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Make Them Cry: A Novel
For fans of The Border and Jason Bourne, Make Them Cry is an explosive action thriller about a DEA agent sucked into a dangerous turf war on the US-Mexico border.
It’s hard to make Diane Harbaugh flinch. A former prosecutor notorious for her aggressive tactics, she’s now a DEA agent who interrogates witnesses so effectively, she has them confessing in tears. But when she hears from Gustavo, a high-ranking cartel member with an invaluable secret about the international black market, she’s thrown for a loop. She heads to Mexico to meet him, and her entire understanding of justice and duty is thrown into question.
Gustavo sends her down a rabbit hole that leads to a criminal conspiracy more pervasive than anything she and the DEA ever suspected. She teams up with Ian Carver, a disillusioned CIA agent, and begins to unravel layers of deceptions, grifts, and schemes that date back to the beginnings of the Afghanistan War. As they learn more, they become the target of cartel assassins, embittered spies, and even their own government. They are at the center of an international manhunt with world-changing consequences—and the only way out is for Diane to do the one thing she promised herself she’d never do. Stylishly written and relentlessly plotted, Make Them Cry is an action-packed thriller of unimaginable stakes.
It’s hard to make Diane Harbaugh flinch. A former prosecutor notorious for her aggressive tactics, she’s now a DEA agent who interrogates witnesses so effectively, she has them confessing in tears. But when she hears from Gustavo, a high-ranking cartel member with an invaluable secret about the international black market, she’s thrown for a loop. She heads to Mexico to meet him, and her entire understanding of justice and duty is thrown into question.
Gustavo sends her down a rabbit hole that leads to a criminal conspiracy more pervasive than anything she and the DEA ever suspected. She teams up with Ian Carver, a disillusioned CIA agent, and begins to unravel layers of deceptions, grifts, and schemes that date back to the beginnings of the Afghanistan War. As they learn more, they become the target of cartel assassins, embittered spies, and even their own government. They are at the center of an international manhunt with world-changing consequences—and the only way out is for Diane to do the one thing she promised herself she’d never do. Stylishly written and relentlessly plotted, Make Them Cry is an action-packed thriller of unimaginable stakes.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published September 22, 2020
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About the author
Smith Henderson
4 books311 followersSmith Henderson is the recipient of the 2011 PEN Emerging Writers Award in fiction. He was a Philip Roth Resident in Creative Writing at Bucknell University, a Pushcart Prize winner, and a fellow at the Michener Center for Writers in Austin, Texas. Born and raised in Montana, he now lives in Portland, Oregon.
Fourth of July Creek is his first novel.
Fourth of July Creek is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
August 27, 2020
Maybe it's more like a 1.5, but I'm feeling far too salty to round up.
The only good thing I have to say is that the style isn't bad. The writing is clean and sharp, and I can appreciate how the authors utilize language. I just wish it felt like there was something actually happening.
It's a very aestheticized version of the drug trade, I think, highly romanticized and one-note; the strength seems to be in the action sequences, with the characters feeling purely like 'furniture' - particularly Diane, despite how she's framed as the lead. She seems to have such a minor presence, and what's there is so flat; no character comes across as truly developed, but she seems to suffer the most, defined strictly by the men she's surrounded by and her sexuality and 'beauty'.
Tomas is by far the most developed character, but he just feels like a caricature with his gratuitous Spanish (that doesn't feel natural at all.) I found myself able to actually sympathize with him, but only barely.
Overall, I'm just lost on the point. The plot is vague, especially near the end, where the writers finally seem to remember Diane is the main character, and rush through the aftermath and consequences; the open-endedness only furthers the frustration felt during the entire story. I just don't care for how dismissive an attitude the writers seemed to have when describing the dirty tactics and abuse of power Diane and every other agent committed. The portrait painted of Mexico feels rather racist, diminished to nothing but drugs and the cartel and sicarios. I hated every second I wasted on this trash and trying to write this review somewhat cohesively (and constructively.)
I received an ARC via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The only good thing I have to say is that the style isn't bad. The writing is clean and sharp, and I can appreciate how the authors utilize language. I just wish it felt like there was something actually happening.
It's a very aestheticized version of the drug trade, I think, highly romanticized and one-note; the strength seems to be in the action sequences, with the characters feeling purely like 'furniture' - particularly Diane, despite how she's framed as the lead. She seems to have such a minor presence, and what's there is so flat; no character comes across as truly developed, but she seems to suffer the most, defined strictly by the men she's surrounded by and her sexuality and 'beauty'.
