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Confessions of a Cartel Hit Man
The true confession of an assassin, a sicario, who rose through the ranks of the Southern California gang world to become the leader of an elite, cruelly efficient crew of hit men for Mexico's -most vicious drug cartel, - and eventually found a way out and an (almost) normal life.
Martin Corona, a US citizen, fell into the outlaw life at twelve and worked for an elite crew run by the Arellano brothers, founders of the the Tijuana drug cartel that dominated the Southern California drug trade and much bloody gang warfare for decades. Corona's crew would cross into the United States from their luxurious hideout in Mexico, kill whoever needed to be killed north of the border, and return home in the afternoon. That work continued until the arrest of Javier Arellano-Felix in 2006 in a huge coordinated DEA operation. Martin Corona played a key role in the downfall of the cartel when he turned state's evidence. He confessed to eleven murders. Special Agent of the California Department of Justice Steve Duncan, who wrote the foreword, says Martin Corona is the only former cartel hit man he knows who is truly remorseful.
Martin's father was a US Marine. The family had many solid middle-class advantages, including the good fortune to be posted in Hawaii for a time during which a teenage Martin thought he might be able to turn away from the outlaw life of theft, drug dealing, gun play, and prostitution. He briefly quit drugs and held down a job, but a die had been cast. He soon returned to a gangbanging life he now deeply regrets.
How does someone become evil, a murderer who can kill without hesitation? This story is an insight into how it happened to one human being and how he now lives with himself. He is no longer a killer; he has asked for forgiveness; he has made a kind of peace for himself. He wrote letters to family members of his victims. Some of them not only wrote back but came to support him at his parole hearings. It is a cautionary tale, but also one that shows that evil doesn't have to be forever.
Martin Corona, a US citizen, fell into the outlaw life at twelve and worked for an elite crew run by the Arellano brothers, founders of the the Tijuana drug cartel that dominated the Southern California drug trade and much bloody gang warfare for decades. Corona's crew would cross into the United States from their luxurious hideout in Mexico, kill whoever needed to be killed north of the border, and return home in the afternoon. That work continued until the arrest of Javier Arellano-Felix in 2006 in a huge coordinated DEA operation. Martin Corona played a key role in the downfall of the cartel when he turned state's evidence. He confessed to eleven murders. Special Agent of the California Department of Justice Steve Duncan, who wrote the foreword, says Martin Corona is the only former cartel hit man he knows who is truly remorseful.
Martin's father was a US Marine. The family had many solid middle-class advantages, including the good fortune to be posted in Hawaii for a time during which a teenage Martin thought he might be able to turn away from the outlaw life of theft, drug dealing, gun play, and prostitution. He briefly quit drugs and held down a job, but a die had been cast. He soon returned to a gangbanging life he now deeply regrets.
How does someone become evil, a murderer who can kill without hesitation? This story is an insight into how it happened to one human being and how he now lives with himself. He is no longer a killer; he has asked for forgiveness; he has made a kind of peace for himself. He wrote letters to family members of his victims. Some of them not only wrote back but came to support him at his parole hearings. It is a cautionary tale, but also one that shows that evil doesn't have to be forever.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 25, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
August 28, 2017
Had high hopes for this book but was deeply disappointed.It had potential at first but it became dull and lacked substance .Very few chapters actually spoke of what " Martin" the hitman actually did while in the cartel .It was mostly just a repetitive breakdown of his lifestyle of partying and ending up in jail .
October 16, 2017
Only about 25% of this book was about when the author was a cartel hit man. The majority was about how he started out as a run-of-the-mill neighborhood punk and grew into a real hardened criminal. The process of how this happened, I believe, was the strength of the book. It is a process that law enforcement should study to come up with programs to nip it in the bud.
This book,once again, dramatically shows how illegal drugs are at the core of most of the crime and killings in the U. S., Mexico, and most of Central America. If the U.S. would legalize all drugs and spend 10% of what they spend on illegal drug law enforcement on drug education, most all of this crime and killings would be eliminated.
I have read several books recently where the Forward is actually an Epilogue. I recommend reading it after reading the book.
This book,once again, dramatically shows how illegal drugs are at the core of most of the crime and killings in the U. S., Mexico, and most of Central America. If the U.S. would legalize all drugs and spend 10% of what they spend on illegal drug law enforcement on drug education, most all of this crime and killings would be eliminated.
