What do you think?
Rate this book
El cazador de sombras: Un agente de los Estados Unidos infiltra los mortales carteles criminales de México (Atria Espanol)
The Spanish edition of The Shadow a firsthand look inside U.S. undercover operations targeting the immigrant smuggling, counterfeiting, and drug rings of Mexico’s dangerous mafia.Vivir bajo una identidad ficticia y arriesgar su vida eran parte del trabajo diario de Hipólito Acosta, agente del gobierno de los Estados Unidos. Trabajaba regularmente en operaciones clandestinas de gran importancia, infiltrando las bandas criminales de contrabando de inmigrantes y los carteles del narcotráfico mexicano. Las investigaciones de Acosta son legendarias tanto entre las autoridades como entre los miembros de los carteles criminales que contribuyó a neutralizar. Acosta se hizo cruzar ilegalmente de México a Chicago en un camión lleno de inmigrantes pobres; se ganó la confianza de una banda internacional de falsificadores; se mezcló con algunos de los narcotraficantes más sanguinarios de México; y fue el objetivo de numerosos complots de asesinato por parte de los criminales a los que envió a la cárcel. El cazador de sombras se lee como una novela policíaca. Este libro, más que un viaje por los bajos fondos de la frontera entre México y los Estados Unidos, es una conmovedora revelación de lo que tiene que sobrellevar un agente para garantizar que la ley se aplique y para mostrar el lado humano de la inmigración.
- GenresNonfiction
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2012
10 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 3, 2023
I found this book as part of the lending library from our resort in Austin, TX. Certainly, it gives you access to the seedy work of illegal immigration across our southern border, an issue that remains top of the list for many people in our country today. He does not really give you any solutions to the problems. He daringly brought to justice several of the bad guys during his tenure as a U.S. Government Agent. But the sad fact is when one bad guy goes away, one more step in to take their place. Still, it was fascinating reading and heartbreaking to gain a peek into the lives of those innocent people just trying to better their lives but tragically get taken advantage of by the evil people involved in the smuggling rings and drug cartels.
January 4, 2021
This book is about an agent that obviously lived an eventful and interesting career. That being said, this book lacks the depth and specificity required to make a biography of action-filled events interesting.
The book also had an air of self-congratulation that just couldn't be overlooked. If you are looking for a book that offers just as much intrigue but is also well-written I would recommend the book American Radical. Similar genre but had me enthralled and was the reason I was really looking forward to this book.
Overall this book let me down.
The book also had an air of self-congratulation that just couldn't be overlooked. If you are looking for a book that offers just as much intrigue but is also well-written I would recommend the book American Radical. Similar genre but had me enthralled and was the reason I was really looking forward to this book.
Overall this book let me down.
December 2, 2017
I've lived in Mexico for a long time so I quickly knew that Hipolito Acosta knows what he's writing about. I won't say "enjoyable", but very well written and very truthful. I wish it weren't so.
March 21, 2018
Well written and give a factual insight into the world of illegal trafficking.
If your for or against immigration reform this is a must read for all involved in the Immigration debate.
If your for or against immigration reform this is a must read for all involved in the Immigration debate.
February 22, 2017
Interesting concept, although I was under the impression Acosta was telling more tales of drug cartels than of human trafficking. The synopsis builds the story up to be a lot more interesting and edgy than it really is.
The manner in which Acosta writes also becomes uninteresting because it seems to be more of a pat on his own back. He attempts to regale the reader with his heroic efforts on each case as though he single handedly brought the perpetrator to justice, and no case would be solved without Hipolito Acosta.
For such a short read, it took me awhile to get through it as my interest and commitment dwindled.
The manner in which Acosta writes also becomes uninteresting because it seems to be more of a pat on his own back. He attempts to regale the reader with his heroic efforts on each case as though he single handedly brought the perpetrator to justice, and no case would be solved without Hipolito Acosta.
For such a short read, it took me awhile to get through it as my interest and commitment dwindled.
May 3, 2013
There has been lots of talk about the Immigration Policies of the United States lately. Most of the talk comes from each end of the spectrum - receive them all with open arms OR send them all back. I view this issue from a Kingdom of God with Christ as King worldview which causes me to reject both ends of the argument and seek a reasonable middle ground. I am also interested in hearing from those with much deeper experiences, which led me to this book.
