Wolf Boys: Two American Teenagers and Mexico's Most Dangerous Drug Cartel

Raw, gut-wrenching, and deflating, journalist Slater's (Love in the Time of Algorithms) investigation into Mexican drug cartel activity will give readers pause. Gabriel Cardona, a teenager growing up in Laredo, TX, had a promising future before he was sucked into the alluring lifestyle of a drug smuggler and enforcer for a drug cartel. Concurrently, Det. Robert Garcia, having spent years working with the DEA, began a murder investigation that led him to Cardona. The intermingling stories involve a laundry list of nefarious, terrifying, and unfortunately real-life characters, and explain Mexico's drug history and the law enforcement officials who have tried to quell the spillover onto American soil. There is a feeling of uncertainty and disappointment that law enforcement efforts to stop these groups are futile. Beyond that, this is a cautionary tale for youth who may be marginalized and feel they have few other options than to join cartels. Slater is adept at filling in details and weaving a story, all the while impressing upon readers Garcia's anguish and exhaustion. Similarly, he explains his long correspondence with Cardona and deftly portrays him as both villain and victim.