What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedLa Reina del Sur
Roberto Stopello · Series · 2011
If you loved La Reina del Sur, start with Queen of the South (M.A. Fortin, 2016) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 books, 3 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to La Reina del Sur across media.
What hooked you in La Reina del Sur was the visceral transformation of an ordinary person navigating the ruthless, high-stakes underworld of global drug trafficking.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Queen of the South
M.A. Fortin · Series · 2016
Books on the same thread
Gomorrah
Roberto Saviano · Book · 2007
Shares a thread with La Reina del Sur: Organized Crime.
If La Reina del Sur captivated you with its unflinching look at organized crime, this investigative account provides the brutal, real-world context behind the systemic corruption of the mafia.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Millennium Trilogy)
Stieg Larsson · Book · 2010
Explores: corruption, conspiracy, abuse of power.
Much like the determined protagonist of La Reina del Sur, the characters here fight against powerful, corrupt systems, mirroring the intense struggle for survival in a dangerous, criminal landscape.
The Late Show
Michael Connelly · Book · 2017
Explores: Female Detective, LAPD, Redemption.
Fans of the driven female lead in La Reina del Sur will appreciate this gritty procedural, which follows a tenacious detective navigating the high-pressure environment of the LAPD.
News of a Kidnapping
Gabriel García Márquez · Book · 2014
Explores: Kidnapping, Drug Cartels, Political Violence.
This narrative non-fiction offers the same harrowing insight into the power of cartels seen in La Reina del Sur, focusing on the human cost of drug-fueled political violence.
Films on the same thread
El Infierno
Luis Estrada · Film · 2010
Shares a thread with La Reina del Sur: Survival.
Just as the protagonist of La Reina del Sur is forced into a life of crime, this film depicts an ordinary man descending into the cartel underworld to survive.
Scarface
Film · 1983
Shares 2 threads with La Reina del Sur: Drug trafficking, Crime drama.
If you were drawn to the rise-to-power narrative in La Reina del Sur, this classic film charts a similarly explosive and violent ascent to the top of the drug trade.
Nine Queens
Fabián Bielinsky · Film · 2000
Explores: Deception, Moral Ambiguity, Social Commentary.
This heist film captures the same atmosphere of deception and moral ambiguity that defined the journey of the central character in La Reina del Sur while navigating dangerous schemes.
Podcasts on the same thread
Crime World
Podcast
Shares 2 threads with La Reina del Sur: Organized Crime, Drug Trafficking.
This podcast explores the same grim, real-world underworld dynamics that made La Reina del Sur feel so authentic, delving into the gritty reality of organized crime and drug trafficking.
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
Explores: moral ambiguity, social justice, human behavior.
For those fascinated by the complex moral landscape of La Reina del Sur, this series examines the blurred lines between right and wrong through compelling, investigative human interest stories.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Queen of the South related to La Reina del Sur?
Yes, Queen of the South is an adaptation of the same source material that inspired La Reina del Sur. Both series follow the rise of a woman of humble origins who eventually becomes a powerful legend within the world of drug trafficking.
What is the premise of La Reina del Sur?
La Reina del Sur tells the story of a woman of humble origin who faces years of blood, sweat, and tears. The narrative tracks her transformation into a legendary figure in the drug trafficking industry and explores the consequences of that life.
Should I watch La Reina del Sur before Queen of the South?
Since both shows are adaptations of the same story, you do not need to watch one to understand the other. You can watch La Reina del Sur or Queen of the South independently to experience the journey of the protagonist as she becomes a trafficking legend.
Is La Reina del Sur based on a book?
La Reina del Sur is a television series based on source material that explores the life of a woman who rises from humble beginnings to become a drug trafficking legend. This same material also serves as the basis for the 2016 television series Queen of the South.