Undercover Cop: How I Brought Down the Real-Life Sopranos
“The book is a whirlwind of suspense, violence and moral ambiguity. The daily grind that reveals the inner workings, language and codes of the mafia are perhaps its most fascinating feature. It feels real, likeThe Sopranos, but it is both more thrilling and terrifying than any TV show could hope to be.”—MrPorter.com“Russell details his encounters with many notorious figures in New York’s ‘Five Families’ and provides a good sense of the nitty-gritty tradecraft involved in undercover investigations.”—Kirkus Reviews“Billed as a true-crime version of The Sopranos, the story of Russell’s violent life as an undercover cop cum trusted associate of the Genovese crime clan in Newark, N.J., has more plot twists than the acclaimed TV series. In fact, Russell predates Tony Soprano and company by a longshot—he was the subject of an HBO documentary that aired in the late ’80s, and his is a thrill-a-minute tale. Within the first 20 pages, Russell’s taken a bullet to the head, fended off a would-be corpse robber, and stumbled out of an alley to find help. Soon after, he returns to the tough work of weaseling his way back into the arms of the Mafia. Written in a street-savvy style reminiscent of Elmore Leonard and Mario Puzo, the nail-biting narrative moves from one crisis to another as Mikey Ga-Ga—his nom de guerre—infiltrates a profitable crew while rubbing shoulders with capos and bosses, all under intense mob scrutiny. Russell’s bravery and professionalism—along with some crucial surveillance—eventually led to the busts of more than 50 “wiseguys” and public officials. This tell-all page-turner is all the better for being true.”—Publishers Weekly“Nobody did undercover better than Mike Russell. His story is grittier thanThe Sopranos, more volatile thanGoodfellas. A must read.”—George Anastasia, author ofThe Last GangsterandThe Goodfella Tapes“Mike Russell is one tough cop. This book is a great read.”—the late Henry Hill, subject ofWiseguy, the basis of Scorsese’sGoodfellas“Wonderful details. A bizarre world depicted with such accuracy that several times it made me laugh out loud. A very good read.”—Robert Daley, former Deputy Chief of Public Information (DCPI) of the NYPD, author ofPrince of the CityandTarget Blue“What a nail-biter! Forget the Sopranos, real-life or otherwise. If you're a fan of Donnie Brasco because it actually had a good guy -- the undercover cop -- then this book's for you.  Some of Mike Russell's story is so pulse-pounding that the only reason I could read it was, he lived to write the book so it must've turned out okay. This is the story of a cop who really knows, co-written by an ex-cop who can really write. I couldn't put it down.”—SJ Rozan, Edgar award winning author ofGhost Hero