Add Prime to get Fast, Free delivery
Amazon prime logo
Buy new:
-38% $16.78
FREE delivery Monday, December 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon
Sold by: OTTNOT
$16.78 with 38 percent savings
List Price: $26.95
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Monday, December 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 20 hrs 8 mins
Arrives before Christmas
Only 4 left in stock - order soon.
$$16.78 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$16.78
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon
Ships from
Amazon
Sold by
Sold by
Returns
Returnable until Jan 31, 2025
Returnable until Jan 31, 2025
For the 2024 holiday season, eligible items purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2024 can be returned until January 31, 2025.
Returns
Returnable until Jan 31, 2025
For the 2024 holiday season, eligible items purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2024 can be returned until January 31, 2025.
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$14.80
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Pre-library owned. Pages may contain some writing and/or highlighting. Some wear/tear. Ships directly from Amazon! Eligible for Amazon's FREE Super Saver/Prime Shipping. 24/7 customer service and package tracking. Pre-library owned. Pages may contain some writing and/or highlighting. Some wear/tear. Ships directly from Amazon! Eligible for Amazon's FREE Super Saver/Prime Shipping. 24/7 customer service and package tracking. See less
FREE delivery December 27 - January 15 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery December 27 - January 10
Arrives after Christmas. Need a gift sooner? Send an Amazon Gift Card instantly by email or text message.
$$16.78 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$16.78
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
$16.78 with 38 percent savings
List Price: $26.95
FREE pickup Sunday, December 15 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or Prime members get FREE pickup Friday, December 13. Order within 20 hrs 8 mins.

1.76 mi | Ashburn 20147

How pickup works
Pick up from nearby pickup location
Step 1: Place Your Order
Select the “Pickup” option on the product page or during checkout.
Step 2: Receive Notification
Once your package is ready for pickup, you'll receive an email and app notification.
Step 3: Pick up
Bring your order ID or pickup code (if applicable) to your chosen pickup location to pick up your package.
Only 4 left in stock - order soon.
$$16.78 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$16.78
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Sold by
Sold by
Returns
Returnable until Jan 31, 2025
Returnable until Jan 31, 2025
For the 2024 holiday season, eligible items purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2024 can be returned until January 31, 2025.
Returns
Returnable until Jan 31, 2025
For the 2024 holiday season, eligible items purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2024 can be returned until January 31, 2025.
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Narcas: The Secret Rise of Women in Latin America's Cartels Hardcover – July 25, 2023

3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 30 ratings

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$16.78","priceAmount":16.78,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"16","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"78","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"i7rVCJPmqgXqinmmR48i6Y2mSv%2BArAkBR7P9hIRONJlVJO%2Fb1RdLM3gzS44PyTnyPrAj%2Bio0YxKp2EflK6Y3zquaO1vhxYwa4O1uVu63wHOf6FanABfO11ZBKmCpQFiuqv8uUybhnrSkQjAC2H4VL4TmKMY7FipEQQWV59tV1FsX65d6u%2B7%2BXGfXV5maLDJU","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$14.80","priceAmount":14.80,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"14","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"80","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"i7rVCJPmqgXqinmmR48i6Y2mSv%2BArAkBXXhQ9EI3MwNOAB5fDLcHE6NCaIxl4QbqjuLCWOKBNZYf9icCTfmVGWsuhcQAeFDOrL1jwzUoV0lSMc06hSNOkhCZSmsr5559SEoCsBiHWysITfZ8Yfr8pSIxySRmr7TIn05070iLHlACqVxbtWFHvNgWfeW%2F22pd","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}],"desktop_buybox_group_2":[{"displayPrice":"$16.78","priceAmount":16.78,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"16","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"78","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"i7rVCJPmqgXqinmmR48i6Y2mSv%2BArAkBR7P9hIRONJlVJO%2Fb1RdLM3gzS44PyTnyPrAj%2Bio0YxKp2EflK6Y3zquaO1vhxYwa4O1uVu63wHOf6FanABfO11ZBKmCpQFiuqv8uUybhnrSkQjAC2H4VL4TmKMY7FipEQQWV59tV1FsX65d6u%2B7%2BXGfXV5maLDJU","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"PICKUP","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":2}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Drug transporters. Money launderers. Killers. Street drug vendors. Weapons traffickers. Kidnappers. Extortionists.

VICE journalist Deborah Bonello reports from the trenches in this first-ever in-depth exploration of the hidden power women wield in Latin American drug cartels

You’ve heard of Pablo Escobar, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, and Rafael Caro Quintero. Their names conjure ghoulish images of bloody streets, white powder, bundles of weed, and a particular flavor of machismo unique to ruthless druglords. But what of the drugladies, las narcas? For the first time, investigative reporter Deborah Bonello takes you behind the curtain to introduce the women at the helm of organized crime south of the US-Mexico border. These women are the powerhouses behind violent cartels; masterminds of extortion rackets; right-hand ladies to El Chapo’s cocaine flow to the US; and matriarchs of major drug trafficking families. In these pages, you will meet women like Doña Digna, the leader of the Valle cartel, and Guadalupe Fernandez Valencia, one of “El Chapo” Guzman’s closest confidants.

