El Paso and Ciudad Juárez sit across the Texas / Mexico border from each other. They share streets, share industry, share crime. One gang claims territory in both: Los Aztecas. This single criminal organisation is responsible for most of the homicides committed in Juárez, and Felipe Morales is one of them.Recruited in prison, and now on the streets of El paso, 'Flip' has no choice but to step further into that world, but he has a secret that threatens his life. A witness to murder and intimidation, he tries playing both the cops and the outlaws in a bid to escape.On the American side, El Paso detective Cristina Salas struggles to balance the needs of single motherhood with those of life in the city's anti-gang unit. When her path crosses with Flip, their relationship will spell the difference between a life behind bars for the young gang member, a grisly death or freedom.Meanwhile, Mexican federal agent, Matías Segura, must contend with the scourge of Los Aztecas while coordinating a long-term operation with the American authorities.The Aztecas, north and south, stand in the way of three lives. They have no qualms about crossing the line, about killing, about moving their deadly product, and it all comes together in a confrontation where the stakes are, truly, a matter of life and death.
Tequila Sunset
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'This brilliantly written, dramatic but vicious novel will keep you on tenterhooks all the way to the end ... Tequila Sunset is realistically composed, deftly put together and drenched with violence and aggression that would make any sane person run for their life ... Hopefully a book that will become a classic and will be read for years to come. Well worth losing sleep over' Shots
'The novel is a thrilling ride, but it also makes you appreciate the seriousness behind it' We Love This Book
'Raw and gritty' Shortlist
'Interesting, refreshing and engrossing' -- Latino Life
'A thrilling novel of high stakes and bruised humanity'The Simple Things
'A grim tale of foreboding ... explosive' -- Herald
'Haunting ... recalls the best of James M. Cain' FT
'A fascinating, tense and engaging read that draws you into the lives of the characters with consummate ease until you reluctantly turn that final page' --Crimesquad
'The novel is a thrilling ride, but it also makes you appreciate the seriousness behind it' We Love This Book
'Raw and gritty' Shortlist
'Interesting, refreshing and engrossing' -- Latino Life
'A thrilling novel of high stakes and bruised humanity'The Simple Things
'A grim tale of foreboding ... explosive' -- Herald
'Haunting ... recalls the best of James M. Cain' FT
'A fascinating, tense and engaging read that draws you into the lives of the characters with consummate ease until you reluctantly turn that final page' --Crimesquad
Book Description
Vivid, violent page-turner set in the ganglands of the US / Mexican border
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Ripple
TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
Sam Hawken's "Tequila Sunset" is a gang land crime novel set across the border between the US and Mexico. The story centres on three people: Flip Morales is a young Latino American who gets somewhat unwillingly caught up in the Barrio Azteca gang after a stint in prison; Cristina Salas is an El Paso police officer - a single mother with an autistic child; and Matías Segura is a Mexican federal agent based in Ciudad Juárez with marriage issues. When the FBI launch a sting to catch the Azteca gang, all three will become involved with each other in a struggle against violence.
"Tequila Sunset" has many similarities with Hawken's first novel, "The Dead Women of Juárez" but also some notable differences. Style-wise, Hawken's short chapters and short sentences keep the pace fast moving much like in "Dead Women", and the setting and general issues are similar of course, although "Tequila Sunset" is set more in El Paso than in Mexico. There's also similar gripping intensity and moments of violence.
However, while "Dead Women" tackled a very specific issue, that of the extreme number of female homicides in Juárez, "Tequila Sunset" is more general in the issues of gangland culture and arms for drugs trade. And while I'm still haunted by the memory of the gruelling, angry, dark intensity of reading "Dead Women", his second novel contains more light as well as shade and is more balanced as a result. That's not to suggest Hawken has gone soft - he hasn't. There's still plenty of graphic violence when it is needed, but he lets in more space for personal issues here.
It's a fast moving and well plotted story. The brevity of the chapters means that the reader can keep up with the three different strands of the story throughout with ease, even when the story gets increasingly complex. He also throws in some nice, unexpected twists. And while few of the characters are wholly likeable, they are all believable and you end up rooting for each of them at different times. Flip in particular gets unwittingly caught up in events and evokes some sympathy as he tries to do the right thing in impossible circumstances.
Hawken has clearly researched his subject very well and one thing that comes over particularly strongly is the problems faced not only by the Latino youth on both sides of the border, but also the issues faced by the authorities in working together to reduce the problems rather than merely moving it across the border. He portrays the different approaches but also the different challenges faced by the authorities north and south of the Mexican border. The less action packed passages of the book evoke well the waiting game that the authorities are forced to play.
Be prepared for some graphic violence, but this is strong plot-driven crime fiction and Hawken continues to deliver.
"Tequila Sunset" has many similarities with Hawken's first novel, "The Dead Women of Juárez" but also some notable differences. Style-wise, Hawken's short chapters and short sentences keep the pace fast moving much like in "Dead Women", and the setting and general issues are similar of course, although "Tequila Sunset" is set more in El Paso than in Mexico. There's also similar gripping intensity and moments of violence.
