2 August 2022.
ISBN: 978-1-4722-9105-9 (HB)
Mario and Melisa are devastated when they are told their four-year-old daughter Anita has leukaemia. She starts treatment in hospital, and the bills start to mount up. Then another body blow – Mario is given the sack for taking too much time off work, and their money starts to run out. They are then told Anita is not improving and the hospital wants to try a new experimental treatment. However, this will be very expensive. In desperation Mario rings an old friend, Brian, now a dope dealer, says he needs to earn money fast. He carries out several shootings for him.
Then his world falls apart, which leads to his marriage ending and he still owes a great deal of money. Brian introduces him to Juanca, who has a job for them. The idea is to steal two million dollars from a truck returning from a drug deal. They will be acting for a Don Vazquez head of one cartel and stealing from an opposing one. Their cut will be two hundred thousand dollars each. However, before they go to Vazquez to pick up their guns and get detailed instructions, Juanca insists they visit a religious woman and attain a certain object giving them powerful protection. What takes place in the house Juanca calls a “church” makes Mario feel sick.
Next, they drive to Mexico via a tunnel running under the border and arrive at a bar and illegal gambling “joint” run by Vazquez. The religious object is given to another strange woman who performs a ritual that is said to protect them.
They then drive to the Texas, New Mexico border and pick up their guns. Juanca details the plan of how they are going to attack the truck and steal the money.
Of course, nothing is as easy as he has led Brian and Mario to believe especially when dealing with opposing cartels.
What happens next is carnage, who can survive and reap the spoils? Will Mario’s dream come true, to have enough money to entice Melisa back and make a new start?
A fast moving and in certain places a quite
disturbing book. Some of the details I had to gloss over. Having said that, it
is really well written, and the author seems to have a good knowledge of
Mexican religious culture. Plus a great insight into what extreme poverty can
drive a person to do. Recommended for those with strong stomachs. ----
Reviewer: Tricia Chappell
Gabino Iglesias is a writer, editor, journalist, and book reviewer living in Austin, Texas. He is the author of Coyote Songs, Zero Saints (both from Broken River Books), and Gutmouth (Eraserhead Press). As well as writing he is a reviewer and author of nonfiction. When not writing or reading, he has worked as a dog whisperer, and a witty communications professor. He teaches at SNHU's MFA program. You can find him on Twitter at @Gabino_Iglesias.
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