MYSTERY AUTHOR | CIA VETERAN
Carmen Amato
I learned a few things about danger, deception and resilience during a 30-year career with the CIA. As an author, those lessons play out on the page, especially in the Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series set in Acapulco.
Join me for high-stakes crime fiction fueled by authentic tradecraft and tomorrow's headlines.
"A must-read for lovers of smart, character-driven crime fiction with a global edge." - Reader's House
LATEST RELEASE
DRAGON CARTEL
Acapulco police detective Emilia Cruz is already stretched to the max hunting cartel assassin El Barracuda when she agrees to take on the case of a missing Customs inspector.
At the same time, the interrogation of a mysterious Chinese national turns a local crime into an international puzzle.
A missing inspector. A cartel assassin. And a conspiracy that links Mexico and the United States to China.
DRAGON CARTEL is the 10th mystery in the award-winning Detective Emilia Cruz series. Available at your favorite online book store.
SIGNATURE SERIES
Meet Detective Emilia Cruz, the first female police detective in Acapulco.
Think Narcos meets Hawaii 5-0, as she navgates cartels, corruption and social inequality while hunting for Mexico's missing.
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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
Just another day in paradise
Just another day in paradise, except for the dead police lieutenant in the bottom of a speedboat drifting in the still waters of Puerto Marques, the small bay-within-a-bay on the southeastern tip of Acapulco. That's really when the story gets rolling for Detective...
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...