First published 1993
Mitchell Wilson came to St. Catherine as an economist, not a combatant. The Caribbean island seemed like a straightforward assignment until the political factions started their war. Now Wilson finds himself trapped between rival coalitions, each determined to control the island's future. What began as economic consulting transforms into something far more dangerous as the conflict escalates around him. Wilson must navigate the treacherous landscape of island politics, where loyalties shift like tropical storms and neutrality becomes impossible. The economist discovers that numbers and theories offer little protection when bullets start flying and alliances crumble. As the violence intensifies, Wilson confronts a harsh reality about his role in events he never intended to influence. Bob Shacochis crafts a story about an outsider who learns that good intentions mean nothing when caught in the crossfire of other people's wars.
Genres: fiction, adventure, contemporary, political-thriller
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, outsider-perspective
Setting: Caribbean, St. Catherine
Period: 20th-century
519 pages · Hardcover · Scribner
Content warnings: violence