Twenty-three thousand people have disappeared in Mexico since 2007. The vast majority are people who were never involved in organized crime: They are mothers, daughters, and sisters who go missing, leaving their families without closure. Kingdom of Shadows unpacks this staggering statistic through the powerful stories of three individuals whose lives intersect with the U.S.-Mexico “drug war” at various crossroads. In Monterrey, a nun advocates for families of the disappeared. Her words help soothe the anguish involved in not knowing, and propel their stories on to officials who may be able to help. A federal agent describes the harrowing work of infiltrating cartels undercover and tracing illegal importation. His relationship to the border is a complicated one, as his own father crossed into the U.S. illegally many years ago. A Texas rancher and former smuggler recalls his high-stakes trips between the U.S. and Mexico, and recounts how violence escalated when competition within the drug trade increased. Their distinct experiences relate in ways not immediately apparent, exposing dark corners of this current human rights crisis with depth and nuance.  ST