Havana Bay

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The body, or what remained of it, was drifting in Havana Bay when Arkady arrived from Moscow, following an urgent message from the Russian embassy about his missing friend, Pribluda. The Cubans claimed the corpse in an inner tube was Pribluda, but Arkady had doubts. He confronted Ofelia Osorio, a detective in the Policia Nacional de la Revolucion, questioning the lack of investigations into assaults and murders, wondering if it was open season on Russians in Havana. The Cold War comrades had parted bitterly, with Russians now rare and despised compared to Americans. Havana was vibrant yet filled with suspicion, a city where the ideals of the Revolution had faded. Once a paradise, it had become a stop for sex tours, characterized by empty stores and a mix of Marxism and crime. Amidst this chaos, a dead Russian leads to the murders of a Cuban boxer and a prostitute, all of which are not meant to be investigated. Despite his lack of Spanish and knowledge of Cuba, Arkady, a pariah as a Russian, feels drawn to the city’s beauty and rhythm. The music and the allure of Ofelia reignite his passion for life. The series is distinguished by its careful writing and deep understanding of the human heart, resonating from start to finish.