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The Havana Room
The Havana Room is the tale of a man from his fall from the heights of power and wealth in New York to the moment where he might well die.
Bill Wyeth is a successful real-estate attorney in his late thirties with a wife and son, who, by the merest chance, loses family, job, status. Unmoored and alone, Wyeth drifts toward the city's darker corners. Restoration seems unlikely, redemption impossible, when Wyeth finds himself in an old-time Manhattan steakhouse. He is intrigued by the manager, Allison Sparks--sexy, complicated, and independent in all ways. She also controls access to the restaurant's private bar. This is the Havana Room, and what goes on in there, he's told, is secret.
Wyeth agrees to help Alison's friend, Jay Rainey, in concluding a last-minute midnight real-estate transaction. As soon as he sees the players and the paperwork, Wyeth knows something is wrong.
Within hours, Wyeth finds himself tangled in Rainey's peculiar obsessions, which involve a Chilean businessman who feels he's been swindled, an old farmer frozen dead to a bulldozer, an outrageous black owner of a downtown hiphop club, and a fourteen-year-old English girl. Only Rainey knows the connections among these people, which are revealed when Wyeth is finally admitted to the Havana Room--where the survival of its inhabitants is most uncertain.
Bill Wyeth is a successful real-estate attorney in his late thirties with a wife and son, who, by the merest chance, loses family, job, status. Unmoored and alone, Wyeth drifts toward the city's darker corners. Restoration seems unlikely, redemption impossible, when Wyeth finds himself in an old-time Manhattan steakhouse. He is intrigued by the manager, Allison Sparks--sexy, complicated, and independent in all ways. She also controls access to the restaurant's private bar. This is the Havana Room, and what goes on in there, he's told, is secret.
Wyeth agrees to help Alison's friend, Jay Rainey, in concluding a last-minute midnight real-estate transaction. As soon as he sees the players and the paperwork, Wyeth knows something is wrong.
Within hours, Wyeth finds himself tangled in Rainey's peculiar obsessions, which involve a Chilean businessman who feels he's been swindled, an old farmer frozen dead to a bulldozer, an outrageous black owner of a downtown hiphop club, and a fourteen-year-old English girl. Only Rainey knows the connections among these people, which are revealed when Wyeth is finally admitted to the Havana Room--where the survival of its inhabitants is most uncertain.
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
37 people are currently reading
563 people want to read
About the author
Colin Harrison
63 books140 followersColin Harrison is a crime novelist. He is a vice president and senior editor at Scribner.
He lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with his wife, the writer Kathryn Harrison, and their three children (Sarah, Walker and Julia).
He attended: Haverford College, BA 1982; University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. MFA 1986
His short nonfiction has appeared in The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Vogue, Salon, Worth, and other various publications.
He lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with his wife, the writer Kathryn Harrison, and their three children (Sarah, Walker and Julia).
He attended: Haverford College, BA 1982; University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. MFA 1986
His short nonfiction has appeared in The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Vogue, Salon, Worth, and other various publications.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
June 11, 2024
“Colin Harrison is trying to do for New York what Raymond Chandler and James Ellroy have done for Los Angeles: map the sinister underbelly of the city, the nexus of greed and lust and ambition that metastasizes there and its dark spawn of larceny and murder.” So wrote Michiko Kakutani in her New York Times review back in 2004 when The Havana Room was first published. Ms. Kakutani went on to write about the book in glowing terms, not something she’s usually known for.
As a big Colin Harrison fan myself, so happens I’m in complete agreement. The Havana Room is one hell of a literary crime thriller, capturing the energy of New York City in startling ways. Here are a batch of Off-Off-Broadway headliners a reader will encounter in its sizzling pages:
The Old Bill Wyeth: Our perceptive, highly intelligent, keenly analytic, articulate narrator is a 39-year old rich, successful lawyer living with his wife and son on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. His prospects are bountiful, although he probably will live a conventional, predictable, even what some would consider a boring life, Bill is poised to become even more accomplished in his chosen field of law and incredibly over-the-top wealthy.
The New Bill Wyeth: Then a random spinning of Fortuna's wheel casts this stellar barrister down with a crash: Bill inadvertently causes the death of one of his six-year old son's friends. The son's rich father sues and gets Bill fired; he's forced out of his apartment; his wife Judith can't take it and leaves with son Timothy for San Francisco. Soon thereafter the divorce papers come through. All of a sudden Bill's life is anything but boring - he's a divorced man on the down-and-out skids.
Femme Fatale: Lonely, despondent, unemployed, there's one high spot in Bill's life: he dines at an old New York steakhouse (Ulysses S. Grant and Charles Dickens paid visits) where he meets and gets to know the manager of the establishment: alluring, available, sexy Allison Sparks, a gal who turns out to be a magnet for trouble. Like a ferromagnetic metal, Bill is drawn to Allison, big time. Oh, Bill, if you only knew.
