When Cuban Inspector Ricardo Ramirez is dispatched to Canada and told to bring home a priest found in possession of child pornographydepicting Cuban children, he knows his job will be hard enough. But it gets worseonce he s in Ottawa, and women in Havana startdropping deadfrom a mysterious toxin. Worried about his family, powerless to help pathologist Hector Apiro, and faced with the threat of a Canadian travel advisory that could shut down Cuban tourism, Ramirez tries focus on his mission. As he does, he untangles a web of deceit and depravity that extends all the way from the corridors of power in Ottawa to those of the Vatican, and uncovers a cold-blooded killer."The Poisoned Pawn "is the gripping, fast-paced sequel to the award-winning, critically acclaimed mystery "The Beggar s Opera." Evoking the crumbling beauty of Old Havana and featuring Inspector Ramirez, a man haunted by the victims of his unsolved cases, it s perfect for fans of Donna Leon and Martin Cruz Smith who love exotic settings and unforgettable characters."