Drop House, a thriller
In “Drop House,” two ordinary citizens help a teenager from Mexico who has crossed the border in search of a better life for her family. Paul is a single father with an aquarium maintenance business. Cecilia is the principal of a Phoenix-area elementary school. Finding themselves caught between rival gangs of human smugglers, they join forces to fight the criminals who kidnap and prostitute the immigrants they have promised to help.
“Drop House” dives deep into the dangerous, shadowy world of human smuggling, the illegal arms trade and cartel-related kidnappings. The novel depicts the real-life violence that threatens the immigrants themselves as well as the residents of America’s southern border states.
In addition, without getting overtly preachy or political, the story touches on other hot topics:
- The horrifying (and well-documented) mistreatment of undocumented immigrants at the hands of their smugglers
- The environmental impact of human and drug smuggling operations on Arizona’s deserts
- How the twin crimes of human and drug smuggling support each other, and the detrimental effect of illegally imported drugs on America’s families
- The futility of so-called “gun-free zones” in protecting America’s school children
- The importance of teaching safe firearm handling to both children and adults
I wrote this book after personally witnessing the effects of human smuggling in Arizona. Several plot elements also came directly from the “war stories” of family members in law enforcement who are close to the action on the border. Additional information came from civilians who conduct regular patrols in areas not far south of Phoenix. These volunteers put their lives on the line each time they head into the desert to intercept dope (up to 500 pounds at a time), interdict groups of human and drug smugglers, and dismantle spotters’ nests.
In spite of claims by the Department of Homeland Security that the southern border is “more secure than ever,” those on the front lines know better. Spotty enforcement of our existing immigration laws have only served to make matters worse. Current efforts in Congress to pass “comprehensive immigration” make this story very topical and extremely relevant.
“Drop House,” a mainstream thriller, is complete at 130,000 words.