Queen of the South

Queen of the South
By Arturo Perez-Reverte
G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2004. 436 pgs. Fiction

Teresa Mendoza receives a call on a cell phone—a special cell given to her by her boyfriend with the instruction that “If this thing ever rings, it’s because I’m dead. So run. As far and as fast as you can, prietita…” Running drugs is a dangerous business. Teresa runs fast and far fleeing Mexico for Spain and winding up in Melilla—a city belonging to Spain but located in North Africa bordered by Morocco and the Mediterranean. After several months working in a bar Teresa finds that she is not content merely surviving and begins a long climb into the world of drug trafficking and through sheer determination, intelligence, and luck she establishes her operation as one of the largest in the Mediterranean.

The story is told in alternating segments: in third person narrative following Teresa Mendoza and a first person narrative of a reporter’s investigation into her life years down the road. Those familiar with Perez-Reverte’s earlier novels (The Dumas Club, The Fencing Master) will note that this new novel is considerably different than his earlier work. Part thriller, part mystery, and a little chic lit with a serious edge on it.

SML