3,5*-4*

Manhunters:How We Took Down Pablo Escobar by Steve Murphy and Javier F. Peña is published on 12th November with St. Martin’s Press/ Headline.

Having watched the Netflix Narcos series, I was really delighted with the opportunity to read this new memoir from the individuals whose lives became part of mine as I sat completely engrossed in the series. Although the series was partially fictionalised, the underlying story remained the same

Murphy and Peña were lead DEA agents in bringing down the powerful Columbian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. A man both feared and revered in Columbia, Escobar became almost a Robin Hood type figure for many, especially in his own community of Medellín. His method of business, the horrors he inflicted on so many made him a very dangerous and frightening individual.

While the US authorities kept up their battle for extradition, the DEA worked hard on both the American and South American borders to bring down these vast drug empires but their network and power stretched so wide, making it an almost impossible challenge. As evidence was being gathered, the fatalities increased. Escobar was everywhere. His word infiltrated from the highest levels down, making it virtually impossible to track him down. Columbia witnessed devastating deaths, unnecessary lives lost and numerous assassinations of top officials. There was a risk to any, no matter their position in society, who stood up to the many cartels, in particular to the renowned Medellín cartel headed by Pablo Escobar.

Murphy and Peña started their careers in the States with the local police, dealing with local crime at a local level, but both had a hunger, an ambition to do more. The book introduces us to their backstory and how they found themselves chasing down drug lords on the streets of Columbia. It’s a fascinating look at their career. Both are quite different, yet their strive for justice and truth and their fight against a pervading evil created a very successful working dynamic and a close friendship.

The lives of Murphy and Peña were very much at risk as they hunted down Escobar, but in 1991 Columbia had a reprieve when Escobar handed himself over to the authorities…but with conditions. These same conditions allowed him to live a relatively comfortable life secluded in a prison of his own design. He continued to reign terror under the noses of the authorities frustrating those who wanted to take him down completely. The following year, Escobar escaped his ‘prison’ and the search continued again for this seemingly all-powerful and influential man.

Murphy and Peña, working closely with a select group of Columbian special forces, continued their relentless search and in 1993, the reign of terror inflicted over a country was ceased when the Columbian police gunned down Pablo Escobar. Neither DEA agent was present but their hard-work and persistence over the previous months and years greatly contributed to the downfall of this man, Pablo Escobar.

Manhunters is written by Steve Murphy and Javier F. Peña in alternating chapters, giving the reader an insight into their lives over the years. It is a book heavy on facts but it also recounts the personal stories and the sacrifices made by these two very brave individuals. My only gripe with the book is that, at times, I found myself skimming a few sections as I felt the writing could have benefited from a stronger pen. The story of Steve Murphy and Javier F. Peña is a fascinating and hair-raising tale, but did the book do their story justice? Have I been influenced by the action I saw on screen?

Manhunters is most definitely a read for any with an interest in the war on drugs, a campaign started by Nixon in 1971 which was followed in 1973 with the creation of the DEA. It is a challenging and disturbing read but it is also the truth as witnessed by two very courageous and heroic men, Steve Murphy and Javier F. Peña.

I’m zooming through the Netflix series Narcos right now, so when I learned that this explosive memoir of small-town cops who became legendary DEA agents was the basis for it, I had to check it out. The good news? The book didn’t let me down. Right from the start, it made good on the promise to reveal firsthand how Steve Murphy and Javier Peña helped the DEA chase down drug traffickers, with their white whale being the infamous Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar.

The story is told from both Murphy’s and Pena’s perspective, switching between them, as we get to see them in action early in their careers. Things really pick up when the duo gets to Bogotá, Colombia, which they said was like being in a war zone. Their stories give readers a ringside seat to the multi-country effort to bring down Escobar, the man at the center of the Medellín Cartel.

Steve Murphy and Javier Peña are the real deal. It’s sometimes hard to believe the accounts they share—though they ring with authenticity. What makes this book more than just a true crime story is how we see their friendship grow at the same time we see the sacrifices they—and their families—made during the years they spent chasing down the most-wanted man in recent US history.

This book is exciting, relevant, and well-written—a must-read for anyone interested in knowing the real story about America’s war on drugs. Highly recommended.

4.5 out of 5 coffee cups

This book recounts the careers of DEA agents Steve Murphy and Javier Pena as they learn the job by just being put to work after their training. Eventually they work their way up to the more serious targets, until one day they are going after the big one, Pablo Escobar, when they get assigned to work in Columbia. They find the country in a state of turmoil with the drug lords and cartels killing people to try to prevent themselves from being extradited to the United States and put on trial for all of the crimes that they can be held accountable for there. Their answer is just to kill everyone with any power, thinking that will keep them safe. But it won’t prevent anything, it just adds more charges. The agents are working hand in hand with the Columbian National Police (CNP) and come to trust them to have their backs and vice versa when they follow the CNP into hidey holes going after Escobar. There is a price on the DEA agents' heads of several hundred thousand dollars each, so they are especially prime targets. A good story for anyone with an interest in this subject. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, authors Steve Murphy & Javier F. Pena, and the publisher.

