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Chris Cherry #3
This Side of Night
The vicious Mexican cartel war boils over into the Big Bend in the explosive new novel from the author of The Far Empty and High White Sun.
In the Mexican borderlands, a busload of student protesters is gunned down in broad daylight, a violent act blamed on the Nemesio cartel. But its aging leader, Fox Uno, sees the attack for what it is: another salvo in the long-running battle for control of Nemesio itself; perhaps by a rival cartel, or maybe someone closer to home...
Across the Rio Grande, Sheriff Chris Cherry and his deputies America Reynosa and Danny Ford find themselves caught in Fox Uno's escalating war with the recent discovery of five dead men at the river's edge. But when El Paso DEA agent Joe Garrison's own Nemesio investigation leads him into the heart of the Big Bend, he's not ready to accept the cartel leader's retreat or defeat. Not only does he suspect a high-profile drug task force in a neighboring county is corrupt, he can't shake lingering doubts about the loyalty and motives of the young deputy, Ame Reynosa. And he won't let Sheriff Cherry ignore them either.
In this pitiless land it's kill or be killed, where everyone will make one final bloody stand to decide the fate of Nemesio, the law in the Big Bend, and most of all, the future of America Reynosa.
In the Mexican borderlands, a busload of student protesters is gunned down in broad daylight, a violent act blamed on the Nemesio cartel. But its aging leader, Fox Uno, sees the attack for what it is: another salvo in the long-running battle for control of Nemesio itself; perhaps by a rival cartel, or maybe someone closer to home...
Across the Rio Grande, Sheriff Chris Cherry and his deputies America Reynosa and Danny Ford find themselves caught in Fox Uno's escalating war with the recent discovery of five dead men at the river's edge. But when El Paso DEA agent Joe Garrison's own Nemesio investigation leads him into the heart of the Big Bend, he's not ready to accept the cartel leader's retreat or defeat. Not only does he suspect a high-profile drug task force in a neighboring county is corrupt, he can't shake lingering doubts about the loyalty and motives of the young deputy, Ame Reynosa. And he won't let Sheriff Cherry ignore them either.
In this pitiless land it's kill or be killed, where everyone will make one final bloody stand to decide the fate of Nemesio, the law in the Big Bend, and most of all, the future of America Reynosa.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
230 people are currently reading
1114 people want to read
About the author
J. Todd Scott
12 books346 followersA retired federal law enforcement agent with thirty years of experience, J. Todd Scott was a finalist for the 2024 International Thriller Writers Award for Best Paperback Original and is the critically acclaimed author of six crime, suspense, and thriller novels. He is also a film and TV producer and screenwriter, most recently for the Paramount+ series Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
Find Todd at JTODDSCOTT.COM.
Find Todd at JTODDSCOTT.COM.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
November 27, 2019
Set along the violent borderland between Texas and Mexico, this novel begins with a brazen attack upon a bus full of Mexican students on their way to a protest rally. Based on a real incident from a few years ago, the students found themselves trapped in a battle between Mexican drug lords and corrupt police and politicians. The battle spills over into the United States as competing factions struggle to control the illegal drug trade on this side of the border, and caught up in the violence are a lot of innocent victims both Mexican and American.
The attack on the students presages a new round of violence in which an aging drug kingpin known as Fox Uno is struggling to survive. As members of his own cartel turn against him, he seeks refuge across the border in Texas where a woman who might be his niece, America Reynosa, is a deputy sheriff. Reynosa, her boss (Sheriff Chris Cherry), and the other members of the small department will be sucked into an epic moral dilemma as they try to determine the right thing to do when Fox Uno shows up, threatening to have Reynosa's mother, who is still in Mexico, killed if Reynosa does not help him.
This is a very complex novel with a lot of moving parts. It raises at least as many questions as it answers and builds towards a stunning climax. Scott, who is himself a DEA agent, clearly knows the territory and he writes beautifully. His descriptions of the Texas countryside are vivid and reminiscent of James Lee Burke. His characters are well-drawn and believable, although a couple of them made choices that sometimes left me shaking my head in disbelief.
If I had a problem with the book, it's almost certainly my own fault. I received this novel as a book club selection and had no idea it was the third book in a series until I had started it. There are a good many references to developments that occurred before this book begins and I had no idea what the background to the story and these characters was. As a result, I probably enjoyed the book a lot less than I otherwise would have, but again, that's on me and not on the author. I would encourage anyone else who might want to read this book to start with the first in the series.
The attack on the students presages a new round of violence in which an aging drug kingpin known as Fox Uno is struggling to survive. As members of his own cartel turn against him, he seeks refuge across the border in Texas where a woman who might be his niece, America Reynosa, is a deputy sheriff. Reynosa, her boss (Sheriff Chris Cherry), and the other members of the small department will be sucked into an epic moral dilemma as they try to determine the right thing to do when Fox Uno shows up, threatening to have Reynosa's mother, who is still in Mexico, killed if Reynosa does not help him.
This is a very complex novel with a lot of moving parts. It raises at least as many questions as it answers and builds towards a stunning climax. Scott, who is himself a DEA agent, clearly knows the territory and he writes beautifully. His descriptions of the Texas countryside are vivid and reminiscent of James Lee Burke. His characters are well-drawn and believable, although a couple of them made choices that sometimes left me shaking my head in disbelief.
If I had a problem with the book, it's almost certainly my own fault. I received this novel as a book club selection and had no idea it was the third book in a series until I had started it. There are a good many references to developments that occurred before this book begins and I had no idea what the background to the story and these characters was. As a result, I probably enjoyed the book a lot less than I otherwise would have, but again, that's on me and not on the author. I would encourage anyone else who might want to read this book to start with the first in the series.
April 30, 2019
My review of “This Side of Night” by J. Todd Scott. (Brought to you by the letter S.)
