Cop Shot: True Sty Mur

When it came to writing tales of the New York City Police Department, no one did it quite as good as the late Mike McAlary. He truly had a feel for the streets and the world cops lived (and died) in, and it came through in his newspaper articles and books. In "Cop Shot," the author graphically recounts the assassination of Police Officer Edward Byrne, barely twenty-two years old, cold-bloodedly shot to death by Queens crack dealers while he was guarding the home of a witness preparing to testify against them. McAlary vividly describes the violent world of the local drug dealers, for whom the crack epidemic was a cash cow which furnished them with riches beyond their wildest dreams. The reader is introduced, also, to the hardcore group of detectives who dedicated every waking moment to bringing the murderers to justice, working above and beyond the call of duty for a cause they believed in. I know that the phrase "non-stop page turner" is often bandied about by book reviewers, but in my opinion this truly applies to "Cop Shot." If you enjoy cop stories, especially case histories of the NYPD, you can't go wrong with this book.

A frustrating story, written like the veteran newspaper writer he was. I worked those streets and knew some of the people. Very true to life in many ways.

I read this book back in 1989, before I left for college. Back then it reminded of how crazy my neighborhood (Baisley Park, Queens) really was. Nowadays 50 Cent songs make me reminisce on how many lives Southside has affected. We lose alot of family and friends on every side of The Park. Looks like we haven't lost enough. KEEP FOCUS, BE READY, STAY RIGHTEOUS!ONe SIMP.S. Hold it DOWN to my SHAN (WISE)....Sorry I haven't written.