FIDEL'S LAST DAYS

In FIDEL'S LAST DAYS, a baroque assortment of plotters from Havana to Virginia seeks to end Castro's rule or to be sure he governs forever, and it is almost impossible to guess which is which, since the parties to the plot are constantly lying to each other to test each others' courage and loyalty. While the story has all the hallmarks of a conventional thriller, the Cuban backdrop makes it something special, and Patrick Egan gives a virtually perfect performance, letting a hint of accent lightly flavor the voices of the Cuban characters, while the main course is the plight of the plotters and counterplotters and the true drama of their circumstances. All this and a whiz-bang ending make this an outstanding listening experience. B.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2009]