I have read several books recently where the Forward is actually an Epilogue. I recommend reading it after reading the book.
October 14, 2026
Finally! Bought this in (I think) Gatwick in 2018 and only got around to reading it 8.5 years later (how is 2018 that long ago) 🙃🙃
The book itself is remarkable in that I struggled majorly for the first half of it then couldn't put the book down after that. A bit too much background maybe but a good story when it got going. Absolutely nuts, took me longer to finish than it should have which is on me!
The book itself is remarkable in that I struggled majorly for the first half of it then couldn't put the book down after that. A bit too much background maybe but a good story when it got going. Absolutely nuts, took me longer to finish than it should have which is on me!
December 16, 2018
It's difficult to assess what the point of this book is. Though detailed, it lacks any central vehicle or storytelling device to either give the reader a moral lesson, or offer ruminations on how/why the cartel situation and propensity towards violence has become so destructive in the 21st Century.
My assumption is that the author leaves much out of his book - likely for good reason. However, as written, the text leads a reader to assume that the author fell into a life of violent crime almost without cause, and certainly by choice. There doesn't appear to be any prime motivation or influence beyond a desire for street fame - the author claims to have a reasonably stable and balanced if poorer household, and developed a mixture of depression, nihilism, and a taste for drugs at a young age.
So, why a life of crime? The book leaves this question unaddressed, and instead focuses upon decades of partying, drugs, sex, and various criminal acts ranging from petty larceny to rampage murder. At the close of each chapter, I kept asking myself (increasingly angry)....why?? I was unable to discern any clear answer.
I am not sure what the sicario author is 'confessing' to per the book's title, nor do I understand what the ultimate point of the book is. If all it was intended to be is a list of misdeeds and past regrets, then mission accomplished. However, the author passed upon an incredibly valuable and needed opportunity to teach precisely how and why they ended up at such a destructive end, and more importantly what some steps may include to keep at-risk youth from a similar fate.
My assumption is that the author leaves much out of his book - likely for good reason. However, as written, the text leads a reader to assume that the author fell into a life of violent crime almost without cause, and certainly by choice. There doesn't appear to be any prime motivation or influence beyond a desire for street fame - the author claims to have a reasonably stable and balanced if poorer household, and developed a mixture of depression, nihilism, and a taste for drugs at a young age.
So, why a life of crime? The book leaves this question unaddressed, and instead focuses upon decades of partying, drugs, sex, and various criminal acts ranging from petty larceny to rampage murder. At the close of each chapter, I kept asking myself (increasingly angry)....why?? I was unable to discern any clear answer.
I am not sure what the sicario author is 'confessing' to per the book's title, nor do I understand what the ultimate point of the book is. If all it was intended to be is a list of misdeeds and past regrets, then mission accomplished. However, the author passed upon an incredibly valuable and needed opportunity to teach precisely how and why they ended up at such a destructive end, and more importantly what some steps may include to keep at-risk youth from a similar fate.
March 15, 2018
This book is a great read! I love how it didn’t just start off at with him being a gangster. The back story to how he BECAME such was far more interesting to me than reading about the deeds he did as a gangbanger.
It’s too bad he couldn’t have been accepted by the marines. It would have probably changed his whole future. And this book would have probably still been written... by someone else. Because as it was reiterated quite frequently; as a gangster you’re disposable with hundreds of other young men looking to take your place.
I hope he finds peace and his family is well!
It’s too bad he couldn’t have been accepted by the marines. It would have probably changed his whole future. And this book would have probably still been written... by someone else. Because as it was reiterated quite frequently; as a gangster you’re disposable with hundreds of other young men looking to take your place.
I hope he finds peace and his family is well!
December 31, 2017
I was hoping for the inside scoop of the 'enforcer wing' of a cártel & expected details & names. Instead, it was "Lifestyles of the Rich & Felonious," the party-hardy world of someone who doesn't seem to take full responsibility for his actions. (Lucky he could simply move on while others fell to pieces.) I was also annoyed by the repeated misspelling of Spanish words; what were the ghostwriter & editor (not) doing? The only funny error was when a very vulgar word was misspelled so it ended up meaning 'coal.' This is why other nations think ours is comprised of superficial or even stupid people for whom a quick buck for the least effort overrides depth of knowledge. Read instead El cártel de los sapos by Andrés López López or Popeye's Sobreviviendo a Escobar; you'll find more details.
