Through political and cultural analysis of representations of the so-called war on drugs, Oswaldo Zavala makes the case that the very terms we use to describe drug traffickers are a constructed subterfuge for the real narcos: politicians, corporations, and the military. Though Donald Trump's incendiary comments and monstrous policies on the border reveal the character of a deeply depraved leader, state violence on both sides of the border is nothing new. Immigration has endured as a prevailing news topic, but it is a fixture of modern society in the neoliberal era; the future will be one of exile brought on by state violence and the plundering of our natural resources to sate capitalist greed. Yet, the realities of violence in Mexico and along the border are obscured by the books, films, and TV series we consume. In truth, works like Sicario, The Queen of the South, and Narcos hide Mexico's political realities. Along with these examples, Zavala discusses Charles Bowden, 2666 by Roberto BolaNo, and other important Latin American writers as examples of works that do capture the realities of the drug war. Drug Cartels Do Not Exist will be useful for journalists, political scientists, philosophers, and writers of any kind who wish to break down the constructed barriers-physical and mental-created by those in power around the reality of the Mexican drug trade.

'A masterclass in crime fiction' Jane E James The BRAND NEW thriller from bestselling author Ross Greenwood! When DI Barton is asked to investigate a seemingly innocuous fire that kills, he believes it's either children fooling around or a worrying racially-motivated crime. As he delves deeper into the case, he soon realises that there is a history of similar blazes spread out over many years, all within a close area. An idea suggested by pathologist Mortis makes Barton suspect he has the arsonist's motives wrong. When a night worker comes forward with a tip, Barton narrows down the suspects. But with all of them acting suspiciously, he knows for sure that one or more of them must be lying. And when a huge house blaze shocks everyone, Barton fears the killer has lost all control. Who is The Fire Killer? What will be next to burn? DI Barton is back as Ross Greenwood continues with his bestselling series, perfect for fans of Mark Billingham and Ian Rankin. Praise for Ross Greenwood: 'Move over Rebus and Morse; a new entry has joined the list of great crime investigators in the form of Detective Inspector John Barton. A rich cast of characters and an explosive plot kept me turning the pages until the final dramatic twist.' author Richard Burke 'Master of the psychological thriller genre Ross Greenwood once again proves his talent for creating engrossing and gritty novels that draw you right in and won't let go until you've reached the shocking ending.' Caroline Vincent at Bitsaboutbooks blog 'Ross Greenwood doesn't write cliches. What he has written here is a fast-paced, action-filled puzzle with believable characters that's spiced with a lot of humour.' author Kath Middleton

In the mid-1970s, there were a series of gangland murders, committed by unknown killers, often wielding .22-caliber revolvers. At first these murders seemed unconnected, but law enforcement started noticing links to organized crime and by 1978, federal authorities were involved in the investigations. The FBI compiled a list of 25 gangland figures killed, from potential witnesses and low-level associates, to made men. All shot with a .22 between 1975 and 1978, all from the same batch of guns purchased in Florida, some even the same weapon. The main suspects were members of the East Harlem Purple Gang. Starting on the fringes they quickly became a violent offshoot syndicate of the Mafia, some even became high-ranking members of the Genovese, Bonanno, and Lucchese families. Often serving as freelance hitmen, kidnappers, and drug traffickers, their exploits quickly crossed into mythology. The Purple Gang became an almost obsession with the media. Accounts of the Gang's activities popped up in the newspapers across the country in the late 1970s. They were the shadow army of the underworld and every law enforcement agency's favorite suspect. They were accused of being behind all the major mob hits through the early 1980s and became the ultimate boogeyman in the era of mob upheaval and a flailing New York City mired in crime and financial woes. Digging through the mystery and mythos, Scott Deitche brings the gritty City of the late 1970s and early 1980s back to life in this in-depth account of the Purple Gang, the real members, their operations, and where some of the major players are today.

A rip-roaring saga of murder, money, and the making of Las Vegas They say in Vegas you can't understand the town unless you understand Benny Binion-mob boss, casino owner, and creator of the World Series of Poker. Beginning as a Texas horse trader, Binion built a gambling empire in Depression-era Dallas. When the law chased him out of town, he loaded up suitcases with cash and headed for Vegas. The place would never be the same. Dramatic as any gangster movie, Blood Aces draws readers into the colorful world of notorious mobsters like Clyde Barrow and Bugsy Siegel. Given access to previously classified government documents, biographer Doug J. Swanson provides the definitive account of a great American antihero, a man whose rise from thugdom to prominence and power is unmatched in the history of American criminal justice.

