In the Mouth of the Wolf

Reviews

A chilling and nuanced look at press freedom in a country persistently rated among the most dangerous in the world for journalists … a murder mystery but also, more important, a portrait of a nation where no one knows what to believe, or whom to trust. In the Mouth of the Wolf shows the consequences of a press corps ruled by terror and derided by the powerful. A striking tale of the violent risks faced by journalists in Mexico … Katherine Corcoran not only grasps the complexities of our southern neighbor but also has clearly let the country and its people into her soul ... A tour de force of relentless reporting." Epic … A deeply reported and riveting account of Regina Martinez's murder … To some, what Corcoran has uncovered shows how broken Mexican society is. But her reporting also reveals the best of Mexico — the courage and integrity of Mexican journalists, the resilience of citizens determined to find justice where the rule of law is itself hostage, and the love of family and country that unifies the Mexican people. A powerful chronicle of the life, work, and murder of Regina Martinez … Corcoran trains a sharp investigative eye on the events leading up to the murder and the desperate cover-up that ensued. A gripping true-crime story and love letter to Mexico’s brave journalists that serves as a clarion call for the importance of a free press in a democracy. Powerful ... Ms. Corcoran’s book notes being a good journalist in Mexico demands sacrifice, sometimes the ultimate one. [A] chilling true-crime story... Both fascinating and horrifying, In the Mouth of the Wolf exposes decades of corrupt politicians and law enforcement who allow this violence to take place. Corcoran has done a masterful job in assembling the complicated story of Martinez’s life, work and murder. Deeply reported … a captivating account of intrepid Mexican journalism and a damning indictment of the Mexican state. Not your ordinary true-crime account. It’s a deep dive into the injustice and danger many Mexican journalists face to this day. Katherine Corcoran explores the mystery of Martínez’s death and the risk many reporters take to keep the press free. Reads like an amazing piece of crime noir. It is, at once, a fine-grained story of a murder, a coverup, government corruption, narco-politicians, byzantine bureaucracies, failed rule of law, and endemic threat, danger, and the potential for violence. It also serves as a cautionary tale about the fragility of democracy and how those democracies can transform into authoritarian regimes and narco-states. A searing look at the unsolved 2012 murder of Regina Martínez … succeeds both as an homage to the heroic Martínez and as a gripping real-life whodunit. A disturbing look at violence against journalists in Mexico through the lens of the murder of a veteran crime reporter … Readers will be transfixed by this alarming narrative, all the more timely as free speech, even in the U.S., is under attack yet again. A tenaciously researched work of investigative journalism. Captivating … [a] copiously detailed, compelling true-crime tale. Compelling, carefully researched. This volume considers the role of journalists and the perils they face in the process of chronicling the connection between corrupt politicians and drug traffickers … Mexican journalists are forced to exercise self-censorship to survive. Regina's story is a painful reminder of this situation. Highly recommended. Corcoran’s riveting investigation into the murder of one courageous reporter becomes a forensic examination of corruption in Mexico and the threat to democracy posed by the suppression of the free press. In the Mouth of the Wolf implicates the Mexican political system and demonstrates what we stand to lose wherever voices are silenced. Hair-raising and infuriating. Day after day, reporters in the United States write stories that irk government leaders and have no thought of being marked for death. But in Mexico, hard-digging journalists like [Regina] Martinez are too often threatened and even killed for exposing corruption. Corcoran’s book shockingly documents the deadly perils of pursuing the truth in a broken country that needs more brave voices, not fewer. Drawing on her deep experience covering Mexico, Katherine Corcoran recounts, in meticulously researched and lively detail, the life and death of an intrepid, path-breaking Mexican reporter. Vital reading for anyone who cares about the future of press freedom and democracy. A gripping, can’t-put-it-down mystery that is a triumph of deep reporting and a tribute to Mexico’s journalists, the unsung heroes of its young democracy. Reads like an intimate suspense thriller, with lucid, elegant prose and cleared-eye facts ... An urgent read, Corcoran spins more than an epic tale, she restores trust in journalism. A true crime book that you can’t put down. Weaves Mexican history, politics, and culture throughout her story of the life, work and murder of Regina Martínez, a tenacious journalist, killed after uncovering local corruption. Ultimately unraveling the cover-up of Martínez’s murder, Corcoran relates not only the search for justice, but also the struggle to save Mexico’s young democracy. With relentless reporting and deep humanity, Katherine Corcoran lays bare the horrific massacre yet incredible bravery of our Mexican journalist colleagues over the last two decades—and the failure on both sides of the border to deal with the root causes of this tragedy. Chronicles the story of a brave woman’s attempted to expose drug traffickers and corrupt politicians ... Corcoran has the same tenacity as she investigates a remarkable woman’s life and death. Corcoran’s account is compulsively readable as it follows the twists and turns of her years-long investigation … [She] paints a portrait of Regina Martínez that avoids hagiography while offering a sensitive ode to the fallen reporter. Expand reviews