Shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger 2011.

In the last twenty years, over 3000 women have disappeared from Ciudad Juarez, on the border between Mexico and the USA. Sam Hawken takes this story of mass murder and abduction and weaves around it the story of Kelly Courter, a washed up boxer from Texas, who is past playing the stooge in the ring, as long as he gets paid.

CWA Judges’ comments: 'A noir novel set in a small town on the Mexican border. Hawken explores the consequences of the ‘war on drugs’ and its effects on the community. A gripping and thought provoking thriller.'

Synopsis

This is a visceral crime novel based on the true story of mass murder in a Mexican border town. In the last twenty years, over 3000 women have disappeared from Ciudad Juarez, on the border between Mexico and the USA. Sam Hawken takes this story of mass murder and abduction and weaves around it the story of Kelly Courter, a washed up boxer from Texas, who is past playing the stooge in the ring, as long as he gets paid. Courter is sucked into the underworld of organised crime that flourishes in the city, finding himself in way over his head. As his life spins out of control he becomes obsessed with seeking the truth about the female victims of Juarez. Fast paced and brutal, Sam Hawken is a classic American voice and Kelly Courter is a timeless American hero, fighting for freedom and justice.

Reviews

'A beautifully written and deeply affecting crime novel dealing with the wasted life of an American boxer in the city of Juarez, Mexico, the missing women of that city and ultimately a small amount of justice that is awarded them. Hawken writes with a maturity that is rare for a first novel, and achieves both a great crime novel and a work that transcends the genre. This is the real deal: tragic, dark, heartfelt. The Dead Women of Juarez deserves to be massive.' - Dave Zeltserman

About the Author

Sam Hawken is a native of Texas now living on the east coast of the United States. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he pursued a career as a historian before turning to writing. The Dead Women of Juarez is his first novel. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation