City of Omens: A Search for the Missing Women of the Borderlands

In this somewhat academic study, epidemiologist Werb investigates the massive rise in the murder rate for women in Tijuana beginning circa 2010, seeking the “pathogen” that could be causing it. Originally sent to Tijuana to study HIV, Werb quickly became aware that intravenous drug use and sex work were contributing to both the transmission of the virus and the increase in murders. He applied the precision-oriented tools of his trade to the nefarious practices of both the drug cartels and the Tijuana police. Werb learned that thousands of women migrate to the city each year seeking work at one of its many factories, then find themselves ensnared in the city’s underworld; those who seek help from the police or a way out of heroin addiction through the methadone clinics often end up even more entangled. Werb’s reportage is diligent; he speaks to sex workers, their customers, police officers, and fellow epidemiologists. Although his scientific language and deep dives into epidemiological practices make certain passages opaque, Werb shines a light on an outbreak of brutal crimes against Tijuana’s most vulnerable population. This is a well-researched, pressing study relevant to a wide audience. Agent: Kirby Kim, Janklow and Nesbit Associates. (June)