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Blood and the Badge: The Mafia, Two Killer Cops, and a Scandal That Shocked the Nation
For the first time in forty years, former New York Times editor Michael Cannell unearths the full story behind two ruthless New York cops who acted as double agents for the Mafia.
No episode in NYPD history surpasses the depravities of Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, two decorated detectives who covertly acted as mafia informants and paid assassins in the Scorsese world of 1980s Brooklyn.
For more than ten years, Eppolito and Caracappa moonlighted as the mob’s early warning alert system, leaking names of mobsters secretly cooperating with the government and crippling investigations by sharing details of surveillance, phone taps and impending arrests. The Lucchese boss called the two detectives his crystal ball: Whatever detectives knew, the mafia soon learned. Most grievously, Eppolito and Caracappa earned bonuses by staging eight mob hits, pulling the trigger themselves at least once.
No episode in NYPD history surpasses the depravities of Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, two decorated detectives who covertly acted as mafia informants and paid assassins in the Scorsese world of 1980s Brooklyn.
For more than ten years, Eppolito and Caracappa moonlighted as the mob’s early warning alert system, leaking names of mobsters secretly cooperating with the government and crippling investigations by sharing details of surveillance, phone taps and impending arrests. The Lucchese boss called the two detectives his crystal ball: Whatever detectives knew, the mafia soon learned. Most grievously, Eppolito and Caracappa earned bonuses by staging eight mob hits, pulling the trigger themselves at least once.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 14, 2025
134 people are currently reading
10445 people want to read
About the author
Michael Cannell
9 books143 followersMichael Cannell is the author of five non-fiction books:
Blood and the Badge: The Mafia, Two Killer Cops, and a Scandal That Shocked the Nation
A Brotherhood Betrayed: The Man Behind the Rise and Fall of Murder, Inc.
Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber and the Invention of Criminal Profiling
The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit
I.M Pei: Mandarin of Modernism.
Michael edited the House & Home section of The New York Times for seven years. He has contributed to The New Yorker, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated and many other publications. He is a graduate of Princeton and the Columbia University Schoo of Journalism.
Blood and the Badge: The Mafia, Two Killer Cops, and a Scandal That Shocked the Nation
A Brotherhood Betrayed: The Man Behind the Rise and Fall of Murder, Inc.
Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber and the Invention of Criminal Profiling
The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit
I.M Pei: Mandarin of Modernism.
Michael edited the House & Home section of The New York Times for seven years. He has contributed to The New Yorker, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated and many other publications. He is a graduate of Princeton and the Columbia University Schoo of Journalism.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
January 17, 2025
I get a visceral reaction to bad guys who are supposed to be good guys. I know it clearly is because I come from a family of law enforcement officers who are not scum that prey on people for money like the main characters of Michael Cannell's Blood and the Badge. It has been quite a while since I read a book where I wanted to skip to the end because I needed the satisfaction of the villains getting their comeuppance. It still felt hollow.
Cannell tells the story of two dirty detectives Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa. Eppolito actually was the son of a major Mafia member. He somehow became a police detective and, well, exactly what you think would happen, happened. Cue my shocked face.
Cannell writes at a brisk pace and I don't know if it will be too much for someone just dropping into the story of La Cosa Nostra activities during the 70s. For instance, I wanted a lot more about how terrible cops like Eppolito and Caracappa could thrive in the NYPD during this time. Cannell almost assumes the reader would know why and that may leave a few people scratching their heads.
In the end, this is a book that is perfect for someone who wants their story to be, "just the facts and no fluff." For someone who wants to understand the big "why" then you will probably still enjoy it but be left wanting more.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)
Cannell tells the story of two dirty detectives Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa. Eppolito actually was the son of a major Mafia member. He somehow became a police detective and, well, exactly what you think would happen, happened. Cue my shocked face.
Cannell writes at a brisk pace and I don't know if it will be too much for someone just dropping into the story of La Cosa Nostra activities during the 70s. For instance, I wanted a lot more about how terrible cops like Eppolito and Caracappa could thrive in the NYPD during this time. Cannell almost assumes the reader would know why and that may leave a few people scratching their heads.
