I haven't given 4 stars to many books in my collection (maybe 4 or 5 at most). While at face value this is a thriller, the search for the killer in 1960 Havana of a popular bolero singer, this novel is a long and superb description of the unseen and unsung Havana, with passing elaborate discussions on the value of friendship and honesty, the meaning of life and many other considerations. For those who are looking for another face of the romantic and seductive Havana this is the book.