Dastardly Deed: One evening at the restaurant, Allison asks Bill to stand in as real estate lawyer, his specialty, for her friend Jay Rainey. Bill knows he shouldn’t be bullied into agreeing to review contracts and offer advice under a makeshift arrangement with the clock ticking on an unreasonable deadline, but he would be given a chance to impress Allison and also prove to his wounded lawyer ego that he still has what it takes to untangle knotty legal documents. After all, he muses, how far can he fall now that he’s fallen this far? Whoa, Billy! What a blunder! You can spiral much, much further down – and you do.
Rugged Rainey: Big, burly Jay comes off as your typical NYC tough-guy but the more we learn about this well-built athlete raised on a Long Island farm, the more our hearts soften. Likewise, Bill Wyeth begins to appreciate the depth of Jay’s suffering as he goes about unraveling clues to the big man’s blood ties and past tragedies.
Down on the Farm: After all the papers are signed, Jay and Bill take a ride out to the farm that was part of the deal Bill just approved. The men encounter the unexpected: long-time farm hand Herschel is frozen in the driver's seat of a tractor. And what in the world was he trying to bury? The thick plottens.
Dangerous White Collars: The buyer of the farm, Mr. Marceno, a Chilean wine-baron, demands a meeting with Bill Wyeth - he wants to know what is under the land he now owns. He points a threatening finger in Bill's face and says if anything is less than perfect, Mr. Bill, the attorney of record, will be on the receiving end of a mammoth lawsuit.
Dangerous Gold Chains: The relatives of Herschel are upset and demand money for all the hard work over the years poor Herschel put in for the owners of that farm. And that's relatives as in big, strong, mean, dangerous men who will exert all sorts of pressure to get what they want. Are you listenin' to me, Mr. Bill Wyeth! Similar to New York City author Richard Price with novels such as Clockers, Colin Harrison has an excellent ear for the way New Yorkers from all socioeconomic strata talk. With the likes of H.J., Gabriel, Denny, and Lemont, there's the undeniable sense real people are doing real talking.
Dangerous City: New York's mighty heart pulses and pounds, making its urban presence felt on every page. In many ways, this is a tale of the multicultural, multiracial, multi-everything else metropolis, from posh private restaurants, offices and apartments to public dangers lurking, thieves on the streets, plunderers in law firms, all set to pounce on unsuspecting victims who let their guards down.
The Havana Room: The exclusive, very private room in Allison's steakhouse. Among its many secrets contained therein is Mr. Ha serving the rare Shao-tzou fish from China. Eaten the proper way, this fish can produce certain varieties of ecstasy; eaten the wrong way, it can kill you. Who would have guessed? As it transpires, this Chinese fish is a major player in the novel.
Michiko Encore: Here’s the last sentence from Ms. Kakutani’s first-rate review: "Though there's plenty of suspense in this novel, we don't keep reading because of plot pyrotechnics, but because we've come to care about what happens to poor Bill Wyeth, and because Mr. Harrison is a master of mood and atmosphere, and he gives us in these pages a noirish New York that's at once recognizable as the day-lighted city we all work in, and as frightening as the nightmare place we all dread."
New York City author Colin Harrison, Born 1960
"Squatting within the shadows of this rusting, rushing superstructure are businesses that depend upon such a marginal location, where rents are lower, squalor ignored, parking ample and unpoliced: porn shops, taxi garages, car service offices, and so on. It's a bad zone; it was here, for example that a New York City policeman, drinking for twelve hours after his shift ended, some of that time in a strip joint, ran over a pregnant Latina woman and her two children with his van going seventy miles an hour, an event which, for those who believe in such places, sent four souls to heaven and one to the front page of the tabloids." - Colin Harrison, The Havana Room
January 12, 2019
*****4.5 Stars***** Great storyteller! I've read this author in the past, but I had forgotten just how much I loved his novels. I plan to find more Colin Harrison books in 2019 but, after reading this one, I won't be eating Chinese Puffer Fish anytime soon.
April 16, 2017
The book was not what I expected. But right from the start, because this noir mystery was set in New York City, with the machismo factor set to high, I knew Donald Trump would worm his way onto these pages. And there he appears on page 121, when author Harrison shoehorns him into the near present day ramblings of his "abbreviated history of Manhattan real estate":
"...the soaring, gaudily crenellated edifice of Donald Trump's ego;..."
The first chapter of this fine book knocked my socks off. It was that good and set the tone, in a sense, for what lies ahead as hotshot real estate lawyer Bill Wyeth picks up the pieces of his shattered life. After page 40 (in the paperback), the novel dramatically switches course. I don't want to give any of that early story away, but the ordeal and the characters are fleshed out well and set against a Manhattan lifestyle awash in big money, real estate, status and elitism. What happened to Bill Wyeth in Chapter One was a great big nightmare -- it's something that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. The worst part is that it could happen to anyone.