In the end, this is a book that is perfect for someone who wants their story to be, "just the facts and no fluff." For someone who wants to understand the big "why" then you will probably still enjoy it but be left wanting more.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)
February 26, 2025
BLOOD AND THE BADGE by former New York Times editor Michael Cannell is a compelling true crime expose` highlighting the shocking story of two decorated NYC Police Detectives who led double lives as Mafia informers and henchmen in the underworld of 1980s Brooklyn. Their case of police corruption is the worst betrayal of the public's trust ever known in American history, and only through the diligence and determination of Police Officer Tommy Dades, who pursued the case into his retirement, were they finally brought to justice. Detectives Louis Eppolito and Frank Caracappa perpetrated an outrageous travesty against the very people they took an oath to serve and protect. Leading double lives as mafia henchmen, the pair of decorated detectives not only served as mob informants, alerting mob bosses to impending raids, arriving drug shipments, etc., but also operated as mob henchmen often conducting mob hits. This went on for over ten years despite a few efforts to get indictments against them. It was only through the work of retired officer Tommy Dades that enough evidence was eventually gathered to get a conviction and send the disgraced officers to prison.
The American public can now read the entire sordid, shocking, true story through the hard work and dedication of New York Times editor Michael Cannell with the release of his book, BLOOD AND THE BADGE. Cannell spent endless hours combing through interviews from numerous sources, police records, and court testimonies, starting from the beginning of the corruption and following through until Eppolito and Caracappa's trial and conviction. The result is a true crime novel that's impossible to put down - a story that unfolds with suspense building chapter by chapter, through twists and turns with shockers that'll leave you reeling like only a favorite author's best work of fiction can . . . only this book isn't a work of imagination. It's undeniably one of the worst cases of crime against the innocent I've ever read. Through interviews with mob bosses, Cannell lays open the inner working of the mob as well as cracking the tight-knit inner circle of the NYPD who either ignored the corruption or at least failed to step up to stop it. His research is meticulous in delivering the facts - the dark, sordid tale of two arrogant police officers who placed themselves above the law, using their position and power not to serve but to profit. Two decorated officers whose twisted tale is so horrifying that it's hard to believe that this is not a work of fiction, but indeed a true crime narrative that throws open the doors of the ugly underworld of Brooklyn in the 1980's.
BLOOD AND THE BADGE is a shocking expose` on corruption in law enforcement, but also a testament to justice - to the perseverance of one good officer who refused to back down. Cannell's ability to transport readers into the story through engaging prose allows them to witness Eppolito and Caracappa's transgressions firsthand including what drove them to lie, cheat and kill on command. Readers also engage with police officer, Tommy Dades, as he tirelessly pursues the dirty detectives right into his retirement years, refusing to stop until justice is finally served. I highly recommend BLOOD AND THE BADGE to fans of well-written, true crime narratives that are not only eye-opening, but also highly entertaining.
A big thank you to Minotaur Books for a complimentary arc of this title. Opinions expressed are entirely my own. This review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and is available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews.
The American public can now read the entire sordid, shocking, true story through the hard work and dedication of New York Times editor Michael Cannell with the release of his book, BLOOD AND THE BADGE. Cannell spent endless hours combing through interviews from numerous sources, police records, and court testimonies, starting from the beginning of the corruption and following through until Eppolito and Caracappa's trial and conviction. The result is a true crime novel that's impossible to put down - a story that unfolds with suspense building chapter by chapter, through twists and turns with shockers that'll leave you reeling like only a favorite author's best work of fiction can . . . only this book isn't a work of imagination. It's undeniably one of the worst cases of crime against the innocent I've ever read. Through interviews with mob bosses, Cannell lays open the inner working of the mob as well as cracking the tight-knit inner circle of the NYPD who either ignored the corruption or at least failed to step up to stop it. His research is meticulous in delivering the facts - the dark, sordid tale of two arrogant police officers who placed themselves above the law, using their position and power not to serve but to profit. Two decorated officers whose twisted tale is so horrifying that it's hard to believe that this is not a work of fiction, but indeed a true crime narrative that throws open the doors of the ugly underworld of Brooklyn in the 1980's.
