The Shadow Cartel, A Dominic Grey Novel by Layton Green.

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Shadow Cartel, A Dominic Grey Novel' by Layton Green.

Layton Green takes us deep into the underworld of drugs and murder in The Shadow Cartel, A Dominic Grey Novel.  When Grey is asked to look into the death of a friend by his old girlfriend, he can’t refuse. Little does he know that this cartel is run by a man known only as the General. a legend in the drug trade. He is invisible to those in the DEA who have been following the rumor of such a monster for years.

This character has combined religious ceremony using dark ceremonies as well as mythical assassins to keep the cartel in line and to keep all others away. He is ruthless but invisible. Also following the General are DEA agents Federico Hernandez and CIA operative Lana Valenciano, who decide to hook up with Grey in his quest for information.


As the leads tend to create misdirection and the rumors of death by mysterious assassins continue to grow, Grey must rely on every investigation from his past to help them find this elusive yet invisible killer before he can kill again. His mentor is out of commission, yet Grey keeps him informed of the strange and shadowy secrets they are tracking. Viktor is unavailable, but his mind is as sharp as ever, and he helps guide them to connections where there seem to be nothing. The strange world of unusual religions happens to be Viktor’s specialty, and he has contacts and knowledge that keep Grey on track.

With all the help at his disposal can Grey find the General and keep the deaths from piling up?  Can he find the answers behind the mythical assassins before they strike again?

Green gives us characters that have guts and a strong survival instinct. They are smart and at times extremely dangerous. While many of the thugs are just that, they are always controlled by their own fears, and Green gives us that scary individual that hangs out in your nightmares in the form of the General.  His character Grey is quite heroic but also very caring about people. Those he cares about have a champion, but those he is after understand his drive, so he is constantly in danger. Green portrayal keeps you guessing.

If you enjoy mystery and things that go bump in the night you will enjoy The Shadow Cartel. Dominic Grey is an investigator with heart, and his past as well as his elusive mentor keeps him ahead of many of the situations. This is an exciting work and if you enjoy the characters you will be looking for Green’s past work as well.

This would be a great work for a reading or discussion group.

Rating 4/5