The Queen of Glasgow, Toni McVay, is no ordinary crime boss. For one thing, she likes to discipline disappointing employees by scooping out their eyeballs and keeping them as souvenirs. Jamie Gray and his gang the Blood Brothers are happy to do her dirty work in return for lessons in the ways of the local underworld, but are in no doubt that they need to keep Toni sweet to keep themselves safe. Rival families The Gordons and The Thompsons are ready for a turf war, keen to take over the lucrative Gallowburn estate, and weaken Toni's grip on the city. But can the old enemies really trust each other enough to join forces? And will their assumption that the Blood Brothers are the weak link in the McVay empire, prove to be their greatest mistake? Meanwhile Jamie's past refuses to stay hidden, and as his biggest secret looks set to be revealed with explosive consequences, Jamie faces the battle of his life. To keep his family safe, to keep his friends safe, to keep himself safe, and to keep the woman he loves alive. If you love Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers, and Jessie Keane, you'll love Heather Atkinson. Discover the bestselling gangland author Heather Atkinson and you'll never look back... What readers are saying about Heather Atkinson: 'Another brilliant book from Heather...she really is one the best in the business. ' 'I have read ALL Heather Atkinson's books. They are all fantastic.' 'All Heather's books are action packed and have you on edge.' 'I stumbled upon Heather's books and I'm so glad I did, characters excellent and storylines are great , I find myself searching the book stores for more of them to read the minute I finish one.'

The Queen of Glasgow, Toni McVay, is no ordinary crime boss. For one thing, she likes to discipline disappointing employees by scooping out their eyeballs and keeping them as souvenirs. Jamie Gray and his gang the Blood Brothers are happy to do her dirty work in return for lessons in the ways of the local underworld, but are in no doubt that they need to keep Toni sweet to keep themselves safe. Rival families The Gordons and The Thompsons are ready for a turf war, keen to take over the lucrative Gallowburn estate, and weaken Toni's grip on the city. But can the old enemies really trust each other enough to join forces? And will their assumption that the Blood Brothers are the weak link in the McVay empire, prove to be their greatest mistake? Meanwhile Jamie's past refuses to stay hidden, and as his biggest secret looks set to be revealed with explosive consequences, Jamie faces the battle of his life. To keep his family safe, to keep his friends safe, to keep himself safe, and to keep the woman he loves alive. If you love Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers, and Jessie Keane, you'll love Heather Atkinson. Discover the bestselling gangland author Heather Atkinson and you'll never look back... What readers are saying about Heather Atkinson: 'Another brilliant book from Heather...she really is one the best in the business. ' 'I have read ALL Heather Atkinson's books. They are all fantastic.' 'All Heather's books are action packed and have you on edge.' 'I stumbled upon Heather's books and I'm so glad I did, characters excellent and storylines are great , I find myself searching the book stores for more of them to read the minute I finish one.'

'A gritty powerful story. A must read for fans of gangland crime.' Bestselling author Kerry Kaya.Young, blonde, beautiful and bored, Annette Lambrianu is tired of life on the family vineyard with her husband and young son, Antonias. Yearning for excitement, she flees in the night with the small boy, swapping the safety of Italy for the dangerous streets of London. But she quickly discovers the streets are not paved with gold... Since that fateful night, fighting for survival is all Antonias Lambrianu has ever known. Life on the streets is hard and Antonius sets his sights on a better future - where money is power, but danger is everywhere. Antonias is determined he will emerge triumphant, but the stakes are high. Everyone, it seems, is playing dangerous games ... Antonias most of all. But who will be the ultimate winner? Dangerous Games is the origin story of gangster Tony Lambrianu. Please note, this is a re-release of Dangerous Games, previously published by Gillian Godden.