BLOOD AND THE BADGE is a shocking expose` on corruption in law enforcement, but also a testament to justice - to the perseverance of one good officer who refused to back down. Cannell's ability to transport readers into the story through engaging prose allows them to witness Eppolito and Caracappa's transgressions firsthand including what drove them to lie, cheat and kill on command. Readers also engage with police officer, Tommy Dades, as he tirelessly pursues the dirty detectives right into his retirement years, refusing to stop until justice is finally served. I highly recommend BLOOD AND THE BADGE to fans of well-written, true crime narratives that are not only eye-opening, but also highly entertaining.
A big thank you to Minotaur Books for a complimentary arc of this title. Opinions expressed are entirely my own. This review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and is available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews.
June 1, 2025
⭐⭐⭐.5
I like true crime, especially nonfiction, so this book seemed a good choice for me. And indeed I did enjoy it as I might have enjoyed a Sopranos episode. In fact, the author references this show more than once to explain gangster behavior in the time this story is set, which is the late 90's, early 2000s. The conversations noted here, delivered in both dialogue and paraphrase, drove this book for me. I was entertained to say the least. Mobsters are a unique type and reading about them was fun.
I do think the organization of the material is too loose, which results in a convoluted reading experience. Also, the writing is dry. Beyond that, this was a pretty good read.
I recommend this book to fans of true crime reporting, mob stories and mobsters, and stories about corruption.
I found an audiobook (accessible) copy on Libby. Thank you to the author Michael Cannell, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a digital PDF (not accessible, thus my late review) of BLOOD AND THE BADGE. All views are mine.
I like true crime, especially nonfiction, so this book seemed a good choice for me. And indeed I did enjoy it as I might have enjoyed a Sopranos episode. In fact, the author references this show more than once to explain gangster behavior in the time this story is set, which is the late 90's, early 2000s. The conversations noted here, delivered in both dialogue and paraphrase, drove this book for me. I was entertained to say the least. Mobsters are a unique type and reading about them was fun.
I do think the organization of the material is too loose, which results in a convoluted reading experience. Also, the writing is dry. Beyond that, this was a pretty good read.
I recommend this book to fans of true crime reporting, mob stories and mobsters, and stories about corruption.
I found an audiobook (accessible) copy on Libby. Thank you to the author Michael Cannell, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a digital PDF (not accessible, thus my late review) of BLOOD AND THE BADGE. All views are mine.
December 31, 2024
Book Thoughts: This is my first book I have read by author Michael Cannell who has authored four true crime novels. I was impressed from start to finish. The story appeared to be complicated with many people and their criminal activities but author Cannell did an excellent job of keeping timelines organized and keeping me engaged. It was a well researched and detailed book. It sickened me the way these two former NYPD Detectives eluded justice for so long. If you enjoy true crime, this book is for you!
I received an advanced electronic copy from publisher St. Marten’s Press, Minotaur Books and Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this book.
I received an advanced electronic copy from publisher St. Marten’s Press, Minotaur Books and Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this book.
March 30, 2025
On a frigid New York morning, I stumbled into a bookstore seeking refuge from the bitter winds. In said store, a crowd was huddled around a display shelf. Turns out that was the stationary station. New Yorkers are a huge fans of pens apparently. But on another shelf, I spotted this book and the cover hooked me. The mafia? Hell yeah. Killer Cops? Big yikes. I’m also a big fan of crime (reading not committing), so I had to check this book out.
I was enthralled by the story of the crooked cops, the mafioso who employed them, and the geriatric middle man Kaplan. Surprisingly though, Part 2, the litigation and trial, is what I found to be the most interesting and compelling part of the story. While the story is about the mafia and detectives, which tends to be romanticized in media, it’s also a story of utter corruption and heartbreak for the victims and their families. Next time I’m in New York I’m jumping the turnstiles just to spite the NYPD.
However, for a book about two cops turned mobsters, most of the focus was elsewhere. This is also the kind of book where you need a pen and paper handy to write down the hundreds of names mentioned, just to keep track of who is who. That’s not something I’m personally into. I give this book three gabbagools out of five.
I was enthralled by the story of the crooked cops, the mafioso who employed them, and the geriatric middle man Kaplan. Surprisingly though, Part 2, the litigation and trial, is what I found to be the most interesting and compelling part of the story. While the story is about the mafia and detectives, which tends to be romanticized in media, it’s also a story of utter corruption and heartbreak for the victims and their families. Next time I’m in New York I’m jumping the turnstiles just to spite the NYPD.
