Ringer [Paperback]

J. S. Thayer (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This superior thriller that fantasizes tweaking the nose of Fidel Castro centers on his bitterest enemies, Miami's Cuban-American veterans of the Bay of Pigs fiasco. William Maurice is an ex-CIA agent who is still assuaging his guilt for his role in organizing the abortive invasion by doing charitable work with Cuban-American youth. Maurice maintains black market connections with contacts in Cuba. When the CIA's network on the Caribbean isle is swept up by G2, the Cuban secret police, and when the Soviets station bombers just 90 miles from Miami, the CIA asks its former agent to turn his Cuban contacts into a new network. Maurice begins preparing a covert action against the bomber threat, which is reminiscent of the Cuban Missile Crisis. His idea is to make use of a Cuban-American who is a dead ringer for Castro. In addition to being an expert raconteur, Thayer ( Pursuit ) displays a wealth of knowledge about Cuban culture and the Castro regime. His anti-Castro bias gives the book a polemical tone, however, and leads to an ending that stretches the imagination a bit too far.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

YA The suspense begins with the Russians deploying a secret bomber into Cuba. Detente breaks down between the United States and Soviet Union. To stop this situation in Cuba, the United States enlists the help of William Maurice, a former CIA officer who saw his career destroyed at the Bay of Pigs. The only chance to succeed is to use a Castro look-alike. This involved plot moves along at a good clip. The many threads of the plot do not get snarled up but create a satisfactory conclusion. The inclusion of details about Cuban life and culture creates an air of authenticity. Karl Penny, formerly at Houston Public Library
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1 pages
• Publisher: Pinnacle (July 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558175296
• ISBN-13: 978-1558175297
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,335,712 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I served as a physician in the British Army during the Boer War. Wait. Sorry. That was Arthur Conan Doyle. I was raised in Spokane, and went to school in Pullman and Chicago. My wife Patti, our two daughters, and I live in Seattle. I'm trying to learn to play the tenor saxophone, but Coleman Hawkins needn't be looking over his shoulder. I teach novel writing at the University of Washington extension school, and maintain a blog about fiction writing (www.novelpro.net), where I discuss writing techniques each day.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars early Thayer a HIT!, October 25, 2001

By 

Gary Leiffer "G Leiff!" (Atlanta) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ringer (Hardcover)

if you can get a hold of this one, it's worth it. All of Thayer's books are gems, including this oldie (although Pursuit is still my all-time favourite of all books!).