Tomas is by far the most developed character, but he just feels like a caricature with his gratuitous Spanish (that doesn't feel natural at all.) I found myself able to actually sympathize with him, but only barely.
Overall, I'm just lost on the point. The plot is vague, especially near the end, where the writers finally seem to remember Diane is the main character, and rush through the aftermath and consequences; the open-endedness only furthers the frustration felt during the entire story. I just don't care for how dismissive an attitude the writers seemed to have when describing the dirty tactics and abuse of power Diane and every other agent committed. The portrait painted of Mexico feels rather racist, diminished to nothing but drugs and the cartel and sicarios. I hated every second I wasted on this trash and trying to write this review somewhat cohesively (and constructively.)
I received an ARC via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2020
I came to this collaboration between Smith Henderson and Jon Marc Smith with great anticipation despite being unaware of Smith. This was in part because of my love for Smith Henderson's FOURTH OF JULY CREEK. It was one of my favorite novels of 2014 and I've been waiting in anticipation for his next act. Imagine my surprise upon learning it would be a narco thriller and that Henderson would be sharing the writing duties. Interesting. I'm happy to say this collaboration was a winner. I loved the tortured character, Diane Harbaugh, a DEA agent with...issues. She's real and fully drawn and you will root for her despite her often questionable choices. I loved some of the ancillary characters as well: Tomas, the book reading Mexican hit man; Gustavo, a bloodthirsty savage hopped up on drugs, alcohol, and fear so real it stinks; Childs, Harbaugh's partner; and Carver, an enigma who may, and I emphasize "may", bring some rays of hope into Harbaugh's tortured existence. The writing is beautiful. The plot engaging (rogue DEA agent travels to Mexico without agency consent to pow-wow with a narco who claims to have a secret worth dying for). The characters, as I've mentioned, are fully drawn. I hope to hear more from Agent Harbaugh as well as the two Smiths as author collaborators. This is top-level crime fiction.
July 20, 2020
In Make Them Cry by Jon Marc Smith and Smith Henderson, Diane Harbaugh is a former prosecutor and current Drug Enforcement Agent known for her aggressive and bold behavior while being nicknamed "Midwife" for her ability to extract confessions from almost anyone she interrogates.
The novel opens with Harbaugh and her boyfriend spending time in a cabin when an incident occurs that most likely will derail her career with the DEA. While being sidelined and after receiving a mysterious telephone call from an intermediary of a man she can't recall, without the consent of the DEA, she agrees to travel to Mexico to meet with this stranger in hopes bold action on her part will put her future with the DEA back in a better light.
Harbaugh meets with a man named Gustavo, who while ramped up on cocaine and is telling a wild, worldwide tale of deep conspiracy and corruption, agrees to tell Harbaugh highly sensitive information only he knows about a Mexican drug cartel if she will transport him to the US. Parts of Gustavo's are so wild Harbaugh is unsure who to believe, especially after meeting more and more secretive characters with questionable motives and goals of their own.
Soon, both Harbaugh and Gustavo are being hunted by the cartel, assassins, and people not known to be villains or adversaries.
Make Them Cry is a good summer thriller and a novel many would consider a "summer read."
Recommended to those that enjoy escapist thrillers, tales of conspiracies, red herrings, and stories with wide-ranging plot tentacles.
The novel opens with Harbaugh and her boyfriend spending time in a cabin when an incident occurs that most likely will derail her career with the DEA. While being sidelined and after receiving a mysterious telephone call from an intermediary of a man she can't recall, without the consent of the DEA, she agrees to travel to Mexico to meet with this stranger in hopes bold action on her part will put her future with the DEA back in a better light.
Harbaugh meets with a man named Gustavo, who while ramped up on cocaine and is telling a wild, worldwide tale of deep conspiracy and corruption, agrees to tell Harbaugh highly sensitive information only he knows about a Mexican drug cartel if she will transport him to the US. Parts of Gustavo's are so wild Harbaugh is unsure who to believe, especially after meeting more and more secretive characters with questionable motives and goals of their own.
Soon, both Harbaugh and Gustavo are being hunted by the cartel, assassins, and people not known to be villains or adversaries.
Make Them Cry is a good summer thriller and a novel many would consider a "summer read."
