The Artist/El Artista : A detective story in Spanish and English for language learning

With suspense straight out of the news, this award-winning bilingual tale of the first female police detective in Acapulco takes you inside Mexico's drug war with a fearless style and a woman who will be hard to forget.

2019 Silver Falchion Award, Best Story/Collection

Detective Emilia Cruz goes undercover as an art teacher in a school facing a terrifying extortion threat. Yet even as Emilia investigates, repeated threats pressure the staff, resulting in a twist of fate no one saw coming.

THE ARTIST/EL ARTISTA is an illustrated short story in both English and Spanish that can be both a language learning tool and a resource for studying contemporary Mexico. It was inspired by the true efforts of Mexican poet Javier Sicilia following the murder of his son to bring awareness to the plight of families impacted by the drug war violence.

Acapulco, once the glittering playground of Hollywood's Rat Pack, now has the highest homicide rate in Mexico. Loaded with intrigue and action, the Detective Emilia Cruz police procedural mystery series takes on cartels, corruption and social inequality.

2020 and 2019 Poison Cup award, Outstanding Series -- CrimeMasters of America

"Carmen Amato knows how to bring Acapulco to life . . . Emilia is definitely a character that is close to my heart." - Mystery Sequels

"A thrilling series" -- National Public Radio

THE ARTIST / EL ARTISTA es un cuento ilustrado en ingles y espanol para aprender los dos idiomas y es parte de un plan de estudios unico para aprender el Mexico contemporaneo. Se inspiro en los esfuerzos del poeta mexicano Javier Sicilia para concienciar sobre la dificil situacion de las familias afectadas por la violencia de la guerra contra las drogas.

La detective Emilia Cruz es la primera mujer detective de la policia en Acapulco. Todos los dias ella investiga los homicidios en una ciudad asediada por la violencia de la guerra contra las drogas. Cuando una amenaza de extorsion se cuelga en la puerta de una escuela, ella se encubre como profesora de arte.

"Carmen Amato sabe como dar vida a Acapulco... Emilia es definitivamente un personaje que esta cerca de mi corazon". - Mystery Sequels

"Una serie emocionante" -- National Public Radio


DETECTIVE EMILIA CRUZ SERIES

CLIFF DIVER: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 1
HAT DANCE: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 2
DIABLO NIGHTS: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 3
KING PESO: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 4
PACIFIC REAPER: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 5
43 MISSING: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 6
RUSSIAN MOJITO: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 7
NARCO NOIR: Detective Emilia Cruz Book 8
MADE IN ACAPULCO: The Emilia Cruz Stories
THE ARTIST/EL ARTISTA: A Bilingual Short Story for Language Learning
FELIZ NAVIDAD FROM ACAPULCO: A Detective Emilia Cruz Novella
THE LISTMAKER OF ACAPULCO: A Detective Emilia Cruz Novella
HECHO EN ACAPULCO
LA CLAVADISTA