I'm Carmen Amato, author of the Detective Emilia Cruz police series set in Acapulco, the Galliano Club historical thrillers, and standalone novels of suspense.
A 30-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency, personal experiences are occasionally disguised as fiction.
2019 & 2020 Poison Cup Award for Outstanding Series - CrimeMasters of America
2019 Silver Falchion Award - Killer Nashville
“A thrilling series” - National Public Radio
“Consistently exciting” - Kirkus Reviews
“Smashing, kept me on the edge” - Book Vue
“Darkly thrilling and accomplished” - Book Viral
“Outdoes many of the best crime authors” - Artisan Reviews
WHAT’S HOT NOW
ROAD TO THE GALLIANO CLUB
NEW RELEASE!
From Italy to Chicago, three people defy the odds and strike out on their own. All journeys end at the Galliano Club, where trouble has just begun. Don’t miss the prequel to the series!
Ruth Cross escapes a dead-end life in a Pennsylvania coal mining town, but scandal will chase her all the way to the tiny apartment over the Galliano Club.
Luca Lombardo emigrates to America but it costs him everything. By the time he goes to work as the barman at the Galliano Club, he has nothing left to lose.
Benny Rotolo rises from street thug to trusted bodyguard for Chicago’s North Side Gang but when Al Capone puts a price on his head, the Galliano Club could be his chance to get even.
FEATURED
CLIFF DIVER
The first Detective Emilia Cruz mystery
The first female police detective dives into an ocean of secrets, lies, and murder when she investigates the death of her own lieutenant.
This new edition includes a note from the author on the dangerous origins of the award-winning Detective Emilia Cruz series, plus the first chapter of HAT DANCE, the second book.
“Consistently exciting” – Kirkus Reviews
NARCO NOIR
Finalist for the 2021 Silver Falchion Award for Best Investigator
A bitter past drives Acapulco’s first female police detective into a Hollywood movie starring lies and murder when she goes undercover to catch a killer. As the camera rolls, Detective Emilia Cruz faces her toughest case yet.
After witnessing the execution-style murder of a taxi driver, Emilia replaces him behind the wheel. Undercover with a false identity, her target is a shadowy gang extorting protection money from the upscale taxi service.
But when Emilia’s worst enemy asks for a ride, both her life and the murder investigation accelerate out of control.
THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF MEXICO CITY
Longlisted for the 2020 Millennium Book Award
With deep state help, a ruthless druglord is poised to buy Mexico’s presidency. One man stands in the way.
This brilliant political thriller takes you on a riveting ride through Mexico’s rigid class system and the country’s spiraling drug violence, to the harsh realities of the US-Mexican border.
Authentic and revealing, expect characters who leap off the page and a chilling border scenario that could be tomorrow’s headlines.
What's Ahead
- MURDER AT THE GALLIANO CLUB 98%
- BLACKMAIL AT THE GALLIANO CLUB 85%
- REVENGE AT THE GALLIANO CLUB 75%
- LIAR'S PARADISE: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 9 10%
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