From the stranger in the car, to the madman at her door... Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Shari Lapena and Lisa Jewell 'It's a shocking thriller that grabs at your emotions on every page! Loved it.' bestselling author Lauren North The day my path crossed with Simon Fox I thought I'd already lost everything but then he almost ran me off the road with his flash car and belittling jibes. The men in my life had undermined me for too long. Enough was enough. Fuelled by alcohol and the desire to get even, I decided a spot of petty vandalism would make me feel a whole lot better. Wrong. Very wrong... I hadn't realised that Simon Fox was not a man to be messed with. He showed me just how much I still had left to lose. Soon I was battling for my home, family and life. Praise for Gemma Rogers: 'Captivating and enthralling, a story of revenge, infidelity, friendship and love. An outstanding book by an outstanding author, I give this book five shiny golden stars' Anita Waller 'A well-written and thoroughly entertaining thriller from a very talented author' John Nicoll 'Unputdownable. a nail-biting thriller that grips to the very last page.' Keri Beevis 'A beautifully written edge-of-your-seat thriller that had me guessing right until the end' Dreda Say Mitchell 'A brilliant thriller from an exciting new voice. Stalker it had me on the edge of my seat' Kerry Barnes 'An atmospheric, taut thriller which keeps you hooked from the first page' Jacqui Rose 'A cracking read. Brilliantly written characters and a gripping plot. Highly recommended.' Caz Finlay 'A page-turning must-read. It will have you hooked from the first page until the last' Stephanie Harte 'An intense thriller - it's a must-read' Sam Michaels 'An incredible read that had me engrossed from the first page. A five-star read' Alex Kane 'A real page turner, full of sinister secrets' Casey Kelleher

It's hard to live when you think you deserve to die... When a tired old inmate is found dead in his cell, the prison is obligated to investigate and so DI Barton attends. The men he interviews have been convicted of some of the worst things a human being can do, but it appears likely that the death was due to natural causes. When the house of the dead man is burgled and that crime is followed by a suspicious fire, Barton desperately needs to speak to his widow, but she's nowhere to be found. In the space of twenty-four hours, everyone he wants to talk to has vanished. Then he receives some post which makes him believe he could be the next to disappear. Barton's investigation goes full circle, through a series of brutal murders, back to the prison, and all signs are pointing to the fact that he's made a terrible mistake. There's a violent killer on the loose, who wants everyone to learn that some people deserve to die. DI Barton is back as Ross Greenwood continues with his bestselling series, perfect for fans of Mark Billingham and Ian Rankin. Praise for Ross Greenwood: 'Move over Rebus and Morse; a new entry has joined the list of great crime investigators in the form of Detective Inspector John Barton. A rich cast of characters and an explosive plot kept me turning the pages until the final dramatic twist.' author Richard Burke 'Master of the psychological thriller genre Ross Greenwood once again proves his talent for creating engrossing and gritty novels that draw you right in and won't let go until you've reached the shocking ending.' Caroline Vincent at Bitsaboutbooks blog 'Ross Greenwood doesn't write cliches. What he has written here is a fast-paced, action-filled puzzle with believable characters that's spiced with a lot of humour.' author Kath Middleton

Through political and cultural analysis of representations of the so-called war on drugs, Oswaldo Zavala makes the case that the very terms we use to describe drug traffickers are a constructed subterfuge for the real narcos: politicians, corporations, and the military. Though Donald Trump's incendiary comments and monstrous policies on the border reveal the character of a deeply depraved leader, state violence on both sides of the border is nothing new. Immigration has endured as a prevailing news topic, but it is a fixture of modern society in the neoliberal era; the future will be one of exile brought on by state violence and the plundering of our natural resources to sate capitalist greed. Yet, the realities of violence in Mexico and along the border are obscured by the books, films, and TV series we consume. In truth, works like Sicario, The Queen of the South, and Narcos hide Mexico's political realities. Along with these examples, Zavala discusses Charles Bowden, 2666 by Roberto BolaNo, and other important Latin American writers as examples of works that do capture the realities of the drug war. Drug Cartels Do Not Exist will be useful for journalists, political scientists, philosophers, and writers of any kind who wish to break down the constructed barriers-physical and mental-created by those in power around the reality of the Mexican drug trade.

Ben wasn't brought up, he was dragged up.With absent parents and broken friends, a young Ben makes choices that are ruining his life. Before he's even twenty, Ben's spells in prison begin, and soon he finds himself involved in serious crime. When people begin to die, Ben must choose a side. But is this really the life Ben wants or is there a way out of this vicious cycle? Is he destined to fulfil his fate of being once a prisoner, always a prisoner? Or can Ben swap a life on the inside, for one with hope on the outside? Ross Greenwood is back with this shocking, page-turning glimpse into the criminal underworld. This book was previously published as THE BOY INSIDE. Praise for Ross Greenwood: 'Move over Rebus and Morse; a new entry has joined the list of great crime investigators in the form of Detective Inspector John Barton. A rich cast of characters and an explosive plot kept me turning the pages until the final dramatic twist.' author Richard Burke 'Master of the psychological thriller genre Ross Greenwood once again proves his talent for creating engrossing and gritty novels that draw you right in and won't let go until you've reached the shocking ending.' Caroline Vincent at Bitsaboutbooks blog 'Ross Greenwood doesn't write cliches. What he has written here is a fast-paced, action-filled puzzle with believable characters that's spiced with a lot of humour.' author Kath Middleton