The author jumps into the problem of human smuggling on behalf of the U.S. He has a lot of zeal in pursuing and stopping those that treat humans as a mere commodity. In this pursuit he allows himself to become a human commodity. Because of his experience riding in the trunks of cars/backs of trailers/walking in the desert, he develops a compassion for the poor and downtrodden that are seeking a more hopeful life. Many of his stories are amazing and Acosta is to be commended for his courage.
Greedy Humans, Corruption, Apathy, Compassion
Because there are evil people in the world that are driven by greed, and because there are people in places of power that can AND will be bribed, and because there is much governmental and cultural apathy on this side of the border, AND because the human commodities that are being smuggled and treated inhumanely are NOT human commodities BUT men & women, boys & girls created in the image of God and are loved desperately by Him...this issue of immigration is a very complicated one. And will not be solved by people on each end of the political spectrum yelling at each other. Acosta makes this reality painfully clear in this book.
The author jumps into the problem of human smuggling on behalf of the U.S. He has a lot of zeal in pursuing and stopping those that treat humans as a mere commodity. In this pursuit he allows himself to become a human commodity. Because of his experience riding in the trunks of cars/backs of trailers/walking in the desert, he develops a compassion for the poor and downtrodden that are seeking a more hopeful life. Many of his stories are amazing and Acosta is to be commended for his courage.
Greedy Humans, Corruption, Apathy, Compassion
Because there are evil people in the world that are driven by greed, and because there are people in places of power that can AND will be bribed, and because there is much governmental and cultural apathy on this side of the border, AND because the human commodities that are being smuggled and treated inhumanely are NOT human commodities BUT men & women, boys & girls created in the image of God and are loved desperately by Him...this issue of immigration is a very complicated one. And will not be solved by people on each end of the political spectrum yelling at each other. Acosta makes this reality painfully clear in this book.
March 23, 2012
“The Shadow Catcher” by Hipolito Acosta with Lisa Pulitzer, published by Atria Books.
Category – True Crime
This is the story of Hipolito Acosta from being raised in a Texas migrant worker family until his retirement from the Department of Homeland Security.
Acosta, after several meaningless jobs and a stint in the United States Navy, joined the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service as a Border Patrol Agent.
Illegal Immigration from Mexico is big time business. Illegals not only include Mexicans, but Yugoslavian, Chinese, Japanese, Iranians, etc... The real horror of human trafficking is the number of young children that are abused trying to find their way to their parents.
The cost for transportation can run into the thousands of dollars with no guarantee that one will arrive in the U.S... Many die during the trip due to overcrowding and starvation.
Acosta tells several of his most meaningful undercover operations that tried to curtail this illicit trade.
Although the book is interesting and gives credence to the problem of illegal immigration, I found the book to be lacking in continuity and the writing to be sophomoric. I also found it to be a little “over the top” in his assessment of himself, not that he did not do great things, but he leads the reader to believe that he was the total driving force behind the Agency.
Category – True Crime
This is the story of Hipolito Acosta from being raised in a Texas migrant worker family until his retirement from the Department of Homeland Security.
Acosta, after several meaningless jobs and a stint in the United States Navy, joined the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service as a Border Patrol Agent.
Illegal Immigration from Mexico is big time business. Illegals not only include Mexicans, but Yugoslavian, Chinese, Japanese, Iranians, etc... The real horror of human trafficking is the number of young children that are abused trying to find their way to their parents.
The cost for transportation can run into the thousands of dollars with no guarantee that one will arrive in the U.S... Many die during the trip due to overcrowding and starvation.
Acosta tells several of his most meaningful undercover operations that tried to curtail this illicit trade.
Although the book is interesting and gives credence to the problem of illegal immigration, I found the book to be lacking in continuity and the writing to be sophomoric. I also found it to be a little “over the top” in his assessment of himself, not that he did not do great things, but he leads the reader to believe that he was the total driving force behind the Agency.
June 5, 2017
I have a tough time sitting down to read but I dedicated my beach vacation to finish reading the book this year. As the wife of a former Federal officer, I appreciated the background story to some of the stories my husband shared with me over the years. And, as a wife, I appreciate the love story undertones Acosta shared depicting the unwavering commitment and dedication that Terrie so fearlessly gave to him and their family. When I meet immigrants, I frequently ask about their plight. Acosta shares the vicious side of criminal activity ... he also shares the tenderness of children seeking to be reunited with their parents and other loved ones who reached our great nation before them. I loved the book and the stories told.