However, for a book about two cops turned mobsters, most of the focus was elsewhere. This is also the kind of book where you need a pen and paper handy to write down the hundreds of names mentioned, just to keep track of who is who. That’s not something I’m personally into. I give this book three gabbagools out of five.
August 21, 2024
I have read other books that circle around this story. This book deeply explores the story of these two police officers, their mafia connections, and horrendous deeds. Quite eye opening
July 13, 2025
"They were able to do murders because they were cops.… For years, the two defendants effectively armed one Mafia family, and one treacherous man within that family, with the power of the city of New York.”
This book is less about Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa the two corrupt NYPD detectives who became known as the "Mafia Cops" for committing multiple crimes on behalf of the five Mafia Families, mostly the Lucchese and Gambino crime families, this book is more about the 70's and 80's "Cosa Nostra" itself.
The book also brings to light the systemic failures, bureaucratic dysfunction and corruption by the NYPD, which allowed these two crooked, murdering detectives to continue to remain in their ranks after repeated allegations, suspicions and even one incident where Eppolito was caught leaking information to Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, an underboss of the Lucchese crime family.
A good book for those who enjoy reading about organized crime.
This book is less about Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa the two corrupt NYPD detectives who became known as the "Mafia Cops" for committing multiple crimes on behalf of the five Mafia Families, mostly the Lucchese and Gambino crime families, this book is more about the 70's and 80's "Cosa Nostra" itself.
The book also brings to light the systemic failures, bureaucratic dysfunction and corruption by the NYPD, which allowed these two crooked, murdering detectives to continue to remain in their ranks after repeated allegations, suspicions and even one incident where Eppolito was caught leaking information to Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, an underboss of the Lucchese crime family.
A good book for those who enjoy reading about organized crime.
February 5, 2025
Thank you to Minotaur Books for the digital copy to review.
I don’t really have words for this one, and how wild that this is not fiction. It read like an episode of The Sopranos, or The Godfather, and yet, this is all true. This is about two corrupt detectives who worked with the mafia for decades. It is crazy how long it took to get these guys, in fact, they even almost got off on a technicality. This was excellent via audio, it was well written, never a dull moment, and I was captivated from start to finish. I’m still thinking about this and smh at how bad it got before it got better, and how these families waited years to get closure.
I don’t really have words for this one, and how wild that this is not fiction. It read like an episode of The Sopranos, or The Godfather, and yet, this is all true. This is about two corrupt detectives who worked with the mafia for decades. It is crazy how long it took to get these guys, in fact, they even almost got off on a technicality. This was excellent via audio, it was well written, never a dull moment, and I was captivated from start to finish. I’m still thinking about this and smh at how bad it got before it got better, and how these families waited years to get closure.
August 11, 2024
Blood and the Badge is the shocking and at times unbelievable tale of two decorated NYC Police Department detectives who led a double life as Mafia henchmen. Detectives Louis Eppolito and Frank Caracappa not only alerted their mob connection to impeding raids and arrests, but also disclosed the identities of several mob informants, leading to their deaths and, incredibly, carried out hits for the Mafia. This is a comprehensive and intensive narrative not only of the detectives corrupt and criminal activities, but also a deep dive into the inner workings of the mob and several high-ranking members. It’s also an indictment of the NYPD hierarchy who either turned a blind eye to the detectives actions, or were too incompetent to uncover the corruption over a ten year plus period. The author gathered information from numerous sources, including court testimony, police records and personal interviews, and tells this story from the beginning of the cops’ misdeeds right through to their criminal trial and ultimate imprisonment. This is an incredible story, highly recommended. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2025
3.5; yes it was about what it claimed but it was too long. What was interesting became bogged in detail and watered down the suspense to the point I wished it were done long before its actual conclusion.
September 20, 2025
What an appalling take of police corruption and justice being delayed for far too long. It’s truly insane that Detectives Lou Eppolito and Steve Caracappa spent over a decade feeding information that they gathered through their role as Major Case detectives to the mafia, framing an innocent man for murder, raping the wife of a drug dealer, and even personally carrying out mob hits themselves. It’s also infuriating that as early as 1985, Internal Affairs had caught Eppolito copying a police file on a member of the Gambino crime family and feeding it to him, yet at his disciplinary hearing, the lawyers agreed to try the case on stipulation, without testimony, omitting critical evidence, and the judge found him not guilty because the evidence was insufficient.
