Book Review: After Escobar by Chris Feistl and Dave Mitchell with Jessica Balboni

- 29 October, 2025

‘The Gentleman of Cali’ might sound like a bunch of nice men doing gentlemanly things but it was the nickname of the figures behind the Cali Cartel – one of (if not) the most powerful and sophisticated drug cartels ever.

The Netflix show, Narcos, was a global hit. After the fall of Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel in season 2, season 3 took viewers deeper into the Cali Cartel, introducing the characters Chris Feistl (played by Michael Stahl-David) and Daniel Van Ness (played by Matt Whelan), DEA agents, who go after the Cali Cartel. TV shows can only go into so much detail due to time limits and in order to provide continuity – the real world includes much more depth, nuance and can be a little more complicated.

This is where the real Chris Feistl and Dave Mitchell’s book with Jessica Balboni, ‘After Escobar: Taking Down the Notorious Cali Godfathers and the Biggest Drug Cartel in History’, comes in. The book is almost a ride along with Chris and Dave from the moment they touchdown in Colombia for the first time to helping to bring down the Cali Cartel. Reading the book, you really do feel like you are right there with them – through the ups, downs and heart pounding moments they find themselves in.

Helping bring down a drug cartel, let alone one with such power, influence and money to bribe their way into anything and anyone, is no easy feat. After Escobar details how Chris and Dave meticulously planned all their operations, the challenges they faced in their efforts (there were many along the way!) and how they overcame them.

What they were up against was almost unbelievable, at one point in the book Chris details how a raid on one of the Cali Cartel’s properties led to a seizure of an IBM AS/400 mainframe, valued at over $1,000,000 at the time. It not only contained valuable information but proved that resources of the cartel certainly were significant.

It’s moments like these that sometimes can only be explained in detail in a book and this was the case involving a raid using chicken trucks as cover (yes, you read that right – a raid involving chicken trucks). Whilst in the Narcos show the raid was pulled off using chicken trucks as a disguise successfully and led to an arrest, the book details that in reality this proved more difficult and unsuccessful – and the reason why it turned out so difficult and unsuccessful? You’ll have to read the book to find out, as it shows just how locked down the Cali Cartel had things.

Against the backdrop of something so serious, readers are also treated to moments of some memorable comedy gold.  From the binoculars incident to how Chris and Dave managed to get out of a tricky police stop when meeting an informant – the less said about the latter the better! – you’ll be laughing along as you read these small moments of comedy in this action packed book. That being said, Chris and Dave did so much more than just help bring down a drug cartel, they saved lives whilst risking their own.

After Escobar details what really went down when Chris and Dave went after the Cali Cartel – it is worth reading the book and then revisiting Narcos season 3 to see the similarities and differences between TV and real life. If you loved Narcos on Netflix, you’ll absolutely love ‘After Escobar: Taking Down the Notorious Cali Godfathers and the Biggest Drug Cartel in History’ – go and buy it now!

Links to buy After Escobar:

Check out the After Escobar website for exclusive pictures and more: https://www.afterescobar.com/ 

Check out the Launder This podcast episode where the real Chris Feistl talks about After Escobar and his time going after the Cali Cartel: https://thelaundrynews.com/new-podcast-launder-this-premieres-first-episode-after-escobar-chris-feistl-the-real-narcos/ 

 

 

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