Publisher's Synopsis
How the mighty have fallen! Cuban-American Xavier Casteel, who once pitched in the World Series, decided on a new career change to private investigator to make ends meet after his divorce. How hard could that be? A broken nose and some cracked ribs later, Xavier seeks out karate lessons at a South Florida dojo, where he meets Lin Ho Yung, a man who hates teaching karate to children. The master has found an apprentice who needs his knowledge and skill. Most baseball pitchers are notorious for having poor discipline, Casteel smokes, drinks, and eats Big Macs with a fish filet in the center. Lin Ho might have been better off with the children.
An interesting case comes Xavier's way from an old teammate now working for the minor league Miami Orioles. Soon finding himself involved with a murder and anti-Castro militants, possible spies, drug dealers, informants, all of them liars, the X-Man has his work cut out for him. The biggest mystery is trying to discover the truth behind the lovely Ava Lopez, who wants to hire Xavier for a mission. The novel is set in late-seventies Miami with so much Cuban influence you can taste the croquetas.