August 30, 2018
I unintentionally "read" this book during a long car drive because it was the audiobook my husband selected. Not exactly the subject matter I would normally choose, but the story fascinated and alarmed me. There were times it was almost too painful to listen to and I found myself zoning out. The author's "confessions" are brutal, honest and deeply disturbing. I think he wrote this book as a way of publicly atoning for his life of crime, depravity and violence. Good thing or I would have been wracked with despair by the end. Definitely worth reading.
May 9, 2025
I'm 13 chapters in, and oh my God. This is possibly the most boring hit man on the planet. This book reads like a high school girl's diary. "I was attracted to her. And then she told me that she had always been attracted to me, and it was a mind-blowing revelation. So I told her it was mind-blowing." And then they do drugs and have sex for 7 chapters.
All I can say is, I wish this guy stuck to his day job instead of "writing." I'm sorry I wasted a whole credit on Audible on this garbage. it was a two for one sale, but I still want my credit back.
All I can say is, I wish this guy stuck to his day job instead of "writing." I'm sorry I wasted a whole credit on Audible on this garbage. it was a two for one sale, but I still want my credit back.
September 4, 2026
💔
These stories break my heart so bad. I love Mexican men with all my heart and the torture of our people goes so deep! From our inception of being raped and murdered by Spanish invaders leading to a race of mestizos to being everywhere and still not having a safe place of peace. (I remember the first time I was told that Mexican wasn’t a race was by some white lady who literally laughed in my face when I told her I didn’t want to mark white on a form because I was Mexican. She laughed and said, “Mexican isn’t a race, it’s a nationality” and it changed my outlook on who I was forever.) We’re victims of abuse from the time of our inception. We were created and formed by evil and greed. Spanish blood, indigenous hearts. It’s painful to think about. This has lead to machismo poisoning our people and has lead to even more tragedy among us. Instead of using this heart, dedication and intelligence to further our people, so many of these men use it to inflict pure evil on each other and the lives of the people around them. The desperation these men have for the acceptance and approval from other men who will literally stab them in the back on the orders of another man is… there’s no word to even describe how disturbing it is.This lifestyle is a prison and a poison. Bravo to the men who choose to be fathers and hard workers instead. Because to me, how can these men claim to be bad mfers when they turn their backs on their children??? And choose not to see to it themselves that their own children are loved and protected in a way that they weren’t. And to bring other young men into this and influence them to ruin their lives. I could never respect that. There’s nothing more important that we can do as people than change the patterns of our families that destroy us and choose better. That’s why I love the movie A Bronx Tale so much for showcasing the power of a working man, of a FATHER who chooses his family over everything else. Big shout out Chazz Palminteri.
The people who are complaining and comparing the writing to a school girls diary are funny. It is a memoir for one thing and he was a gangster/prisoner/killer, not a scholar. I’m impressed with how it’s written and I appreciate that Martin showcases what lead to this lifestyle and how easy it was to fall into it and not be able to get out. And we need more narration by Jacob Vargas! I loved hearing his voice. As I said in the beginning, I love Mexican men with all my heart and I want them to overcome and thrive and be great, and to those infected by machismo, change or die.
These stories break my heart so bad. I love Mexican men with all my heart and the torture of our people goes so deep! From our inception of being raped and murdered by Spanish invaders leading to a race of mestizos to being everywhere and still not having a safe place of peace. (I remember the first time I was told that Mexican wasn’t a race was by some white lady who literally laughed in my face when I told her I didn’t want to mark white on a form because I was Mexican. She laughed and said, “Mexican isn’t a race, it’s a nationality” and it changed my outlook on who I was forever.) We’re victims of abuse from the time of our inception. We were created and formed by evil and greed. Spanish blood, indigenous hearts. It’s painful to think about. This has lead to machismo poisoning our people and has lead to even more tragedy among us. Instead of using this heart, dedication and intelligence to further our people, so many of these men use it to inflict pure evil on each other and the lives of the people around them. The desperation these men have for the acceptance and approval from other men who will literally stab them in the back on the orders of another man is… there’s no word to even describe how disturbing it is.This lifestyle is a prison and a poison. Bravo to the men who choose to be fathers and hard workers instead. Because to me, how can these men claim to be bad mfers when they turn their backs on their children??? And choose not to see to it themselves that their own children are loved and protected in a way that they weren’t. And to bring other young men into this and influence them to ruin their lives. I could never respect that. There’s nothing more important that we can do as people than change the patterns of our families that destroy us and choose better. That’s why I love the movie A Bronx Tale so much for showcasing the power of a working man, of a FATHER who chooses his family over everything else. Big shout out Chazz Palminteri.