Then we arrive at Chapter Two: Bill's life post-"big devastating thing" and The Havana Room, which overtakes his world and the majority of the book. I loved that several subplots, with tremendously wide ranging topics, are explored in this manly man's type of mystery: real estate dealings in downtown NYC and Long Island's beautiful North Fork region, a matter of paternity, a landmark NYC steakhouse, dysfunctional family relationships, the aftermath of an accidental death, retribution, poisonings, a rare and odd Chinese delicacy, a respiratory ailment and a femme fatale.
This is not a book for the faint of heart and the main female characters are not the most likeable women you'll ever meet either. Then again, Bill Wyeth was kind of unlikeable, too.
The ending is very satisfying and provides important closure to the various (maybe too many) subplots. I was especially taken with the author's deftness in handling the strange and complex relationship between Jay and Sally, two other main characters and what it signifies for Bill. Sorry for the vagueness here, but again, I don't want to give anything away.
Two slight drawbacks here: I found some of Harrison's explanations of mundane topics, like land appropriation and real estate tax law, windy and highly distracting. That concise, yet abbreviated history of New York's City's changing landscape dating back to the Dutch settlers and ending in present day Big Appledom (cue the evil Orange Cheeto reference) is told in one humongous/contiguous sentence that runs about four pages, with each descriptor separated by mere semi-colon. It's brilliant but it's still a run-on sentence. Finally, I didn't buy Bill's relationship with Judith at the end. These are small points and they don't spoil the book at all, so if you like a good contemporary mystery, you should definitely visit The Havana Room.
Oh, and two of my favorite quotes -- the first, more true now than ever:
The single-lane road winding east toward the Atlantic revealed a charming and classically American dreamscape almost too good to be true -- three-hundred-year-old saltwater cottages, steepled churches and clapboard farmhouses, silver barns next to ancient, heavy -limbed maples...The rolling land was a heart-yanking time warp to a simpler age. People find such authenticity frighteningly attractive, for it lets them forget terrorism and global warming and genetic counseling, lets them forget that time runs in only one direction, at least for those of us still roped to the mast of Western rationalism...Back then, when America was the great good place. (pg. 173)
People who don't have children often take violent exception to the idea that their lives are in any way existentially different from the lives of those who do have children, and to this I only laugh darkly to myself and think, Well yes, you may think that, but you are already dead, my friend. (pg. 369)
"...the soaring, gaudily crenellated edifice of Donald Trump's ego;..."
The first chapter of this fine book knocked my socks off. It was that good and set the tone, in a sense, for what lies ahead as hotshot real estate lawyer Bill Wyeth picks up the pieces of his shattered life. After page 40 (in the paperback), the novel dramatically switches course. I don't want to give any of that early story away, but the ordeal and the characters are fleshed out well and set against a Manhattan lifestyle awash in big money, real estate, status and elitism. What happened to Bill Wyeth in Chapter One was a great big nightmare -- it's something that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. The worst part is that it could happen to anyone.
Then we arrive at Chapter Two: Bill's life post-"big devastating thing" and The Havana Room, which overtakes his world and the majority of the book. I loved that several subplots, with tremendously wide ranging topics, are explored in this manly man's type of mystery: real estate dealings in downtown NYC and Long Island's beautiful North Fork region, a matter of paternity, a landmark NYC steakhouse, dysfunctional family relationships, the aftermath of an accidental death, retribution, poisonings, a rare and odd Chinese delicacy, a respiratory ailment and a femme fatale.
This is not a book for the faint of heart and the main female characters are not the most likeable women you'll ever meet either. Then again, Bill Wyeth was kind of unlikeable, too.
The ending is very satisfying and provides important closure to the various (maybe too many) subplots. I was especially taken with the author's deftness in handling the strange and complex relationship between Jay and Sally, two other main characters and what it signifies for Bill. Sorry for the vagueness here, but again, I don't want to give anything away.
Two slight drawbacks here: I found some of Harrison's explanations of mundane topics, like land appropriation and real estate tax law, windy and highly distracting. That concise, yet abbreviated history of New York's City's changing landscape dating back to the Dutch settlers and ending in present day Big Appledom (cue the evil Orange Cheeto reference) is told in one humongous/contiguous sentence that runs about four pages, with each descriptor separated by mere semi-colon. It's brilliant but it's still a run-on sentence. Finally, I didn't buy Bill's relationship with Judith at the end. These are small points and they don't spoil the book at all, so if you like a good contemporary mystery, you should definitely visit The Havana Room.