However, while "Dead Women" tackled a very specific issue, that of the extreme number of female homicides in Juárez, "Tequila Sunset" is more general in the issues of gangland culture and arms for drugs trade. And while I'm still haunted by the memory of the gruelling, angry, dark intensity of reading "Dead Women", his second novel contains more light as well as shade and is more balanced as a result. That's not to suggest Hawken has gone soft - he hasn't. There's still plenty of graphic violence when it is needed, but he lets in more space for personal issues here.
It's a fast moving and well plotted story. The brevity of the chapters means that the reader can keep up with the three different strands of the story throughout with ease, even when the story gets increasingly complex. He also throws in some nice, unexpected twists. And while few of the characters are wholly likeable, they are all believable and you end up rooting for each of them at different times. Flip in particular gets unwittingly caught up in events and evokes some sympathy as he tries to do the right thing in impossible circumstances.
Hawken has clearly researched his subject very well and one thing that comes over particularly strongly is the problems faced not only by the Latino youth on both sides of the border, but also the issues faced by the authorities in working together to reduce the problems rather than merely moving it across the border. He portrays the different approaches but also the different challenges faced by the authorities north and south of the Mexican border. The less action packed passages of the book evoke well the waiting game that the authorities are forced to play.
Be prepared for some graphic violence, but this is strong plot-driven crime fiction and Hawken continues to deliver.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By richierich
Format:Paperback
I bought this as I was going to Mexico on holiday and it sounding interesting unfortunately despite having a great cover the book was a let down. I found the characters flat, the motivation less than clear and the the story a bit slow and ponderous. Some of the relationship between Flip (the lead character) his mother and girlfriend was well written but unfortunately overall the plot was way to obvious and the final outcome was pretty obvious from very early on and it wasnt at all gripping. If I hadnt been on holiday with a limited amount of books to read then I wouldn't have finished it
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.0 out of 5 stars
3 reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A great, fast paced story with a setting that is almost a fourth character
10 Jan 2013
By Hector
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I first came across Sam Hawken's work via DEAD WOMEN OF JUAREZ. I'd lived in both Juarez and El Paso back in my younger days, and the idea of a hardboiled story in that setting appealed to me. DEAD WOMEN ended up being one of my favorite books of the year, largely because it did a great job of portraying Juarez, while at the same time telling a really good story with two interesting leads. And without spoiling anything, I thought that it also took some ballsy chances in the way it told the story.
So as soon as I was able to, I picked his follow up TEQUILA SUNSET. Like like DEAD WOMEN, this one also takes place in the U.S/Mexico border, but the focus is more on El Paso this time. Also like DEAD WOMEN, the story is divided between multiple characters. Felipe 'Flip' Morales is a young man recently released from prison and caught between leading a normal life and the pull of the Azteca gang and their leader Jose. Cristina Salas is an El Paso police officer rasising a single kid who, while I don't believe ever specifically mentioned, seemes to be autistic. And finally, we have Matis Segura, who as a Mexican officer provides a view of the way the Mexican police force deals with gangs on their side, and has some of the more violent chapters earlier on.
While the story is told through the point of view of all three of these characters, I felt like the stronger narrative lied with Flip. Early on, he seemed a bit of a cypher, as his chapters felt a bit detached, but the more he gets used to the life outside of prison, and more importantly, becomes integrated into the Azteca gang and meets a girl he likes, the deeper I began to understand him. His chapters also provided the most tension, as before long we start to see how being pulled from two separate sides starts to affect him.
I also enjoyed Cristina and Matia's chapters, and they provided a glimpse into a world and setting that's only in the peripheral of Flip's chapters. Their chapters also occasionally juxtaposed against each other, showing not only how different the Mexican and El Pasoan tactics for dealing with gangs were, but also how different, yet similar, their personal lives were. I do sort of wish we got more of their chapters though, as Matias never became a fully fledged character for me. His chapters were never boring or a drag to read because as another reviewer has mentioned, one of Hawken's strenght here is that the writing style he uses here is quick and to the point, allowing the chapters to speed right by.
Overall, I really ended up enjoying this book, though DEAD WOMEN is stil my favorite. It was a quick read for me, that nonetheless left me thinking about it and its characters for days on afterwards. I look forward to whatever Hawken produces next, regardless of the setting.
So as soon as I was able to, I picked his follow up TEQUILA SUNSET. Like like DEAD WOMEN, this one also takes place in the U.S/Mexico border, but the focus is more on El Paso this time. Also like DEAD WOMEN, the story is divided between multiple characters. Felipe 'Flip' Morales is a young man recently released from prison and caught between leading a normal life and the pull of the Azteca gang and their leader Jose. Cristina Salas is an El Paso police officer rasising a single kid who, while I don't believe ever specifically mentioned, seemes to be autistic. And finally, we have Matis Segura, who as a Mexican officer provides a view of the way the Mexican police force deals with gangs on their side, and has some of the more violent chapters earlier on.
While the story is told through the point of view of all three of these characters, I felt like the stronger narrative lied with Flip. Early on, he seemed a bit of a cypher, as his chapters felt a bit detached, but the more he gets used to the life outside of prison, and more importantly, becomes integrated into the Azteca gang and meets a girl he likes, the deeper I began to understand him. His chapters also provided the most tension, as before long we start to see how being pulled from two separate sides starts to affect him.
