CARMEN AMATO

Crime fiction author & CIA veteran

"Amato brings authenticity and grit to every page, weaving her experience with espionage and counterdrug operations seamlessly into the narrative." - Reader's House Magazine

 

Carmen Amato,crime fiction author,author of the Detective Emilia Cruz series

THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF MEXICO CITY

A cartel kingpin conspires to buy the presidency of Mexico in this riveting political thriller torn from today's headlines.

“Enthralling political drama” – Literary Fiction Review

Longlist, Millennium Book Award

Carmen Amato,crime fiction author,author of the Detective Emilia Cruz series

NARCO NOIR

The epic encounter you've been waiting for!

Undercover as a taxi driver, the first female police detective in Acapulco confronts her worst enemy.

"A thrilling series" - NPR

“A darkly thrilling and accomplished story” - BookViral

Carmen Amato,crime fiction author,author of the Detective Emilia Cruz series

43 MISSING

NEW AUDIOBOOK

A total immersion into Emilia Cruz’s Acapulco, brought to life by narrator Leanne Maksin

"Astounding . . . a haunting page-turner"  - Nightstand Book Reviews

Carmen Amato,crime fiction author,author of the Detective Emilia Cruz series

GALLIANO CLUB SERIES

The Godfather meets Cheers in this historical fiction saga, inspired by Carmen Amato’s grandfather, a deputy sheriff during Prohibition.

Silver Falchion Award, Best Historical

Signature Series

Detective Emilia Cruz

Detective Emilia Cruz police procedural series

Latest Release

Barracuda Bay

From Acapulco’s beaches to the streets of Washington, DC, the stakes couldn’t be higher in this electrifying, page-turning thriller.

Acapulco’s latest homicide is the sister of the city’s mayor. It’s up to Detective Emilia Cruz to find the killer. The victim’s ex-boyfriend has motive but no link to the crime scene, which has a sinister past complicating Emilia’s investigation.

Before Emilia can solve the case, she’s given a task in Washington, DC where a deadly gave of political intrigue awaits.

Her only chance to survive lies with a man she once vowed to kill.

 

Praise for Emilia Cruz

5 gold stars

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

5 gold stars

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

 

Barracuda Bay A Detective Emilia Cruz novel

Explore

3D cover of CLIFF DIVER the 1st Detective Emilia Cruz police procedural

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 |BARRACUDA BAY

MADE IN ACAPULCO

3D cover of Murder at the Galliano Club historical fiction thriller

GALLIANO CLUB TRILOGY

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

Political thriller The Hidden Light of Mexico City by Carmen Amato

STANDALONE THRILLERS

Contemporary thrillers featuring complex plots, unforgettable characters and layers of risk, power, and deception.

Longlist, 2020 Millennium Book Award

Latest Posts

How to Turn Books Into Water

As a mystery author, I’ve drawn inspiration from years living in Mexico and Central America, as well as my travels in East Africa and the South Pacific. I’ve met amazing people, learned about different cultures . . . and seen too many communities without running water...

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What if your dream job depended on this man?

If you only had one chance at your dream job, what if it hinged on this man’s help? In MADE IN ACAPULCO, the collection of short stories that traces Emilia’s Cruz’s path from beat cop to seasoned detective, no one wants Emilia to become Acapulco’s first female...

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Why Writing is Hardly a Solitary Occupation

Alot of famous quotes moan about why writing is such a solitary occupation. About writers bleeding at the typewriter, with only a bottle of gin as company. Thanks to social media, however, this is hardly the picture of the modern writer. Most writers use Twitter,...

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The Lovely Glow of Too Many Irons in the Fire

I’ve got too many irons in the fire. I’d like to say that this is a rare event. But juggling multiple projects can be fun, which must be why I tend to overbook my creative energies. Here’s what is going on: Bookstore of the Future project Yesterday I reached out to 55...

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