The Queen of the South

The Queen of the South – Arturo Pérez-Reverte

Teresa Mendoza is a young woman from Culiacán, in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, whose boyfriend is a pilot working for drug traffickers. One day, she receives the call she has always feared: he has been killed, and those who killed him are coming for her. With nothing but her wits, Teresa flees, leaving her old life behind forever.

The Queen of the South, by acclaimed Spanish author Arturo Pérez-Reverte, follows Teresa as she escapes to Spain and makes a new life in the dangerous world of smuggling along the Strait of Gibraltar. Starting with nothing, she endures hardship, loss and imprisonment, learns from the people she meets and gradually discovers her own intelligence, strength and talent for business. Over the years, she rises to become one of the most powerful figures in the international drug trade, earning a fearsome reputation.

The story is told partly through the investigations of a journalist who, years later, sets out to piece together the truth about the legendary Teresa Mendoza, interviewing people who knew her and uncovering the details of her transformation from a frightened girl into a formidable and enigmatic leader.

Pérez-Reverte combines a thrilling crime story with a complex character study, exploring themes of survival, power, loneliness, loyalty and the price of success, as well as the realities of drug trafficking across Mexico, Spain and North Africa.

Gripping and atmospheric, The Queen of the South became an international bestseller and inspired popular television adaptations. It contains violence, sexual content and mature themes, and is intended for adult readers.