There were some additional false starts in the investigation into Eppolito and Caracappa that were equal parts fascinating and frustrating to read. I always like to see how an investigation and a case come together, but it was kind of dissatisfying that these two “Mafia Cops” were only finally convicted because of a sting operation involving a drug sale between Eppolito’s son and an informant that dubiously lengthened the statute of limitations on RICO case against the two of them. I feel like if the letter of the law had been followed, everyone would’ve had to admit that the statute of limitations on the RICO case had run, and the Brooklyn DA’s Office should’ve just prosecuted them on the murder charge. But it was ultimately still satisfying to see them face some accountability.
I wish that Cannell’s writing style had a bit more personality, but I was impressed by how many firsthand interviews he was able to get with investigators, and the story itself is inherently interesting enough that the writing style didn’t need to be sparklingly beautiful to keep my attention.
There were some additional false starts in the investigation into Eppolito and Caracappa that were equal parts fascinating and frustrating to read. I always like to see how an investigation and a case come together, but it was kind of dissatisfying that these two “Mafia Cops” were only finally convicted because of a sting operation involving a drug sale between Eppolito’s son and an informant that dubiously lengthened the statute of limitations on RICO case against the two of them. I feel like if the letter of the law had been followed, everyone would’ve had to admit that the statute of limitations on the RICO case had run, and the Brooklyn DA’s Office should’ve just prosecuted them on the murder charge. But it was ultimately still satisfying to see them face some accountability.
I wish that Cannell’s writing style had a bit more personality, but I was impressed by how many firsthand interviews he was able to get with investigators, and the story itself is inherently interesting enough that the writing style didn’t need to be sparklingly beautiful to keep my attention.
January 28, 2025
Blood and the Badge by Michael Cannell
Audio Version
Overall Grade: B
Information: B
Writing/Organization: B-
Narration: B
Best Aspect: Interesting information about the mafia and the police.
Worst Aspect: So many names made it had to keep track. Perhaps this would be better in written format.
Recommend: Yes.
February 17, 2025
Wowww can’t believe it took that long for the FBI to solve as expected not easy reading
January 23, 2025
Well damn.
This is one crazy, bloody, selfish-filled ride.
I knew the names sounded familiar to me [when they are first mentioned in the book], and when the author mentioned the book one of the crooked cops wrote after retirement, it all came back to me; I was living in NY when that book came out and all the papers covered it, and it was on the news, and there was generally a big hullabaloo about it [this was near the beginning of Rudy Gulliani starting to do the mob roundup and eliminating as much crime as he could from Manhattan and Times Square] and then *POOF* it was gone and we all moved on. I also vaguely remember the trial being on the news and hoping they were found guilty and then I promptly forgot all about them until this book [I honestly didn't pick this book for all that; I was just curious because I always wondered just how many cops were on the take back then, since the mob was such a huge presence in NY at that time].
This is a very well-written book that has been expertly researched [the author did SO MANY interviews, and all the paper research must have been completely overwhelming at times], and I was enthralled from page one [I miss NY so much] - it is a very deep dive into the Mafia and the mob life and how easy it was for the mob to turn cops [that had an odd bent to begin with], which is sad and very disturbing [and I have to wonder just how many never, ever got caught]. The author just sucks you into that world and you just have to shake your head at the thought process of some of these "wise guys".
A really great read; anyone who lived in NY during this time, or loves The Godfather and/or Goodfellas, or has read other mobcentric books will love this look into two lives gone wrong.
I initially struggled with this [new-to-me] narrator [Jonathan Yen], but thankfully, I quickly settled in and by the end of the book, I was more than happy to put him on my "favorite narrator" list. I recommend this audiobook highly, it really adds to the overall story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Michael Cannell, Jonathan Yen - Narrator, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
This is one crazy, bloody, selfish-filled ride.