I also enjoyed Cristina and Matia's chapters, and they provided a glimpse into a world and setting that's only in the peripheral of Flip's chapters. Their chapters also occasionally juxtaposed against each other, showing not only how different the Mexican and El Pasoan tactics for dealing with gangs were, but also how different, yet similar, their personal lives were. I do sort of wish we got more of their chapters though, as Matias never became a fully fledged character for me. His chapters were never boring or a drag to read because as another reviewer has mentioned, one of Hawken's strenght here is that the writing style he uses here is quick and to the point, allowing the chapters to speed right by.
Overall, I really ended up enjoying this book, though DEAD WOMEN is stil my favorite. It was a quick read for me, that nonetheless left me thinking about it and its characters for days on afterwards. I look forward to whatever Hawken produces next, regardless of the setting.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pacey cross border gang story
23 Nov 2012
By Ripple
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Sam Hawken's "Tequila Sunset" is a gang land crime novel set across the border between the US and Mexico. The story centers on three people: Flip Morales is a young Latino American who gets somewhat unwillingly caught up in the Barrio Azteca gang after a stint in prison; Cristina Salas is an El Paso police officer - a single mother with an autistic child; and Matías Segura is a Mexican federal agent based in Ciudad Juárez with marriage issues. When the FBI launch a sting to catch the Azteca gang, all three will become involved with each other in a struggle against violence.
"Tequila Sunset" has many similarities with Hawken's first novel, "The Dead Women of Juárez" but also some notable differences. Style-wise, Hawken's short chapters and short sentences keep the pace fast moving much like in "Dead Women", and the setting and general issues are similar of course, although "Tequila Sunset" is set more in El Paso than in Mexico. There's also similar gripping intensity and moments of violence.
However, while "Dead Women" tackled a very specific issue, that of the extreme number of female homicides in Juárez, "Tequila Sunset" is more general in the issues of gangland culture and arms for drugs trade. And while I'm still haunted by the memory of the gruelling, angry, dark intensity of reading "Dead Women", his second novel contains more light as well as shade and is more balanced as a result. That's not to suggest Hawken has gone soft - he hasn't. There's still plenty of graphic violence when it is needed, but he lets in more space for personal issues here.
It's a fast moving and well plotted story. The brevity of the chapters means that the reader can keep up with the three different strands of the story throughout with ease, even when the story gets increasingly complex. He also throws in some nice, unexpected twists. And while few of the characters are wholly likeable, they are all believable and you end up rooting for each of them at different times. Flip in particular gets unwittingly caught up in events and evokes some sympathy as he tries to do the right thing in impossible circumstances.
Hawken has clearly researched his subject very well and one thing that comes over particularly strongly is the problems faced not only by the Latino youth on both sides of the border, but also the issues faced by the authorities in working together to reduce the problems rather than merely moving it across the border. He portrays the different approaches but also the different challenges faced by the authorities north and south of the Mexican border. The less action packed passages of the book evoke well the waiting game that the authorities are forced to play.
Be prepared for some graphic violence, but this is strong plot-driven crime fiction and Hawken continues to deliver.
"Tequila Sunset" has many similarities with Hawken's first novel, "The Dead Women of Juárez" but also some notable differences. Style-wise, Hawken's short chapters and short sentences keep the pace fast moving much like in "Dead Women", and the setting and general issues are similar of course, although "Tequila Sunset" is set more in El Paso than in Mexico. There's also similar gripping intensity and moments of violence.
However, while "Dead Women" tackled a very specific issue, that of the extreme number of female homicides in Juárez, "Tequila Sunset" is more general in the issues of gangland culture and arms for drugs trade. And while I'm still haunted by the memory of the gruelling, angry, dark intensity of reading "Dead Women", his second novel contains more light as well as shade and is more balanced as a result. That's not to suggest Hawken has gone soft - he hasn't. There's still plenty of graphic violence when it is needed, but he lets in more space for personal issues here.
It's a fast moving and well plotted story. The brevity of the chapters means that the reader can keep up with the three different strands of the story throughout with ease, even when the story gets increasingly complex. He also throws in some nice, unexpected twists. And while few of the characters are wholly likeable, they are all believable and you end up rooting for each of them at different times. Flip in particular gets unwittingly caught up in events and evokes some sympathy as he tries to do the right thing in impossible circumstances.
Hawken has clearly researched his subject very well and one thing that comes over particularly strongly is the problems faced not only by the Latino youth on both sides of the border, but also the issues faced by the authorities in working together to reduce the problems rather than merely moving it across the border. He portrays the different approaches but also the different challenges faced by the authorities north and south of the Mexican border. The less action packed passages of the book evoke well the waiting game that the authorities are forced to play.
Be prepared for some graphic violence, but this is strong plot-driven crime fiction and Hawken continues to deliver.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Brave new world
7 Feb 2013
By Stephen D. Metcalfe
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
to explore. I haven't read literature from this part of the world before and the settings creat a whole new range of imagery in one's imagination.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
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