Recommended to those that enjoy escapist thrillers, tales of conspiracies, red herrings, and stories with wide-ranging plot tentacles.
January 19, 2021
Diane “Hardball” Harbaugh is used to playing tough. She’s a former prosecutor turned DEA agent, famous for her aggressive tactics and interrogation skills. She’s on vacation with a possible love interest, when a CI whose been stalking her, breaks into her vacation home and shoots himself in front of her. Although she’s facing internal investigations, Diane gets a call from a top ranking cartel member, Gustavo, who insists he’ll only work with Diane and only if she comes to Mexico. As Diane heads down to Mexico, she’s facing possible corruption scandals from her boss, a tangle with the CIA and cartel tensions, including assassins. Diane is in for a hell of a ride, with the only question being if she’ll make it through or if she’ll be left to eat dust. Y I K E S. This was...not great. There’s not a single redeeming character in this. It’s a lot of tough, “I’m a NARCO,” and “I’m gonna fuck you up!” Like that’s literally the book. Every other word was an f-bomb (which I totally don’t care about but it just got so repetitive!) and the plot was just gun shots. It was boring.
November 12, 2020
The writing in this book is good, but it has a rough feel to it. That roughness mirrors the characters, actions, and events that transpire throughout the pages. That’s the best thing I can say about this book. At times, it’s incredibly brutal and violent. That’s not surprising given that it is about drug cartels.
This book offered great atmospheric and environmental descriptions. These descriptions made you feel the setting. But the reading of this book was slow. It dragged and dragged and dragged. One of the things that made reading this book a chore to read was the abundance of Spanish words and phrases with no translations even implied. While I could sometimes figure it out, often I had to look up those words and phrases online. Understanding the Spanish was often important to what was happening in the moment. Having to constantly stop to look up the Spanish really slowed down my reading and grew irritating after a while. I felt that the book should have come with a warning to the reader about that. Something like: Don’t read this book if you don’t have a thorough understanding of Spanish.
Another problem with the book was that it assumes that the reader knows everything the authors do. That’s a big and mistaken assumption on the part of the novelists. If I already knew it all, I probably wouldn’t have bothered reading the book.
I did like the two main characters. I thought they were realistic in the jobs they did. Still, they weren’t enough to save this book for me.
If you enjoy hard-edged brutality and have a good understanding of the Spanish language, you might enjoy this book. If not, I suggest seeing something else.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I thank them for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
This book offered great atmospheric and environmental descriptions. These descriptions made you feel the setting. But the reading of this book was slow. It dragged and dragged and dragged. One of the things that made reading this book a chore to read was the abundance of Spanish words and phrases with no translations even implied. While I could sometimes figure it out, often I had to look up those words and phrases online. Understanding the Spanish was often important to what was happening in the moment. Having to constantly stop to look up the Spanish really slowed down my reading and grew irritating after a while. I felt that the book should have come with a warning to the reader about that. Something like: Don’t read this book if you don’t have a thorough understanding of Spanish.
Another problem with the book was that it assumes that the reader knows everything the authors do. That’s a big and mistaken assumption on the part of the novelists. If I already knew it all, I probably wouldn’t have bothered reading the book.
I did like the two main characters. I thought they were realistic in the jobs they did. Still, they weren’t enough to save this book for me.
If you enjoy hard-edged brutality and have a good understanding of the Spanish language, you might enjoy this book. If not, I suggest seeing something else.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I thank them for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.
September 12, 2020
MAKE THEM CRY by Smith Henderson and Jon Marc Smith was unfortunately not for me. The writing is fine and there’s a lot of action which is good but the book is boring and so many parts had me rolling my eyes. The main character, Diane, didn’t even feature in more than half of the book and her background and motivations were too outstretched. Her romances were careless and throw away. She’s not a likeable character. The inclusion of the transcripts didn’t lend anything to the story. At the end I was just happy it was finally finished.
.
Thank you to Ecco Books via NetGalley for my advance reader’s e-proof!
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Thank you to Ecco Books via NetGalley for my advance reader’s e-proof!
July 27, 2021
As I write a review of every book I win from Goodreads, I felt obligated to say at least something about why I rated it as I did. It's extremely rare that I've ever rated a book this low - maybe once every few years.
