The Acid Test by Elmer Mendoza

The Acid Test

Elmer Mendoza

It was not always easy to stick with the rapid, minimally punctuated prose but it's well worth it. Detective Lefty Mendieta is a great hero in the American tradition, the plot is amazingly convoluted and Mexico really comes to life. My first 'narco noir' novel but definitely not my last.

Extract
... Mendieta did not feel like talking to Dr Parra: bearded fuck, let him wait. From the door the manager watched like a hawk. When did this guest arrive? Yesterday noon. Did you see him? No, he went through reception like everyone else. Call the clerk who registered him .... I don't think this guy's the guest, he's someone who came looking for him.
Parallels
  • The Dead Women of Juarez by Sam Hawken
  • No-One Loves a Policeman by Guillermo Orsi
  • Once Upon a Time in Mexico - the film
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Violence
Explicit sexual content