History Literature / TheCartel

* BloodBrothers: Diego Tapia and Adan Barrera grew up together and worked in the cartel together. [[spoiler: However, it doesn't save Diego when Adan's nephew Sal is in prison.]]

* ThreeAmigos: Adan Barrera, Nacho Esparza, and Diego Tapia, the three are Sinaloans who grew up together. [[spoiler: Barrera eventually favors Esparza by marrying his daughter and selling out Diego to save his nephew.]]

The Cartel is the 2015 novel and direct sequel to The Power of The Dog. About a decade after the first novel: Arthur 'Art' Keller has retired from the DEA and Adan Barrera is in a US prison. Barrera using his connections and brainpower escapes custody. This brings the retired Keller back into the fight.

* MarkedToDie: Keller is marked by Barrea at the start of the novel with a 2 million dollar bounty. Eddie, Chuy and Pablo all become targets due to their actions against the Zetas. [[spoiler: Pablo is the only one to be killed.]]

* KnifeNut: Juan Jesus Cabray, the assassin who attempts to kill Adan in prison.

* AdultFear: Living in constant fear of your kids becoming a part of the drug trade. Or scarier, your family becoming collateral to the drug trade.

* DirtyCop: A significant portion of the Mexican police are, notably [[Gerardo Vera.]] As well as La Linea, a group of cops paid off by the Juarez cartel to act as enforcement.

* BeingGoodSucks: Keller tries. But more often than not, it costs more than it's worth. [[Spoiler: Once he goes with the FES and becomes amoral, he gets results quicker.]]

* SlashedThroat: [[spoiler: How Chuy kills Gabe using a piece of broken glass.]]* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: Far on the cynical side as the novel ends with far more destruction down than good.

* PreMortemOneLiner: "A psalm: 'Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin'", [[Spoiler: Art to Adan before shooting him.]]

* AllForNothing: A lot of things done in the novel pan out to be this. [[Spoiler: Corruption and the drug trade survive Barrera's reign. Chuy is broken. Eddie still goes to jail. Pablo's exposure of the cartel leads to his murder.]]

* AnyoneCanDie: As with the novel's dark tone, most named characters are dead by the end. [[Spoiler: The list includes, Barrera, Magda, Diego Tapia, Pablo, Nacho, Jinema and Giogrio.]]

* ByTheBookCop: Luis Aguliar in the beginning when he is the 'good cop' to Vera's bad cop. He believes in the law above all, even calling Keller out on his shit. [[Spoiler: While Keller is skeptical of both of them, ulitamtely, Aguliar wins him over. But when Aguliar plays dirty, it gets him killed.]]

* ManipulativeBastard: Adan Barrera. He constantly betrays and murders others for his own gain. Just ask [[Spoiler: Diego]]
* MarkedToDie: Keller is marked by Barrea at the start of the novel with a 2 million dollar bounty. Eddie, Chuy and Pablo all become targets due to their actions against the Zetas. [[Spoiler: Pablo is the only one to be killed.]]

* TheEveryman: Pablo Maro, a reporter for a Juarez paper who has no affliation with the cartel or police. [[Spoiler: He takes credit for writing a blog about the Zetas, however.]]

* ThreeAmigos: Adan Barrera, Nacho Esparza, and Diego Tapia, the three are Sinaloans who grew up together. [[Spoiler: Barrera eventually favors Esparza by marrying his daughter and selling out Diego to save his nephew.]]

%%
%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.
%%

%%* ActionDuo: Gerardo Vera and Luis Aguilar, Vera even tells the media to call them Batman and Robin.
%%* ActionHero: Art Keller
%%* ActionSurvivor: Nothing seems to be able to kill Art Keller, no matter how much is thrown at him.
%%* ADayInTheLimelight: A few characters get some focus often to set up an atmosphere.

%%* AffablyEvil: Adan Barrera is friendly but he is also evil.

%%* AllForNothing: A lot of things done in the novel pan out to be this.

%%* AmoralAttorney: Ben 'Minimum Ben' Tompkins.
%%* AnachronicOrder: Some events are played out from different perspectives.

%%* AntiHero: Art Keller. He may be on the right side of the law but he is not above playing dirty to get Barrera.
* AnyoneCanDie: As with the novels dark tone, most named characters are dead by the end.
%%* AnythingThatMoves: The cartels are made up of a lot of players.
%%* ArmorIsUseless: Averted, armor keeps people alive.
%%* BadassArmy: Los Zetas: The militarized wing of the Gulf Cartel made up of ex-Special Forces. The FES counts as well, being the only group to successfully combat the Zetas.

