The Consular Official

"A gritty FBI Thriller with jaw-dropping twists. King’s portrayal of the convoluted world of cross-border criminality, politics and business feels completely fresh.” — BestThrillers.com

“An intriguing mystery novel that explores crime near the border and the implications of greed.” — Kirkus Reviews 

No. 1 on BestThriller.com's List of the Top 20 FBI Thrillers — (May 2024)

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A junior official with the Mexican Consulate in Houston is abducted, his $600,000 automobile left abandoned in a pharmacy parking lot. In what initially appears to be a simple case of a wealthy foreign dilettante being held for ransom, FBI Special Agent Pete Cortez is assigned the task of securing the young consular official’s safe return and apprehending his kidnappers.

With upwards of 150 foreign consulates in Houston, this incident quickly gains international attention. The situation becomes even more complicated when rumors emerge about the true source of the kidnap victim's family’s enormous wealth.

Questions abound. 

Who kidnapped Pepe Alonso? Was it a rival Mexican cartel looking to cripple a competitor? One of the myriad local Houston gangs hoping for a big payday? A right-wing Texas militia group looking to finance its future operations? Could it be the Mexican government…or perhaps even the U.S. government? Or maybe even someone else entirely? 

Above all, behind his public veneer, is this carefree young consular officer truly the man the public imagines him to be? 

THE CONSULAR OFFICIAL is the sixth book in the Pete Cortez FBI Thriller series.