She’s the first female detective and the last honest cop in Acapulco
Detective Emilia Cruz
“A thrilling series” – National Public Radio
2019 & 2020 Poison Cup award, Outstanding Series – CrimeMasters of America
2019 Silver Falchion Award, Best Short Story
In the Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series, you’ll go on a gripping journey through Mexico’s drug war through the eyes of the first female police detective in Acapulco. Inspired by ex-CIA author Carmen Amato’s own counterdrug experiences.
The series is a 2-time winner of the Outstanding Series Award from CrimeMasters of America and a Silver Falchion Award from Killer Nashville. Kirkus Reviews said, “Danger and deception never more than a few pages away while NPR dubbed it “A thrilling series.”
Brace yourself for danger from the headlines and an unforgettable female cop.
Novels
Emilia investigates the death of a dirty cop in Detective Emilia Cruz Book 1.
Emilia hunts for a violent arsonist and a missing girl in Detective Emilia Cruz Book 2.
A rookie cop puts Emilia’s life in danger in Detective Emilia Cruz Book 3.
Emilia gambles it all to save her partner in Detective Emilia Cruz Book 4.
Emiia goes undercover as a worshipper of Santa Muerte, Mexico’s forbidden saint in Book #5.
Emilia confronts a mass disappearance that is Mexico’s most notorious true crime in Book #6.
Can Emilia deliver a dose of Mexican justice to a Russian killer in Book #7?
Emilia plays both a taxi driver and a movie star in the undercover role of a lifetime in Book #8.
Emilia investigates the bizarre murder of the mayor’s sister in Book #9.
Short Reads & Collections
This prequel collection of short stories captures Emilia’s first years as a detective.
Emilia and her partner go undercover in this very unexpected Christmas murder mystery novella.
Emilia discovers a list that could be payments to dirty cops. Or is it something much more sinster?
The first 6 Emilia Cruz novels, plus exclusive bonus content. Kindle format only.
Spanish editions
This bilingual edition of a prequel short story won the 2019 Silver Falchion award for Best Short Story/Collection.
This bilingual edition of a prequel short story won the 2019 Silver Falchion award for Best Short Story/Collection.
This bilingual edition of a prequel short story won the 2019 Silver Falchion award for Best Short Story/Collection.
Extras
Gallery
A gallery of photos of Acapulco, plus check out these posts about the setting for the series:
Why Acapulco is the perfect setting for a mystery series
Reshaping the Acapulco skyline in DIABLO NIGHTS
The hotels that inspired Kurt Rucker’s Palacio Real
Acapulco at night, seen from the east side of the bay.
Sinfonia del Mar amphitheater, the best place to watch Acapulco’s fabled sunsets
Credit: panza.rayada [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Skyscrapers along Acapulco’s main road a round the bay, the Costera Miguel Alemán Credit: Eneas De Troya from Mexico City, México (Acapulco) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Catedral de Nuestra Señora de La Soledad Credit: Andrew in Raleigh [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Fuerte de San Diego on the western side of Acapulco Bay Credit: Enrique Galindo (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Caleta Beach Credit: Miguel Angel Alvarez Bernardo from Madrid, Spain (La playa de la caletilla por la mañana) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Map of Acapulco
Courtesy maps-of-mexico.com
Get the Cookbook
Get a PDF copy of the Detective Emilia Cruz cookbook featuring recipes for Mexican dishes featured in the books.
CLICK HERE for the Cookbook page.
Cover artist Matt Chase
Find out more about cover artist Matt Chase’s design inspiration and the signature look he’s created for the Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series.
The Dreamcast
If Detective Emilia Cruz and company ever (finally) make it to the silver screen, I think it would be a cross between Hawaii 5-0 and Netflix’s Narcos.
Could this be the dreamcast? Let me know!
From Silvio's point of view
As an experiment, here is the first major confrontation between Emilia and rival Franco Silvio, written from his point of view.
The scene takes place in the first book, CLIFF DIVER, which is all from Emilia’s point of view.
#EmiliaCruz updates
Countdown to KING PESO, the 4th Detective Emilia Cruz novel
KING PESO, the 4th Detective Emilia Cruz novel, is all about gambling and greed.The high cost of building family and friends. How easy it is to tear them both apart.In KING PESO, Emilia is shocked by the murder partner Franco Silvio's wife, as Acapulco reels from the...
Film Rights to Acapulco Mystery Series Acquired by Screenwriter
I am thrilled to announce, after weeks of negotiations between lawyers, that a contract for the film rights to the Emilia Cruz mystery series has been inked. Screenwriter and director Emily Skopov (ever hear of a little series called Xena, Warrior Princess?) released...
Little Silver Miracles
I’ve been thinking about visual inspiration lately, as I tackle KING PESO, the 4th Emilia Cruz mystery. Thankfully, Mexico is replete with visual cues to creativity, from large (the Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico City’s Zocalo, assorted volcanoes) to small (shots of...
Entitlement, Mexico style
Over the last few weeks I've been following the news stories about the fate of 43 students who went missing in the Mexican state of Guerrero, in a small town not far from Acapulco, in late September. The students, from a rural teaching college, were mostly men in...
Why Acapulco is an Unforgettable Setting for a Mystery Series
Spenser has all of Boston to roam through, solving mysteries with Hawk at his side and meeting Susan later for dinner at Locke-Ober. Wallander has Sweden's fog and gloom to wander, his melancholy matching the mist. Arkady Renko contends with Moscow; taking us through...
March for the Missing in Acapulco
The road has disappeared under a wave of sorrow and anger. In a case of weather mimicking emotions, it is raining and thousands are unintentionally decorated with multicolored umbrellas. The raingear doesn't hide the posters with faces of the missing. Rather, the...