I tried very hard to get into this story, but failed each time I attempted. It was a combination of the unusual style of writing, the heavy use of gang terminology related to drug cartels (which I didn't understand), or maybe the excessive profanity. In any event, it was a bust for me. But it might not be for those that enjoy this type of story & I'm certain there are some out there who would pick it up for those very reasons I dismissed it.
I do want to commend the authors for their extensive vocabulary in their use of unique descriptive words.
I tried very hard to get into this story, but failed each time I attempted. It was a combination of the unusual style of writing, the heavy use of gang terminology related to drug cartels (which I didn't understand), or maybe the excessive profanity. In any event, it was a bust for me. But it might not be for those that enjoy this type of story & I'm certain there are some out there who would pick it up for those very reasons I dismissed it.
I do want to commend the authors for their extensive vocabulary in their use of unique descriptive words.
Read
October 12, 2020Smith Henderson's FOURTH OF JULY CREEK is one of the best novels of the last decade, one of a handful I'll recommend to absolutely anybody.
I know he wrote for an AMC show, and I would never begrudge an enterprise undertaken for friendship. But otherwise MAKE THEM CRY is absolutely perplexing to me, a warmed-over genre exercise that in its first 100 pages did nothing to distinguish itself and warrant my further reading. Makes me worry that Mr. Henderson might go the way of David Schickler, whose promising career in fiction devolved into pulp TV, academia, and navel-gazing memoir.
All books are privileged to exist; not all must be published.
I know he wrote for an AMC show, and I would never begrudge an enterprise undertaken for friendship. But otherwise MAKE THEM CRY is absolutely perplexing to me, a warmed-over genre exercise that in its first 100 pages did nothing to distinguish itself and warrant my further reading. Makes me worry that Mr. Henderson might go the way of David Schickler, whose promising career in fiction devolved into pulp TV, academia, and navel-gazing memoir.
All books are privileged to exist; not all must be published.
September 15, 2020
Diane Harbaugh is a DEA agent, she receives a call from an anonymous person in Mexico asking her to travel down, alone to meet. He turns out to be the high ranking member of a cartel.
Not for me sadly. This book started out alright but the further I got in, the more I lost interest. Diane was ok but I didn’t connect with any of the others.
Thank you to HarperCollins publishers for this advanced copy.
Not for me sadly. This book started out alright but the further I got in, the more I lost interest. Diane was ok but I didn’t connect with any of the others.
Thank you to HarperCollins publishers for this advanced copy.
September 9, 2020
Disappointing read from the first page. The story failed to develop and the characters were flat. There have been many excellent novels written about drug cartels but somehow this one failed to toe the mark. I had hoped the story would get better as the novel progressed but had still difficulty engaging several pages on. Not sure if this is being geared for a TV series so this might work better as a script in developmant.
September 15, 2020
A barnburner w a female protagonist written by a couple thinking Texas dudes who not only appreciate Mexican culture, but do not shy away from the violence that has befallen my mom's home country at the behest of America's insatiable appetite for drugs, guns, money and power.
December 24, 2021
A recent study reported the value of the global book market as $132.1 billion (a lot of money, yes, but still just half of Elon Musk’s net worth). The dominant genre in market share – 16.7 percent in 2020 – is mystery (ranging from crime to thrillers), something I suspect any regular visitor to a bookstore, virtual or brick & mortar, knows.
I was once an ardent consumer of mysteries, from spy tales to detective stories, reading one or two a week, almost anyone from Eric Ambler to Raymond Chandler to, I confess, Tom Clancy. These days, in favor of maintaining my literary health, I have a more balanced reading diet and limit my who-dun-what-to-whom intake to a few snacks a year, often as a quick palate cleanser after a substantial novelistic meal.
In this case, the day after I finished Jonathan Franzen’s Crosswords, a Chez Panisse experience, I chomped into Make Them Cry, a double-double burger with cheese. The first few bites were delicious – gooey and greasy with a gutsy DEA agent for whom red lights are suggestions not obligations. Her ethical fungibility leads her into circumstances that become, as the burger gets smaller and the bulge in your gut expands, more and more improbable – but honestly not that much less far-fetched than in many books of this type. Imminent death means nothing when rescue is a few paragraphs away. When I finished, I was full but not satisfied. One more burger in a lifetime of takeout.
I bought this book during an excursion to a local independent bookstore I support with occasional purchases. I noticed the name of the co-author, Smith Henderson. He wrote Fourth of July Creek, a terrific tale about a survivalist in Montana that I read in August. Unfortunately, Make Them Cry doesn’t rise to the same level.
