This is an excellent novel--very well written with memorable characters and a gripping tale of human trafficking along the U.S.-Mexico border. The story focuses on an extended family of immigrants, some of whom are legally in the U.S. and others of whom are not.

The central character is Roque Montalvo, a talented young musician. The family is living a hard-scabble existence in California when Roque's uncle is arrested by immigration agents and deported. This throws the family into crisis and Roque, who is an American citizen, is charged with the responsibility of going to El Salvador and smuggling the uncle back to the U.S.

In the meantime Roque's brother, a damaged veteran of the war in Iraq and their cousin struggle to raise the money that will be necessary to pay the gangs, corrupt police and others who control the human smuggling route that stretches from El Salvador through Guatemala and Mexico before reaching the U.S.

Inevitably, things go wildly amiss for everyone involved and tragedy piles upon tragedy. This is not a book that will raise your spirits and leave you with a happy smile on your face. But those readers who would appreciate some insight into the problem of illegal immigration that goes beyond the simple-minded sloganeering of some politicians and others, will find this an eye-opening book.

Read in tandem with Don Winslow's great book The Power of the Dog, the two books will break your heart and will convince you that the politicians haven't a clue when it comes to dealing with the complex problems that bedevil the southern border of the United States.