Amapola

Alan Heywood
Zumaya Publications (2005)
ISBN 1894942310
Reviewed by Ellen Hogan for Reader Views (5/06)

George Magee was retired from the Canadian Armed Forces. He was living in Tucson, Arizona and running an import business to Mexico. Major Magee went back to Canada to attend the regimental officer's semi-annual mess dinner. He was looking to renew acquaintances with some of his friends he had served with.

Major Magee was introduced to Colonel Tom Atkins from Army HQ in Ottawa. They talked briefly and Colonel Atkins asked George if he was well-traveled in Mexico. He answered that he was and even further south into Central America.

Before heading back to Tucson, George decided to spend some time with his sister Isabel and her family. Isabel's husband was a narc - a sergeant in the narcotics squad of the Toronto Police Department. Maria, Isabel's oldest child, held a special place in George's heart. There was nothing he would not do for her.

Finally George returned to Tucson and was summarily called to Ottawa to meet with Tom Atkins. Tom asked George if he would come back to work and be stationed in Mexico to let the Canadian and American governments know what is going on with the drug trade. George says he will think about it. When he gets home again he calls his sister and finds out that his brother-in-law and little Maria were killed in a car bombing. Now the drug war had hit home, so George decides to accept the job.

While George is in Mexico, he renews old friendships as he learns where the drugs are and who the major dealers are. He also finds the woman that he was in love with previsouly and they get married. She then works for him as a translator and becomes invaluable. Through hard work George and those he worked with closed down three major drug cartels.

It was very interesting to read how some of these drug dealers work and how they get illicit drugs into foreign countries. While the book was not fast paced it was still a good story and worth the read. This book is for anyone who likes this type of book.

Between the descriptions of the military maneuvers and the Mexican countryside, the reader feels like they are right there. In the end revenge is sweet.

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