* BadgesAndDogTags: Keller was in the CIA before he was DEA. Numerous members of the Mexican police forces were in the military before.

%%* BeingGoodSucks: Keller tries his best but he goes through a lot before he gets results.

* BestFriendsInLaw: Adan Barrera's mentor Nacho Esparza becomes Adan's father in law when he marries his youngest daughter Eva.
%%* BerserkButton: Don't try to change Art Keller's mind about Adan Barrera.
* BetterTheDevilYouKnow: [[spoiler: Tim Taylor makes a deal to work with Adan Barrera because the DEA can trust Barrera over Los Zetas because of Keller. He is least than pleased when he hears about it.]]
%%* BigBad: Adan Barrera.
%%* BigBadEnsemble: There is Adan Barrera and Diego Tapia of the Sinaloa Cartel. Ochoa and Forty of Los Zetas. Plus all the smaller cartel bosses, corrupt army generals and police officials.

%%* BloodKnight: Forty.

%%* BoobyTrap: Some of Adan's safe houses are traps to kill Keller.

%%* BreakThemByTalking: Keller's specialty.

%%* ByTheBookCop: Luis Aguliar in the beginning.

%%* ColdBloodedTorture: A favorite of Los Zetas.
%%* CoolOldGuy: Don Pedro Alejo de Castillo. He kills six members of Los Zetas BY HIMSELF!
%%* CopKiller: From cartel sicarios to other cops.
%%* CorpseLand: Juarez could be considered this.
%%* CowboyCop: Gerardo Vera. Art Keller slowly becomes this.
%%* CrapsackWorld: Mexico. Especially Juarez.

%%* CrusadingLawyer: Luis Aguliar who works as a prosecutor.
%%* {{Cult}}: La Familia Michoacana is considered this.
%%* DaEditor: Oscar Herrera.

%%* DepravedHomosexual: According to Eddie Ruiz, Ochoa.

%%* DetectiveMole: [[spoiler: Gerardo Vera.]]
%%* {{Determinator}}: ART-FREAKING-KELLER.
%%* DidYouActuallyBelieve: [[spoiler: Art would just let Adan go?]]
%%* DirtyCop: Most of the Mexican police are.

* DisappointedInYou: Adan gives this speech when Sal kills two innocent people.

%%* EliteArmy: FES and Los Zetas.

%%* EnfantTerrible: Chuy.
%%* EntitledBastard: Sal.

%%* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The Tapia brothers do all love each other. Adan loves his nephew. Nacho loves Eva.

%%* EverybodyMustGetStoned: Most parties play out like this.
%%* EveryoneLovesBlondes: Blonde women get the most attention.

%%* GoldDigger: Averted, Madga has her own money and power.

%%* GoodIsNotNice: Don't fuck with Art Keller.
%%* GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex: Art and Marisol.
%%* GottaKillThemAll: How most people feel about Los Zetas.
* GrenadeLauncher: The cartels have a few to use. Chuy uses one [[spoiler: to accidentally shoot out Art's helicopter.]]
%%* HairTriggerTemper: A lot of members of the cartel have it. The biggest offender is probably Sal Barrera.

%%* HighSchoolHustler: Eddie Ruiz was one.

%%* IHaveAFamily: People try to use this, it never works.
%%* IJustWantToBeNormal: Chuy wants this after all he went through.

%%* IShallTauntYou: Adan does this to Keller [[spoiler: after he cuts a deal.]]
* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: Keller ejects a dealer who sold guys to Los Zetas with pure cocaine.

%%* {{Jerkass}}: Too many to count with characters as scummy as petty murders, psychopaths, and corrupt cops.
%%* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Eddie Ruiz.

%%* KilledOffScreen: [[spoiler: Pablo and Erika]]

%%* KillThePoor: How some people view the War on Drugs.
%%* KnifeNut: Juan Jesus Cabray.
%%* KnightInSourArmor: Keller.
%%* KubrickStare: Chuy has one everyone once in a while.
%%* LadyMacbeth: Madga plays this to Adan.
%%* LargeHam: Vincente Fuentes, Boss of the Juarez Cartel.
%%* LargeAndInCharge: Gordo Contreras, but not as in charge.
%%* LatinLand: Mexico.
%%* MadeOfEvil: Adan Barrera.
%%* ManipulativeBastard: Adan Barrera.
%%* MarkedToDie: Keller, Eddie, Chuy and Pablo all become targets.