Seductive. Satisfying. Sassy. Scintillating. Scope. Seamless. Sensational. Sensitive. Sexy. Sharp. Significant. Skilled. Skillful. Super. Snappy. Soaring. Solid. Sound. Sparkling. Spectacular. Spellbinding. Spirited. Splendid. Standout. Statuesque. Smart. Strong. Stunning. Substantive. Successful. Sumptuous. Superior. Symphonic.
(From GoodReads)
The vicious Mexican cartel war boils over into the Big Bend in the explosive new novel from the author of The Far Empty and High White Sun.
In the Mexican borderlands, a busload of student protesters is gunned down in broad daylight, a violent act blamed on the Nemesio cartel. But its aging leader, Fox Uno, sees the attack for what it is: another salvo in the long-running battle for control of Nemesio itself; perhaps by a rival cartel, or maybe someone closer to home...
Across the Rio Grande, Sheriff Chris Cherry and his deputies America Reynosa and Danny Ford find themselves caught in Fox Uno's escalating war with the recent discovery of five dead men at the river's edge. But when El Paso DEA agent Joe Garrison's own Nemesio investigation leads him into the heart of the Big Bend, he's not ready to accept the cartel leader's retreat or defeat. Not only does he suspect a high-profile drug task force in a neighboring county is corrupt, he can't shake lingering doubts about the loyalty and motives of the young deputy, Ame Reynosa. And he won't let Sheriff Cherry ignore them either.
In this pitiless land it's kill or be killed, where everyone will make one final bloody stand to decide the fate of Nemesio, the law in the Big Bend, and most of all, the future of America Reynosa.
I hadn’t long finished “High White Sun” by J. Todd Scott when I became aware of his third book’s upcoming release date in summer 2019. I immediately pencilled the date into my diary.
Then, just a short while later, the author tweeted a picture of a box full of advance copies. Well, I decided to be cheeky and, shortly before Christmas 2018, a review copy of the book landed on my doormat.
To say I was thrilled was - and still is - an understatement.
If you have enjoyed the previous two Chris Cherry novels then you will love this one. The author is really getting into his stride now and his writing - already evocative, lean and powerful - has been taken up another level. Possibly two levels.
The book begins and ends explosively with dynamic, pulsating chapters of visceral action and tension. The gripping narrative holds you right from the start and doesn’t relent in its determination to keep the reader enthralled throughout a rip-roaring, emotional and exciting ride.
The plotting is tight and well controlled, twisty and turny and so, so satisfying. This book has pretty much all you need for a glorious escape into a realistic fictional adventure. Perfection.
In many of the most successful books, the setting is central to grounding the story and, as with the two previous titles in the series, the location takes on an identity of its own. It becomes a character in its own right. Murfee, The Big Bend and the borderland between Texas and Mexico come alive between these pages. You can almost taste the dust in your throat and feel the heat on your back.
Once again, JTS has succeeded in creating characters that are fresh, real and he leaves you rooting for them. Or, in the case of the baddies - and the author is adept at penning deliciously bad baddies - for their comeuppance. And, as we readers can now be considered “fans”, we are not left disappointed in the development of our favourites characters either.
As a fictional character, Chris Cherry is fast becoming a true favourite of mine; he is strong, determined, resourceful and dependable. Yet, also, he is incredibly fragile and unsure of himself. It is a potent mix and the emotions we feel for Chris as the book - and the series - develops really make us invested in his story.
Now, I know that this is a fictional town but, after Cherry’s speech at the election debate, I was ready and willing to put my X onto the ballot paper straight away. The scene was that good. It packed so much frailty, emotion and hope into it that I could almost hear the cheers as I closed the pages. Tremendous stuff.
And, as for America? Well, she is a beautiful enigma wrapped in a fiendish puzzle and packing some serious firepower. She is a real firecracker and a joy to read about.
I feel there is so much more of America and Chris’s journey to come.
This reader, for one, cannot wait for it.
Seductive. Satisfying. Sassy. Scintillating. Scope. Seamless. Sensational. Sensitive. Sexy. Sharp. Significant. Skilled. Skillful. Super. Snappy. Soaring. Solid. Sound. Sparkling. Spectacular. Spellbinding. Spirited. Splendid. Standout. Statuesque. Smart. Strong. Stunning. Substantive. Successful. Sumptuous. Superior. Symphonic.
(From GoodReads)
The vicious Mexican cartel war boils over into the Big Bend in the explosive new novel from the author of The Far Empty and High White Sun.
In the Mexican borderlands, a busload of student protesters is gunned down in broad daylight, a violent act blamed on the Nemesio cartel. But its aging leader, Fox Uno, sees the attack for what it is: another salvo in the long-running battle for control of Nemesio itself; perhaps by a rival cartel, or maybe someone closer to home...
Across the Rio Grande, Sheriff Chris Cherry and his deputies America Reynosa and Danny Ford find themselves caught in Fox Uno's escalating war with the recent discovery of five dead men at the river's edge. But when El Paso DEA agent Joe Garrison's own Nemesio investigation leads him into the heart of the Big Bend, he's not ready to accept the cartel leader's retreat or defeat. Not only does he suspect a high-profile drug task force in a neighboring county is corrupt, he can't shake lingering doubts about the loyalty and motives of the young deputy, Ame Reynosa. And he won't let Sheriff Cherry ignore them either.
In this pitiless land it's kill or be killed, where everyone will make one final bloody stand to decide the fate of Nemesio, the law in the Big Bend, and most of all, the future of America Reynosa.
I hadn’t long finished “High White Sun” by J. Todd Scott when I became aware of his third book’s upcoming release date in summer 2019. I immediately pencilled the date into my diary.