Oh, and two of my favorite quotes -- the first, more true now than ever:
The single-lane road winding east toward the Atlantic revealed a charming and classically American dreamscape almost too good to be true -- three-hundred-year-old saltwater cottages, steepled churches and clapboard farmhouses, silver barns next to ancient, heavy -limbed maples...The rolling land was a heart-yanking time warp to a simpler age. People find such authenticity frighteningly attractive, for it lets them forget terrorism and global warming and genetic counseling, lets them forget that time runs in only one direction, at least for those of us still roped to the mast of Western rationalism...Back then, when America was the great good place. (pg. 173)
People who don't have children often take violent exception to the idea that their lives are in any way existentially different from the lives of those who do have children, and to this I only laugh darkly to myself and think, Well yes, you may think that, but you are already dead, my friend. (pg. 369)
May 24, 2018
I loved this book because of how different it is. It has a masculine edge (imagine a hazy cigar room in a steakhouse, the dark feel of a Manhattan noir) without being one-note, and I appreciated the philosophical echoes throughout. The result is a page-turner that's lyrical and moody: Bonfire of the Vanities with a bit of The Firm and a dash of Cormac McCarthy, all with an epigraph from Schopenhauer (!). There are echoes of Gatsby: a larger-than-life Jay observed through a narrator, with trips from Manhattan to Long Island and a quest fueled by an irrational sense of yearning and hope. Yet for all of these comparisons, I felt Harrison achieved a mood and tone all his own. Michiko Kakutani of the Times, who scares the bejesus out of me, said that Harrison "combines a Balzacian eye for social detail and a poet’s sense of mood," which I think is exactly right.
September 9, 2012
I loved this book and could not put it down. For me, the plot was not too far fetched to enjoy at all - it was thrilling! I thought the genius of it was that the tiniest little detail, coincidence or (with hindsight) mistake can change a persons life forever. It tells a colourful story and warns you of the fragility of life. A stranger lent me this novel on along bus journey, a few years ago and It is now my favourite.
August 28, 2008
So I'm in the airport, about to board a flight, and I go into one of those bookstores that usually has just the New York Times' top 20 bestsellers list. My hope is to find a book that will at least engage me for the next three hours. I chose The Havana Room, and I literally could not put it down. Harrison takes the reader into a world of constant intrigue, into the private room of a Midtown Manhattan steakhouse that ends up smelling like sex and sushi, a dynamic combo to say the least. If you like thrillers and the plight of the everyman caught in a bind he couldn't previously imagine, this book is for you.
February 25, 2021
Bastante diferente de lo que creía, y bastante más cinemático el asunto. Se me hace raro que no hayan hecho ya una película de este libro.
Como misterio, resulta también redondeado, pulcro y cerrado; con varias partes móviles que al final terminan embonando de forma correcta. Parte historia de caída y redención, parte tragedia, parte novela negra que examina lugares subrepticios de la ciudad más archi-conocida de todas. Funciona un poco menos como un intento literario de hacer noir (Hay unas cuantas partes donde Harrison se arriesga a ser literario y describe la ciudad y su historia propasándose un poco con florituras que no vienen al caso), pero sí que hace un intento por subir un escalón contra la literatura de aeropuerto que es tan común y tan vendida en Estados Unidos. Recomendada.
Como misterio, resulta también redondeado, pulcro y cerrado; con varias partes móviles que al final terminan embonando de forma correcta. Parte historia de caída y redención, parte tragedia, parte novela negra que examina lugares subrepticios de la ciudad más archi-conocida de todas. Funciona un poco menos como un intento literario de hacer noir (Hay unas cuantas partes donde Harrison se arriesga a ser literario y describe la ciudad y su historia propasándose un poco con florituras que no vienen al caso), pero sí que hace un intento por subir un escalón contra la literatura de aeropuerto que es tan común y tan vendida en Estados Unidos. Recomendada.
February 26, 2018
This is the second book I read by Harrison (first was Manhattan Nocturne), and it did not disappoint. I do not the patience for crappy, choppy writing of many contemporary mystery writers, as well as their two-dimensional characters. This was a breath of fresh air for me. Harrison is a fantastic storyteller!!! I'm a big fan of his writing style.
Of course, this book has its flaws, too. We'll get into that in a bit.
The characters: Most of the characters in the novel were fleshed out and really well written.
Judith, the materialistic trophy wife was still well described in the opening. Harrison took the marriages between the middle aged corporate husband and the never satisfied wife and put it perfectly it words.
The dialogues between Bill Wyeth and Dan Tuthill was SO amusing. It's exactly how I imagined middle aged dude bros would sound like over a lunch conversation at a steakhouse.
Harrison definitely introduced some intriguing characters early on in the story, like Ha, the old Chinese man.
The plot: It was engaging, that’s for sure. The pacing was great; I didn't feel like the story dragged.
I have the hardcover edition of the novel, and when I read the excerpt "before long, he's inextricably ensnared in Rainey's particular obsessions, which involve a Chilean businessman who feels he's been swindled, an old farmer frozen dead to a bulldozer, an outrageous black owner of a downtown hip-hop club, and a fourteen year old English girl," it all sounded WAY too ridiculous to me. If not for the reviews I read on Goodreads beforehand, I wouldn't have read the book.
