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).

Too much like Up Country

Nelson DeMille is my favorite author so it's tough to write this review. I was looking forward to a new character but Mac is John Corey and Paul Brenner...same sarcasm, same ego, same inner monologue and the story reads far too similar to Up Country which is arguably my favorite DeMille book...foreign country, secret police, love interest that doesn't tell the truth etc. Overall I enjoyed it as I do all of his books but wouldn't rave about it.

Great story but excruciatingly long

The story is great but instead think 1/3 of it can be deleted without effecting the story like or the characters. Great audio performance.

Up and Down

Felt Time this book had some brilliant moments, but also some moments of hilariously bad writing. The story was good, but felt super cheesy at times. Also, this was

Not DeMille's Magnum Opus

I am a longtime fan of both DeMille and Brick. I have read every DeMille book narrated by Brick and most of the remaining books. In general, together they are unstoppable. This book falls short though. I struggled to care about the characters and found the love story difficult to choke down. I finished and will pre-order his next novel, but I will not be re-reading this, ever.

great book

first time listening to this author and I really enjoyed it. love the interaction between the characters, loved the action, loved hearing the details of what Cuban life would like.