Having first turned his hand to a memoir of life in the NYPD, “Blue Blood,” which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Non-fiction, the author, a working cop and detective, has now turned his efforts to fiction. In this novel, it seems there is plenty of real life fact to go along with the fabricated story about two NYPD detectives.
Nick Meehan transfers into an upper Manhattan precinct from a miserable post in the Bronx under the auspices of Internal Affairs, ostensibly to get the goods on another detective, Esposito, as being “bent.” Unexpectedly, the two are partnered and develop a close relationship, and Nick is torn by his own self-doubts and unstable personal life. It soon appears that “Espo” is sort of a genius, conjuring up various scenarios to close cases as well as to help Nick’s love life.
The novel is full of detail on how a detective squad works, solving crimes and interacting with each other, written, obviously, by one who knows whereof he writes. It is amusing at time, sad at others, but throughout, rings with authenticity and emotion, and is recommended.