The plot, as crazy as it is, works I guess.
The cons: I don't know how realistic the initial incident was. I don't want to get into it and give any spoilers, but I'm pretty that would not happen in real life.
Bill is a pretty flawed protagonist. It makes no sense to me why he would get into Jay Rainey's whole mess. Or how, as a grown man (with some common sense, I presume) and an EXPERIENCED lawyer, he could possibly agree to Allison's favour.
Jay- his motivation for the real estate transaction doesn't make sense to me. Again, I won't get into it, but if you've read the book and want to discuss, I'll be right here.
The thing that bother me the most- what goes on in the Havana Room is so, so unrealistic. But it definitely piqued my curiosity for 60% of the book.
Overall, I was thoroughly entertained, and as I've mentioned, I appreciate the writing. I guess that meets the purpose of mystery novels. Would recommend!
Of course, this book has its flaws, too. We'll get into that in a bit.
The characters: Most of the characters in the novel were fleshed out and really well written.
Judith, the materialistic trophy wife was still well described in the opening. Harrison took the marriages between the middle aged corporate husband and the never satisfied wife and put it perfectly it words.
The dialogues between Bill Wyeth and Dan Tuthill was SO amusing. It's exactly how I imagined middle aged dude bros would sound like over a lunch conversation at a steakhouse.
Harrison definitely introduced some intriguing characters early on in the story, like Ha, the old Chinese man.
The plot: It was engaging, that’s for sure. The pacing was great; I didn't feel like the story dragged.
I have the hardcover edition of the novel, and when I read the excerpt "before long, he's inextricably ensnared in Rainey's particular obsessions, which involve a Chilean businessman who feels he's been swindled, an old farmer frozen dead to a bulldozer, an outrageous black owner of a downtown hip-hop club, and a fourteen year old English girl," it all sounded WAY too ridiculous to me. If not for the reviews I read on Goodreads beforehand, I wouldn't have read the book.
The plot, as crazy as it is, works I guess.
The cons: I don't know how realistic the initial incident was. I don't want to get into it and give any spoilers, but I'm pretty that would not happen in real life.
Bill is a pretty flawed protagonist. It makes no sense to me why he would get into Jay Rainey's whole mess. Or how, as a grown man (with some common sense, I presume) and an EXPERIENCED lawyer, he could possibly agree to Allison's favour.
Jay- his motivation for the real estate transaction doesn't make sense to me. Again, I won't get into it, but if you've read the book and want to discuss, I'll be right here.
The thing that bother me the most- what goes on in the Havana Room is so, so unrealistic. But it definitely piqued my curiosity for 60% of the book.
Overall, I was thoroughly entertained, and as I've mentioned, I appreciate the writing. I guess that meets the purpose of mystery novels. Would recommend!
September 21, 2022
Just so stupid. So so so so so stupid. Pretty dang racist and so misogynistic it’ll leave your head spinning.
It felt like Colin Harrison’s attempt to write an 80s action thriller, but all the appealing stuff (action, thrills, suspense, fun characters, only 90 minutes of your life) is missing so you’re just left with a dull, offensive piece of garbage that goes on for what feels like an eternity because Colin Harrison does not seem to know what a paragraph break is. Too busy describing the bodies of 14 year old girls and likening the mouths of women to wet, fuckable sea creatures I suppose. Yes, both of these things happen. In fact, I don’t know if the 14 year old is mentioned even once without further discussion on A) how attractive she is and B) how she’ll be even more attractive when she grows up.
It felt like Colin Harrison’s attempt to write an 80s action thriller, but all the appealing stuff (action, thrills, suspense, fun characters, only 90 minutes of your life) is missing so you’re just left with a dull, offensive piece of garbage that goes on for what feels like an eternity because Colin Harrison does not seem to know what a paragraph break is. Too busy describing the bodies of 14 year old girls and likening the mouths of women to wet, fuckable sea creatures I suppose. Yes, both of these things happen. In fact, I don’t know if the 14 year old is mentioned even once without further discussion on A) how attractive she is and B) how she’ll be even more attractive when she grows up.
December 23, 2010
Two stars is actually to much. Yet it was better than one. Started out like a dumb soap-opera.
Sorry the part of killing a innocent kid cause this dork (Bill) was to lazy to wash his hands after eating greasy Thia food, is a bit much. After eating, Bill who just arrived home late and all is asleep goes into watch some TV (porn) wanting to get his rocks off. Then getting caught by this young man, who is thirsty. This silly fool gets the boy a drink with his still nasty greasy hands.{This guys probably doesn't wash his hands after using the bathroom}
I almost stop the book at that point, but it did pick up and was a little better. Confusing at times but better. I felt it didn't make a lot of sense. I'm sorry but I wouldn't suggest this book to anyone.
