OLD SCHOOL...
THE NEW CENTURIANS by Joseph Wambaugh
THE CHOIRBOYS
THE ONION FIELD
THE BLACK MARBLE
AND ANYTHING ELSE BY JOE.
Michael Connelly's "Bosch" tv series on Prime is going into it's final season. If you like Connelly's novels or have watched the Bosch series I encourage you to check out the final. The Bosch character has a lot of characteristics of retired LAPD Homicide Detective, Rick Jackson, who has been an inspiration for his friend and author, Michael Connelly. Check it out, especially if you like realism with a lot of suspense and action. I can't wait.
Do you like mysteries? Then I'd pick anything by Michael Connelly...Dark Sacred Night, Two Kinds of Truth, The Black Echo, and The Late Show for starters. Of course, I'm a big Joseph Wambaugh fan. Check out The Onion Field, The New Centurians, The Blue Knight, and The Black Marble. Is there a common thread in all the aforementioned novels? If you guessed they're all about the LAPD you'd be correct.
When an LAPD recruit is nearing the last few months of the Police Academy he is assigned to one of the Divisions to get a taste of what it's like to work patrol and detectives, then it's back to the Academy. I was assigned to East LA's Hollenbeck Division. I was given the assignment to work with two of the veteran Burglary detectives, one being Sgt. Joe Wambaugh. Joe had completed his first novel, The New Centurions, which later became a hit motion picture starring George C. Scott. I tried to impress the detectives and was off to a good start when I pointed out a pattern on a string of burglaries they were trying to solve. The burglars were hitting houses that were the second house from the corner, all on the North side of the street, between 2pm and 3pm. They were impressed with my observations. Now, the detectives wanted to take me to lunch. I was told we were going to a Mexican restaurant and they didn't want anyone there to know we were cops. I nodded, yes we're undercover, plain clothes. We got there and sat at a table away from, but in full view of the front door. They waitress came over, took the two detective's order, then turned to me. "And, what would you like OFFICER?" What!? How'd she know I was a cop? The two seasoned detectives just shook their heads. I looked down and noticed that I was still wearing my Police ID Card on my sportscoat pocket. Needless to say...I felt a little stupid. So much for making good impressions.
Any comments? I'd like to hear from you.
BBrunelleSr@aol..com
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