I knew the names sounded familiar to me [when they are first mentioned in the book], and when the author mentioned the book one of the crooked cops wrote after retirement, it all came back to me; I was living in NY when that book came out and all the papers covered it, and it was on the news, and there was generally a big hullabaloo about it [this was near the beginning of Rudy Gulliani starting to do the mob roundup and eliminating as much crime as he could from Manhattan and Times Square] and then *POOF* it was gone and we all moved on. I also vaguely remember the trial being on the news and hoping they were found guilty and then I promptly forgot all about them until this book [I honestly didn't pick this book for all that; I was just curious because I always wondered just how many cops were on the take back then, since the mob was such a huge presence in NY at that time].
This is a very well-written book that has been expertly researched [the author did SO MANY interviews, and all the paper research must have been completely overwhelming at times], and I was enthralled from page one [I miss NY so much] - it is a very deep dive into the Mafia and the mob life and how easy it was for the mob to turn cops [that had an odd bent to begin with], which is sad and very disturbing [and I have to wonder just how many never, ever got caught]. The author just sucks you into that world and you just have to shake your head at the thought process of some of these "wise guys".
A really great read; anyone who lived in NY during this time, or loves The Godfather and/or Goodfellas, or has read other mobcentric books will love this look into two lives gone wrong.
I initially struggled with this [new-to-me] narrator [Jonathan Yen], but thankfully, I quickly settled in and by the end of the book, I was more than happy to put him on my "favorite narrator" list. I recommend this audiobook highly, it really adds to the overall story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Michael Cannell, Jonathan Yen - Narrator, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2025
BLOOD AND THE BADGE is the story of two corrupt NYC detectives who worked with the Italian mafia for decades, sharing confidential government information, killing for money, and covering up murders.
The author takes us deep into the intricacies of the mafia and all the various relationships. We have lots of names (first, last, and nicknames) to keep track of. A large portion feels more like a mafia story than one about the specific detectives, though it does all tie together.
The timeline occasionally jumps around without clarification, which threw me off a time or two, but overall it’s easy enough to follow.
The final third takes us through the arrests and trials, when these two detectives, by then retired, finally had to face consequences.
This story made me so angry. The corruption was a well known “secret” among the detectives’ peers, yet nothing was done. Claims of there being no evidence to prosecute them over the long decades are just ridiculous. There was no evidence because no one looked. Had these two men not been detectives, a full-scale investigation would have been launched early on. Instead, these two lived well, made a ton of money, exerted power and dominance, and flaunted their corruption. This story is a stunning example of the infamous “blue wall of silence.”
*I received a free eARC from Minotaur Books, provided via NetGalley.*
The author takes us deep into the intricacies of the mafia and all the various relationships. We have lots of names (first, last, and nicknames) to keep track of. A large portion feels more like a mafia story than one about the specific detectives, though it does all tie together.
The timeline occasionally jumps around without clarification, which threw me off a time or two, but overall it’s easy enough to follow.
The final third takes us through the arrests and trials, when these two detectives, by then retired, finally had to face consequences.
This story made me so angry. The corruption was a well known “secret” among the detectives’ peers, yet nothing was done. Claims of there being no evidence to prosecute them over the long decades are just ridiculous. There was no evidence because no one looked. Had these two men not been detectives, a full-scale investigation would have been launched early on. Instead, these two lived well, made a ton of money, exerted power and dominance, and flaunted their corruption. This story is a stunning example of the infamous “blue wall of silence.”
*I received a free eARC from Minotaur Books, provided via NetGalley.*
January 4, 2025
AMA: if anyone has a question, fire away in the comments field.
February 28, 2025
Wavered between 3 and round up to 4 stars. It's a well documented book of years of incredible impact of corruption. It seemed like a never ending story and I'm sure there is even more to it. I've read similar books, so that probably impacted my impression.
October 17, 2025
I am normally not into non-fiction books, but this book was so good. i just never had the time to read. but when i did, i didn’t want to put it down
March 18, 2025
A very well-written book about the Mafia, and two NYC cops who were in the pay of the Mafia. The fact that it took so many years to bring them to justice is abominable.
February 21, 2025
Extremely thorough detailed description of a lot of really bad people, with the 2 horrible cops at the center of it all.
March 7, 2025
Good luck trying to figure out who even one of the 9000 characters introduced every other sentence in this book actually is. impossible to follow. Seemed like just a list of facts with horrible writing, no background and no chronological sense.