Sorry the part of killing a innocent kid cause this dork (Bill) was to lazy to wash his hands after eating greasy Thia food, is a bit much. After eating, Bill who just arrived home late and all is asleep goes into watch some TV (porn) wanting to get his rocks off. Then getting caught by this young man, who is thirsty. This silly fool gets the boy a drink with his still nasty greasy hands.{This guys probably doesn't wash his hands after using the bathroom}
I almost stop the book at that point, but it did pick up and was a little better. Confusing at times but better. I felt it didn't make a lot of sense. I'm sorry but I wouldn't suggest this book to anyone.
August 8, 2007
I was skeptical about reading this book after reading Afterburn — which started off fantastic then deteriorated into bleak masochism. The Havana Room stays the course. Colin Harrison is a smart writer; this book is full of urban esoterica, quite satisfying for a late-night read. If you enjoy mournful neo-noir, you don't really need a summary of the set-up: just jump in and enjoy.
January 8, 2011
An incredibly great writer, one whose prose you can just roll around in, writes another of his literary thrillers. The first quarter or so is brilliant, including his ruminations on the isle of Manhattan. Few capture the essence of the city better. But for all its successes, the novel winds up feeling like a Donald Westlake comic mystery. Lots of skimming for me, but still, a very hard writer to put down, despite my instincts to throw the book against the wall now and then.
December 26, 2013
I thought this was a really well written book. A wonderfully shifting story that just keeps turning and churning. A great New York City focus made it fun for me as well. There is a three page description of the history of New York at the beginning of chapter 4 that is one of the most outstanding synopses I have ever read. I was turned on to this by one of those one page author interviews in the Sunday Times book review section a couple of weeks ago. I am glad i followed up on it.
September 19, 2014
Colin Harrison is enchanted by New York City.
That is obvious from every page of his novel, The Havana Room. An intriguing tale of crime and intrigue set against the backdrop of the dark, underground New York City, this one is a page-turner for sure.
As a Manhattanite myself at the time of reading this, I found myself longing to discover my own secret pockets of New York City. A great read, and magnificent sense of place.
That is obvious from every page of his novel, The Havana Room. An intriguing tale of crime and intrigue set against the backdrop of the dark, underground New York City, this one is a page-turner for sure.
As a Manhattanite myself at the time of reading this, I found myself longing to discover my own secret pockets of New York City. A great read, and magnificent sense of place.
June 2, 2008
What a fun read! This is a great page turner and Harrison is a top notch author. All in all, I highly recommend this book for fans of NYC, crime fiction junkies, Noir specialists and others that just enjoy a fun story. Harrison reminds me of a faster paced Turow-- lots of plot twists and really great characters.
April 13, 2023
Zanimljiva i na momente napeta priča. Sve je dobro osmišljeno i ispričano, međutim nije bilo neke prevelike napetosti da bih dala višu ocjenu.
February 24, 2011
On the whole, I liked this a little better than The Finder even though I gave them the same rating. The opening of this book is startling and it's terrifying how the main character goes from being a high powered lawyer to a seriously wounded and lost man. Harrison is definitely in tune with Manhattan's elite and how they slum it in the underworld. In a lot of ways The Havana Room itself is like a high class Fight Club, which is what I was expecting. Harrison's gift is creating vivid and distinctive characters who I don't feel I've seen a billion times before. Harrison's weakness, however, is wrapping things up. He does a slightly better job of that here than in The Finder but it can be better still. He succumbs to a climax that's a little too movie-ish for my taste. And while there's a nice surprise at the end, he takes something like thirty pages to conclude all his threads. And what's worse, it gets mushier and mushier to where I felt like I was finishing a different book than I started. But this was a great book and I can't bitch about fiction and get mad when it's not absolutely perfect. I fully intend to read more of his books and depending on the order they were written, maybe he gets better at his endings. I think there is more than enough to suggest this book and I'm glad I stumbled onto this author.
March 9, 2014
A supremely satisfying thriller. I was hooked after about 15 pages, and then couldn't put it down.
Bill Wyeth is a NYC lawyer. Very successful. Very rich. Living the high life with his wife and son. One night, when Bill's son, Timothy, is having some boys over to spend the night, the incomprehensible happens. One of the boys gets up in the night and wants a drink. Bill, who has just eaten take-away Thai food, gets Wilson a drink and thinks no more about it. The next morning, Wilson does not get up. He has asphyxiated during the night, following a severe reaction to peanut molecules, and is dead. Wilson's parents had stressed his allergy when they dropped him off, but Bill was at work and only his wife got the message.
As Bill's life falls apart, this novel really takes off. Through a series of one poor decision after another, Bill is caught in a downward spiral that becomes more convoluted and horrible as the plot progresses.