%%* NewOldWest

%%* NobleSavage: Crazy Eddie Ruiz.
%%* NoKillLikeOverKill: A lot of deaths are extremely brutal.

%%* OffWithHerHead: A lot of people lose their heads.
%%* PayEvilUntoEvil: Keller goes to extreme measures to take down Los Zetas and Barrera.

%%* PoliceBrutality: They are extremely violent as well.
* PregnantHostage: Madga is pregnant with Barrera's child when she is [[spoiler: kidnapped by Los Zetas. It doesn't save her.]]

%%* PreMortemOneLiner: "A psalm: 'Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin'".

%%* PyrrhicVictory: Marisol, Keller, and Chuy are devastated by the end.

%%* RealityIsUnrealistic: A lot of violence is the novel seems over the top. But Winslow's research proves this is far from fiction.
%%* ReallyGetsAround: Eddie Ruiz.
%%* RecognizableBySound: How Keller discovers [[spoiler: Vera is dirty.]]
%%* RecruitingTheCriminal: Keller asks Eddie Ruiz if he wants to go on the final raid against Los Zetas. He accepts.
%%* RedShirtArmy: Most soldiers are not given names.

%%** Arguably Keller throughout the novel against Barrera.
%%* RogueAgent: How people view Keller.
%%* {{Sadist}}: Forty and Ochoa.
%%* ShoutOut: Numerous to Star Wars and the Godfather.
%%* SlashedThroat: [[spoiler: How Chuy kills Gabe.]]
%%* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: Far to the cynical side.
%%* SmartPeoplePlayChess: Aguliar.
%%* SouthOfTheBorder
%%* SteelEarDrums: Averted, gunfire in close quarters leads to ears hurting.
%%* SWATTeam: constantly used.
%%* TearsOfFear: Most tears are from this.

%%* TheEveryman: Pablo Maro.
%%* TheHunterBecomesTheHunted: Anyone who fights Adan Barrera or Los Zetas often become this.

%%* ThreeAmigos: Adan Barrera, Nacho Esparza, and Diego Tapias.
%%* TookALevelInCynic: Keller is far from his idealistic youth.
%%* ToughLove: Keller tries to enact this sometimes, it doesn't usually work.

%%* UnstoppableRage: Keller's feeling for Barrera.

--

!!! Tropes associated with the novel.
* ActionDuo: Gerardo Vera and Luis Aguilar, Vera even tells the media to call them Batman and Robin.
* ActionHero: Art Keller
* ActionSurvivor: Nothing seems to be able to kill Art Keller, no matter how much is thrown at him.
* ADayInTheLimelight: A few characters get some focus often to set up an atmosphere.

* AffablyEvil: Adan Barrera is friendly but he is also evil.

* AllForNothing: A lot of things done in the novel pan out to be this.

* AmoralAttorney: Ben 'Minimum Ben' Tompkins.
* AnachronicOrder: Some events are played out from different perspectives.

* AntiHero: Art Keller. He may be on the right side of the law but he is not above playing dirty to get Barrera.

* AnythingThatMoves: The cartels are made up of a lot of players.
* ArmorIsUseless: Averted, armor keeps people alive.
* BadassArmy: Los Zetas: The militarized wing of the Gulf Cartel made up of ex-Special Forces. The FES counts as well, being the only group to successfully combat the Zetas.

* BeingGoodSucks: Keller tries his best but he goes through a lot before he gets results.

* BerserkButton: Don't try to change Art Keller's mind about Adan Barrera.

* BigBad: Adan Barrera.
* BigBadEnsemble: There is Adan Barrera and Diego Tapia of the Sinaloa Cartel. Ochoa and Forty of Los Zetas. Plus all the smaller cartel bosses, corrupt army generals and police officials.

* BloodKnight: Forty.

* BoobyTrap: Some of Adan's safe houses are traps to kill Keller.

* BreakThemByTalking: Keller's specialty.

* ByTheBookCop: Luis Aguliar in the beginning.

* ColdBloodedTorture: A favorite of Los Zetas.
* CoolOldGuy: Don Pedro Alejo de Castillo. He kills six members of Los Zetas BY HIMSELF!
* CopKiller: From cartel sicarios to other cops.
* CorpseLand: Juarez could be considered this.
* CowboyCop: Gerardo Vera. Art Keller slowly becomes this.
* CrapsackWorld: Mexico. Especially Juarez.