The people who are complaining and comparing the writing to a school girls diary are funny. It is a memoir for one thing and he was a gangster/prisoner/killer, not a scholar. I’m impressed with how it’s written and I appreciate that Martin showcases what lead to this lifestyle and how easy it was to fall into it and not be able to get out. And we need more narration by Jacob Vargas! I loved hearing his voice. As I said in the beginning, I love Mexican men with all my heart and I want them to overcome and thrive and be great, and to those infected by machismo, change or die.
March 27, 2018
This was definitely the most poorly written book I ever read.
I did not pick up this book for beautiful writing, but for the story(obvs), but it was so horribly written that I had to skip paragraphs. Naming every single girl he’s been with was very unnecessary (there were A LOT). Naming all the people he’s been with in jail and what neighborhoods they’re from AND their brothers’ and sisters’ names was just ridiculous.
The book is mostly - he said this and I said this and then we did this. Anyhow, we did this and they did this.
Literally....
I’m very disappointed.
The most interesting parts didn’t have any details at all and were at most a couple sentences long, but pointless conversations took pages....
How was this book even published? Cut at least 1/3 of it and add detail to the interesting parts then it would be 3 stars.
I understand this person is not a writer, but a career criminal, but it was really hard to read. Not at all what I thought it would be.
The book is about his whole life since he was a kid, it’s not just about working for a cartel.
I did not pick up this book for beautiful writing, but for the story(obvs), but it was so horribly written that I had to skip paragraphs. Naming every single girl he’s been with was very unnecessary (there were A LOT). Naming all the people he’s been with in jail and what neighborhoods they’re from AND their brothers’ and sisters’ names was just ridiculous.
The book is mostly - he said this and I said this and then we did this. Anyhow, we did this and they did this.
Literally....
I’m very disappointed.
The most interesting parts didn’t have any details at all and were at most a couple sentences long, but pointless conversations took pages....
How was this book even published? Cut at least 1/3 of it and add detail to the interesting parts then it would be 3 stars.
I understand this person is not a writer, but a career criminal, but it was really hard to read. Not at all what I thought it would be.
The book is about his whole life since he was a kid, it’s not just about working for a cartel.
August 30, 2020
Purchase Confessions of a Cartel Hit Man here for just $12!
How does someone become evil, a murderer who can kill without hesitation? This story is an insight into how it happened to one human being and how he now lives with himself. He is no longer a killer; he has asked for forgiveness; he has made a kind of peace for himself. Uncomfortable but gripping read.
Paul - The Book Grocer
How does someone become evil, a murderer who can kill without hesitation? This story is an insight into how it happened to one human being and how he now lives with himself. He is no longer a killer; he has asked for forgiveness; he has made a kind of peace for himself. Uncomfortable but gripping read.
Paul - The Book Grocer
February 1, 2022
A little bit deceiving in that only about 1/3 of the book deals with his time working for a cartel. Definitely paints a vivid picture of Mexican-American organized crime in Southern California during the 80’s and 90’s although it felt more like a collection of facts and events as opposed to reflections which made reading tedious at times.
That said, it was still an interesting look into a life extremely different from my own. This book has given me new perspective on what actually goes on behind the scenes of recreational drug use in North America.
That said, it was still an interesting look into a life extremely different from my own. This book has given me new perspective on what actually goes on behind the scenes of recreational drug use in North America.
February 18, 2020
While the plot/story line caught my attention, the actual writing was confusing and a challenge to follow. The book very quickly and neatly tied things up with a bow in the end but I feel I was left wondering why it was skimmed over.