Excellent reading on the hunt for Pablo Escobar, told through the eyes of two DEA agents assigned to his case. The book switches back and forth between the two agents, Murphy and Pena. I have read other books about Escobar, but this one really resonated with me.
It starts with the background on both men, covering their early careers. This part alone was fascinating reading! Some of the exploits they relate were incredible.
The book then goes into how the authors found themselves in Columbia, and of the search for Escobar. It was quite the journey, from gathering evidence, to the initial capture, to his escape, and then the search beginning again. As the noose draws tighter around Escobar, the book becomes even more exciting. It had me on the edge of my seat.
The book also goes on to explain what happened after Escobar's demise. How the Cali Cartel swooped in and took over after Escobar's Medellin cartel was destroyed. The author's doubts about the success of the entire operation, considering the deaths of hundreds of police officers, the bombings, the kidnappings, and the death of untold numbers of civilians. They cover the strange things that happened in Columbian politics post-Escobar. As the author says, "You'd go crazy trying to make sense of things that happen in Columbia".
The author points out the fact that, even with the "War on Drugs" being prosecuted for over 40 years now, Columbia still produced a record level of coca in 2017. Enough to manufacture more than 1300 TONS of cocaine! They stress the need for education of school children about the danger of drug abuse.
One final thought. The author, relatively early in the book, tells about the DEA and the US Attorney's in Miami preparing an indictment against Raul Castro (Fidel's brother in Cuba), for distribution of hundreds of kilos of cocaine. And how the indictment was squashed, by "higher ups". And how they discovered that Ronald Reagan himself was the person who squashed it. Interesting, indeed! I would love to know more about this. But I understand the author's reluctance to pursue it. He might even amend his prior quoted statement to read, "You'd go crazy trying to make sense of things that happen in Washington, DC"!
An extremely interesting book. Highly recommended.

When I saw Manhunters on Net Galley, I definitely danced in my seat.
My husband and I love "Narcos" on Netflix and I've been dying to read more about Pena and Miller and their experiences with the Pablo Escobar crisis.
This book did not disappoint.
I enjoyed the format. Each chapter went back and forth between Pena and Miller. Their different perspectives and positions in the DEA and the case provided a more personal and bigger picture of their experiences.
The story is so miraculous. Miller and Pena surviving what they did and still walking around today is insane.
Before the show and the book, I didn't know much and Pablo Escobar and his crazy behavior. I was only like six when his terror reign ended.
I think it's so important to know this history.
There is a certain population who buy and use these drugs. They promote the use, but I wonder if they know the murders, torture, and political manipulation that happens behind the scenes. It probably doesn't make a difference to the addicts, but I think it might make some people think twice.
I really enjoyed Pena's closing remarks about the importance of drug enforcement. It made the book feel relevant today, and not just a history lesson.
I could not put this book down. Even though I understood the basics and who would live and die, it still kept me turning those pages.
The only difficult part of the book for me is that at times it felt a little repetitive and I had a hard time keeping track of other names mentioned occasionally through the book.
Fantastic book and will definitely recommend to friends and family.

Wow! I cannot imagine what life must be like as an undercover operator for the DEA. This book tries to give you a feel for it, but it falls a bit short. I don't know if that is because some of the story cannot be told, or if the authors aren't sure how to tell it. I will say that they really made me want to check out "Narcos" and to also do more reading about Escobar. Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Manhunters follows the thrilling true story of a hunt for a legendary crime lord. This book read like fiction thriller and was fast paced at times but every page kept me wanting more. I am so thankful I was given the chance to read this early. Excellent research and even better storytelling.

I was hooked with the mind hunters show, and the book did not disappoint. To see it through the detectives’ perspective really had me changing the way I think about why somethings are done over others.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC. I found this to be very interesting! I've always thought the stories of DEA agents are incredibly interesting alone. Yet to be the ones that were the forefront of taking down Pablo?! Crazy to me to have that be your legacy. Definitely worth the read if you are interested in history, true crime, or justice.

I really wanted to love this book but it turned out just ok for me. Going from one author to the other each chapter didn't really work for me but may work for others. I remember Pablo Escobar and how much he intrigued the world years ago and thought this would translate into a great book but possibly too much time has passed for it to end up being a great page turner. It was well written about an engrossing subject matter but something just didn't work for me.
Thank you Netgalley, Steve Murphy; Javier F. Peña and St. Martin's Press for the ARC for my honest review.