# Book Review: ‘The Havana Syndrome,’ by Michael Rey and Oriana Zill de Granados

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-10-12 11:20 UTC · Category: World

## Executive Summary
Recent coverage examines a new book on Havana syndrome, reopening fierce debates over intelligence and illness.

## Intelligence Brief
Current reporting across multiple publications highlights the ongoing controversy surrounding Havana syndrome, specifically following a book review published by The New York Times regarding the work titled 'The Havana Syndrome,' authored by Michael Rey and Oriana Zill de Granados. Outlets such as The Guardian and mezha.net have explored why the mystery refuses to die, referencing individual experiences such as the sensation of a drill going into an eye. Meanwhile, coverage from Inkorr delves into allegations concerning CIA officers, Russian intelligence, and U.S. cover-ups spanning the years 2014 to 2024. The media landscape is thus actively re-examining the origins, implications, and institutional responses to these reported medical incidents. Media organizations including The New York Times, The Guardian, mezha.net, Inkorr, and Psychology Today have dedicated analytical space to dissecting the various dimensions of the phenomenon. The Guardian and mezha.net focus heavily on the persistence of the mystery and the intense physical sensations reported by affected individuals.


Inkorr frames the discourse around geopolitical espionage, pointing directly to Russian intelligence and historical actions by the Central Intelligence Agency. In contrast, Psychology Today approaches the topic through a psychological lens, arguing that mass hysteria remains a viable explanation for the reported symptoms. The divergence in these focal points demonstrates a wide spectrum of interpretations across the current media ecosystem. This sustained discussion builds upon a decade-long accumulation of public reports, government inquiries, and investigative journalism regarding anomalous health incidents experienced by diplomatic and intelligence personnel stationed abroad. The timeline addressed in current reporting stretches back to 2014 and extends through 2024, providing a decade-long framework of allegations, official investigations, and public skepticism. The publication of the book by Michael Rey and Oriana Zill de Granados serves as a primary catalyst for the current surge in media attention, prompting critics, reviewers, and commentators to revisit competing hypotheses.


These hypotheses range from targeted directed-energy attacks by foreign intelligence services to psychological contagion among affected cohorts. As the discourse continues to evolve, observers will look to further media reviews, public disclosures, and academic evaluations to see how the arguments presented in 'The Havana Syndrome' are received by the broader scientific and intelligence communities. Coverage does not yet specify whether additional governmental inquiries or declassifications of documents will follow the book's release. Readers and analysts must therefore monitor upcoming literary critiques, expert commentary in outlets like Psychology Today, and investigative reports from publications such as The Guardian and Inkorr to track any shifts in the official or public consensus regarding the decade-long mystery.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| mezha.net | ‘Like a drill going into my eye’: why the mystery over Havana syndrome refuses to die | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMie0FVX3lxTE1OS1F0cmp3TlZ6cEVBemI1eWZRUG05QVdVVTliTjRzNW9jclhpcTBieDY5bHdRZVlBM3RxaUpFeDE4NDYyRk5Uam92VVlFeDMxOEg3NGZ6dlpWbERtWEVmTlRKbWlPVmVfeU9TSzhDV0U0cDZ1X011d0FaRQ?oc=5) |
| Inkorr | CIA Officers and Havana Syndrome 2014–2024: Russian Intelligence and U.S. Cover-Ups | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiuAFBVV95cUxQemUtMVJCUGF6R0gyYkpBRGtRQmYxd2p6VlQ2bHhHWEhXbUwyR1JwbEZpZmtkLUt4aXkwa2FIWERiMjNDemVfVktHMmJfYWZQLUZ0NlRKbnJDem8zWUxydFpZYm5tdkNlUWNFRXcyZl9TRW9GckRETlNVejR4ZkZfbkhERGpWR0J5bF9KbjdmOUVhM2w4alZyM3pQRWN3VlgxbWxrYVc1WEd1dUx3aU5PUFplVkdyMDlI0gG-AUFVX3lxTFBTaW11cFA1eEw1RFZBZHc1OWVFRTAzX1gwRXVvak51NWY0eU9WSlNZR1JPY2VvaDVieHEtbW5NSVczc01UbmFiN1R5ZzUwZ0wzYkItRzVKS3lScDVKMklzV1JmRk1iU2NyTFBHWV9kZXFKbHpSaGxRWHlqQTlBRVZNWTJncmJCV1VMMDVHQ2hLcl9PUjU1LVJOdG1) |
| Psychology Today | Why Mass Hysteria Still Explains ‘Havana Syndrome’ | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirAFBVV95cUxQWFozb2Y4MmIzV19odjNpQmU1bU82VzZyVHlYMDFUQXZTbFhuWG1TR05DV1ZqQUxCMDRnNGg2TUtmSnhVM0JyRF9vR2k4Q3JUeUlmblN2a1ZpZFZVLTM5YXcyZ3N4d2czcjVYbWFsTGJOTU9McG9sSnpKVFo3ZzVVTDBkZ2duallSRGxBVTJvRi1uVms1eHhxSDJMME12bndNcENSTlg0V2tQQWNX?oc=5) |
| The Guardian | Why the mystery over Havana syndrome refuses to die | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMingFBVV95cUxQVG45UkRLcG1YOVhQVFA1UUdyelpLMDM5Rm92a1Z0M2dnQ3FfM0cyalVqdzZyRGVSRkRBSU5FdjVBemw1b3N4NHJ2UWhOU3I1bENHUjNZUENqRVV6bEYwYkZQUkJ4LVRPRXp5T3VJczlUZ19Yc1NlQ25VZXlhQ1g3eWFmQzRhQlB1X0U1UmlkSy1Ya0RnUTQxU2ZBY2FNQQ?oc=5) |
| The New York Times | Book Review: ‘The Havana Syndrome,’ by Michael Rey and Oriana Zill de Granados | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirAFBVV95cUxNNUdZekxqS1ZnM2VCWklrNTJqYjk5c2RhVmpHSlBQY2NPV2ZiT2ZwdG1OX0c1V2U3dmcwbS0zWXRmLThJb21zS3hlQ003cmpKam5XVnp6R2dhRF95YTZnX0ZYaVYxWFQ5ZTg1clZzUFpyMjJoZk5UdVRudGYweE0wbzJwbFRla21KWGlDMXdscVNkYzhhSDI5ekotTWVjd3JzalpZTVhxdzNKcGZn?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-10-12/book-review-the-havana-syndrome-by-michael-rey-and-oriana-zill-de-granados*