Then, just a short while later, the author tweeted a picture of a box full of advance copies. Well, I decided to be cheeky and, shortly before Christmas 2018, a review copy of the book landed on my doormat.
To say I was thrilled was - and still is - an understatement.
If you have enjoyed the previous two Chris Cherry novels then you will love this one. The author is really getting into his stride now and his writing - already evocative, lean and powerful - has been taken up another level. Possibly two levels.
The book begins and ends explosively with dynamic, pulsating chapters of visceral action and tension. The gripping narrative holds you right from the start and doesn’t relent in its determination to keep the reader enthralled throughout a rip-roaring, emotional and exciting ride.
The plotting is tight and well controlled, twisty and turny and so, so satisfying. This book has pretty much all you need for a glorious escape into a realistic fictional adventure. Perfection.
In many of the most successful books, the setting is central to grounding the story and, as with the two previous titles in the series, the location takes on an identity of its own. It becomes a character in its own right. Murfee, The Big Bend and the borderland between Texas and Mexico come alive between these pages. You can almost taste the dust in your throat and feel the heat on your back.
Once again, JTS has succeeded in creating characters that are fresh, real and he leaves you rooting for them. Or, in the case of the baddies - and the author is adept at penning deliciously bad baddies - for their comeuppance. And, as we readers can now be considered “fans”, we are not left disappointed in the development of our favourites characters either.
As a fictional character, Chris Cherry is fast becoming a true favourite of mine; he is strong, determined, resourceful and dependable. Yet, also, he is incredibly fragile and unsure of himself. It is a potent mix and the emotions we feel for Chris as the book - and the series - develops really make us invested in his story.
Now, I know that this is a fictional town but, after Cherry’s speech at the election debate, I was ready and willing to put my X onto the ballot paper straight away. The scene was that good. It packed so much frailty, emotion and hope into it that I could almost hear the cheers as I closed the pages. Tremendous stuff.
And, as for America? Well, she is a beautiful enigma wrapped in a fiendish puzzle and packing some serious firepower. She is a real firecracker and a joy to read about.
I feel there is so much more of America and Chris’s journey to come.
This reader, for one, cannot wait for it.
November 9, 2019
This is clearly his best so far. The characters are real and become more complex with each new book. The story moves along quickly and keeps you guessing as to what is going to happen. He makes you feel like you could be there in his own special Big Bend world.
August 4, 2019
J. Todd Scott has been a federal agent in the employ of the DEA for over two decades. His service has included a stint as the leader of a multiagency strike force utilized in shutting down Mexican cartel smuggling routes. His novels, of which the newly published THIS SIDE OF NIGHT is the third (following THE FAR EMPTY and HIGH WHITE SUN), are set in the Big Bend area of western Texas, along the Mexican border and consisting of Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties. They take place primarily in fictitious Big Bend County, which shares numerous characteristics of its three real-world cousins, including vast acreage, unforgiving terrain and sparse population.
THIS SIDE OF NIGHT wraps up a number of plot lines that originated in the first two novels and leaves a couple of tendrils to carry over to future endeavors. Scott spends a good portion of the first quarter of this latest installment reminding those who have read THE FAR EMPTY and HIGH WHITE SUN (and newcomers to Big Bend) of what has gone before, while setting up some complex and violent dominoes that will be exploded in due course. You can see the fireworks coming, but you don’t know the schedule. The only sure thing is that it is all going to end badly for someone, or several someones.
So it is that a massacre of protesting students in Mexico sets up a chain reaction that does not recognize borders or innocents. Two survivors of the attack begin a perilous journey toward the United States border, even as several parties search for witnesses to the killings, and not for the purpose of providing medical care.
The murderous attack is orchestrated so that the blame for it splashes back on Fox Uno, the notorious leader of the violent Nemesio Mexican drug cartel. One might argue, and with great justification, that Uno, like Aunt Polly’s Tom Sawyer, wouldn’t miss a lick if he were to receive unjust deserts for the killings. However, Uno has information that is quite valuable to the U.S. government. With his young daughter in tow, he manages to escape to Big Bend, where his niece, Deputy Sheriff America Reynosa, might be able to secure his safety, if not his freedom. Big Bend is hardly a safe haven, though. Sheriff Chris Cherry is involved in a reelection effort that is quite challenging, all the more so because he isn’t entirely sure he wants to continue in the position or even that he is the best person for the job.
Meanwhile, the sheriff’s department of an adjacent county is in league with the cartels and is not above taking a piece of the action for itself. There are plenty of problems for Cherry to deal with, and he often has to choose his battles, at home and within and outside his department, a task made more difficult given that not everybody is telling him the whole truth all the time. When things eventually blow up, it takes a while to sort everything out. By the book’s conclusion, the reader is left in shock, not only by what has occurred but also by the Easter egg or three that Scott leaves unresolved.
THIS SIDE OF NIGHT is presented as fiction, but given Scott’s background and the immediacy of his narration, one cannot help but think that many of the vignettes that are woven into the story took place in the here and now. Scott, as demonstrated by the epilogue, obviously has more stories to tell. I, for one, will be happy to read them going forward.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
THIS SIDE OF NIGHT wraps up a number of plot lines that originated in the first two novels and leaves a couple of tendrils to carry over to future endeavors. Scott spends a good portion of the first quarter of this latest installment reminding those who have read THE FAR EMPTY and HIGH WHITE SUN (and newcomers to Big Bend) of what has gone before, while setting up some complex and violent dominoes that will be exploded in due course. You can see the fireworks coming, but you don’t know the schedule. The only sure thing is that it is all going to end badly for someone, or several someones.
So it is that a massacre of protesting students in Mexico sets up a chain reaction that does not recognize borders or innocents. Two survivors of the attack begin a perilous journey toward the United States border, even as several parties search for witnesses to the killings, and not for the purpose of providing medical care.
