Leonardo Padura: Adios Hemingway
English Edition: 9781741955414, Canongate,
paperback,
German edition: Unionsverlag, 9783293206144, paperback
Leonardo
Padura is a Cuban author living in Havana whose Mario Conde crime novels reveal
much about present day life in Cuba. In
other words, perfect holiday reading.
“Adios Hemingway” was written in 2006 but I only bought it recently and
thought I share my view of this light hearted, clever novel. I saw his latest book “Heretics” in Waterstones
in the UK, another excellent pick for holiday reading.
Forty years
after Hemingway’s death, a corpse is discovered on the grounds of Finca Vigia
where Hemingway spent many years of his life.
In all likelihood the person found was murdered as two bullets from
Hemingway’s famous weapon collection are the cause of death. Could it be that Hemingway was a
murderer? No one is interested in soiling
Papa Hemingway’s image and additionally this old cold case is too delicate a
subject for Havana’s police to deal with, particularly in view of manpower
shortages. Teniente Manolo entrusts his
old colleague, former policeman and now author Mario Conde with this delicate
investigation. In synchronization with
Mario Condos findings, the book has another layer and tells of Hemingway’s last
days on the Finca in 1958, ultimately leading to Hemingway’s departure and the
event and puzzle Conde needs to solve.
This is
very cleverly plotted. Obviously not all facts about Hemingway’s last days are true
but close enough, one wonders if this
could not have been another last unpleasant adventure in Hemingway’s troubled depressed last years.
