Buenas tardes. I’m Mercy Spivey, but that’s just my most recent name. In Cuba, my birth place, I was Mercedes Montero Rojas. Everybody called me Merceditas, which I prefer. The ending “ita” gives it an affectionate feel, even if all you’re doing is asking me for a glass of water. In Gainesville, where I live now, most people, including my husband, find Merceditas too long and difficult to pronounce, so I’ve turned into Mercy.

Now that we’ve gotten the name issue out of the way, I’ll tell you about my day. The morning began with a well-mannered long-haired Chihuahua that had to be picture perfect for a puppy shower—yes, that’s a baby shower for dogs. The operation included pink bows, blow-drying and other indignities to the canine race.

I am a groomer at Pretty and Pampered, a pet salon owned by my best friend Candela. She offered me the job because she knows that I love animals. She also knows, though was kind enough not to say it, that I need to be more independent and stop expecting my husband to pay for everything. Nolan is (actually, used to be, but I’ll get to that in a minute) a college professor. He always said that we could live comfortably on his salary. In truth, I suspected he didn’t want me to work as a cook—though I am quite good at it—cleaning houses or in a factory, and those were the only jobs available. After all, he was el profesor.

I insisted on working at Pretty and Pampered, if nothing else, to be out of the house and speaking Español with Candela. Now talk about good timing! When Nolan found himself out of a job a few weeks ago (the college didn’t renew his contract), he was grateful we had a steady income, even if it was just styling pooches.

He has sent dozens of applications but hasn’t heard from anybody yet. I don’t make much, as you can imagine, and our bank account is draining fast. Taking a cruise to Cuba under these conditions isn’t a good idea, right? More so when we both know the island quite well. I lived there until my early twenties and Nolan used to take his students for summer courses to the University of Havana. But the trip will cost nothing. I won it in a raffle, though I don’t remember entering it. And, well, gratis hasta las bofetadas, my grandmother Mamina says. (The English version is nicer: don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.)

“Go for it, chica!” Candela encouraged me.

After closing shop for the day (our last customer was a cranky Maine coon cat), Candela and I spent the evening at La Margarita Bar and Grill, drinking mimosas and hablando de la vida. Discussing life these days means me whining to Candela, but that’s what friends are for. I worry about Nolan, who has become depressed and distant after losing his job. He will likely find another soon, but what if he doesn’t? I also worry about my grandma, alone in Havana in a house that is too big and old for her to take care of. I worry about the cruise because it honestly sounds too good to be true.

Lastly, I fret about the past. I often wonder if I did the right thing leaving Lorenzo, my Cuban boyfriend, to marry Nolan with whom, it seems at times, I don’t have much in common. But it is too late to even think about that. This isn’t the right moment to ditch poor Nolan. Besides, Lorenzo is dead.

Death Under The Perseids, A Havana Mystery #4
Genre: Traditional
Release: December 2021
Purchase Link

There’s no such thing as a free cruise in Cuban American author Teresa Dovalpage’s addictively clever new Havana mystery.

Cuban-born Mercedes Spivey and her American husband, Nolan, win a five-day cruise to Cuba. Although the circumstances surrounding the prize seem a little suspicious to Mercedes, Nolan’s current unemployment and their need to spice up their marriage make the decision a no-brainer. Once aboard, Mercedes is surprised to see two people she met through her ex-boyfriend Lorenzo: former University of Havana professor Selfa Segarra and down-on-his-luck Spanish writer Javier Jurado. Even stranger: they also received a free cruise.

When Selfa disappears on their first day at sea, Mercedes and Javier begin to wonder if their presence on the cruise is more than coincidence. Mercedes confides her worries to her husband, but he convinces her that it’s all in her head.

However, when Javier dies under mysterious circumstances after disembarking in Havana, and Nolan is nowhere to be found, Mercedes scrambles through the city looking for him, fearing her suspicions were correct all along.

Meet the author
Teresa Dovalpage was born in Havana and is now settled in New Mexico, where she is a college professor. She is the author of twelve published novels and three theater plays. Her Havana Mystery series reflects the lights and shadows of life in the island. Find her online at teredovalpage.com.

All comments are welcomed.