Velvet Thorns

“Velvet Thorns” by Sam Woods tells of Amaia, who cares for her brother in Havana. Her life falls out of balance when her brother sells drugs for a mafia and skims money off the top for himself.

Amaia offers her own life to the men threatening him. The mafia boss Massimo takes her along, while his confidant Ciro mediates between him and her. The relationships of the three characters are shaped by power, control and old ties.

How much trust is possible under these conditions remains the central question of the novel, as more and more old conflicts come to the surface.