The reason I cite the above statistics is that as I read I kept wondering how this book got published. It’s not that it’s terrible, not at all. It’s just that it’s so ordinary, laden with every literary trope associated with the genre. I could not imagine a publisher’s agent being enthralled upon scanning the manuscript. And then I thought: Maybe that’s the point: Publish something familiar and predictable, something that reads fast, occupies the appetite, and doesn’t leave a bad aftertaste – in fact, no aftertaste at all.
I’m curious: What do you fans of crime, mystery, and thriller novels expect? What do you want in a book: Daring and challenging, or fast and familiar? Are they mutually exclusive?
(Book industry study) -- https://www.grandviewresearch.com/ind...
I was once an ardent consumer of mysteries, from spy tales to detective stories, reading one or two a week, almost anyone from Eric Ambler to Raymond Chandler to, I confess, Tom Clancy. These days, in favor of maintaining my literary health, I have a more balanced reading diet and limit my who-dun-what-to-whom intake to a few snacks a year, often as a quick palate cleanser after a substantial novelistic meal.
In this case, the day after I finished Jonathan Franzen’s Crosswords, a Chez Panisse experience, I chomped into Make Them Cry, a double-double burger with cheese. The first few bites were delicious – gooey and greasy with a gutsy DEA agent for whom red lights are suggestions not obligations. Her ethical fungibility leads her into circumstances that become, as the burger gets smaller and the bulge in your gut expands, more and more improbable – but honestly not that much less far-fetched than in many books of this type. Imminent death means nothing when rescue is a few paragraphs away. When I finished, I was full but not satisfied. One more burger in a lifetime of takeout.
I bought this book during an excursion to a local independent bookstore I support with occasional purchases. I noticed the name of the co-author, Smith Henderson. He wrote Fourth of July Creek, a terrific tale about a survivalist in Montana that I read in August. Unfortunately, Make Them Cry doesn’t rise to the same level.
The reason I cite the above statistics is that as I read I kept wondering how this book got published. It’s not that it’s terrible, not at all. It’s just that it’s so ordinary, laden with every literary trope associated with the genre. I could not imagine a publisher’s agent being enthralled upon scanning the manuscript. And then I thought: Maybe that’s the point: Publish something familiar and predictable, something that reads fast, occupies the appetite, and doesn’t leave a bad aftertaste – in fact, no aftertaste at all.
I’m curious: What do you fans of crime, mystery, and thriller novels expect? What do you want in a book: Daring and challenging, or fast and familiar? Are they mutually exclusive?
(Book industry study) -- https://www.grandviewresearch.com/ind...
August 6, 2020
Cartels, car chases, drugs, gangs, gunfire, torture – what more could an ambitious but conflicted DEA agent want?
Diane Harbaugh, former lawyer, and now master interrogator is taking a brief vacation with her wannabe boyfriend in the Upper Peninsula. She is contemplating a future removed from her work life. But then a former CI shows up and her plans quickly shift as things go very badly, very quickly.
When Diane tries to explain her actions to her boss, her explanations seem threatening to him and jeopardizing to her career. With that relationship quickly souring, Gustavo, a cartel member in Mexico throws her a lifeline: Get me out of Tampico to the US and I’ll tell you everything. So, Diane goes down solo to Mexico to show everyone that she can nab a prize catch. That is where everything goes to hell.
The action is none stop and visceral. Although Diane is not a very likeable person, she soon discovers and revels in her badass self. Minor characters are even more intriguing: Carver a former CIA guy and Motown, a ruthless gang member. Foremost among them is Tomas who really deserves a sequel of his own. He is one of the best and most complex sicarios to emerge from a book.
This title is not for the feint of heart, but if you’re seeking non-stop action and can’t wait for the movie….get this title. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the opportunity to review this book.
Diane Harbaugh, former lawyer, and now master interrogator is taking a brief vacation with her wannabe boyfriend in the Upper Peninsula. She is contemplating a future removed from her work life. But then a former CI shows up and her plans quickly shift as things go very badly, very quickly.
When Diane tries to explain her actions to her boss, her explanations seem threatening to him and jeopardizing to her career. With that relationship quickly souring, Gustavo, a cartel member in Mexico throws her a lifeline: Get me out of Tampico to the US and I’ll tell you everything. So, Diane goes down solo to Mexico to show everyone that she can nab a prize catch. That is where everything goes to hell.
