Latest Books Multo with Cindy Fazzi

The Big Thrill Discusses MULTO with Cindy Fazzi

His latest job is to catch the one that got away…three times.

Filipino-American bounty hunter Domingo has made a career of catching criminal undocumented immigrants. He’s the best in the business—and it isn’t lost on him that he’s so good because of his similarities to his targets. Despite Domingo’s claims that he is unsympathetic to their plight, yet spends his spare moments on stakeouts and in between jobs writing a book of advice for aspiring immigrants. Brash, funny, and candid, he compiles the names of all the people he’s apprehended, documenting the hazards of his profession, and imparting advice to foreigners who dare to dream of life in America.

Domingo’s latest job is finding biracial Filipino woman Monica Reed—for the third time. Monica is the only fugitive who has ever escaped him, and the only one he’s ever released, against orders. As he embarks on a third and final hunt for her, Domingo uncovers a dangerous truth that Monica was determined to publicize—even though it put her life in danger. And as he chases her around the country, despite his agreement to arrest people like Monica, Domingo finds himself taking her side. Flushing out immigrants whose biggest crime was clinging to the American Dream pales in comparison to getting justice for a woman who he discovers was living in the shadows, but was only ever searching for the truth.

Cindy Fazzi

Author Cindy Fazzi recently spent time with The Big Thrill discussing MULTO, her latest contemporary thriller.

Can you pinpoint a moment or incident that sparked the idea for this book?

In 1995, I was a green-card holder waiting for my U.S. citizenship. I realized how lucky I was compared with the 3.5 million (back then) undocumented immigrants. It was the spark that started the novel.

A novel is such a major undertaking; there’s the writing of it, of course, then you’re spending months and months revising, polishing, and then promoting it. How did you know this was the book you wanted to spend the next couple of years on?

Not years, but decades! The theme of MULTO (immigration in America) is very close to my heart as an immigrant. That’s the reason why I persisted in writing MULTO and getting a literary agent who can sell it.

Were there any particular books, movies, or songs that were knocking around in your head while you were writing this one?

MULTO’s protagonist loves the 1988 film, “Midnight Run,” starring Robert De Niro as a bounty hunter. It was certainly in my mind when I was writing the novel.

When you first created your protagonist for this book, did you see an empty space in crime lit that you wanted to fill? What can you share about the inspiration for that character?

Absolutely. The reality TV show Dog the Bounty Hunter turned the trope into a “white man” trope. MULTO’s protagonist, Domingo, subverts that prevailing concept.

In addition to a great read, what do you hope readers will take away from this story?

I just want to introduce readers to more Filipino American literary characters. There are so few right now.

What can you share about what you’re working on next?

Mulat is the sequel to MULTO. Domingo the bounty hunter is working for a white heiress in investigating a man she’s obsessed with, a migrant who once saved her life.

Cindy Fazzi is a Filipino American writer and former Associated Press reporter. She has worked as a journalist in the Philippines, Taiwan, and the United States. Her contemporary thriller, MULTO, was published by Agora Books, an imprint of Polis Books. Her historical novel, My MacArthur, was published by Sand Hill Review Press in 2018. Her articles have appeared in Electric Literature, Forbes, and Writer’s Digest.

To learn more about the author, please visit her website.

MULTO with Cindy Fazzi