The murderous attack is orchestrated so that the blame for it splashes back on Fox Uno, the notorious leader of the violent Nemesio Mexican drug cartel. One might argue, and with great justification, that Uno, like Aunt Polly’s Tom Sawyer, wouldn’t miss a lick if he were to receive unjust deserts for the killings. However, Uno has information that is quite valuable to the U.S. government. With his young daughter in tow, he manages to escape to Big Bend, where his niece, Deputy Sheriff America Reynosa, might be able to secure his safety, if not his freedom. Big Bend is hardly a safe haven, though. Sheriff Chris Cherry is involved in a reelection effort that is quite challenging, all the more so because he isn’t entirely sure he wants to continue in the position or even that he is the best person for the job.
Meanwhile, the sheriff’s department of an adjacent county is in league with the cartels and is not above taking a piece of the action for itself. There are plenty of problems for Cherry to deal with, and he often has to choose his battles, at home and within and outside his department, a task made more difficult given that not everybody is telling him the whole truth all the time. When things eventually blow up, it takes a while to sort everything out. By the book’s conclusion, the reader is left in shock, not only by what has occurred but also by the Easter egg or three that Scott leaves unresolved.
THIS SIDE OF NIGHT is presented as fiction, but given Scott’s background and the immediacy of his narration, one cannot help but think that many of the vignettes that are woven into the story took place in the here and now. Scott, as demonstrated by the epilogue, obviously has more stories to tell. I, for one, will be happy to read them going forward.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
November 18, 2020
'This Side of Night', the 3rd book by J. Todd Scott set in the town of Murfee in the Big Bend area of far west Texas, is a complex and violent addition to the saga of Sheriff Cherry, his deputies, and DEA agent Joe Garrison. It's a hard look at how the illegal drug trade can affect individuals and families on both sides of the law.
There's a lot going on in 'This Side of the Night'. It opens with the massacre of a bunch of Mexican schoolkids on a bus by drug cartel sicarios. Two teens escape and go on the run, crossing eventually over into the US. The story follows both the investigation into the massacre and the plight of the escapees. Several dead bodies are found floating in a river by Danny, one of the Big Bend County deputies, who was 'undercover' attempting a buy from a local waste-oid dealer. Its investigation becomes part of the story as well. Meanwhile, on the Mexico side, an internecine battle for control of one of the cartel members and its leader, Fox Uno, and old, sick geezer with a murderous streak a mile wide, goes on the run. Fox Uno happens to be related to Ame, another of Sheriff Cherry's deputies, and he leverages that relationship to secure himself a hidey-hole on the US side of the border. Of course, the DEA is interested in his whereabouts as are the remaining leadership characters in his organization, a rival cartel group, and a collection of bent law enforcers the next county over who are supposedly part of a DEA task force. Sheriff Cherry is pissed about the whole situation for reasons too numerous to describe. Of course, the denouement is a hum-dinger, as the various entities and individuals interested in Fox Uno's whereabouts all show up at the same place at the same time.
I really can't say enough good things about J. Todd Scott's work in his initial 3 books in this series. He takes his time telling his stories and setting up plots and does a particularly fine job developing his characters, mostly through their actions. His writing is first rate and the dialogue is authentic as hell, even throwing in a number of Spanish phrases at the appropriate times when bilingual people are conversing. Although 'This Side of Night' is relatively long (just over 450 pages), I enjoyed its pace, as the author was deliberate in describing situations, conversations, the environment, and implications of decisions. There's plenty of action, but it's spread throughout the story. At all times, though, there's a feeling in the air of closeness and, in the ending, dread. One other aspect of the story I thoroughly enjoyed was the fact that, after the conclusion of the action, several short chapters were devoted to its aftermath. The author, again not in a hurry, explained the impact of all the activity, the effects on the relationships of the key players and law enforcement entities. It was a much needed and appreciated wrap up of a hyper-complicated situation.
All-in-all, J. Todd Scott's series set in far west Texas is one of the best beginnings for a new author in recent memory. An obvious reference point, to me, is the writing of Don Winslow. If you're a Winslow fan, you'll be a Scott fan pretty quickly if you get into this series. I'd recommend starting at his first and proceeding in order to get the most complete understanding of the characters.
There's a lot going on in 'This Side of the Night'. It opens with the massacre of a bunch of Mexican schoolkids on a bus by drug cartel sicarios. Two teens escape and go on the run, crossing eventually over into the US. The story follows both the investigation into the massacre and the plight of the escapees. Several dead bodies are found floating in a river by Danny, one of the Big Bend County deputies, who was 'undercover' attempting a buy from a local waste-oid dealer. Its investigation becomes part of the story as well. Meanwhile, on the Mexico side, an internecine battle for control of one of the cartel members and its leader, Fox Uno, and old, sick geezer with a murderous streak a mile wide, goes on the run. Fox Uno happens to be related to Ame, another of Sheriff Cherry's deputies, and he leverages that relationship to secure himself a hidey-hole on the US side of the border. Of course, the DEA is interested in his whereabouts as are the remaining leadership characters in his organization, a rival cartel group, and a collection of bent law enforcers the next county over who are supposedly part of a DEA task force. Sheriff Cherry is pissed about the whole situation for reasons too numerous to describe. Of course, the denouement is a hum-dinger, as the various entities and individuals interested in Fox Uno's whereabouts all show up at the same place at the same time.
