The brutal kidnapping of several prominent Colombians by thugs of Pablo Escobar, a billionaire drugs baron, and their subsequent incarceration as hostages in order to paralyse the governnaent, is a gripping and suspenseful tale in the hands of Garcia Marquez. Using interviews and diaries, he recreates the terror of the victims and fears of their loved ones while investigating the pathology of a man with no regard for human life or the rule of law.