February 27, 2019
Criminal Element, one of the leading sites devoted to crime fiction, published “The Ascent of Narco Noir: A Literary Game Changer,” co-written by thriller writers Carmen Amato and Jeanine Kitchel. Find it here: https://www.criminalelement.com/ascent-narco-noir/
The article dives into the narco noir genre of crime fiction inspired by drug cartel activities in Mexico and Central America. Including Amato and Kitchel, authors writing in the narco noir genre include Don Winslow, Sam Hawkins, Guillermo Paxton, and others. The genre has its roots in non-fiction, creating a body of work and blurred lines that crosses from the page to the screen and back again.
“Narco noir fiction is a by-product of the drug war that has irrevocably altered the political and societal landscape in Mexico, Colombia, and Central America. With a few exceptions, narco noir authors walked the walk themselves as federal agents, cops, or journalists at the front lines of the drug war.
“The result is a compelling mix of fiction, reporting, and exposé, as well as memorable characters on both sides of the law, painted in shades of gray. And blood red.”
About the Authors:
Members of the dynamic Mexico Writers group on Facebook, Carmen Amato and Jeanine Kitchel first collaborated on the travel essay collection The Insider’s Guide to the Best of Mexico. They write crime fiction, however, from opposite ends of the cops-and-cartel spectrum.
Following a 30 year career with the Central Intelligence Agency, Carmen Amato created the Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series, which pits the first female police detective in Acapulco against Mexico’s cartels, corruption, and culture of machismo. The series was recently awarded the Poisoned Cup for Outstanding Series by the CrimeMasters of America. 43 Missing, the latest book in the series, was a 2018 Silver Falchion Award finalist for Best Procedural. Visit Carmen’s website at CarmenAmato.net to get a free copy of the Detective Emilia Cruz Starter Library.
Jeanine Kitchel’s love of Mexico led her to a fishing village on the Mexican Caribbean coast where she bought land, built a house, and opened a bookstore. A former journalist, she wrote travel articles for newspapers and Mexico websites before branching into fiction.
In Wheels Up—A Novel of Drugs, Cartels and Survival, Latina protagonist Layla Navarro rises to the top of Mexico’s most powerful cartel after her drug lord uncle is recaptured. Challenged by enemies from without and within, she’s determined to retain her dominant position in Mexico’s criminal world—if she can stay alive. Book two in the trilogy, Layla’s Law, is in the works. Check JeanineKitchel.com for details.
