Her father wanted to run Havana. Her rebel lover wanted to burn it down. On the eve of the Cuban Revolution, headstrong 18-year-old Francesca Pacelli flees from her ruthless Mafia-boss father in Havana to the arms of her lover, a rebel fighting with Fidel Castro. Her father, desperate to send her to safety in the US, resorts to torture and blackmail as he searches the island for her.So begins the first part of a spellbinding saga that spans three generations of the same family. Decades later, the family is lured back to Cuba by the promise of untold riches. But pursuing those riches brings danger as well as opportunity, and ultimately, Francesca’s family must confront the lethal consequences of their choices. From the troubled streets of Havana to the mean streets of Chicago, HAVANA LOST reveals the true cost of chasing power instead of love. HAVANA LOST is award-winning author Libby Fischer Hellmann’s tenth novel and third thriller that explores how strife and revolution affect the human spirit. The novel is a testament to Hellmann’s gift for authentic historical detail as well as her talent for writing compulsively readable thrillers The Cuban Revolution is the rich backdrop for this riveting historical thriller. In the days just prior to the revolution, life in Cuba is difficult. Spies are everywhere. Poverty and hunger are rampant. But for American Francesca Pacelli, life is easy. Her Mafia-boss father owns a luxury hotel and casino in Havana, where they live. When Francesca meets Luis Perez, a rebel fighter, she falls in love fast and runs away with him. Her father tracks her down and sends her back to the States, where the brokenhearted and pregnant Francesca is pushed into an arranged marriage. All their lives are changed by these events, and the story follows these characters from 1950s Cuba to present-day Chicago, where Francesca is now head of the family and is as ruthless as she needs to be. Meanwhile, Luis ends up in South Africa, where he stumbles upon a crew mining coltan, a rare mineral necessary in the production of computers, and finds himself in serious danger: blood diamonds aren’t the only export causing brutal violence in South Africa. This multigenerational page-turner is packed with intrigue and shocking plot twists. --Stacy Alesi "A riveting historical thriller... this multi-generational page-turner is packed with intrigue and shocking plot twists..." Booklist "Masterfully crafted...Hellmann has a superb gift for the colorful depiction of her characters. I can't imagine any noir aficionado not enjoying Havana Lost." Rich Reeder, aliteraryreeder "A many layered adventure... smart writing done in accomplished style by an author who never talks down to her readers." Mystery Scene Magazine " HAVANA LOST is a tale of love, betrayal and revenge with three generations of remarkable women. Libby beautifully captures the scents, sounds, and feel of Cuba before and after the revolution." Zoë Sharp, author of the Charlie Fox crime thrillers "Libby Fischer Hellmann is already an icon of the Chicago mystery scene. (Now) she heads in a bold new direction and masterfully evokes a Cuba past and present in a heartrending tale of broken families and lost loves." Sean Chercover, THE TRINITY GAME "Libby Hellmann offers a literary tour de force...lush with the details of another place and time--and full of lovers whose stars are tragically crossed with cold-war politics. The writing will take your breath away." William Kent Krueger, NY Times best-selling author of ORDINARY GRACE & Cork O'Connor series On the eve of the Cuban Revolution, headstrong 18-year-old Francesca Pacelli flees from her ruthless Mafia-boss father in Havana to the arms of her lover, a rebel fighting with Fidel Castro. Her father, desperate to send her to safety in the US, resorts to torture and blackmail as he searches the island for her. So begins the first part of a spellbinding saga that spans three generations of the same family. Decades later, the family is lured back to Cuba by the promise of untold riches. But pursuing those riches brings danger as well as opportunity, and ultimately, Francesca’s family must confront the lethal consequences of their choices. From the troubled streets of Havana to the mean streets of Chicago, HAVANA LOST reveals the true cost of chasing power instead of love. HAVANA LOST is award-winning author Libby Fischer Hellmann’s tenth novel and third thriller that explores how strife and revolution affect the human spirit. HAVANA LOST is a testament to Hellmann’s gift for authentic historical detail as well as her talent for writing compulsively readable thrillers. Following is a short Q&A with Libby about HAVANA LOST.   What attracted you about a plot set in Cuba? Where did the inspiration come from?                                                                                                                                                          I was talking t