MYSTERY AUTHOR | CIA VETERAN
Carmen Amato
A former CIA intelligence officer, Amato brings authenticity and grit to every page.
A must-read for lovers of smart, character-driven crime fiction with a global edge. – Reader’s House
Signature Series
Detective Emilia Cruz
Narcos meets Hawaii 5-0 in this award-winning police series set in Acapulco.
With a fierce, unforgettable female cop who’s looking for Mexico’s missing.
Latest Release
BARRACUDA BAY
Political corruption sends Acapulco’s first female police detective on the run in Washington, DC.
Emilia’s investigation into the murder of the mayor’s sister is interrupted by a second, seemingly unrelated killing. Sent to inform the widow, Emilia becomes a fugitive, hunted by killer disguised as cops.
The only person who can help is a man Emilia once swore to kill . . . her brother.
“A thrilling series.” – NPR
Praise for DETECTIVE Emilia Cruz
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
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
Amato weaves an intricate assortment of themes into a vivid tapestry that depicts both the beauty and the ugliness of Acapulco . . . with danger and betrayal never more than a few pages away. -Kirkus Reviews
Explore
DETECTIVE EMILIA CRUZ SERIES
Emilia Cruz is the first female police detective in Acapulco, fighting drug cartels, official corruption and social inequality amid the hunt for Mexico’s missing.
2019, 2020 Outstanding Series Award, CrimeMasters of America
2019 Silver Falchion Award, Killer Nashville
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
STANDALONE THRILLERS
Contemporary thrillers featuring complex plots, unforgettable characters and layers of risk, power, and deception.
Longlist, 2020 Millennium Book Award
Latest Posts
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…
Tornado Hits City that Inspired Historical Fiction Series
On 16 July, a tornado barreled through my hometown of Rome in upstate New York. With a population of around 32,000, Rome is near the geographical center of New York state. Summers there are known for humidity, marching bands, and Revolutionary War landmarks. Not…
Author to Author with Liese Sherwood-Fabre
I had the pleasure of meeting Liese Sherwood-Fabre when we were fellow panel members at a mystery author event organized by the Smith County Library in Wylie, Texas. After the event, we discovered that we have much in common, including having juggled work and family…
Best Books to Read According to Contest Judges (and me!)
Today I’m sharing 9 books by friends of the Mystery Ahead newsletter (and 1 by yours truly) that are on Killer Nashville’s list of Top Ranked Books of 2023, as reviewed by judges for the Silver Falchion Award. You can see the full list here:…