I really can't say enough good things about J. Todd Scott's work in his initial 3 books in this series. He takes his time telling his stories and setting up plots and does a particularly fine job developing his characters, mostly through their actions. His writing is first rate and the dialogue is authentic as hell, even throwing in a number of Spanish phrases at the appropriate times when bilingual people are conversing. Although 'This Side of Night' is relatively long (just over 450 pages), I enjoyed its pace, as the author was deliberate in describing situations, conversations, the environment, and implications of decisions. There's plenty of action, but it's spread throughout the story. At all times, though, there's a feeling in the air of closeness and, in the ending, dread. One other aspect of the story I thoroughly enjoyed was the fact that, after the conclusion of the action, several short chapters were devoted to its aftermath. The author, again not in a hurry, explained the impact of all the activity, the effects on the relationships of the key players and law enforcement entities. It was a much needed and appreciated wrap up of a hyper-complicated situation.
All-in-all, J. Todd Scott's series set in far west Texas is one of the best beginnings for a new author in recent memory. An obvious reference point, to me, is the writing of Don Winslow. If you're a Winslow fan, you'll be a Scott fan pretty quickly if you get into this series. I'd recommend starting at his first and proceeding in order to get the most complete understanding of the characters.
Read
September 2, 2022DNF - this book was not my style
September 25, 2023
These books are so good. Crime noir thriller western with complicated characters
July 14, 2019
Set in the rough terrain of the Texas Big Bend and northern Mexico, drug dealers, smugglers, and corrupt law enforcement run rampant. A bus load of student protestors are gunned down in Mexico as other bodies turn up in the Texas borderland. A handful of honest lawmen fight to defend the people of the region. A thrilling read. This Side of Night was a free review copy available through Goodreads.com.
May 9, 2022
The first book in the trilogy was my second book I read in 2020(!)so I had forgotten some events that were referenced in this book and I never read the second book so I was at a loss there as well. That being said I really enjoyed this book. The author ratcheted up the tension in each chapter until (to use a Joe Pickett phrase ) "things got real Western" at the end. I will read rhe second book in the trilogy as well as the author's fourth and upcoming fifth book.
October 7, 2019
A friend gave me this book to read after hearing about our drive through western Texas last year. While it's not typically the type of book I'd pick up, I did find it to be a captivating thriller about corruption, violent crime and the drug trade between Mexico and the US (the author is a former federal agent with the DEA).
July 10, 2019
This is a neat little story about peoples background and whom you can trust. It's set in Texas with some parts in Mexico. I found it entertaining and can recommend it for those that like smalltown stories but with big subjects.
June 30, 2020
I liked this one more than the previous one. I feel like Scott gets back to form with this book. Similar to his first book. Great story!
August 12, 2020
Excellent 3rd book in what has turned into a fantastic series. If you like really well told stories, and border Drama written by a guy who has lived it, this author is definitely someone you should read.
Start with The Far Empty,
then
High White Sun
And wrap up with this excellent book.
Start with The Far Empty,
then
High White Sun
And wrap up with this excellent book.
July 17, 2019
“Ojos de los muertos.
The night had come alive to swallow them whole and make them disappear.”
“Drug and human trafficking on the Texas-Mexico border was a violent and bloody business, but also a very lucrative one, and right now, business was not good for anyone.”
“There isn’t any real right or wrong here, only what you have to do.”
“..brutal attack on students from a tiny rural school called Librado Rivera in Ojinaga, Ojinaga, Mexico.”
“Three dead, six injured, nineteen vanished.”
There are the dead teenagers and the missing on one side of the border, whilst there is a Sheriff election in the backdrop of this tale on another, with the force of the sicarios and one cartel leader running though this tales core affecting all they touch with other corrupt men in uniform, Fox Uno, leader of Nemesio cartel, a mass murderer who calls himself death, the corrupt and the good in the balance.
It is all happening at the Big bend the Far Six, zeroing down to a cinematic showdown affair in one of the best I have read for a while upon the page having me recalling film scenes from No Country For Old Men and Sicario.
Both sides of the border, lives affected by crimes and violence, fiction telling but some truth work in fiction framework with his “DEA craft” coming from a voice that has lived the terrain, breathed the air and felt the corrupted lives during his years as DEA agent.
This is no easy fete this writing of complex histories and territories, he succeeded in doing what he says his desired to communicate in my interview with him he said:
“I wanted to go south for the first time in the series and draw a little attention to the complexities many families face that straddle both sides of the border. America is bound by blood to a significant cartel figure, and as much as she’d tried to escape that legacy, it’s haunted her through the series to date. Having worked drug and cartel cases as long as I have on the border and the Southwest, I wanted to bring more of that real-life experience to bear than I have in any of the previous books. This story has more DEA craft than all the others combined.”
(Read More)
I have missed some histories of the Big Bend so would be good to go back and start with the first book with the Far Empty and the beginnings of Sheriff Chris Cherry.
There is the best and worst of men in this west Texas border noir, many mechanisms set in motion with a wheel of violence at work with the evil that men do, in the uniform of the law and outside the law, the victims, the revenge and vengeance, a long cycle of history of violence with unfinished dirty deeds in proximity of the Border.
A gripping tale of two sides of the border with ill will spreading and drugs corrupting, courage and strength found with heroes born, killers put to rest, and men transitioning to quieter lives.
Featuring:
Chihuahua, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
The Far Six Ranch, the Big Bend, West Texas.
Normalistas
Sicarios
Federales
Serrano Brothers Cartel
The Nemesio Cartel
Fox Uno
Juan Abrego Carrión
Martino Abrego Cabrera
DEA ASAC Joseph Garrison
Big Bend County Sheriff’s Department
Sheriff Chris Cherry
Deputy America Reynosa
Deputy Danny Ford
Deputy Marco Lucero
Review with Excerpts @ More2Read
The night had come alive to swallow them whole and make them disappear.”
“Drug and human trafficking on the Texas-Mexico border was a violent and bloody business, but also a very lucrative one, and right now, business was not good for anyone.”
“There isn’t any real right or wrong here, only what you have to do.”
“..brutal attack on students from a tiny rural school called Librado Rivera in Ojinaga, Ojinaga, Mexico.”