The action is none stop and visceral. Although Diane is not a very likeable person, she soon discovers and revels in her badass self. Minor characters are even more intriguing: Carver a former CIA guy and Motown, a ruthless gang member. Foremost among them is Tomas who really deserves a sequel of his own. He is one of the best and most complex sicarios to emerge from a book.
This title is not for the feint of heart, but if you’re seeking non-stop action and can’t wait for the movie….get this title. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the opportunity to review this book.
June 11, 2023
Je ressors de ce roman assez mitigée et je m'explique....
Le pitch fait rêver, et donne envie. Des courses-poursuites, une traque, des mercenaires et des agents de la CIA, tout se qu'il faut pour donner une lecture rythmée et trépidante, mais pour moi, le soufflé est vite retombé....
Ce que j'ai apprécié dans un premier temps, ce sont les personnages. Que ce soit, Diane, l'héroïne dont on ressent les interrogations et la tentation d'aller au plus simple sans trop se poser de questions, pour faire tomber un baron de la drogue haut placé, et tenter de sauver sa carrière. J'ai aussi bien aimé son alter ego dans l'autre camp, tueur sans foi ni loi mais qui se révèle plus complexe que les apparences.
Mais là où j'ai eu un peu plus de mal c'est pour l'organisation de l'intrigue. Si la traque, et les révélations sur le cartel sont bien menés, toutes les étapes qui ménent à l'objectif à atteindre, ne sont pas essentielles. J'ai trouvé que par moments, les auteurs s'égarent dans des pérégrinations ou des histoires sentimentales, qui n'apportent rien à l'histoire.
Du coup, les moments d'adrénaline et de tension sont interrompus parfois sans raison par des scènes qui coupent le lecteur dans son élan, et c'est bien dommage...
En résumé, un énorme potentiel qui pour moi n'est pas abouti, et c'est bien dommage.
https://livresforfun.overblog.com/202...
July 23, 2020
This book is action packed. It is a fast read and I enjoyed it. There were a few issues with the plotline that I found confusing but it is a good book.
It’s hard to make Diane Harbaugh flinch. A former prosecutor notorious for her aggressive tactics, she’s now a DEA agent who interrogates witnesses so effectively, she has them confessing in tears. But when she hears from Gustavo, a high-ranking cartel member with an invaluable secret about the international black market, she’s thrown for a loop. She heads to Mexico to meet him, and her entire understanding of justice and duty is thrown into question.
Gustavo sends her down a rabbit hole that leads to a criminal conspiracy more pervasive than anything she and the DEA ever suspected. She teams up with Ian Carver, a disillusioned CIA agent, and begins to unravel layers of deceptions, grifts, and schemes that date back to the beginnings of the Afghanistan War. As they learn more, they become the target of cartel assassins, embittered spies, and even their own government. They are at the center of an international manhunt with world-changing consequences—and the only way out is for Diane to do the one thing she promised herself she’d never do. Stylishly written and relentlessly plotted, Make Them Cry is an action-packed thriller of unimaginable stakes.
It’s hard to make Diane Harbaugh flinch. A former prosecutor notorious for her aggressive tactics, she’s now a DEA agent who interrogates witnesses so effectively, she has them confessing in tears. But when she hears from Gustavo, a high-ranking cartel member with an invaluable secret about the international black market, she’s thrown for a loop. She heads to Mexico to meet him, and her entire understanding of justice and duty is thrown into question.
Gustavo sends her down a rabbit hole that leads to a criminal conspiracy more pervasive than anything she and the DEA ever suspected. She teams up with Ian Carver, a disillusioned CIA agent, and begins to unravel layers of deceptions, grifts, and schemes that date back to the beginnings of the Afghanistan War. As they learn more, they become the target of cartel assassins, embittered spies, and even their own government. They are at the center of an international manhunt with world-changing consequences—and the only way out is for Diane to do the one thing she promised herself she’d never do. Stylishly written and relentlessly plotted, Make Them Cry is an action-packed thriller of unimaginable stakes.
October 13, 2020
I found this book hard to read. The style is hard to follow, it felt poorly written, researched or explained. Everything was just kinda thrown at you with a lackluster explanation. It made it all seem very Hollywood and not realistic, like they watched too many episodes of NCIS and not enough time researching. Not sure if the authors researched what it’s like working in the DEA or a Mexican cartel, but it didn’t feel like it. Plus, the authors constantly shift between Spanish and English, leading the book to a bit of a Spanglish text, which is hard if you don’t know Spanish.
