The Long Run by Billy Wittenberg is an outstanding thriller. Sofia Martinez was in Cancun for a vacation with her friends before college was due to start in the fall. Sofia researched Bombom Club and discovered that it was a trendy place to have fun and dance. While there, Sofia's boyfriend Hank broke his promise not to answer phone calls, which Sofia found annoying. When Sofia went looking for him, she encountered gunfire from cartel gunmen. They were looking for Hank, and when they could not find him Sofia was kidnapped by Chucho, the gangster leader. Chucho issued an ultimatum and threatened to kill Sofia if his demands were not met. Israel, a family friend, heard about her kidnapping and was determined to rescue her and bring her home safely.

The Long Run is complex and exciting. Billy Wittenberg took me on a roller coaster ride of murder, betrayal, and drugs. I was hooked from the start. The plot was fast-paced but never felt rushed. With all the twists and turns, I never knew what to expect next. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat, and I turned the pages as fast as I could. The characters were well-developed and authentic. Sofia was my favorite. She is a strong woman who does not let her circumstances get her down. The story was brilliantly written, and the events were described in detail. Wittenberg's writing style brings the characters and their surroundings to life. The story was different from what I expected and exceeded my expectations.

If only Sofia Rodriguez had known what awaited her in Cancun, she would never have traveled to Mexico. Headed for law school at UT Rio Grande later in the year, Sofia had picked Cancun as her vacation spot. Along with two friends and her boyfriend Hank, she gets lost in the night, partying at Club Bombom - a wild nightspot in Cancun. Without warning, a group of cartel gunmen storms the club demanding to see Henry Carson, alias Hank, who had left the club a moment earlier before the attack to take a phone call. The gunmen abduct Sofia and set the club ablaze. Sofia’s cousin Israel, an ex-gang member, decides to go to Mexico to rescue her before it's too late. Elsewhere, FBI agent Dominguez is tasked with investigating the connection between the business tycoon Henry Carson Senior (Hank’s dad) and the Mexican cartel in a bid to save Sofia. With Israel on a suicide mission, Agent Dominguez sinking in a pool of lies, and Sofia in the hands of the deadliest cartel group around the Mexican-American border, what will happen next? Get yourself Billy Wittenberg’s The Long Run to learn more.

Billy Wittenberg is an incredibly gifted author. I have added The Long Run to my favorites shelf. This page-turner will have you hooked from cover to cover. Lovers of action-packed, crime thriller novels laced with a gripping tale of deceit, blackmail, betrayal, love, murder, ruthless drug cartels, savage hitmen, underdogs, dirty businessmen, sleuths, boxers, money, guns, and blood will not get enough of this book. Featuring intriguing plot twists and nerve-wracking cliffhangers, Wittenberg weaves a spell-binding plot. The evocative descriptions breathed life into the action, bringing towns in Texas and Mexico to life colorfully. It felt as if I was right there next to every character watching the events unfold. This made it easy for me to connect with the main players. This is a great example of the crime fiction genre.