This will keep you guessing right up to the last page.
Bill Wyeth is a NYC lawyer. Very successful. Very rich. Living the high life with his wife and son. One night, when Bill's son, Timothy, is having some boys over to spend the night, the incomprehensible happens. One of the boys gets up in the night and wants a drink. Bill, who has just eaten take-away Thai food, gets Wilson a drink and thinks no more about it. The next morning, Wilson does not get up. He has asphyxiated during the night, following a severe reaction to peanut molecules, and is dead. Wilson's parents had stressed his allergy when they dropped him off, but Bill was at work and only his wife got the message.
As Bill's life falls apart, this novel really takes off. Through a series of one poor decision after another, Bill is caught in a downward spiral that becomes more convoluted and horrible as the plot progresses.
This will keep you guessing right up to the last page.
February 8, 2009
I always enjoy Colin Harrison, but certainly not because of his bright outlook. So often his characters become mired in destructive situations from which they are never able to extricate themselves. Also his books often end with the destruction of said characters. The Havana Room, although darkened by the usual temperament of Mr. Harrison's view of humanity was a surprising and welcome diversion from the previous novels of his I have read. I do, I admit, enjoy his overt sexual depictions and his apparent insight into the seamy side of relationships, neighborhoods, and selves. Because life can be as dark as he often depicts, and is certainly fraught with many dangerous situations and people I appreciate his realism and reminder to watch yourself that you don't become one of the subjects of his next novel.
November 26, 2007
I haven't read a straightforward "thriller" in so long, the genre felt like an undiscovered country: you mean you're allowed to put that much plot in a book? It's okay if some characters are obvious stereotypes? And then ending is somewhat underwhelming?
Still, this was also the first book in a long time to keep me up at night, refusing to put it down. That might be one of the oldest book blurbs in the blurb book, but it's true in this case. 4:30am. Not even kidding.
Still, this was also the first book in a long time to keep me up at night, refusing to put it down. That might be one of the oldest book blurbs in the blurb book, but it's true in this case. 4:30am. Not even kidding.
March 9, 2008
This turned out to be a pretty good book. The author knows how to paint a picture, and you definitely feel how fleeting money and power can be. It reads as obvious fiction, in that 'too much happening to one person' kind of way. But it has some interesting characters and moves along nicely.
The story also takes palce in Manhatten, and the author shows his love for the city and it's way of life.
The story also takes palce in Manhatten, and the author shows his love for the city and it's way of life.
April 15, 2014
This is the first book I've read by this author and I am blown away. The story is complex and compelling and the writing is fabulous. It's a bit dark but well totally a must read. It's a bit reminiscent of Bonfires of the Vanities. An up and coming 40-ish lawyer is riding hight in NYC until a tragic accident causes his fall from grace and he hits rock bottom. Then, he discovers a steakhouse where the Havana room exists. That's all I want to say so I won't spoil this story.
November 17, 2024
La caída de un prestigioso abogado neoyorkino sirve de pretexto para que el autor pase de narrar los altos escenarios de esta ciudad (las cenas suntuosas, los grandes departamentos y la vida de alta cultura) a los bajos fondos de Nueva York (la ciudad real, de a pie). La novela es un noir al puro estilo, con una trama que tiene sus grandes misterios y vueltas de tuerca. Muy buen libro, diversión garantizada.
June 9, 2025
Lectura amena y entretenida, logra sorprender con los vaivenes del relato. Como alguien que está en la cima, baja en picado y como logra sobrevivir y recuperar su dignidad.
July 9, 2019
First of all, great book !!! One that I very nearly quit reading after the first 20 pages. The author used the first part of the book to: introduce the back-story of Bill so as to 'paint' a clear picture of the set of circumstances that placed this character at the 'real' starting point of the story. It was a difficult chore to get through, but how it was worth it ! This method of exposition was, in effect, a prologue - but brilliantly done through solely the eyes of Bill. The outline of the novel (and the research done prior to writing this book) was never evident throughout. And what a spectacular set of interlocking plot arcs he wove: using dialogue, settings, splendid pacing, character reveals, and finally wrapping the story perfectly.
I am so glad to have found this author, and will go back to the beginning of his published novels and then proceed forward to the present day. His skill, after reading this book, is undeniable. I better understand several elements of storytelling solely because I got through those first few pages and persevered.
Lastly, I do see elements of Raymond Chandler in this book. I hope to find the same in the author's other works.
I am so glad to have found this author, and will go back to the beginning of his published novels and then proceed forward to the present day. His skill, after reading this book, is undeniable. I better understand several elements of storytelling solely because I got through those first few pages and persevered.
Lastly, I do see elements of Raymond Chandler in this book. I hope to find the same in the author's other works.
