Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “The Killing Fields: Harvest of Women” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

The Killing Fields: Harvest of Women

Diana Washington Valdez

3.62 · Rating details · 47 ratings · 11 reviews

Explosive book exposes the Mexican killing fields that claimed the lives of hundreds of women at the Juarez, Mexico border. The author's dangerous investigation reveals high-level corruption, a drug cartel run amok and more. Hollywood took note and produced a movie starring Jennifer Lopez and Antonio Banderas. Amnesty International, the United Nations and the U.S. State De ...more

Get A Copy

Paperback, 404 pages

Published September 27th 2006 by Peace at Theborder

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Killing Fields, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about The Killing Fields

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.62 ·

Rating details

· 47 ratings · 11 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of The Killing Fields: Harvest of Women

Jan 01, 2010 Aaron rated it it was amazing

The information in this book blew me away! As an Amnesty International activist I have known about the hundreds of unsolved murders in Juarez for a several years now, and I have been under the impression that no one knew what was behind the femicides.

This book makes it perfectly clear that powerful people on both sides of the border know what's going on and that many of those power-brokers south of the border are directly responsible. This book is especially commendable because of the attention The information in this book blew me away! As an Amnesty International activist I have known about the hundreds of unsolved murders in Juarez for a several years now, and I have been under the impression that no one knew what was behind the femicides.

This book makes it perfectly clear that powerful people on both sides of the border know what's going on and that many of those power-brokers south of the border are directly responsible. This book is especially commendable because of the attention and honor it pays to the families of the victims and the toll all of the trauma on citizens of the border region.

A simplified version of this book's explanation of the Juarez femicides is that the Colombian drug cartel forged an agreement with some of the most powerful people in Mexico, and that in exchange for money the Mexicans would grant the cartel and its allies total impunity in the state of Chihuahua. This grim agreement gave the power to kill, kidnap and torture to a mix of sadists, misogynists, serial killers and multi-millionaires.

The cartel recruited many of its operatives from the Mexican army when the Cold War ended, which brings up another important point in this book. These operatives were trained to kidnap, torture, and kill leftists and other political dissidents, and had no use for these awful skills when the Cold War ended (and with it Mexico's "Dirty War" against political dissidents). This made them ripe for recruitment by the cartels for whom they applied all of the same twisted techniques of their trade (like throwing people out of airplanes). The book also notes that the government was easily corrupted by the cartel largely because Mexico's political and justice institutions were so badly weakened by three decades of the Dirty War.

This Dirty War was covertly encouraged and supported by the USA as part of its Cold War strategy. It's a horrifying example of what the intelligence community refers to as 'blowback'. The amount and specificity of information make this the best single source of information on this issue that I have encountered.

Valdez names names and cites her sources to the extent that is possible. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to begin to understand this issue, and especially to journalists, human rights activists and researchers who are working on this issue.

This book isn't for everyone. I contains graphic descriptions of horrific acts of violence. This is not done gratuitously as the victims' bodies have given forensics experts important clues that Valdez uses to unravel some of the mysteries. And, some people might not take to the journalistic writing style of Valdez, a journalist for the El Paso Times, because it doesn't always flow the way a good novelist might tell a story. Some times information is thrown in for factual completeness that kind of breaks the rhythm of the narrative. For these reasons, I recommend this book more for someone who wants to learn about the Juarez femicides than for someone who is looking for an entertaining story. ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Apr 18, 2015 Jill Talley rated it really liked it

I'm going to explain my rating - since i do agree with other reviews that discuss the way it was written.

This is an important book, filled with information and facts. The problem is, it feels like it was copied from someone's index card notes back in 70's HS/College and never put in any order or even correct types of chapters.

It also has the feel of possibly being newspaper articles, which it also could have been (but this is never mentioned). I guess this is an English-translated version, so i ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jun 16, 2020 Estefany marked it as to-read

I have not read this book yet, but on the podcast “forgotten, women of Juarez” the author of this book mentioned that she felt she had to finish writing this book and get it out asap as she felt her life could be in danger because of her investigating.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 26, 2016 Dena rated it it was amazing

A powerful, challenging look at our government, Mexico, and what is occurring next door across from our border.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 13, 2009 Maria rated it it was ok

Interest subject matter but it had to have been the most poorly written book ever. There was no rhyme or reason to the order - not topical nor chronological.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 25, 2021 Anna Evelyn marked it as to-read

Para los que somos de Juarez conocemos alguna mencionada del libro y mas historias...

flag Like · see review

Jan 19, 2016 Daniella rated it liked it

Shelves: ciudad-juarez, drug-cartels, fbi, femicide, non-fiction

Finally had a chance to read in detail about the Juarez femicide which as of 2006, stands at around 470 women. The author makes a brief, but small connection to other places that have/had femicides. The author, in her dry journalist voice, states what happened and all of the people involved to ultimately implicate the murderers which are the "juniors," sons of rich and powerful people and the State, for it's corruption, failure to investigate adequately and arrest the culprits, and making a pact ...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 24, 2008 Anne rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: those interested in current events

Recommended to Anne by: Goodreads review

Shelves: non-fiction

This is a very interesting story; however, I find the writing style a bit confusing. The author discusses a large number of murder cases that were never resolved. It is sometimes difficult to determine if she is discussing facts about a new case, or going back to add information about a case previously discussed. I read the English version of this book. I wonder if something was lost in translation. I saw excellent reviews given to the Spanish version. The book did prompt me to want to learn a b ...more

flag Like · see review