“Three dead, six injured, nineteen vanished.”
There are the dead teenagers and the missing on one side of the border, whilst there is a Sheriff election in the backdrop of this tale on another, with the force of the sicarios and one cartel leader running though this tales core affecting all they touch with other corrupt men in uniform, Fox Uno, leader of Nemesio cartel, a mass murderer who calls himself death, the corrupt and the good in the balance.
It is all happening at the Big bend the Far Six, zeroing down to a cinematic showdown affair in one of the best I have read for a while upon the page having me recalling film scenes from No Country For Old Men and Sicario.
Both sides of the border, lives affected by crimes and violence, fiction telling but some truth work in fiction framework with his “DEA craft” coming from a voice that has lived the terrain, breathed the air and felt the corrupted lives during his years as DEA agent.
This is no easy fete this writing of complex histories and territories, he succeeded in doing what he says his desired to communicate in my interview with him he said:
“I wanted to go south for the first time in the series and draw a little attention to the complexities many families face that straddle both sides of the border. America is bound by blood to a significant cartel figure, and as much as she’d tried to escape that legacy, it’s haunted her through the series to date. Having worked drug and cartel cases as long as I have on the border and the Southwest, I wanted to bring more of that real-life experience to bear than I have in any of the previous books. This story has more DEA craft than all the others combined.”
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I have missed some histories of the Big Bend so would be good to go back and start with the first book with the Far Empty and the beginnings of Sheriff Chris Cherry.
There is the best and worst of men in this west Texas border noir, many mechanisms set in motion with a wheel of violence at work with the evil that men do, in the uniform of the law and outside the law, the victims, the revenge and vengeance, a long cycle of history of violence with unfinished dirty deeds in proximity of the Border.
A gripping tale of two sides of the border with ill will spreading and drugs corrupting, courage and strength found with heroes born, killers put to rest, and men transitioning to quieter lives.
Featuring:
Chihuahua, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
The Far Six Ranch, the Big Bend, West Texas.
Normalistas
Sicarios
Federales
Serrano Brothers Cartel
The Nemesio Cartel
Fox Uno
Juan Abrego Carrión
Martino Abrego Cabrera
DEA ASAC Joseph Garrison
Big Bend County Sheriff’s Department
Sheriff Chris Cherry
Deputy America Reynosa
Deputy Danny Ford
Deputy Marco Lucero
Review with Excerpts @ More2Read
May 23, 2025
This Side Of Night by J. Todd Scott
I loved this trilogy. This Side Of Night brings the ruthless power of the cartels to the pages. From killing a busload of people (this really happened) to corrupting a whole task force that was set up to stop them(I’m positive this happened as well). This book shows the cartels' power on both sides of the border.
This Side Of Night didn’t fall off like most trilogy’s do. It kept moving and building to an epic scene at the end. The set up for the finale was beautiful. The small details from earlier books to this book set the scene for the epic ending.
From the first book to the last, this series has been magnificent. As you read the book or books, you can tell that Mr. Scott has spent lots of time in this area of the state. The descriptions of the vegetation and terrain to the locations where I have been, he hits it right on. The character development from book one to book three was also a work of art both Sheriff Cherry and America are great characters.
I loved all three books, but I would have to say Chapter 14 of High White Sun was my favorite chapter. I love a good prison story, and that was a grand slam. High White Sun also has an excerpt from the outlaw John Wesley Hardin, and it mentions going to Gonzales, and that’s enough for me to five a book five stars.
I do have two questions for Mr. Scott and I hope he reads this and lets me know.
1. Was Caleb supposed to come back in book three? Or was it one of those things that just didn’t work out?
2. When you first started writing The Far Empty did you know how that book would progress into This Side Of Night? Especially with Fox Uno and the ending.
If you want to read a good book or books based out in West Texas about a small town sheriff and the cartels who are just across the border check out The Far Empty, High White Sun, and This Side of Night.
I loved this trilogy. This Side Of Night brings the ruthless power of the cartels to the pages. From killing a busload of people (this really happened) to corrupting a whole task force that was set up to stop them(I’m positive this happened as well). This book shows the cartels' power on both sides of the border.
This Side Of Night didn’t fall off like most trilogy’s do. It kept moving and building to an epic scene at the end. The set up for the finale was beautiful. The small details from earlier books to this book set the scene for the epic ending.
From the first book to the last, this series has been magnificent. As you read the book or books, you can tell that Mr. Scott has spent lots of time in this area of the state. The descriptions of the vegetation and terrain to the locations where I have been, he hits it right on. The character development from book one to book three was also a work of art both Sheriff Cherry and America are great characters.
I loved all three books, but I would have to say Chapter 14 of High White Sun was my favorite chapter. I love a good prison story, and that was a grand slam. High White Sun also has an excerpt from the outlaw John Wesley Hardin, and it mentions going to Gonzales, and that’s enough for me to five a book five stars.
I do have two questions for Mr. Scott and I hope he reads this and lets me know.
1. Was Caleb supposed to come back in book three? Or was it one of those things that just didn’t work out?
2. When you first started writing The Far Empty did you know how that book would progress into This Side Of Night? Especially with Fox Uno and the ending.
If you want to read a good book or books based out in West Texas about a small town sheriff and the cartels who are just across the border check out The Far Empty, High White Sun, and This Side of Night.
Read
October 21, 2019In This Side of Night (G.P. Putnam’s Sons), J. Todd Scott wraps a Drug Enforcement Agency procedural around a modernized Western, then rolls it in a batter of action-thriller and twenty-first century shootouts.
Scott uses the extensive knowledge gained from his twenty-year position as a DEA agent in the Southwest to construct a realistic tableau of life in a small West Texas town living in the backdrop of the Mexican drug cartel wars. He based a fictionalized ambush of Mexican teachers-in-training on a real 2014 attack near Iguala, Mexico, which left three students dead and 43 others abducted who were never found alive.