On top of that, the female behaved only like men think women behave. She wasn’t realistic. This is an entire section of Reddit called Men Writing Women, about men who think they can show what women are thinking, but it doesn’t work.
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway, but I didn’t enjoy it and felt hard to follow along. Like both the authors had something they wanted to say and were trying to explain it to the other. It felt rough.
On top of that, the female behaved only like men think women behave. She wasn’t realistic. This is an entire section of Reddit called Men Writing Women, about men who think they can show what women are thinking, but it doesn’t work.
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway, but I didn’t enjoy it and felt hard to follow along. Like both the authors had something they wanted to say and were trying to explain it to the other. It felt rough.
July 27, 2020
I received an ARC of Make Them Cry from Book Con Online.
Diane Harbaugh is a DEA agent whose career is on the line due to events that happen at the beginning of the book. She gets a mysterious phone call from a man in Mexico that she can’t recall. He demands for her to come to Mexico which she ultimately agrees to without consent from the DEA. He is high on drugs but agrees to tell Harbaugh sensitive information about a Mexican drug cartel. They end up being chased by the cartel as well as others.
I had a hard time getting into this book partially because it kept switching back and forth between the present day and the past. This is to no fault of the authors but is a personal preference of mine. Other then the timeline aspect of the storytelling I felt it had a good storyline with strong characters that were easy to get attached to.
Diane Harbaugh is a DEA agent whose career is on the line due to events that happen at the beginning of the book. She gets a mysterious phone call from a man in Mexico that she can’t recall. He demands for her to come to Mexico which she ultimately agrees to without consent from the DEA. He is high on drugs but agrees to tell Harbaugh sensitive information about a Mexican drug cartel. They end up being chased by the cartel as well as others.
I had a hard time getting into this book partially because it kept switching back and forth between the present day and the past. This is to no fault of the authors but is a personal preference of mine. Other then the timeline aspect of the storytelling I felt it had a good storyline with strong characters that were easy to get attached to.
September 8, 2020
The team of Henderson & Smith craft a fast paced drug cartel novel, perfect to 'kill' the Summer. Diane Harbaugh works for the DEA, and she has 'some problems'. Okay, there are some 'stock drug lord story' aspects to MAKE THEM CRY, but this team does exemplary work telling an original story that hooks you quickly. Harbaugh travels to Mexico to meet a high ranking cartel member who seeks safety in the USA. She teams up with a CIA agent running his own search for the cartel and the graphic violence and action begins. The characters are fantastic and fleshed out, and you want more from most of them. You will not be disappointed. You of the better recent novels of this genre, right up there with Don Winslow.
September 28, 2020
The story opens with Diane Harbaugh “Hardball” enjoying some quite winter cabin time with her boyfriend when one of her CI’s shows up and ends her quiet in the most startling way.
Following the incident, Diane returns to her work with the DEA and clandestine meetings, car chases and gun fights ensue. There was plenty of action but it seemed to leave little room to develop the plot.
Although Diane is the main character, the book doesn’t really focus on her and she is absent for quite a bit of the story. Diane is one tough customer as she would need to be as a former lawyer turned DEA agent, but her character ends up flat and pretty unlikeable.
Written as a gritty procedural, it contains a lot of action, which will appeal to many but this just wasn’t the right book for me.
Following the incident, Diane returns to her work with the DEA and clandestine meetings, car chases and gun fights ensue. There was plenty of action but it seemed to leave little room to develop the plot.
Although Diane is the main character, the book doesn’t really focus on her and she is absent for quite a bit of the story. Diane is one tough customer as she would need to be as a former lawyer turned DEA agent, but her character ends up flat and pretty unlikeable.
Written as a gritty procedural, it contains a lot of action, which will appeal to many but this just wasn’t the right book for me.
