The Listmaker of Acapulco: A Detective Emilia Cruz Novella

by Carmen Amato

A secret list and a nine-fingered man push Acapulco’s first female police detective to the edge in this exciting companion to the award-winning Detective Emilia Cruz mystery series.After she stops a gang attack in an upscale neighborhood, Emilia discovers a black notebook with a list of names, numbers, and dates. Convinced it is a list of dirty cops, Emilia knows she’s in danger.In a police department riddled with corruption, how long until someone finds out she has the list and comes gunning for her?Meanwhile, the head of the police union initiates an internal investigation, all but accusing Emilia of taking a bribe from a drug gang. Playing all the angles, he makes a fateful offer.For a deceptively high price, he’ll make the investigation go away.As Emilia’s career as a police detective teeters on the brink of disaster, a gruesome discovery is made at the Acapulco morgue. One of the dead attackers wears a grafted finger from another man.Suddenly, a wave of false identities and criminal intrigue engulfs the entire investigation.When Emilia finally finds the author of the list, the riptide could carry them both away.“A thrilling series” -- National Public Radio.2019 and 2020 Poison Cup Award, Outstanding Series, Crime Masters of America After a 30-year career with the Central Intelligence Agency, author Carmen Amato uses her own counterdrug and espionage experiences to craft crime fiction that keeps you guessing until the very end. Amato is a recipient of both the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal.Fans of international mystery series crime fighters like Armand Gamache, Harry Hole, Guido Brunetti, Vera Stanhope, and the Department Q series team, as well as Don Winslow’s Mexican cartel and border thrillers, have embraced Detective Emilia Cruz.Readers love the complex plots, pulse-pounding suspense, and Acapulco’s iconic Pacific setting.Find all the Detective Emilia Cruz books on CLIFF Detective Emilia Cruz Book 1HAT Detective Emilia Cruz Book 2DIABLO Detective Emilia Cruz Book 3KING Detective Emilia Cruz Book 4PACIFIC Detective Emilia Cruz Book 543 Detective Emilia Cruz Book 6RUSSIAN Detective Emilia Cruz Book 7NARCO Detective Emilia Cruz Book 8FELIZ NAVIDAD FROM A Detective Emilia Cruz Short ReadMADE IN 5 Detective Emilia Cruz Stories

127 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 24, 2021

About the author

Carmen Amato is the author of the Detective Emilia Cryz mystery series pitting the first female police detective in Acapulco against Mexico's cartels, corruption, and social inequality. Starting with Cliff Diver, the series is a 2-time winner of the Outstanding Series award from CrimeMasters of America and was hailed by National Public Radio as “A thrilling series.”

Her standalone thrillers include The Hidden Light of Mexico City, which was longlisted for the 2020 Millennium Book Award.

A 30-year veteran of the CIA where she focused on technical collection and counterdrug issues, Carmen is a recipient of both the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal.

A judge for the BookLife Prize and Killer Nashville’s Claymore Award, her essays have appeared in Criminal Element, Publishers Weekly, and other national publications. She writes the popular Mystery Ahead newsletter on Substack with her top secrets, exclusive excerpts and book reviews: https://mysteryahead.substack.com.

Originally from upstate New York, after years of globe-trotting she and her husband enjoy life in Tennessee. https://carmenamato.net/links

Reviews

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Listmaker of Acapulco: A Detective Emilia Cruz Novella, my first read from author Carmen Amato. A 127-page/3-hour 26-minute virtual voice Noir Crime thriller, part of the 9 book Detective Emilia Cruz series. “I received a free a free Audible virtual voice copy and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I own all 9 of this author's works in this series and look forward to reading more. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018). (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Richard Cowart · Rating 4 out of 5]

As Detective Cruz tries to provide honest police work to the citizens of Acapulco she must still fight the all boy network. After stopping two guys from shooting up a house she is brought before a review board wondering why she happened to be in the neighborhood at that time. Trying to piece together what happened is a big puzzle as one of the shooters is already declared dead and the other one has two sets of prints. Great reading as usual

[SHELLY A TURNER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Author, wonderful characters!

I've enjoyed all of MS. Amato's books. Her characters are complex and real, descriptions are wonderfully detailed. I look forward to more stories of Detective Cruz!

[Mike Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emilia’s Saga Continues!

Having visited Acapulco during my Navy days and being born and raised in Southern Arizona, it’s nice to read stories located in area that I know about. I really enjoy the series and always look forward to the next story in the saga of Emilia.

[Maria]

Another exciting novella about Detective Emilia Cruz

Love reading this series of books about the first female detective in the Acapulco Police department.
It's not easy being the only female detective in a department loaded with testosterone and machismo!

[Candis Flesher-Dodds · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoy Ms Amatos vivid description of the life of a female cop in Acapulco -Though her stories have become somewhat predictable and formatted with a formula --albeit a successful one -they never fail to entertain -Keep it up mi amiga-

[Michael Landfair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Good Yarn

I really like all the normal characters in Carmen Amato’ latest novel. She makes it feel as if I’ve known them forever. Five Stars

[E.R. Yatscoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story but shorter than normal of one of the best fiction female detectives in literature. Hope she keeps Det. Cruz going.