Westleham Village 1947.It's the Westleham village show and with the war finally over, everyone is looking forward to a pleasant day. But newcomer, Martha Miller doesn't share the excitement. Because since her husband Stan left for work one day and never returned, Martha has been treated as somewhat of an outsider in Westleham. The village gossip is that Martha must be to blame.... Martha hopes she can win her fellow villagers over with her delicious homemade plum gin. But as glasses of the tangy tipple are quaffed, disaster strikes! Chairwoman of the village show, Alice Warren, slumps to the ground - poisoned! As fingers of suspicion again point Martha's way, she's determined to prove her innocence and find the real culprit. And she's ably helped by the new vicar, Luke Walker. But who would kill Alice and why? And will Luke and Martha discover who is behind the poisoning before it's too late? Find out in a brand new Martha Miller mystery from bestselling author Catherine Coles. Praise for Catherine Coles: 'An utterly charming 1940's mystery. Definitely a new series addiction!' Bestselling author Debbie Young. 'Pure mystery buff entertainment' Library Bookwatch Perfect for fans of Lee Strauss and Beth Byers!

No risk. No reward.A new life... With their wretched life in Liverpool behind them, Julie and Ralph Gold head to London for their next big break. Julie's had enough of slumming it, she's ready to quit their life of crime and go legit. The same old game... But it seems their reputation has beaten them to it, and the underworld is already bubbling with news of the their arrival. And as much as Julie tries to go straight, the more people underestimate them and treat them like fools. And there is only so much Julie can take... One last trick. So when they are offered one final big job, Julie knows they should say no. It's risky and could cost them everything they have. But it could also be their last chance to make it big. And when fools rush in, the Golds take the spoils. Read what happens next for Julie and Ralph Gold in another thrilling gangland story by Gillian Godden.

It's hard to live when you think you deserve to die... When a tired old inmate is found dead in his cell, the prison is obligated to investigate and so DI Barton attends. The men he interviews have been convicted of some of the worst things a human being can do, but it appears likely that the death was due to natural causes. When the house of the dead man is burgled and that crime is followed by a suspicious fire, Barton desperately needs to speak to his widow, but she's nowhere to be found. In the space of twenty-four hours, everyone he wants to talk to has vanished. Then he receives some post which makes him believe he could be the next to disappear. Barton's investigation goes full circle, through a series of brutal murders, back to the prison, and all signs are pointing to the fact that he's made a terrible mistake. There's a violent killer on the loose, who wants everyone to learn that some people deserve to die. DI Barton is back as Ross Greenwood continues with his bestselling series, perfect for fans of Mark Billingham and Ian Rankin. Praise for Ross Greenwood: 'Move over Rebus and Morse; a new entry has joined the list of great crime investigators in the form of Detective Inspector John Barton. A rich cast of characters and an explosive plot kept me turning the pages until the final dramatic twist.' author Richard Burke 'Master of the psychological thriller genre Ross Greenwood once again proves his talent for creating engrossing and gritty novels that draw you right in and won't let go until you've reached the shocking ending.' Caroline Vincent at Bitsaboutbooks blog 'Ross Greenwood doesn't write cliches. What he has written here is a fast-paced, action-filled puzzle with believable characters that's spiced with a lot of humour.' author Kath Middleton

She's the boss now...Daddy's girl Samantha Reynold hadn't bargained on unexpectedly needing to step into her father's shoes and take over the family casino business. Pampered and spoiled, Sam knows nothing about the rules of this glamorous but deadly new world. She has a lot to learn and even more to prove. But she won't let her family down, especially when it looks like they could lose everything to their biggest rivals - the Stoker family. Eldest son Sebastian hasn't got time to pander to pretty girl Samantha as she plays at being boss. Rumours are swirling around the streets of Birmingham that have the power to rip the Stoker family apart and destroy everything they've built. And Seb will stop at nothing to ensure that in this takeover, only one will succeed. A gripping new gangland story perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Heather Atkinson and Caz Finlay. What people are saying about Edie Baylis! 'From start to finish, fast paced and gripping. Gangland fiction at its best! Bestselling author Kerry Kaya. 'Shocking and thrilling at the same time. It will take your breath away!' Bestselling author Gillian Godden 'Edie Baylis has produced another fantastic gangland read. I loved the characters and was gripped from the first page. A massive 5 stars!' Bestselling author Caz Finlay.