May 23, 2010
Polly raved about this book for style and plot so I gave it a go. Harrison writes well, and is concerned with developing his main character's identity, thoughts, and motivations. Maybe a little too much of that. The story centers on a real estate attorney, Bill Wyeth, who inadvertently poisons a young boy at his son's sleepover; he gets the kid a glass of milk with peanut oil on his pinkies and the highly allergic tyke bites the big one. this leads his wife to abandon him, and the boys father to wreck his career. From the depth of his despair, an encounter in a strange steakhouse entangles him in a real estate deal on Long Island. This eventually leads to the stories of a local farm boy/athlete, a rich English summer tourist, a black gangster, a rich Chilean wine baron, and an illegal alien Chinese Fugu chef. The story has some suspense, and as a reader I did find myself engaged with the characters, so I guess that is good. Overall, however, I did not find this author up to the standards of, say, Michael Connolly. Too much talk and not enough action.
June 13, 2016
I read The Havana Room (Harrison) because of an excerpt example in a craft book (can't remember what or why, but I digress). It's an interesting book to study from. I hope someday I can write even a little bit like this guy.
I'm now ordering this as a bit of a craft book in itself. I'd say a good 75% of it is narration, and it's beautifully done. There's a sentence that's 3-1/2 PAGES long, with a fantastic, lyrical rhythm. The MC is your average fella, but I was completely drawn in from the start and worried for him. I was on the edge of my seat towards the end, when all the crazy, inexplicable details came together. Incredible, beautiful writing. The ending does get a little nuts, and the details are a bit expository at that point, and there are a couple contrivances with a character or two near the end, but I didn't care.
I live in Chicago, where the subways are frequently nasty. But as I read mostly on my train rides to and from work, I could not wait to board just so I could get back to my book. A must-read, for sure.
I'm now ordering this as a bit of a craft book in itself. I'd say a good 75% of it is narration, and it's beautifully done. There's a sentence that's 3-1/2 PAGES long, with a fantastic, lyrical rhythm. The MC is your average fella, but I was completely drawn in from the start and worried for him. I was on the edge of my seat towards the end, when all the crazy, inexplicable details came together. Incredible, beautiful writing. The ending does get a little nuts, and the details are a bit expository at that point, and there are a couple contrivances with a character or two near the end, but I didn't care.
I live in Chicago, where the subways are frequently nasty. But as I read mostly on my train rides to and from work, I could not wait to board just so I could get back to my book. A must-read, for sure.
Read
February 5, 2009Harrison won legions of fans with his previous novels Afterburn (2000) and Manhattan Nocturne (1997), and his new novel promises not to disappoint. The suspenseful plot, film noir atmosphere, and unique details like hallucinogenic sushi will keep readers actively engaged. What's more, in Bill Wyeth, Harrison has created a character with a lot to lose--his family, career, and sanity, for starters--and his plight provides an emotional backdrop to the chases and killings. A few naysayers found that the thrill wore off, that Harrison displayed a tendency to overwrite, and that he sometimes stretched the limits of plausibility. For the most part, however, critics were drawn into both the internal and external drama of Wyeth's life, and cheered him on his search for redemption.
This is an excerpt from a review published in Bookmarks magazine.
October 1, 2017
As the book jacket says, the main character gets into a bind and what ensues is the story of how (or whether) he gets out of that bind.
Harrison has a marvelous gift of writing detailed scenes that put you into a place of action (including the "Havana Room" - a place of mystery to the reader for half the book)
An enjoyable read once you get past the collapse into misery of the main character in the first couple of chapters. Three stars only because the writing is only slightly above the level of Lee Child or Michael Connelly and given that it is not a page turner, the book is merely escapist fiction to pass the time.
Harrison has a marvelous gift of writing detailed scenes that put you into a place of action (including the "Havana Room" - a place of mystery to the reader for half the book)
An enjoyable read once you get past the collapse into misery of the main character in the first couple of chapters. Three stars only because the writing is only slightly above the level of Lee Child or Michael Connelly and given that it is not a page turner, the book is merely escapist fiction to pass the time.
September 26, 2019
I'm conflicted. The whole plot, the author's style, the icky parts, all are good and bothersome.
The events are concluded satisfactory to me. That doesn't happen often for me.
This purposed writing style is annoying because I think in the same manner so, I don't believe men have these thought processes. Except for my brother who is unusual. I like the story, not often do I not figure out nuances and I like to be surprised!
The book just appeared on my kitchen table as a result of some cleaning out by my husband. I will try another by Harrison to see about this style. Can't help the curiosity.
The events are concluded satisfactory to me. That doesn't happen often for me.
This purposed writing style is annoying because I think in the same manner so, I don't believe men have these thought processes. Except for my brother who is unusual. I like the story, not often do I not figure out nuances and I like to be surprised!
The book just appeared on my kitchen table as a result of some cleaning out by my husband. I will try another by Harrison to see about this style. Can't help the curiosity.
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