The Making of a Detective

To some people David Carbone is just another name. To the kids and children of a little town on Long Island called Long Beach, he is a hero and an icon to many. The name Carbone brings passion and rage to my body. He is the example of a larger than life figure. I and many of my other compadres would take a bullet for this man, and do whatever he says. The world must learn of this man, he is a living legend. His arms are so massive, he would make Mike Tyson cry like a girl. To David Carbone, we salute you, and you are my inspiration, and bring me the fire I need to succeed in life. This one's for David.

David Simon's outstanding piece of journalism "Homicide" is the first book I would recommend to anyone with an interest in law enforcement. This would be the second. Like Simon, Harvey Rachlin makes a strong effort to get the story right as he follows a New York City police officer as he is chosen to be elevated from the uniform ranks to breathe the rarified air of the detective's squadroom. Detective Dave Carbone deserves cresit for allowing Rachlin to scrutinize him so closely. Like Simon, Rachlin is mostly interested in how law enforcement professionals do what they do. Also like Simon, after reading Rachlin's account you'll have a much greater appreciation for those who try to keep our streets and neighborhoods safe for the law abiding.

Being a police officer in Manchester, England I found this book excellent reading. You could imagine all the things that went on, the crime scenes, the arrests, both the emotional and physical strains that it placed upon the officer, family and friends

This is one of the finest books I have ever read. Regardless of whether or not you are interested in the world of detective work, you should read this book simply to get an idea of what it is like to work in an environment that seems to have gone mad. For anyone who has ever stepped foor in the neighborhood which is the primary setting for this true story, East New York, you will no that the descriptions of life in the neighborhood are no exaggeration. The book takes us from a Detective's initial assignment to the NYPD's Detective Bureau, and from there, it follows his rise to stardom, his emergence as one of New York's elite homicide investigators. This was one book that I could not put down once I started reading. I would reccommend it to everyone but those with a weak stomach...some of the descriptions of crimes in this book are graphic, and more than a few heart-wrenching tales are told. All in all, a wonderful piece of work.

Probably the best police procedural book I have ever read. Like a dozen detective novels in a row, only with the added punch that this is the real thing. Highest recommendation.