This is a crime novel about West Texas—The Big Bend country nestled against the Mexican border. The story begins in Mexico when a bus full of students is ambushed, some shot to death and others taken hostage.
Although no one takes responsibility for the heinous act, it appears the Nemesio drug cartel might be to blame. As the war with the Mexican cartels heats up, the mysterious leader of Nemesio, nicknamed Fox Uno, feels the grip on his organization slipping and knows he must make a move.
Across the border in the small West Texas town of Murfee, Sheriff Chris Cherry is distracted by his reelection campaign and questions whether he is cut out to be sheriff of Big Bend County. Meanwhile, damaged Deputy Danny Ford investigates local, small-time drug dealer Eddy Rabbit, who might be deeply involved in a Mexican cartel, while Deputy America Reynosa’s cartel-infested past—unknown to all but Cherry—resurfaces, and she must make the hardest choice of her life.
The rest of the review: https://booktrib.com/2019/10/sicarios...
Scott uses the extensive knowledge gained from his twenty-year position as a DEA agent in the Southwest to construct a realistic tableau of life in a small West Texas town living in the backdrop of the Mexican drug cartel wars. He based a fictionalized ambush of Mexican teachers-in-training on a real 2014 attack near Iguala, Mexico, which left three students dead and 43 others abducted who were never found alive.
This is a crime novel about West Texas—The Big Bend country nestled against the Mexican border. The story begins in Mexico when a bus full of students is ambushed, some shot to death and others taken hostage.
Although no one takes responsibility for the heinous act, it appears the Nemesio drug cartel might be to blame. As the war with the Mexican cartels heats up, the mysterious leader of Nemesio, nicknamed Fox Uno, feels the grip on his organization slipping and knows he must make a move.
Across the border in the small West Texas town of Murfee, Sheriff Chris Cherry is distracted by his reelection campaign and questions whether he is cut out to be sheriff of Big Bend County. Meanwhile, damaged Deputy Danny Ford investigates local, small-time drug dealer Eddy Rabbit, who might be deeply involved in a Mexican cartel, while Deputy America Reynosa’s cartel-infested past—unknown to all but Cherry—resurfaces, and she must make the hardest choice of her life.
The rest of the review: https://booktrib.com/2019/10/sicarios...
November 5, 2019
In an electrifying crime fiction thriller the drugs and violence are spilling across the border . . . into the lonesome, wild and remote part of west Texas that’s known as the “Big Bend Area,” where the Lone Star State nestles up against the Rio Grande River . . . just a hard stones throw from Ojinaga, Mexico, where the Nemesio Cartel and it’s aging leader, Fox Uno, are clinging to power.
When a busload of protestors is massacred in the Mexican borderlands, the finger of blame is pointed at the Nemesio Cartel, which controls the region. But as the outage grows and public pressure increases for the government to step in, clear out the cartels and return law and order to the land, El Patron, the aging and feared head of the Nemesio Cartel, sees the atrocity for what it is . . . a naked attempt at a takeover. The question is, by whom . . . another cartel, or someone closer?
As the violence, and the drugs, and the people begin spilling across the river from Ojinaga into the small town of Murfee, Texas, Sheriff Chris Cherry and his deputies, America Reynosa and Danny Ford are all caught up in Fox Uno’s war and his struggle to survive the legions of murderous assassins sent to kill him and his six year-old daughter named Zeta.
Stamped with authenticity and the iron ring of truth on every page, This Side of Night announces in a loud and clear voice the arrival of a distinct, authoritative and compelling fresh face in crime fiction!
When a busload of protestors is massacred in the Mexican borderlands, the finger of blame is pointed at the Nemesio Cartel, which controls the region. But as the outage grows and public pressure increases for the government to step in, clear out the cartels and return law and order to the land, El Patron, the aging and feared head of the Nemesio Cartel, sees the atrocity for what it is . . . a naked attempt at a takeover. The question is, by whom . . . another cartel, or someone closer?
As the violence, and the drugs, and the people begin spilling across the river from Ojinaga into the small town of Murfee, Texas, Sheriff Chris Cherry and his deputies, America Reynosa and Danny Ford are all caught up in Fox Uno’s war and his struggle to survive the legions of murderous assassins sent to kill him and his six year-old daughter named Zeta.
Stamped with authenticity and the iron ring of truth on every page, This Side of Night announces in a loud and clear voice the arrival of a distinct, authoritative and compelling fresh face in crime fiction!
July 21, 2019
I really enjoyed the expertise of J. Todd Scott. I now have indelible scenes of a fight scene with a brilliant touch of humor, a deeper appreciation of the rugged beauty of Big Bend, Texas area and more knowledge of the violence of drug cartels. J, Todd Scott provides multi dimensional characters that will keep you hooked to this book. I missed the first two books of this series, I found that it works great as a stand alone.
His main characters are neither good nor evil but a mixture of both that makes them believable. I got really attached to them and am looking forward to them showing up in future books. The author' s background as a federal agent for DEA. His experience shines through the book. And I now have a deeper appreciation of the rugged beauty of the Big Bend Country and a great deal of respect for the law enforcement and investigators working with the DEA, braving incredible dangers from violent drug cartels.
The next book in this series will be set in Kentucky and I am eagerly anticipating that with great interest.
I received a finished received copy of this book from the Publisher as a win from FirstReads but that in no way made a difference in my thoughts or feelings in this review.
His main characters are neither good nor evil but a mixture of both that makes them believable. I got really attached to them and am looking forward to them showing up in future books. The author' s background as a federal agent for DEA. His experience shines through the book. And I now have a deeper appreciation of the rugged beauty of the Big Bend Country and a great deal of respect for the law enforcement and investigators working with the DEA, braving incredible dangers from violent drug cartels.
