Sometimes the ballot-box and the bullet aren’t incompatible …
Jamaica, 1980. A general election is in the offing. The left-of-centre People's National Party stands a chance of winning a third term of radical social reform. Ties with Russia and Cuba will likely be strengthened. The IMF will be shown the door. Newly hatched revolutionary movements, like the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, and the JRG in El Salvador, will take firm encouragement.
The powers that be in London or Washington are not prepared to countenance any of that. Not at all. Unfortunately, the only person available to address the situation is someone the Brits would rather not acknowledge. At just twenty-five, Ruby Parker and MI6 have a fractious shared history. She has already been written off by just about everyone in that organisation who matters.
Written as a prequel to the other books in the Tales of MI7 series, Our Woman in Jamaica can be enjoyed by old and new readers alike.
Eight men aged between forty and sixty sat around a rectangular table in a large office overlooking the main road. Four American, four British. Each had a selection of document wallets in front of him and wore a suit that looked like it had travelled to and from work at least as long as its owner had. Two leaned back and smoked pipes. Title of meeting: What is to be done? subtitle: Jamaica. In the chair: Derek Cosby, deputy director of Caribbean operations, US Central Intelligence Agency; a small moustachioed man with grey spiky hair, a red face and pockmarks.
“For those of you not yet in the know,” he said, “we’re calling it ‘operation werewolf two’. Version one was during the last general election in ’76. Didn’t work. This time, we’re more confident.”
Roger Parton, the head of SIS Caribbean Department, sat on Cosby’s immediate right. Forty-five years old with an aquiline nose, hooded eyes and swept back thinning hair, he looked a little like a 1940s film-star. He smiled. “You’re going to have to go back a little, Derek. Treat us like we don’t know anything. Like we’re utter nincompoops. That way, we’ll all know precisely what you’re planning, and maybe we’ll be able to offer constructive advice, however modest.”
“Haven’t you read the briefing documents?” Cosby replied.
“It’s been frantic here. Don’t forget, Jamaica’s a constitutional monarchy. We’ve got strong ties to her, and potentially a lot to lose. We’ve been concentrating on the fine detail.”
Cosby shrugged. “Very well, the bottom line is, come November, we don’t want Manley in office any more. The man’s an incompetent buffoon and a destabilising influence on the entire region. We can’t afford to have a basket case in our backyard.”
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Italian
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Already translated.
Translated by Giacomo Perna
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Author review: An excellent translator. Thoroughly professional and great to work with. I would definitely recommend Giacomo to anyone. |
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Portuguese
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Already translated.
Translated by Bárbara Contarini
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Author review: An excellent translator. Very professional and a real pleasure to work with! |
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Spanish
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Already translated.
Translated by Veronica Fernandez
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Author review: An outstanding translator in all respects. Careful attention to the least detail, great communication, sensitive handling of the original text. I can thoroughly recommend her to anyone. |
