Smuggler's Blues presents a first-person portrait of one man's ascent through the international marijuana trade. Narrated by Jay Carter Brown, the narrative moves from small cross-border scams to large-scale shipments sourced from the Caribbean and the Middle East.

As operations expand, Jay's partnership with a veteran bank robber draws a dangerous circle of ex-con accomplices — a hit man, a pilot and other career criminals — while police, rivals and jealous allies heighten the stakes. The book focuses on the mechanics of smuggling, the personalities involved and the consequences of life on the edge.

Why read it: clear-eyed, action-driven and anchored in real-world detail, the account will appeal to readers of true crime and crime memoirs who want the insider view of organized drug operations.

Key details

• First-person crime memoir
• Published by ECW Press, 2007 — 296 pages
• Themes: drug smuggling, organized crime, betrayal

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