February 10, 2021
THREE STARS: Started out pretty good and thane just got just plain convoluted. It was a bit of a drag after so promising a start and a real solid plot line. It's hard to make Diane Harbaugh flinch. A former prosecutor notorious for her aggressive tactics, she's now a DEA agent who interrogates witnesses so effectively, she has them confessing in tears. But when she hears from Gustavo, a high-ranking cartel member with an invaluable secret about the international black market, she's thrown for a loop. She heads to Mexico to meet him, and her entire understanding of justice and duty is thrown into question
September 14, 2020
Thanks to edelweiss and the publisher for the galley. This novel will appeal to Don Winslow fans, or maybe Michael Donnelly fans, as it’s in that vein, but I found it to be a lesser version of a Winslow novel. It was entertaining and kept me reading, but I never developed any empathy for the main character who apparently has spent a long time making bad decisions, which continue through this novel. Her choices were so poor they bordered on the ridiculous in Some cases and I just didn’t care what happened to her. Only the action kept me reading.
November 26, 2020
This book was mediocre from the start: a crooked lady cop goes on a risky and secret mission to clear her name and ends up creating a bigger mess. And, oh yeah, falls in love with the handsome CIA agent that just happens to show up and save the day. However, the worst part of this story wasn't even the cliché story line or predictability. The worst part was the last 15 pages where the author decided that they were done writing and wanted to end the book, so they abruptly stopped in the middle of a story and made it end - in a terrible, fast-paced, and unsatisfying way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2020
"Make Them Cry" by Smith Henderson and Jon Marc Smith is a multilayer, international manhunt filled with profanity and gang terminology. The authors are masters of good writing. If you are a follower of this fast paced genre; the reader would have given this book at least 4star or a 5star review.
I couldn't "get into" the gore and inhumane behavior. Call me stodgy or even old fashioned; but I won't be reading a sequel. I'd recommend this book due to the excellent prose.
I couldn't "get into" the gore and inhumane behavior. Call me stodgy or even old fashioned; but I won't be reading a sequel. I'd recommend this book due to the excellent prose.
August 7, 2020
In Make Them Cry by Jon Marc Smith and Smith Henderson, Diane Harbaugh is a former prosecutor and current Drug Enforcement Agent known for her aggressive behavior and for being a excellent interrogator. She receives a call from a Mexican Cartel member who wants protection and she takes on the case alone. What follows is a high octane and edgy read. If you like spies, crime, and high stakes thrillers, this would make a great summer read.
September 25, 2020
It's supposed to be a thriller, a fast-paced book about DEA, drugs, and Mexican cartels.
The main character is unlikable, there's frequently offensive language, and the story is boring.
Oh yes, there's a mix of English and Spanish, and some Spanglish all interspersed which is understandable for a book about drugs and Mexican drug dealers.
I couldn't bring myself to finish the book after giving it 100 pages.
The main character is unlikable, there's frequently offensive language, and the story is boring.
Oh yes, there's a mix of English and Spanish, and some Spanglish all interspersed which is understandable for a book about drugs and Mexican drug dealers.
I couldn't bring myself to finish the book after giving it 100 pages.
July 7, 2020
Fast, entertaining read. Diane Harbaugh is an unlikeable, hard-ass DEA agent who flouts the rules, finds herself in trouble with her boss, and flies to Mexico to meet with a member of a drug cartel in a misguided attempt to save her career. If car chases, SWAT teams, torture, dismemberment, and drug wars float your boat, this is the book for you.
October 24, 2023
Het eerste boek van Henderson beviel me echt. Zijn tweede, een narcothriller, niet. Hoewel Henderson hier best vinnige actiescenes schrijft, is de plot in haar geheel slordig. We zijn ook al een derde in het boek als er nog een tweede protagonist opduikt. Van dan af wordt het eigenlijk minder interessant. Jammer.
December 16, 2020
I like a fast paced thriller, but this wasn’t it. Make Them Cry is a collaboration between Smith Henderson and Jon Marc Smith about a DEA agent named Diane Harbaugh. The plot didn’t draw me in and I actually stopped reading it, which I rarely do. Maybe it got better?
December 27, 2020
Really good book
Since I don’t speak Spanish some of it was a little hard to understand but I was able to get the gist of it. Besides most of book was in English & it was a thriller that kept me glued to pages.
Since I don’t speak Spanish some of it was a little hard to understand but I was able to get the gist of it. Besides most of book was in English & it was a thriller that kept me glued to pages.
January 31, 2021
Was a huge fan of Henderson's novel 'Forth of July Creek.' This isn't quite as good and is pretty thematically different, but it grew on me as I kept reading it sporadically over the course of a month. It's pretty light reading, but exciting and has decent characters.
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