* CrusadingLawyer: Luis Aguliar who works as a prosecutor.
* {{Cult}}: La Familia Michoacana is considered this.
* DaEditor: Oscar Herrera.

* DepravedHomosexual: According to Eddie Ruiz, Ochoa.

* DetectiveMole: [[spoiler: Gerardo Vera.]]
* {{Determinator}}: ART-FREAKING-KELLER.
* DidYouActuallyBelieve: [[spoiler: Art would just let Adan go?]]
* DirtyCop: Most of the Mexican police are.

* EliteArmy: FES and Los Zetas.

* EnfantTerrible: Chuy.
* EntitledBastard: Sal.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The Tapia brothers do all love each other. Adan loves his nephew. Nacho loves Eva.

* EverybodyMustGetStoned: Most parties play out like this.
* EveryoneLovesBlondes: Blonde women get the most attention.

* GoldDigger: Averted, Madga has her own money and power.

* GoodIsNotNice: Don't fuck with Art Keller.
* GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex: Art and Marisol.
* GottaKillThemAll: How most people feel about Los Zetas.

* HairTriggerTemper: A lot of members of the cartel have it. The biggest offender is probably Sal Barrera.

* HighSchoolHustler: Eddie Ruiz was one.

* IHaveAFamily: People try to use this, it never works.
* IJustWantToBeNormal: Chuy wants this after all he went through.

* IShallTauntYou: Adan does this to Keller [[spoiler: after he cuts a deal.]]

* {{Jerkass}}: Too many to count with characters as scummy as petty murders, psychopaths, and corrupt cops.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Eddie Ruiz.

* KilledOffScreen: [[spoiler: Pablo and Erika]]

* KillThePoor: How some people view the War on Drugs.
* KnifeNut: Juan Jesus Cabray.
* KnightInSourArmor: Keller.
* KubrickStare: Chuy has one everyone once in a while.
* LadyMacbeth: Madga plays this to Adan.
* LargeHam: Vincente Fuentes, Boss of the Juarez Cartel.
* LargeAndInCharge: Gordo Contreras, but not as in charge.
* LatinLand: Mexico.
* MadeOfEvil: Adan Barrera.
* ManipulativeBastard: Adan Barrera.
* MarkedToDie: Keller, Eddie, Chuy and Pablo all become targets.

* NewOldWest

* NobleSavage: Crazy Eddie Ruiz.
* NoKillLikeOverKill: A lot of deaths are extremely brutal.

* OffWithHerHead: A lot of people lose their heads.
* PayEvilUntoEvil: Keller goes to extreme measures to take down Los Zetas and Barrera.

* PoliceBrutality: They are extremely violent as well.
* [[spoiler: PregnantHostage: Madga is pregnant with Barrera's child when she is kidnapped by Los Zetas. It doesn't save her.]]

* PreMortemOneLiner: "A psalm: 'Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin'".

* PyrrhicVictory: Marisol, Keller, and Chuy are devastated by the end.

* RealityIsUnrealistic: A lot of violence is the novel seems over the top. But Winslow's research proves this is far from fiction.
* ReallyGetsAround: Eddie Ruiz.
* RecognizableBySound: How Keller discovers [[spoiler: Vera is dirty.]]
* RecruitingTheCriminal: Keller asks Eddie Ruiz if he wants to go on the final raid against Los Zetas. He accepts.
* RedShirtArmy: Most soldiers are not given names.

** Arguably Keller throughout the novel against Barrera.
* RogueAgent: How people view Keller.
* {{Sadist}}: Forty and Ochoa.
* ShoutOut: Numerous to Star Wars and the Godfather.
* SlashedThroat: [[spoiler: How Chuy kills Gabe.]]
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: Far to the cynical side.
* SmartPeoplePlayChess: Aguliar.
* SouthOfTheBorder
* SteelEarDrums: Averted, gunfire in close quarters leads to ears hurting.
* SWATTeam: constantly used.
* TearsOfFear: Most tears are from this.

* TheEveryman: Pablo Maro.
* TheHunterBecomesTheHunted: Anyone who fights Adan Barrera or Los Zetas often become this.

* ThreeAmigos: Adan Barrera, Nacho Esparza, and Diego Tapias.
* TookALevelInCynic: Keller is far from his idealistic youth.
* ToughLove: Keller tries to enact this sometimes, it doesn't usually work.

