The Cuban Affair

By: Nelson DeMille

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Nelson DeMille’s #1 New York Times bestseller, “an action-packed, relentlessly paced thriller” (Publishers Weekly, starred review), featuring DeMille’s newest character—U.S. Army combat veteran Daniel “Mac” MacCormick, a charter boat captain setting sail on his most dangerous cruise yet.

Daniel Graham MacCormick—Mac for short—seems to have a pretty good life. At age thirty-five he’s living in Key West, owner of a forty-two-foot charter fishing boat, The Maine. Mac served five years in the Army as an infantry officer with two tours in Afghanistan. He returned with the Silver Star, two Purple Hearts, scars that don’t tan, and a boat with a big bank loan. Truth be told, Mac’s finances are more than a little shaky.

One day, Mac is sitting in the famous Green Parrot Bar in Key West, contemplating his life, and waiting for Carlos, a hotshot Miami lawyer heavily involved with anti-Castro groups. Carlos wants to hire Mac for a ten-day fishing tournament to Cuba at the standard rate, but Mac suspects there is more to this and turns it down. The price then goes up to two million dollars, and Mac agrees to hear the deal, and meet Carlos’ clients—a beautiful Cuban-American woman named Sara Ortega, and a mysterious older Cuban exile, Eduardo Valazquez.

Mac learns that there is sixty million American dollars hidden in Cuba by Sara’s grandfather when he fled Castro’s revolution. With the “Cuban Thaw” underway between Havana and Washington, Carlos, Eduardo, and Sara know it’s only a matter of time before someone finds the stash—by accident or on purpose. And Mac knows if he accepts this job, he’ll walk away rich…or not at all.

The Cuban Affair “is a timely stay-up-all-night, nail-biting page-turner featuring Nelson DeMille’s iconic tongue-in-cheek, articulate, rhythmic narrative. His affably irreverent protagonist, fantastic believable supporting characters, and tense, realistic Cuba-set scenes including some jaw-dropping revelations make this a must read” (Library Journal, starred review).

“Genuinely gripping” (Newsday), told with “incredible wit” (Tampa Bay Times), “The Cuban Affair feels authentic and real, and it provides knuckle-white tension mixed in with levity” (Associated Press).

Good idea.

Struggled to finish. Good story but it dragged, could have been half as long. Author did a great job of describing Cuba and the story had interesting twists and turns but it felt like it took forever to get there.

Accomplished Nothing

Personally I like stories involving adventure to have the protagonists accomplishing something, but the main character was lied to, screwed over and wound up with practically nothing, except an airy "we were in it for a higher goal" speech. Guess you have to read it to understand what I am talking about. Just very disappointed.

Great Book, But Bad Ending

It's a classic Nelson DeMille novel and a new main character is refreshing from the author. DeMille's style really shows in the Cuban Affair, but the ending just doesn't live up to the rest of the novel, so be prepared for that.

Not up to DeMille's standards

Another main-character wise-guy; gratuitous f-bombs, and very poor editing. The book is almost 15 hours long, and it should have been about half that.

A Laugh Out Loud Audio Book!

I had a good time. Sardonic humor, witty without being witless. Believable dialogue and character interaction.