Diablo Nights

A religious relic lures Acapulco's first female police detective into a brutal arena of drug smuggling and corruption.

"A thrilling series." -- National Public Radio

Police detective Emilia Cruz is convinced she's found a religious relic related to Padre Pro, a Catholic martyr in Mexico's long-ago Cristero War. But it's more likely to be the grim reminder of a kidnap victim whose captors are demanding a hefty ransom.

At the same time, a dead body aboard a cruise ship is the first clue to a new drug being smuggled into Acapulco. To Emilia's surprise, it is connected to a string of random murders across the city.

As Emilia searches for answers, she's saddled with a clueless rookie cop as her new partner.

He doesn't understand that this is El Chapo's Mexico, where trust is in short supply and cops are cartel targets. With his influential connections and a questionable agenda, he would rather flirt with his reluctant mentor than learn how to survive the drug war.

With the rookie in tow, Emilia will uncover the horrifying link between the religious relic and the new drug poisoning the city.

2-time winner, Outstanding Series Award -- CrimeMasters of America

"Amato brings her characters to life with her vivid writing style and sets them on the streets of a Mexico steeped in Catholicism and corruption . . . A unique and gripping mystery novel." – OnlineBookClub.org

This isn't just fiction; this is the reality of today's war on drugs. Divided by wealth and poverty, Acapulco was once the glittering playground of Hollywood's Rat Pack. Now, it's a battleground for ruthless drug cartels, with one of the highest murder rates in the Western Hemisphere.

Awarded the National Intelligence Medal for her counterdrug work, ex-CIA author Carmen Amato guides you through a world torn from today's headlines. Detective Emilia Cruz exposes the churning chaos of the narco world, where money flows like water but justice is a luxury few can afford.

Diablo Nights is perfect for fans of Shetland and Department Q, as well as Don Winslow's Mexican cartel and border thrillers.