The next book in this series will be set in Kentucky and I am eagerly anticipating that with great interest.
I received a finished received copy of this book from the Publisher as a win from FirstReads but that in no way made a difference in my thoughts or feelings in this review.
July 11, 2019
Fans of the gritty law enforcement, conspiracy novel should try this one for a tale of corruption, murder, and narcotrafficking on the border. There's a drug war going on (duh) but here there's also a struggle for supremacy in the Nemesio cartel which is impacting people, like students, who have nothing to do with it. Now bodies are being found in the river along the border. There's a DEA agent, Joe Garrison, who is investigating, and a local Sheriff, Chris Cherry, who have to both investigate and deal with the fall out. There are questions about Cherry's deputy AmE Reynosa. Are they legit or is she being unfairly labelled. Or targeted? What about the other deputies and the task force? No spoilers. I didn't read the first books in this series but I don't think that was a problem. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. This is a quick read with dynamic characters and a topical plot line.
September 2, 2019
First I would like to state that I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the author for giving me this opportunity and honor in being able to read this book. When I received this book I began reading it at once. I really enjoy the authors writing style, the author pulls you into the book from the very beginning and makes it so you don't want to put the book down. It kept me on the edge of my seat reading from cover to cover guessing what was going to be happening next. This is a very interesting read. One I will be reading many times over. It really does hook you on the first page and keeps you so interested wanting to find out how and what was going to be happening on the next page. I would recommend this book to anyone.. This book is incredible. I loved it cannot wait to read more from this author. A must read
September 3, 2019
The author is a DEA agent, and his experiences have definitely added to the intense scenes he creates on paper. If you like gritty real-life stories then this is for you. The main character and now Sheriff Chris Cherry is back, and his sense of honor is felt throughout the storyline. Cherry is one of those characters that even if you don’t hear from them for a little while you know that they are standing on the side, observing all and leading by example.
Mr. Scott has a heightened way of portraying the Big Bend area as a profound secondary character. The environment along with continuing characters such as America, Danny, and Melissa allow the reader to saturate themselves with the story.
Mr. Scott has a heightened way of portraying the Big Bend area as a profound secondary character. The environment along with continuing characters such as America, Danny, and Melissa allow the reader to saturate themselves with the story.
August 30, 2019
The author introduced the characters effectively, and the many subplots were explored without getting the reader confused. He writes really well and knows his subject matter. A smattering of Spanish is included in the text, but not so much as to put off the non-Spanish speaking reader; it enhances the story. The subplots converge at the end, in a way that is plausible for the reader. This is the first book of Scott's that I've read, but the third in his Texas trilogy. Well worth reading.
August 11, 2020
Probable 3.75 stars rather than 4 but that's still a good book in my arena and I'd say my favorite of the 3 in this series. Mr. Scott's books always seem a little too long to me but in retrospect, I'm not sure what parts I would delete or edit. All (and I mean just about all) of his characters are fully realized with background and emotion which may be why I think the books get lengthy but in the end, the readers are rewarded with tight action, plotting and resolution. I see he has a 4th book out now and I'll be all over it soon.
July 28, 2019
Doing the right thing is never easy
Another trip to Murfee, TX starts off routinely and rapidly spirals into a savage fight just to survive.
Chris, America, Danny and the rest get dragged into a bloody conflict that spans both sides of the border. Family ties pull our heroes deeper into the conflict until the explosive conclusion. Great stuff.
Another trip to Murfee, TX starts off routinely and rapidly spirals into a savage fight just to survive.
Chris, America, Danny and the rest get dragged into a bloody conflict that spans both sides of the border. Family ties pull our heroes deeper into the conflict until the explosive conclusion. Great stuff.
October 19, 2019
I hadn't read the preceding novels in the series before reading this one, so it's possible that I would have liked it if I had read them. But I really don't think so. I just didn't care about any of the characters. I struggled to finish the book because my interest in the story was nil. I was so glad to finally be done with it.
December 1, 2020
Book 3 of the Murfee Texas series and the best yet. Bloody cartel wars honor no borders and Chris Cherry and his beleagured staff are overmatched but defiant and deadly in their defense of their homes and loved ones. Gritty, brutal, excellent. Highly recommended! And remember to shop local. We need our independent bookstores more than ever.
December 8, 2020
Violence and more violence to say the least. I love reading about the borderlands and law enforcement's interaction with coyotes, cartels, and immigrant crossings. This story started out slow, but the heart-throbbing violence keeps pounding up to the very end. The setting in "the Big Bend" was maybe the best part of the story.
May 7, 2021
This book is frustrating. It is the confusing story of a bunch of Texan cops sheltering, for mysterious reasons, an old Mexican narco boss. Lots of different characters including some who are not relevant. Every new chapter it takes a couple of pages to figure out who is talking and what he is talking about.
July 10, 2021
I thought this was the best of three Sheriff Chris Cherry books. J. Todd Scott seems to write better with each book. The intense action in many places make up for some of the less than believable aspects of the book (apparently no training is needed to be a deputy for Sheriff in Murfee). The book is enjoyable and even though it is almost 500 pages long it is a quick read.
December 28, 2021
Fantastic Read
Loved this trilogy, plot, pace, characters all excellent. Scott's description of the environment of, and the characters who people , Big Bend County reminded me somewhat of Cormac McCarthy and more than a little of, as others have noted, Don Winslow. I think that fans of both would be delighted with this series . I can give no higher recommendation
Loved this trilogy, plot, pace, characters all excellent. Scott's description of the environment of, and the characters who people , Big Bend County reminded me somewhat of Cormac McCarthy and more than a little of, as others have noted, Don Winslow. I think that fans of both would be delighted with this series . I can give no higher recommendation
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