Walk the Blue Line: Real Cops, True Stories

by James Patterson, Matt Eversmann, Chris Mooney (With)

Overview

From the #1 New York Times bestselling authors of Walk in My Combat Boots: true-life stories from the men and women who protect and serve our homes, families and communities.

Protect

These men and women are our eyes. Our ears. Our protectors. Those who wear a badge, doing their best to help people.

Serve

These cops serve their communities. They serve their country. They’re in the business of saving lives—even at the risk of their own.

Defend

These patrol officers and K9 handlers, sheriffs and detectives, reveal what it’s really like to wear the uniform, to carry the weight of the responsibility they’ve been given.

This is a calling. This is the job.

“Walk the Blue Line is the book that the law-enforcement community has been waiting for. These stories showcase the courage, the hurt, the anger and the joy that can be found in every officer’s DNA—and above all, their commitment to making difficult situations a little bit better." —Jim Pasco, Executive Director, National Fraternal Order of Police

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538710869
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	02/06/2024
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	67,866
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.80(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

James Patterson is the world’s bestselling author. The creator of Alex Cross, he has produced more enduring fictional heroes than any other novelist alive. He lives in Florida with his family.   

Matt Eversmann retired from the Army after twenty years of service. His first book with James Patterson was Walk in My Combat Boots.

Chris Mooney is the international bestselling author of fourteen thrillers. The Mystery Writers of America nominated Remembering Sarah for an Edgar Award. He teaches creative writing at Harvard.

Hometown:

Palm Beach, Florida

Date of Birth:

March 22, 1947

Place of Birth:

Newburgh, New York

Education:

B.A., Manhattan College, 1969; M.A., Vanderbilt University, 1971

Website:

http://www.jamespatterson.com

Editorial Reviews

Keen insights into the men and women behind the police sirens.  For anyone who has ever wondered what these officers see, how they feel, and why they do it, Walk the Blue Line has the answers. This book will make you think...and it will make you listen.”—Raymond W. Kelly, Former New York City Police Commissioner; Chief Executive Officer, Guardian Group

“An unvarnished collection of true stories about the challenges ingrained in the policing profession. James Patterson’s Walk the Blue Line makes you feel like you are literally on the street with these officers as they open up about the most difficult days of their policing careers. This is a must-read.”—Chief Terrence M. Cunningham, (Ret.), Deputy Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer International Association of Chiefs of Police

“Walk the Blue Line is the book that the law-enforcement community has been waiting for.These stories showcase the courage, the hurt, the anger and the joy that can be found in every officer’s DNA.” —Jim Pasco, Executive Director, National Fraternal Order of Police

From the Publisher

2022-11-29
Real-life stories about one of the toughest jobs in the world.

Police work is grindingly difficult, an ongoing struggle of finding the right course through a maze of bad alternatives. Patterson has done extensive research about police for his many successful novels, and Eversmann is a former Army Ranger who worked with the author on two previous collections, E.R. Nurses and Walk in My Combat Boots. As in those books, the authors allow their protagonists to recount their experiences for themselves. The stories cover many different types of police work, from SWAT teams to cold case investigators. There are 20-year veterans and recruits fresh out of training. A recurring theme is that they joined the police force to make a positive difference in their communities. Several of the accounts deal with small victories, recounting lives that could have turned bad but were set on a better path by making a personal connection. In a few cases, officers express feeling overwhelmed by a rising tide of gangs, guns, and drugs. Other stories deal with violent cases that defy explanation and are heart-rending in their pointlessness. It is no surprise that many officers experience post-trauma stress, although most police forces have recognized the problem and provide specialist help. The rhetoric of anti-police activists has added a sour note, and accusations of racism are especially painful for officers who are themselves from a minority. Nevertheless, the desire to protect, serve, and defend remains strong. “Like many in law enforcement, I’ve gone through traumatic events that, at times, turned me hard,” says one officer. "Made me rough around the edges and, at times, unapproachable. Behind every badge is a human being who has flaws and problems and suffers and is trying to do the best job he or she can.”

A notable collection of heartfelt stories from the front line told with honesty and compassion.

Kirkus Reviews