there and learn how accurate or fictionalized this account was.
September 11, 2013
This book kept me on edge and drove me crazy at the same time. The protagonist was relentless in trying to find her mother who disappeared in Havana. Her relentlessness made me crazy and I was on edge expecting momentarily that she would be killed.
January 26, 2008
A slow start and hard to follow at times. It was interesting reading regarding life in Cuba. I may try another book by the author, I hope it is easier to follow.
August 13, 2008
I LIKE Lia Matera - always entertaining.
January 1, 2011
For better or worse, left me wanting to read Sue Grafton.
March 17, 2011
So far it's good. It makes me want to know more about Cuba's condition now.
December 18, 2014
A little too tedious as time went by.
February 17, 2017
a decent little mystery. The most interesting part is the picture of 1990s Havana. I liked the main character.
November 14, 2011
The plot is a little weak, but the book gives a very interesting glimpse of modern Cuba.
Want to read
September 28, 2013Saw at 1/2 price in wville; have read others in this series
June 19, 2015
Pleasant read
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews