Panama's Rusty Lock: A Novel of the 1984 Presidential Election by Jay BeckMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Panama's Rusty Lock read like a non-fiction book, I thought. It is billed as historical fiction and I gather the intrigue behind historical fiction is that the history in general, is real. One would think that knowing the outcome might ruin any tension in the plot but I didn't find that to be the case here. I'm trying to portray that my assumptions about historical fiction were a hindrance and I was a bit of an idiot going in.
As someone who has never given Panama much thought at all, I didn't expect to be very engaged here. Jay Beck managed to yank me out of the comfort of my home and into a climate of political unrest and corruption. The unsettling accounts of the drug trade in the area was by far my favorite part and I will be seeking out books on that subject in the future. Panama's Rusty Lock will appeal to those who love their drama mixed with politics.
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