* UnstoppableRage: Keller's feeling for Barrera.

* NotSoDifferent: Adan Barrera and Art Keller.

* RealityEnsues: When Taylor and Keller bring Los Zetas to the heads of Washington, they don't care until after Keller set up a sting showing Los Zetas is selling guns to Islamic Extremist. [[spoiler: They still don't do anything, officially.]]

* JailBait: Eva is groomed to be Adan's bride when she's 17.

* BadDreams: Chuy suffers them often during and after his time with Los Zetas. Keller as well.

* AntagonistTitle: The Cartel are the main antagonists of the novel.

* BigBadEnsemble: There is Adan Barrera and Diego Tapias of the Sinaloa Cartel. Ochoa and Forty of Los Zetas. Plus all the smaller cartel bosses, corrupt army generals and police officials.
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Keller has finally killed Barrera after a 40-year blood feud. Los Zetas has lost its leadership but so many people have died and so much damage has been done that it hardly feels worth it.]]

* BloodBrothers: Diego Tapias and Adan Barrera grew up together and worked in the cartel together. [[spoiler: However, it doesn't save Diego when Adan's nephew Sal is in prison.]]

* BriefcaseFullOfMoney: Yvette Tapias' way of transporting money.

* ChekhovsGunman: Richard Jimenez. He is introduced in the first few pages and isn't brought up until near the end to help find Keller a suspect. [[spoiler: his death escalates the DEA involvement.]]

* DepravedHomosexual: [[spoiler: According to Eddie Ruiz, Ochoa]]

* FingerGun: Pablo gets this when threatened to say that the Sinolan cartel murdered 15 party goers.

* HallwayFight: The raid on Diego Tapias has a shootout in the middle of the hallway.

* PrivateMilitaryContractors: [[spoiler: a group approach Keller to help them kill the Los Zetas leadership unofficially for Washington]].

The Cartel is the 2015 novel and direct sequel to The Power of The Dog. About a decade after the first novel: Arturo 'Art' Keller has retired from the DEA and Adan Barrera is in a US prison. Barrera using his connections and brainpower escapes custody. This brings the retired Keller back into the fight.

---

* TheHunterBecomesTheHunt: Anyone who fights Adan Barrera or Los Zetas often become this.
* TheMafia: The Italian mafia in Europe moves the Gulf Cartel's cocaine.

* BittersweetEnding: [[Spoiler: Keller has finally killed Barrera after a 40-year blood feud. Los Zetas has lost its leadership but so many people have died and so much damage has been done that it hardly feels worth it.]]

* BloodBrothers: Diego Tapias and Adan Barrera grew up together and worked in the cartel together. [[Spoiler: However, it doesn't save Diego when Adan's nephew Sal is in prison.]]

*

[[caption-width-right:300:"Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it.]]

* BreakTheCutie: Marisol Cisneros, an idealistic doctor who wants to help people during the cartel war is slowly broken. [[Spoiler: After getting shot and the deaths of her friend Jimena Abarca and surrogate daughter Erika Valles, she almost completely breaks.]]

* ChekovsGunman: Richard Jimenez. He is introduced in the first few pages and isn't brought up until near the end to help find Keller a suspect. [[spoiler: his death escalates the DEA involvement.]]

* ColdBlooded Torture: A favorite of Los Zetas.

* DespairEventHerizon: After Marisol is almost killed, Art snaps back into action.

* {{Determinator}}: ART-FREAKING-KELLER

* AlasPoorVillian: Averted to high hell, all the villains have done so much damage that when they get there commence, it's nothing short of cathartic.

* AntagonisticTitle: The Cartel are the main antagonists of the novel.

* ArmorIsUsless: Averted, armor keeps people alive.

* BeserkButton: Don't try to change Art Keller's mind about Adan Barrera.
* BetterTheDeviYouKnow: [[spoiler: Tim Taylor makes a deal to work with Adan Barrera because the DEA can trust Barrera over Los Zetas because of Keller. He is least than pleased when he hears about it.]]

* BodyguardBetrayel: [[spoiler: Chuy was working security when he goes rogue in the climax.]]

* BreakTheCutie: Marisol Cisneros, an idealistic doctor who wants to help people during the cartel war is slowly broken. [[Spoiler: After getting shot and the deaths of her friend Jimena Abarca and surrogate daughter Erika Valles, she almost completely breaks.}}