Anyone who has seen ''The Godfather Part II'' knows that the mix of political intrigue, revolutionaries, gangsters, and government-sanctioned gambling in late-'50s Cuba offers a wealth of dramatic possibilities. José Latour, a native of Cuba and author of 1999's ''Outcast,'' blends those ingredients to perfection in Havana World Series, cooking up a tale as dark, rich, and satisfying as a pot of extra-meaty carne guisado.
The book, which details a casino rip-off and its bloody aftermath, features real-life bad guys like Meyer Lansky and Joe Bonanno. But it's the intricately drawn cast of career criminals who spring from Latour's rich imagination that makes ''Havana'' so enjoyable, a sure thing for any fan of exotic noir.