Narcas, for the first time, gives voice to the women of notorious drug-trafficking monarchies, meticulously documenting the variety of roles they play. Bonello chronicles the complexity of their actions and their desires, the grey chasm between victims and victimizers, co-option and agency, and right and wrong. She examines why women’s experiences are under-reported, emphasizing the importance of understanding women as fully capable beings who are often as ambitious, innovative, ruthless, and violent as their male counterparts.

With careful detail, comprehensive research, and groundbreaking storytelling,
Narcas paints a vivid picture of the women behind some of the most notorious drug cartels. You will not see Sebastiana Cottón or Marixa Lemus in the stereotypical portrayals of beautiful narco wives or girlfriends, or in the faces of trafficking survivors or drug mules. Rather, you’ll encounter—at staggering rates—the female cartel killers, money launderers, logistical heads, and transporters of Latin America’s infamous crime syndicates.
The%20Amazon%20Book%20Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

This item: Narcas: The Secret Rise of Women in Latin America's Cartels
$16.78
Get it as soon as Monday, Dec 16
Only 4 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by OTTNOT and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
+
$11.69
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Dec 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
$9.99
Get it as soon as Monday, Dec 16
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Choose items to buy together.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
30 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2024
Great reporting, great writing, fresh framing!!! Excellence in nonfiction writing.
2 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2024
This book reminded me so much of the style of Mariana van Zeller's investigations into smuggling networks and black markets. The writing (and audio) are very much a journalistic approach. After watching series like Griselda and Queen of the South, I wanted to know more about the history behind some of these women that we too often don't hear about. In true Hispanic culture, these women were often overlooked and thought to be harmless homemakers. For many women that get involved in this line of "business" that is so very far from the truth. It only abetted them in staying under the radar longer than their male counterparts. All in all a very interesting exposé of a largely undocumented side of cartel business women.
One person found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2024
With Narcas, VICE News reporter Deborah Bonello has provided readers with a short (160 pages) but fascinating look at some of the women who have risen to the top ranks of some of Latin America's most notorious cartels. Focusing on Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala, Bonello demonstrates how the deep poverty of the region lead so many to enter into the drug trade. Many of these women were highly successful for a period of time, but most of them were arrested eventually; some of them even turned themselves in and collaborated with the DEA to avoid arrest or lengthy prison terms. Bonello's motive for writing the book is to show that there are women in these roles even though they have been largely overlooked by the news or popular media. Much of her writing consists of her impressions based on interviews not only with the women whom she was profiling but also with others in their organization, their neighbors, other reporters and researchers, and law enforcement.
One person found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2024
This is a fascinating book that has a unique mix of in-depth reporting and personal reflections. Anyone who is remotely interested in organized crime and/or gender dynamics should put this on their to-read list. Big props to the author for coming up with this idea and digging deep into a topic that is entirely overlooked.
2 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024
Really engaging and informative. An interesting and nuanced insight into a topic that gets very little coverage. Well worth a read.
2 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2023
Narcas: The Secret Rise of Women in Latin America's Cartels is a short, quick read by Deborah Bonello. It is perhaps the length and quality of two long-form journalistic assignments.

The book's promise is to show that women are extremely influential in the world of narco-trafficking. Unfortunately, Bonello does not prove the thesis with these few case studies.

Bonello does not do very much gumshoe reporting, except for a trip she took to Honduras that reads like a travel story and a trip to a city in Mexico where she talks to a plastic surgeon and reports on Mexican fashion culture. Most of her sources are news outlets and websites, followed by a great deal of speculation and commentary.

Bonello's writing is very accessible and interesting, but it is light on information, first-hand-reporting, and is quite repetitive. I would love to see more information than just this small round of case studies.
2 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2023
Extraordinary -- and incredibly brave -- reporting about this treacherous world. Really interesting insights into the protagonists of the drug trade. It's not just men. And the nature of those who study and cover it. Which has indeed been mostly men. Highly recommended.
One person found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2023
Very interesting look at the women in drug cartels -- many as ambitious, merciless, and clever as the much more famous men. An essential read to understand this powerful and consequential underground and criminal business.
One person found this helpful
Report

Top reviews from other countries

Miss H.
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for women, journalists and anyone interested in crime in the Americas
Reviewed in Mexico on March 25, 2024
The book gives a detailed account of women in organised crime in the Americas. Bonello takes you with her on her reporting trips, as she speaks to the women involved. You feel like you are right there in the room with her as the narrative seamlessly moves between her protagonists and her own discomfort, fear or excitement at the situations she finds herself in. Everyone should read this book! It's a reminder that women can be just as dangerous, but it's also a guide for men to think about how they view women, for all journalists considering working in this part of the world and for anyone interested in organised crime. Well researched and beautifully written!
John R
3.0 out of 5 stars It’s ok
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 28, 2023
Cant say it was a riveting read lots of repeating but ok