The Power of the Dog
Don Winslow

Wow, what a read. A top-notch crime writer does the research and takes the time to understand the modern origins of the drug war in Mexico, then tells that story through the lives of petty criminals, cartel bosses, DEA agents and regular people caught up in the drug war.

Its an ugly and complicated story, and in this book, Winslow only gets to the 1990s (the sequel The Cartel, takes us to the present day). Along the way we touch on Iran/Contra, NAFTA, the end days of the Italian mafia, the rise of the narco-cartels, and much more. Lots of people get killed, everyone gets corrupted. Its a depressing, but captivating ride. If you want a well written popular novel, and don’t mind a bit of gore, this is the book for you.

Recommended.