December 19, 2012
This book has a lot of interesting stories about working undercover in and out of Mexico.
It also leaves out vast swatches of this agent's career, and it generally reads as though dictated into a tape recorder. I felt as though I knew some of the whats but not a lot of the whys about Hipolito Acosta's life, so he was difficult to connect with.
What stuck out for me most, however, was how Acosta's career highlights the amazing amount of resources wasted on enforcement of things that really shouldn't be an issue. More intelligent laws on the drug and immigration fronts would save so much money and so many lives.
It also leaves out vast swatches of this agent's career, and it generally reads as though dictated into a tape recorder. I felt as though I knew some of the whats but not a lot of the whys about Hipolito Acosta's life, so he was difficult to connect with.
What stuck out for me most, however, was how Acosta's career highlights the amazing amount of resources wasted on enforcement of things that really shouldn't be an issue. More intelligent laws on the drug and immigration fronts would save so much money and so many lives.
February 2, 2013
The story and events of the author's life makes this book very interesting, however it seems to be self congratulatory and self-serving in a way that is unnecessary and somewhat irritating. The actions and stories speak for themselves, I don't need to hear him describe what a good job he did or why the missions succeeded because of his efforts and not those around him.
Beyond that, the book does provide a very interesting look into the world of illegal immigration and human smuggling. I enjoyed reading it and learned a lot, but would probably have been better to have someone else write it for him.
Beyond that, the book does provide a very interesting look into the world of illegal immigration and human smuggling. I enjoyed reading it and learned a lot, but would probably have been better to have someone else write it for him.
December 13, 2013
Mr.Acosta, takes you behind the walls of justice and human smuggling, the under cover missions he was involved with and the lifestyle he had to adapt to. Was a good read on one side, showing how Hipolito climbs the agency ladder, his undeniable heart and passion for his job and the people he would yes ship back to Mexico, but also helped some stay, yet on the other side, showing how inhumanity rears its ugly head again how some of the people smuggled are treated.
I thought maybe the book would drift to other areas of crime, but the focus was solely on human smuggling. Having said that, I still enjoyed it and would have it labeled as a 3.5 star.
I thought maybe the book would drift to other areas of crime, but the focus was solely on human smuggling. Having said that, I still enjoyed it and would have it labeled as a 3.5 star.
April 10, 2012
I have had the pleasure of hearing a few of Hipolito Acosta's stories in person and have witnessed first hand the respect and admiration he receives from men and women who have worked with him. Hipolito is a take action kind of guy and he doesn't take no for an answer. The book is an easy read that focuses on the human drama he witnesses during his time as an undercover agent. I recommend it to anyone interested in True Crime.
November 18, 2012
Former Federal Agent, Hipolito Acosta, gives an insightful look into the world of human smuggling. Acosta had an interesting career and earned many accolades for his investigations and undercover operations. I think he does a great job of telling his life story. He was a very brave man who risked his life many times to help bring fugitives to justice and enforce U.S. laws.
November 28, 2017
This book is not for everyone. It is for the reader who is interested in short snippets of the crime cartels in Mexico and the US. It is not a lighthearted topic, yet the book is rather lighthearted about Acosta's trials and tribulations. It is an easy read because it is basically short stories of cases he worked on as an undercover agent.
December 14, 2013
Interesting and educational. It acquaints the reader with the structure and inner workings of the underground world of human trafficking as it relates to the Mexico/United States border. The author/agent is impressed with himself and it detracts from the presentation a bit. It was an easy read.
May 24, 2012
An interesting account of a United States Patrol Officer who infiltrates Mexican cartels and shares the harsh reality of illegal immigration.
June 7, 2012
A great insight to what goes on for both sides of the law. He makes a great point on how you feel for these people but they are still breaking the law.
July 26, 2012
I really wanted to like the book, but I found myself not really connecting with the narrator and not being fully engaged with the story.
August 3, 2012
Stories from a former immigration officer and his undercover exploits. Very interesting perspective, though I expected more violence than described. Still good.
August 20, 2012
Not so much about the Mexican Cartels. Slow
Currently reading
March 27, 2014I found the book boring. It is rare that I don't finish a book. Sad part is I really wanted this to be a great read. My opinion only.
December 29, 2015
Fascinating, moving and heartbreaking. The insight from a border patrol agent that we usually don't get to hear. The fight over our border and illegal immigrants crossing is a never-ending struggle.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews