Fast-paced. . . . Del Bosque . . . proves herself fluent in detailing the exceedingly different, but equally rich, milieus of cartel kingpins, Texas equestrians and federal investigators. . . . Provide[s] a penetrating glimpse of borderland culture set within the context of a briskly moving police procedural.” — New York Times Book Review
“Absorbing. . . . In Bloodlines , the author gives us both the engrossing drama of a police procedural—from seeming dead ends to panic-stricken emergencies—and a scrupulous journalistic account of a significant episode in the drug wars.” — Wall Street Journal
“Action and intrigue spill off the pages. . . . Del Bosque [is] a skilled reporter, unfussy writer, and a storyteller of intense focus. Her book opens up the world of investigative nuance and bureaucratic jostling that could, in less capable hands, feel arcane.” — Texas Monthly
“Fans of true crime and readers curious about the inner workings of Mexican drug cartels should enjoy this well-researched story.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Following the intricacies of the Treviños’ sophisticated plan, the FBI’s race against other federal agencies and the press to crack it, the gut-dropping dynamics of cartel coercion and retribution, and the eventual, dramatic trial, del Bosque recounts a true story that reads like crime fiction.” — Booklist (starred review)
“A fascinating and propulsive narrative, brimming with intrigue, betrayal, and impending violence at every turn. With authoritative reporting and an artful hand, del Bosque drops us onto the front lines of this dangerous narco terrain, and the story she tells will keep readers turning pages all through the night.” — Gilbert King, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Devil in the Grove
“A remarkable, incisive, and riveting read. Bloodlines is a harrowing portrayal of a cartel family’s thirst for power, money and fast horses. Del Bosque’s reporting breaks new ground in offering us a critical, up close look into organized crime’s growing influence over the sport of kings, and the deadly consequences.” — Alfredo Corchado, author of Midnight in Mexico
“Through suspense, excellent reporting and impeccable writing, Melissa del Bosque tells a fascinating tale of corruption, extortion, and the intricacies of money laundering by a drug cartel that transformed the face of organized crime in the Western Hemisphere.” — Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, author of Los Zetas Inc.
“Few writers understand the U.S.-Mexico border as well as Melissa del Bosque. And here, with her meticulous reporting, she delivers a fascinating, and at times heart-stopping account of a cross-border case that shows how Mexico’s drug cartels live and operate on both sides of the line.” — Ginger Thompson, Senior Reporter, ProPublica
“In Bloodlines , Melissa del Bosque has written a nonfiction thriller that reads better than the best crime novels. No one writes better about the dark side of life on the Texas-Mexico border, because no other writer understands it better than she does.” — Mimi Swartz, Executive Editor, Texas Monthly
Following the intricacies of the Treviños’ sophisticated plan, the FBI’s race against other federal agencies and the press to crack it, the gut-dropping dynamics of cartel coercion and retribution, and the eventual, dramatic trial, del Bosque recounts a true story that reads like crime fiction.
Booklist (starred review)
In Bloodlines , Melissa del Bosque has written a nonfiction thriller that reads better than the best crime novels. No one writes better about the dark side of life on the Texas-Mexico border, because no other writer understands it better than she does.
A remarkable, incisive, and riveting read. Bloodlines is a harrowing portrayal of a cartel family’s thirst for power, money and fast horses. Del Bosque’s reporting breaks new ground in offering us a critical, up close look into organized crime’s growing influence over the sport of kings, and the deadly consequences.
Few writers understand the U.S.-Mexico border as well as Melissa del Bosque. And here, with her meticulous reporting, she delivers a fascinating, and at times heart-stopping account of a cross-border case that shows how Mexico’s drug cartels live and operate on both sides of the line.
Absorbing. . . . In Bloodlines , the author gives us both the engrossing drama of a police procedural—from seeming dead ends to panic-stricken emergencies—and a scrupulous journalistic account of a significant episode in the drug wars.
Action and intrigue spill off the pages. . . . Del Bosque [is] a skilled reporter, unfussy writer, and a storyteller of intense focus. Her book opens up the world of investigative nuance and bureaucratic jostling that could, in less capable hands, feel arcane.
A fascinating and propulsive narrative, brimming with intrigue, betrayal, and impending violence at every turn. With authoritative reporting and an artful hand, del Bosque drops us onto the front lines of this dangerous narco terrain, and the story she tells will keep readers turning pages all through the night.
Action and intrigue spill off the pages. . . . Del Bosque [is] a skilled reporter, unfussy writer, and a storyteller of intense focus. Her book opens up the world of investigative nuance and bureaucratic jostling that could, in less capable hands, feel arcane.
Absorbing. . . . In Bloodlines , the author gives us both the engrossing drama of a police procedural—from seeming dead ends to panic-stricken emergencies—and a scrupulous journalistic account of a significant episode in the drug wars.
Following the intricacies of the Treviños’ sophisticated plan, the FBI’s race against other federal agencies and the press to crack it, the gut-dropping dynamics of cartel coercion and retribution, and the eventual, dramatic trial, del Bosque recounts a true story that reads like crime fiction.
Booklist (starred review)
…del Bosque based her account on scores of personal interviews and reams of court documents, and proves herself fluent in detailing the exceedingly different, but equally rich, milieus of cartel kingpins, Texas equestrians and federal investigators…[Bloodlines ] provide[s] a penetrating glimpse of borderland culture set within the context of a briskly moving police procedural…Along the way, del Bosque has the great good fortune to have at her disposal an array of unusual and interesting characters…But the work's most vivid and engaging character is the border itself, which emerges in the minds of Lawson and Perez as a kind of appalling one-way obstaclenot, that is, as [a] defensive barrier protecting the American homeland against foreign hordes and imported violence, but rather as a tragic hindrance that prevents the agents from getting at the source of the disturbance.
The New York Times Book Review - Alan Feuer
Fast-paced. . . . Del Bosque . . . proves herself fluent in detailing the exceedingly different, but equally rich, milieus of cartel kingpins, Texas equestrians and federal investigators. . . . Provide[s] a penetrating glimpse of borderland culture set within the context of a briskly moving police procedural.
New York Times Book Review
Through suspense, excellent reporting and impeccable writing, Melissa del Bosque tells a fascinating tale of corruption, extortion, and the intricacies of money laundering by a drug cartel that transformed the face of organized crime in the Western Hemisphere.
Absorbing. . . . In Bloodlines , the author gives us both the engrossing drama of a police procedural—from seeming dead ends to panic-stricken emergencies—and a scrupulous journalistic account of a significant episode in the drug wars.
Action and intrigue spill off the pages. . . . Del Bosque [is] a skilled reporter, unfussy writer, and a storyteller of intense focus. Her book opens up the world of investigative nuance and bureaucratic jostling that could, in less capable hands, feel arcane.
Fast-paced. . . . Del Bosque . . . proves herself fluent in detailing the exceedingly different, but equally rich, milieus of cartel kingpins, Texas equestrians and federal investigators. . . . Provide[s] a penetrating glimpse of borderland culture set within the context of a briskly moving police procedural.
New York Times Book Review
10/01/2017 The perennial problem of operating a drug cartel is how to launder millions of illegal dollars. Miguel and Omar Treviño, the leaders of Mexico's bloodthirsty Zeta cartel, dabbled in quarter horse racing, using proxies to buy, sell, and race hundreds of horses. This worked until rookie FBI agent Scott Lawson got a tip that led him to Tyler Graham, an American stable owner who was willing to help Lawson infiltrate the cartel. Thus began a years-long investigation by Lawson and partner Alma Perez to unravel the complex strands of the conspiracy before the Treviños got wind of it and vanished—and before any of their witnesses could be murdered. Investigative journalist del Bosque combines interviews with her extensive knowledge of the region to craft a compelling story of how the government followed the links in the chain that finally led to four successful convictions. Not much about horses or racing but an intense look at the criminals behind the events. VERDICT The minutia of a money-laundering case can be difficult for the layman to follow, but the author makes the hunt entertaining. Those interested in the drug trade, the racing industry, and the region will enjoy.—Deirdre Bray Root, MidPointe Lib. Syst., OH
★ 2017-08-08 Two FBI agents work to take down members of a drug cartel wrapped up with quarter horse racing in Texas.In her first book, Texas Observer investigative reporter del Bosque follows new agent Scott Lawson and his eventual partner, identified here with a pseudonym because she has family in Mexico, as they work with Tyler Graham, the young owner of a horse farm, to uncover a money laundering scheme set into motion by the Zetas, a violent cartel controlled by the Treviño family. The author describes scenes of action in suspenseful detail without neglecting the more mundane aspects of the investigation, including the painstaking tracing of the money trail between the cartel's leaders in Mexico and their agents, who often spend unusual amounts of cash to buy horses in the United States. The author has a clear understanding of the often counterproductive conflicts among the various government agencies working the drug war in Texas, and she builds tension in the narrative by emphasizing how close the FBI's carefully built case came to being scuttled by the agendas of other agencies. Del Bosque also follows closely the trial of those accused of money laundering, analyzing the ups and downs of the prosecution of the case. While the account is, as might be expected, skewed toward the points of view of those participants who were willing to talk with her, particularly Lawson, the author skillfully uses a variety of sources to convey the intricacies of a complicated case and builds in bits of background without slowing down the movement of the story. The working relationship between Lawson and his partner is particularly well-defined. Fans of true crime and readers curious about the inner workings of Mexican drug cartels should enjoy this well-researched story. Though different in execution, this book pairs nicely with Joe Tone's Bones, which covers the same subject.