February 2, 2025
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: TWO ACTIVE DUTY NYPD COPS… DOUBLE AS **MAFIA-HIT-MEN**… AND INTERNAL SCUM-BAG-“MOLES”…
***PERHAPS*** “THE-MOST-ABOMINABLE-ACTS-OF-POLICE-CORRUPTION-IN-NYPD-HISTORY!!***
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This truer… than true… real-life… detailing… of NYPD cops… Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa… is such a repugnant expose’ of how truly soulless… spineless… and absolutely devoid of any of the qualities… that G-d intended to be embedded in the human beings he created… that an everyday person like me… finds it gut-wrenching… to even attempt to grapple with the task of finding the proper derogatory words for the subjects of this review.
Over two decades ago… this pair of human excrement’s… “ACCORDING TO THE INDICTMENT, THEY PARTICIPATED IN EIGHT MURDERS, TWO ATTEMPTED MURDERS, KIDNAPPING, AND MONEY LAUNDERING WHILE WORKING FOR THE MOB. (MAFIA) AS SECRET ASSOCIATES OF THE LUCCHESE FAMILY, THEY WERE CHARGED WITH COMPROMISING STATE AND FEDERAL INVESTIGATIONS AND DISCLOSING THE IDENTITY OF SECRET INFORMANTS, THREE OF WHOM WERE KILLED.”
On a personal note… one of my five largest genres of books in my personal library of approximately twelve-hundred-plus- books… is organized crime… which is obviously topped by the Mafia. The reason I mention this… is… as many know… the heyday of the Mafioso… is all but gone… thanks to among others… Rudy Giuliani… as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in the 1980’s… utilizing the newly found power of the RICO act… went after the Mob in a different… and tremendously successful way. All of this is described and detailed in chapter and verse…in this book… leading to the 1990’s and 2000’s… and the eventual crushing of these two cop-vermin! So one of the many beauties of this book… is that it successfully ties together… all the books… and names… and places… and crimes… that I’ve read about for the last forty years!
I feel… this is also the proper time… to highly compliment the author… on one of the many things… that has earned my highest praise… and enjoyment… in having… invested my valuable time and money… in reading this book. Despite the timeline of over half-a-century… and involving… an extremely large cast of characters… including… but not limited to… gangsters… cops… lawyers… judges… civilians… innocent… and stained individuals… in all categories… in prisons… in courtrooms…. in police offices… in the streets…
The author Michael Cannell… miraculously… kept… an absolute… chronological… path… like a future highway… with no off-ramps. So many authors and stories… have continual “flash-backs”… that not only leave the reader scratching their head… it becomes almost impossible… to know where you were left off… and where the hell you’re (the reader) going. Michael… somehow… never veered from the line in the middle of the road… despite the abundance of legal detail…organizational… literary charts… both criminal… and governmental.
One of the main Mafia figures that dominate the story… is one that I am extremely familiar with… from my prior readings… is the murderous… contemptible… Anthony “Gaspipe” Casso… who in conjunction with… another of the main characters Burt Kaplan… are the direct… “AND”…INDIRECT… LINKS TO THE SOILED COPS!
Burt Kaplan… an out of control gambling addict… distributor of designer rip-off garments… becomes so closely embedded with the mafia… originally because of his constantly mushrooming gambling debts… then through a mob connection recommends the two rotten cops to handle some dirty work for pay that the Mafia needs done. Kaplan does not let the mob… spearheaded by Gaspipe Casso… even know the detective’s names… let alone ever meeting them. Kaplan becomes the most important piece in the Mafioso-Dirty-Cop-Marriage. If it weren’t for the fact that Kaplan was Jewish… he probably would have been a Mafioso himself… but the “by-laws” state that at least the Father’s side must be Italian… for official inclusion.
As the murders… and kidnappings… and the leaking of classified NYPD facts…. such as… when and where… a bust is going to happen… AND MOST IMPORTANTLY… THE SCUMBAG COPS… LET THE MOB KNOW THE NAMES OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS… WHO WERE THEN KILLED! In fact Gaspipe got so much classified info… that led to dead squealers… and empty sting locations… that he started calling the un-named dirty cops **HIS CRYSTAL BALL**!