If you can get past the brackets of information tucked in constantly to help the reader understand what he's talking about the book has a decent story. I however didn't feel any big shock or wow by his "confessions"
If you can get past the brackets of information tucked in constantly to help the reader understand what he's talking about the book has a decent story. I however didn't feel any big shock or wow by his "confessions"
March 4, 2020
This book needed some serious editing. Mostly a retelling of the author’s gang days, rather than his work as a hit man, it was full of tired cliches and inane conversations that added nothing to the story, punctuated with large periods of time just missing or discussed in the briefest detail. Written rather poorly (hence the need for the editing), this book has no real take away lesson, and it was an absolute slog to get through. Really should have dnf’d but I stubbornly persisted.
August 8, 2022
I think I must’ve stumbled onto this title last year after reading American Dirt and becoming obsessed with the Mexican drug cartel. It was very eye-opening and interesting. The majority of the book is about the author’s childhood and years in and out of prison prior to his association with the cartel. I would’ve liked to hear more about how he came out of the cartel and helped to bring down the bad guys, but the book came to a rather abrupt end.
April 7, 2020
It took awhile for me to get into the book. This was my first exposure to the cartel life and prison life through a book. I found it interesting learning how things worked. Viewing prison from his perspective was quite an experience. I wouldn't recommend this book to just anyone, they need to okay with alot of graphic content.
September 29, 2017
It was a good book. I wonder if the proceeds are going to the families of any of the murder victims. The way the book was written doesn't make me think that the guy feels any remorse. I am sure he does but they left a ton of good info off the end of the book.
November 18, 2017
Interesting book. Luckily for this man after he gotten older and started thinking, he wanted more out of life. Too bad David and Ramon did not have this man's mentality. As the saying goes, live by the sword die by the sword.
April 4, 2018
Easy read. Lacks a ton of details on all except a few hits. He claims his first assignment had him as the team leader. He picked two 17 year old kids to be his team. Sounds like they assumed he would fail or wouldn't make it back...
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November 19, 2019This book ebbed and flowed for me. Parts were really fascinating, but other parts were a bit boring. I wish that there had been more focus on the latter part of his 'career' rather than the buildup. BUT, I suppose learning how someone ends up a Cartel hitman is important.
July 11, 2022
This had me in the first half not gonna lie.
For obvious reasons he can’t go into a whole lot of detail but it’s almost by the end of the book before it gets to anything cartel, with that being said it makes it hard to really get invested because he’s so vague about certain stories. Again for obvious reasons. Still a pretty good story just wish it wasn’t so vague.
For obvious reasons he can’t go into a whole lot of detail but it’s almost by the end of the book before it gets to anything cartel, with that being said it makes it hard to really get invested because he’s so vague about certain stories. Again for obvious reasons. Still a pretty good story just wish it wasn’t so vague.
January 18, 2023
Interesting book
Interesting book on the terrifying world of organized crime and cartels. The author really is remorseful for his crimes and I hope at risk youth listen and learn from him.
Interesting book on the terrifying world of organized crime and cartels. The author really is remorseful for his crimes and I hope at risk youth listen and learn from him.
February 20, 2024
Fascinating yet terrifying
This is an incredibly honest yet scary book about gangs and drugs. People think they know about gang violence, but they have no idea how it works. Thus book is an excellent depiction of life as a gang member.
This is an incredibly honest yet scary book about gangs and drugs. People think they know about gang violence, but they have no idea how it works. Thus book is an excellent depiction of life as a gang member.
June 8, 2025
The most unsettling part is he does not seem to be evil, only a person with just the right balance of talemt and trauma to lead him down a path of evil. Unsettling, but also might show that people can be saved.
May 6, 2018
Not what I expected , it’s more about his childhood and how he got to where he is now..
December 3, 2018
Uncomfortable to get through some times, but I entirely enjoyed/appreciated this man's account of his time with the cartle.
September 5, 2019
Good book
January 26, 2020
3.50 stars. Not a bad book. It kept me until I finished it.
September 2, 2020
I enjoyed this book, but had it’s slow moments. The majority is about his life and not about being a hitman.
April 28, 2021
I read the book despite reading previous ‘negative’ reviews. I can’t add anything that hasn’t already been said. One of those books that I wonder why I bothered to finish it!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews