Death Under The Perseids

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Description

There's no such thing as a free cruise in Cuban American author Teresa Dovalpage's addictively clever new Havana mystery. Cuban-born Mercedes Spivey and her American husband, Nolan, win a five-day cruise to Cuba. Although the circumstances surrounding the prize seem a little suspicious to Mercedes, Nolan's current unemployment and their need to spice up their marriage make the decision a no-brainer. Once aboard, Mercedes is surprised to see two people she met through her ex-boyfriend Lorenzo- former University of Havana professor Selfa Segarra and down-on-his-luck Spanish writer Javier Jurado. Even stranger- they also received a free cruise. When Selfa disappears on their first day at sea, Mercedes and Javier begin to wonder if their presence on the cruise is more than coincidence. Mercedes confides her worries to her husband, but he convinces her that it's all in her head. However, when Javier dies under mysterious circumstances after disembarking in Havana, and Nolan is nowhere to be found, Mercedes scrambles through the city looking for him, fearing her suspicions were correct all along.

Reviews

Praise for Death Under the Perseids

Dovalpage allows Mercedes a vivid, emotional tour of Havana as she explores the areas where she grew up and how the city still lives in her heart . . . Death Under the Perseids offers as many surprises as the meteor shower it is named after.
Oline H. Cogdill, South Florida Sun Sentinel

From the start of Teresa Dovalpage's Death Under the Perseids, a highly entertaining mystery set in Havana, theres an ominous tone, a hint of something repressed beneath the main characters narration . . . Like the Perseids meteor shower that once every hundred years or so lets us look back across time in the universe, this trip to Havana forces Mercedes with a biting awareness to confront her past.
Carole E. Barrowman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

[A] refreshing and elusive Cuban crime novel.
Jack Batten, The Toronto Star

[Death under the Perseids] has wonderful descriptions of mouth-watering food, Cuban architecture, history of the island, and the lifestyle of an average Cuban (in this case, Mercedes grandmother).
Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine

Beyond beinga riveting and pleasurable read, Death Under the Perseids by Teresa Dovalpage provides an uncommon perspective on present-day Havana, one that is apolitical and unclouded by nostalgia . . . Savor the delectable food and evocative place details, the crafty plotting, and laugh-out-loud humor . . . Death Under the Perseids makes an outstanding contribution to the whodunit genre and to contemporary Latinx literature as a whole.
Latino Book Review

The latest Havana Mystery wont disappoint Dovalpage fans or newcomers alike. The combination of plot, setting and characters make for a compelling read.
Ms. Magazine

Dovalpage excels in her portrayal of old Havana.
The Taos News

Death under the Perseids is much darker than Dovalpage's three earlier mysteries . . . A must for the shelf.
Kingdom Books

Highly captivating . . .If Agatha Christie was Cuban, she would have written this mystery . . . Teresa Dovalpage's expertly penned mystery, Death under the Perseids, is a character-driven revenge thriller.
Gumshoe Review

[An] engagingly escapist mystery.
Everything Zoomer

[T]he last third of the novel [Death under the Perseids] delivers revelations like hammer blows. Theyre well worth waiting for.
Booklist

Armchair travelers will appreciate the views of Havana through the eyes of Mercedes and her grandmother . . . Dovalpage remains a writer to watch.
Publishers Weekly

"Sharply-plotted, highly readable, evocative, and timelyTeresa Dovalpage's latest is her best yet. Death Under the Perseids is an author at the top of her game, and a must-read for mystery fans who love great locations paired with even better characters. I couldn't put this book down."
Alex Segura, acclaimed author of the Pete Fernandez Miami Mystery series and Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall

A twisty mystery filled with complex characters caught under a cloud of suspicion, Death Under the Perseids will keep you guessing until the end. Teresa Dovalpage transports readers to Havana on an ill-fated cruise where danger abounds.
Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba

"In this tale of love and betrayal, Dovalpage reminds us that, much like the meteors that illuminate the night sky, so will the past catch up to cast a light onour darkest moments.
Melissa Rivero, Author of The Affairs of the Falcns

Praise for Teresa Dovalpage

Dovalpage wields her considerable authorial skill in this intricately plotted tale of jealousy, revenge, and the dark side of love.
Isabella Maldonado, award-winning author of the Veranda Cruz mysteries

A fast-paced, richly layered tour de force. The twists, turns, and santera rituals that abound in this complex noir will please crime readers and armchair travelers alike. Bravo, Teresa Dovalpage! Encore!
Lucha Corpi, author of the Gloria Damasco mysteries

A lesser-known Cuba, with the kind of details that make it a home rather than a holiday.
Chicago Review of Books

Amusing, observant . . . [A] devastating depiction of prejudice in 1980s Cuba.
The Miami Herald

Dovalpage's first crime novel is a well-cooked stew of culture and cuisine . . . [A] stunningly unexpected conclusion.
The Taos News

A rich and perceptive portrayal of daily life in Cuba.
Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

[A] dazzling culinary mystery . . . Those expecting a traditional food cozy will be happily surprised.
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

Author Bio

Teresa Dovalpage was born in Havana, Cuba. She earned her BA in English literature and an MA in Spanish literature at the University of Havana, and her PhD in Latin American literature at the University of New Mexico. She is the author of thirteen other works of fiction and three plays, and is the winner of the Rinc n de la Victoria Award and a finalist for the Herralde Award. She lives in New Mexico.