Matt Sullivan arrives in Havana, Cuba, full of hopes and dreams. He's in Havana to see his girlfriend, Yarmila Portal, and he hopes she will accept his marriage proposal. Instead, he finds her dead body, his passport yanked by La Seguridad, and is deemed a person of interest in her death. Did Yarmila have a secret life?

I couldn't resist a book set in Cuba, particularly since I had the pleasure of visiting the city of Havana last summer. Teresa Dovalpage does a magnificent job at describing the beauty of Havana, a city caught in the past where the only cars on the road are classic cars, such as Studebakers. Teresa Dovalpage's exquisite descriptions of both the city and the food make me long to revisit Cuba and once again walk among the historic buildings.

Matt, on the other hand, isn't the most likable of characters. It's hard not to feel sorry for him initially as the idea of being anywhere without the protections we've grown accustomed to in the United States is frightening and the loss of one's passport is simply chilling. However, he's so gullible and wishy-washy that it's hard to truly like him, particularly when his character deficits had me cringing. There are a couple twists regarding his character near the end that had me scratching my head in confusion as they seemed somewhat superfluous to the story line.

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Fortunately, however, Matt's character doesn't detract from the overall intriguing story that Teresa Dovalpage has for readers. DEATH COMES IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN delves into the politics of Cuba just before (and during) the Black Spring of 2003 and offer some interesting insights into the fear that permeated the country during that time. Oddly enough, Matt's gullibility helps accentuate the overall atmosphere of secrecy and suspicion as he stumbles along, trying to understand what happened to his girlfriend and worrying about his confiscated passport.

DEATH COMES IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN is an intriguing murder mystery that is heavy with political undertones. Teresa Dovalpage's exploration of Cuba will have readers wanting to walk the streets of Havana and taste the scrumptious foods described in Yarmila's blog. I'll definitely be reading more by Teresa Dovalpage as DEATH COMES IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN is a compelling, albeit frustrating read as we see a country caught in the past and full of mistrust of both the police and the government. If you enjoy a good mystery and don't mind unreliable characters, then take a trip to Havana and give DEATH COMES IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN a try.

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