Ghosts of Havana by Todd Moss is a present-day diplomatic and political thriller. In the wake of a rapprochement between the United States and Cuba, many are wondering whether the regime in Havana is truly committed to genuine reform. Might the Cuban government just be trying to hoodwink the international community? After all, well-documented human rights violations are continuing.

Some in the U.S. government decide to turn towards covert action to expedite change on the island. But is that such a good idea? Or might it result in another disaster for the U.S.? Previous intelligence failures in Cuba, like the Bay of Pigs fiasco in 1961, are impossible to ignore.

Protagonist Judd Ryker, a U.S. State Department employee, is currently working on Cuba. Ryker’s wife, an American intelligence officer, is too. To complicate Washington’s bilateral relationship with Havana, Cuban authorities detain four Americans who had crossed into Cuban waters.

This is another good read from Moss — a former State Department official who currently works at the Center for Global Development, a think tank based in Washington, D.C.

Ghosts of Havana is Moss’s third Judd Ryker novel. Like the previous two, the book benefits from his previous experience in government and from his clear, unassuming writing. Readers looking for something fast-paced and fun should consider giving this book a try.