Coming 20 Feb 2025!
BARRACUDA BAY
Political corruption turns Acapulco’s first female police detective into a fugitive on the run . . . in Washington DC.
When the sister of the mayor of Acapulco is murdered, Detective Emilia Cruz quickly narrows down the field of suspects. But before she can make an arrest, Emilia is sent on an errand of mercy to Washington, DC, where she witnesses a second murder.
Frightened, alone, and hunted by killers masquerading as cops, can Emilia survive a deadly game of political intrigue on the wrong side of the border?
Mystery Author
Carmen Amato
There’s a piece of my 30-year CIA career in everything I write.
In the Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series, you'll go on a gripping journey through Mexico's drug war. Based on my own counterdrug experience, it's a place where loyalty is for sale but violence comes cheap.
There’s more action and drama in my standalone contemporary thrillers and the historical Galliano Club series, inspired by my grandfather who was a deputy sheriff in New York during Prohibition.
Thanks for being on this journey with me!
I spy mystery ahead
Your Invitation
If you’re an armchair sleuth happiest when solving a mystery in far-flung parts of the world, I invite you to join the Mystery Ahead community. Top secrets, exclusive excerpts and book reviews delivered to your inbox every other Sunday.
Praise for Detective Emilia Cruz
Read the Reviews
Carmen Amato has created a character that deserves to be recognized as an equal alongside well known favorites by created by by Hammett, Larson and Padura. I can’t wait to spend more time with Detective Cruz. – Felix Contreras, host, ALTLatino, National Public Radio
Astounding . . . a haunting page-turner . . . The tragedy of decent members of society caught in the crossfire stayed with me long after I finished the book. – Nightstand Book Reviews
The story is full of nonstop action and suspense, but what really got to me in this book is the range of strong emotions I’ve felt while reading it . . . Emilia is a character that is close to my heart. – MysterySequels
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 . . . Unique and gripping. – OnlineBookClub.org
A real page-turner . . . Detective Cruz is a fully fleshed out character. Tough, but not above shedding a few tears, she bears the scars of a violent past while handling being the first and only female detective in Acapulco. – BookLife Prize
Amato weaves a vivid tapestry that depicts both the beauty and ugliness of Acapulco. Her attention to clothing, food, and other details of the cityscape bring life to her characters . . . with danger and betrayal never more than a few pages away. – Kirkus Reviews
Danger and Deception
Books by Carmen
DETECTIVE EMILIA CRUZ SERIES
Emilia Cruz is the first female police detective in Acapulco, fighting drug cartels, official corruption and Mexican machismo.
2019, 2020 Outstanding Series award, CrimeMasters of America
2019 Silver Falchion Award, Killer Nashville
CLIFF DIVER | HAT DANCE | DIABLO NIGHTS
KING PESO | PACIFIC REAPER | 43 MISSING
RUSSIAN MOJITO | NARCO NOIR | MADE IN ACAPULCO
GALLIANO CLUB SERIES
Lido, NY. 1926. At the height of Prohibition, an Italian immigrant and a trigger-happy Chicago bootlegger battle for control of the Galliano Club, where trouble is always on tap.
Based on tales told by my late grandfather, a Deputy Sheriff of Oneida County, NY in the 1920's.
2023 Silver Falchion Award, Killer Nashville
ROAD TO THE GALLIANO CLUB
MURDER AT THE GALLIANO CLUB
BLACKMAIL AT THE GALLIANO CLUB
REVENGE AT THE GALLIANO CLUB
STANDALONE THRILLERS
Contemporary thrillers featuring complex plots, unforgettable characters and layers of risk, power, and deception.
Longlist, 2020 Millennium Book Award
Progress report
Working on
- DRAGON CARTEL: Detective Emilia Cruz #10 10%
- MOSCOW SYNDROME (contribution) 95%
Events
Coming Up
20 Feb, BARRACUDA BAY release
22 March, Off the Shelf! virtual event with Sisters in Crime, Atlanta Chapter
10 May, Plenty Bookstore, Cookeville TN with Jeffrey Phillips
21-24 August, Killer Nashville Writer's Conference, Franklin, TN
The Shop Talk Blog
Follow Along
Gifts from my mother
My mother passed in October at age 95. Although she’d been declining for some time and dementia had robbed us of who she really was, the loss still hit like a hammer blow. Many of my writer friends know that I wrote the Galliano Club series during the pandemic, using...
Book Review: DEAD WATER, a Cornish Crime thriller by Berrick Ford
DEAD WATER is a deep dive into a British police investigation, set against the beautiful light and harsh seas of the Cornwall coast. First in Berrick Ford’s new Cornish Crime series, the compelling atmosphere and relatable characters make it a fast, page-turning read....
New Release! Paranormal romance novel AWAKENING MACBETH
I’m thrilled to announce that Laurel & Croton has released a brand new edition of AWAKENING MACBETH, a suspenseful, page-turning paranormal romance novel. It’s available now in Kindle and paperback formats, with audiobook coming soon. ?? Paranormal romance ?? Yep,...
Book Review: TANGLED ISLA by Lynda L. Lock
It’s the long-awaited next book in the mystery series set on Mexico’s Isla Mujeres on the Caribbean coast. TANGLED ISLA is full of island atmosphere, familiar characters, and the real places that have made the series such a fan favorite. When last we saw her, Jessica...
Custom knitting kits inspired by the Galliano Club historical fiction series
A mystery author, a knitting pattern designer, a fiber arts store owner and a custom yarn maker all walk into a bar . . . The result is knitting, crochet and weaving kits inspired by the Galliano Club historical fiction thriller series! Choose your craft and custom...
Find Me at Killer Nashville and Bouchercon
Summer is the season for author “cons.” My hands down favorite is Killer Nashville, right in my (almost) back yard. Killer Nashville This annual author conference is a 4-day whirl of writing tradecraft seminars and networking opportunities. If you are going 22-25...