It kept my attention and 1950s Cuba is an extremely interesting setting, especially considering that the United States was supporting Rebel Fidel Castro against Batista, without realizing that Castro was a hardcore communist.

The plot itself was good, and captures the moral ambiguities of espionage: which side is "good", which side is "bad", and what happens when a spy determines that he's on the "wrong" side and working against his own moral relativistic views.

Vidich continues the story of former CIA Agent George Mueller, sending him to Cuba amidst the Cuban Revolution to spy on his friend and former colleague Toby Graham. The plot is interesting and the history is engaging, however there are times when readers may be confused as to who is who. Dealing with the web of the FBI, CIA, and State Department amidst Cuban police, rebels, dictators and spies takes attention to detail by the reader. However, the story moves at an appropriate pace, keeping the interest of readers throughout. Political mystery fans will enjoy Mueller's newest adventure.

Published by Atria/Emily Bestler Books on April 18, 2017

“Evil does not betray you” is the theme of The Good Assassin. Like all good spy novels, betrayal is at the novel’s heart. Betrayals pop up at regular intervals as the story moves forward, taking many forms.

The Good Assassin takes place five years after An Honorable Man. George Mueller, now retired from the CIA, is sent to Cuba in 1958 as an “outsider” to take a reading on Toby Graham, a CIA agent with whom Mueller is acquainted. It is feared that Graham might be unduly sympathetic to Castro’s revolution (as opposed to the Batista dictatorship that the CIA clandestinely supports), and that Graham might be funneling weapons provided by the CIA to Castro rather than Batista.

Mueller is met and instantly disliked by the FBI’s man in Havana, Frank Pryce. He’s also disliked by Graham, with whom he has a dark history that includes a woman who is also a key character.

Cuba in 1958 is not a safe place to be unless you’re Ernest Hemmingway. The story places Mueller in jeopardy from Castro’s rebels and Batista’s troops, but danger may also be lurking closer to home. Mueller has plenty of things to worry about in this relatively brief but captivating story.

Is Graham a traitor? Or is he simply a realist who follows orders but complains about the hypocrites who issue them? Graham is clearly tired of “the persistent contemplation of evil,” an occupational hazard that “weakens the soul.” If he is a traitor, what should be his fate? In the game of espionage, the novel suggests, it is impossible to separate the white hats and the black hats. There are only shades of gray. There are no innocents, no souls untainted by corruption.

Paul Vidich handles those themes adeptly, as he did in An Honorable Man. The apparent simplicity of the story masks its depth. The novel ends in ambiguity, and while that’s how most things end, readers who like stories to wrap up neatly might be affronted by the lack of clear answers. I think the ending fits the story and its themes.

I am drawn to spy fiction in part because of the moral questions that characters so often confront, at least when the themes are deeper than “patriotic Americans kill bad people.” Vidich confronts moral issue in a thoughtful way. The Good Assassin is not as surprising as An Honorable Man, but Mueller continues to be a surprising, morally complex character.

RECOMMENDED

2nd book in the series set in Cuba during the revolution. I enjoyed the setting - both the time & the island - the financial investments, anything-goes environment, political situation and American involvement.
The protagonist, former spy George Mueller, comes out of retirement for an all-expenses paid trip to Cuba (by the U.S. government) to find an old classmate and see if his loyalties align with our government's.
What he finds is a group of idle, dissolute ex-pats watching over their holdings, bed hopping, and spending days just killing time while waiting for the resolution to Castro's revolt.
The book drags a little in the middle - just like the character, I kept waiting for *something* to happen - but the pace lends itself to the setting.
The conclusion is wrapped up satisfactorily and sets up for the next installment in the series. Wondering where the author is going to take us next?

Having read "An Honorable Man" I looked forward to another book in the George Mueller series. "The Good Assassin" is a wonderful addition to the series. The book kept my interest from the very first page. The background of Cuba in the late 1950's was interesting. I hope there will be additional books in this series.

Intelligent, well written and exciting characterizes Vidich's second George Mueller spy novel. The setting this time is Cuba as Mueller is called out of retirement to determine whether an old friend is letting American guns find their way to Castro. Old flames and a savory cast of FBI agents, expatriates and revolutionaries confront Mueller as his investigation calls into question friendships, loyalty and love. Highly recommended for fans of Alan Furst and John LeCarre.