A journey into the dark heart of the "war for drugs"
A tale of crime, corruption and treachery
in the borderlands
What Readers Are saying
Goodreads Review
This is one of those sweeping conspiracy tales that's easy to dismiss at first blush.
Until Bill Conroy delivers a master class in proving it. It's the story of a house turned torture chamber in Juarez, where Mexican police systematically execute enemies real and perceived of their narcotrafficking employers. U.S. agents knew about it all along, courtesy of an informer.
Through dogged reporting, Conroy shows how they let the murders continue, then went to great lengths to cover up their duplicity. Part thriller, part expose, Dispatches from the House of Death savages the moral underpinnings of America's war on drugs.
— Peter Kotz, journalist, author and former editor of The Cleveland Scene
What Readers Are saying
A Masterpiece of Research and Storytelling!
Having lived in Mexico, I can confidently say that "Dispatches from the House of Death" truly captures the essence and intricacies of its subject matter. The level of research that went into this book is not only evident but also remarkable. Every page and chapter unfolds with an accuracy and attention to detail that is commendable.
What I found particularly intriguing was the book's ability to bridge the realms of academic research and thrilling storytelling. While it's grounded in fact and reality, the narrative reads like a thriller, keeping you on the edge of your seat, eager to turn the next page. It's a rare gem that seamlessly straddles the worlds of non-fiction and suspense.
As someone who frequently turns to literary resources for research, "Dispatches from the House of Death" has become an invaluable reference. But beyond its academic value, it's a compelling read that I would recommend to anyone, whether you're looking for knowledge or a gripping story.
Kudos to the author for creating such a riveting masterpiece!
DISPATCHES FROM THE HOUSE OF DEATH
WHERE TO FIND IT
Published by Moonshine Cove Publishing. Its books are are available online at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble and also available through bookstores. Ask for it by name if it's not in stock. In addition, Dispatches from the House of Death can be purchased via Bookshop.org, with sales benefiting independent bookstores.
The House of Death: The story that will not die
'Journalist Bill Conroy has driven that story from day one'
"Dispatches from the House of Death" is based on Bill Conroy’s coverage of the gruesome case for an online newspaper called Narco News. The Dallas Observer, the city's major alternative newspaper, gave a nod to that journalism in 2007.
Check it out at the link below.
PODCAST
Inside the 'House of Death' and the Juarez Cartel
"From his gripping book 'Dispatches from the House of Death,' Bill Conroy describes the site of numerous drug-related executions and the flawed response of U.S. law enforcement agencies charged with combatting organized crime from over the border." [Aired originally on Dec. 17, 2023]
QUICK TAKES
"... If you’re going to Hell, you should always have a guide who knows the territory. In Dispatches from the House of Death, our guide Bill Conroy takes us down into one of the darkest places on earth, the nightmare world of Mexican drug smuggling — with its unending violence, constantly mutating alliances and corruption so deep that U.S. officials protected an informant who participated in murder after murder at The House of Death.” — Richard Bell, investigative reporter, editor and co-author of Nukespeak: The Selling of Nuclear Technology from the Manhattan Project to Fukushima
“This book reads like a murder mystery because it is. The mystery, which Bill Conroy explores with great determination, is why the U.S. government allowed murders implicating law enforcement to go unrepented and unpunished.”
— Bill Lueders, journalist and author, former editor of The Progressive.
“Bill Conroy for years has launched himself at this story without fear. He did not shy away from the sword (the government). He is like “el mesquite verde, no se raja." He went above and beyond his call of duty.” — Cele Castillo, former DEA agent, author and Chicano artist
"Bill Conroy’s years of experience covering U.S. operatives in Latin America have made him a keen analyst. His book reveals why the U.S.-led war on drugs is such an abysmal failure: racism.” — Natalia Viana, executive director of Agência Pública, Brazil 's largest investigative journalism outlet
““Dispatches from the House of Death exposes the murderous underbelly of America’s war on drugs, where ambition corrupts the rule of law and the American officials charged with pursuing it.”
— Vito De la Cruz, Civil Rights attorney
