Publisher's Synopsis
The first female police detective in Acapulco battles her own worst fears as she hunts for both a violent arsonist and a missing girl.
Detective Emilia Cruz has big problems.
Her new lieutenant is a drunk. Her partner doesn't want to work with a woman. Her new romance with hotel manager Kurt Rucker is already on the rocks.Even worse, an arsonist is on the loose in Acapulco, targeting high-end restaurants that support the city's all-important tourism industry. When the popular mayor barely escapes a fiery death, Acapulco's citizens take to the streets in violent protest.
As Acapulco burns and her personal problems mount, Emilia finds enemies instead of the firebug. A crooked Vice cop delivers a deadly threat and a woman in prison knows more than she'll tell.
Meanwhile, a young girl disappears from Emilia's own neighborhood. Despite Emilia's best efforts, did the girl simply vanish into thin air?
It will take a dance with the devil to find both the arsonist and the missing girl.
"A thrilling series" - National Public Radio
Poison Cup award, Outstanding Series 2019 and 2020 -- CrimeMasters of America
Acapulco, the fabled resort city known for nightclubs and cliff divers, now has the highest homicide rate in Mexico. The Detective Emilia Cruz series takes on cartels, corruption and social inequality. It's not just a walk on the beach.
After 30 years as a CIA intelligence officer, Carmen Amato writes mysteries and thrillers loaded with intrigue and action.
Readers who love police procedural series by Ian Rankin, Jo Nesbo, Ann Cleeves, Peter May, and Jussi Adler-Olsen, as well as Don Winslow's cartel and border thrillers set in Mexico, also love Detective Emilia Cruz's complex plots, fast action, pulse-pounding suspense, and exotic location.
"Emilia . . . is a force to be reckoned with . . . I loved Hat Dance just as much as Cliff Diver" - MysterySequels.com
"A story far richer than the thriller-factories of the big publishing houses. If she continues writing this series, I'll keep reading it."- LibraryThing