Then when… due to the Rico Act and all the government arrests… all of a sudden… the supposed **OMERTA** **CODE-OF-SILENCE**… the glorified… Holy Grail… above and beyond anything…. held near and dear to the Mafia… disappeared faster than a box of Twinkies in Chris Christie’s desk drawer!
From Sammy The Bull… to multiple Mafia family bosses… were racing and elbowing others out of the way… to become a lowlife squealer… to freaking… rat out their compatriots. Amazingly… the only key player… who held out… and truly respected “THE-CODE-OF-SILENCE”… and… who really was the only one that had the information to put the Mafia-Cops away… was the non-Mafia-Jewish… Burt Kaplan…. And he kept the code-of-silence… in jail… for almost ten years!
By the time he agreed to make a deal… the Mafia as we knew it… in the movies… no longer existed…BUT… The Mafia-Cops… were still free…
And then a deal was made for Burt to finally sing like a Kosher Canary! And sing he did! Another one of the highlights of this magnificently detailed and researched book… are the… exquisitely meticulous historic quotes from every walk of life involved in this case. One of my favorites is from a famous mob defense attorney… in court trying to denigrate Kaplan and the prosecution… as the defense of the dirty cops is being absolutely destroyed under oath.
(Defense attorney Bruce Cutler)
“THESE MAFIA MEN, THESE ONCE SWAGGERING ADHERENTS OF OMERTA. CUTLER SAID, HAD CAPITULATED AND TURNED ON THEIR OWN FRIENDS AS SOON AS THE GOVERNMENT SQUEEZED THEM. “THEY CALLED EACH OTHER TOUGH GUYS, GOODFELLAS… UNTIL THE JAIL DOOR SHUT,” CUTLER SNIPED. “THEN THEY WET THEIR PANTS AND CALLED MOMMY… THE GOVERNMENT.”
There are untold heroes in the judicial system… and some cops… such as Tommy Dades who never gave up. Like Dades… I’m originally from Brooklyn… and I was raised by a Father… who ingrained me with the belief… that the greatest compliment… you could give someone… is that “HE’S A STANDUP GUY!”… it turns out the Mafia was nothing but a bunch of murderous pretenders… that in the end disgraced… sullied… and were mere impersonators… when push came to shove… in a quest… to earn my dear departed Dad’s greatest accolade!
***FUN-BONUS-NOTES-FOR-MY-LOYAL-FOLLOWERS!!***
One of my favorite things in reading Mafia books… are the nicknames. This book has more nicknames than there are snowflakes in an arctic storm… here’s just a few of them:
FAT PETE… LOUIE BAGELS… FLOUNDERHEAD… THE CHIN… MIKEY MUSCLES… BIG PETE… CRACKHEAD EDDIE… FRANKIE STEEL… LITTLE JOE… BLUE EYES OVER THE BRIDGE… FAT ANTHONY… JOE BUTCH… MICKEY BOY…THE BEAR… QUACK QUACK… TOM MIX… GASPIPE… THE GOLFER… TONY DUCK… TICK… JIM-JIM… GEORGIE NECK… THE BULL… THE GREEK… GRIM REAPER… PETE THE KILLER… NICKY EYES… JIMMY TWO TIMES… FAT ANDY… BIG JOHN… LITTLE JOHN… BUBBLEGUM… BALDY MIKE… RICHIE THE TOUPEE… LITTLE AL…
I look forward to sharing my next review with all of you!
***PERHAPS*** “THE-MOST-ABOMINABLE-ACTS-OF-POLICE-CORRUPTION-IN-NYPD-HISTORY!!***
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This truer… than true… real-life… detailing… of NYPD cops… Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa… is such a repugnant expose’ of how truly soulless… spineless… and absolutely devoid of any of the qualities… that G-d intended to be embedded in the human beings he created… that an everyday person like me… finds it gut-wrenching… to even attempt to grapple with the task of finding the proper derogatory words for the subjects of this review.
Over two decades ago… this pair of human excrement’s… “ACCORDING TO THE INDICTMENT, THEY PARTICIPATED IN EIGHT MURDERS, TWO ATTEMPTED MURDERS, KIDNAPPING, AND MONEY LAUNDERING WHILE WORKING FOR THE MOB. (MAFIA) AS SECRET ASSOCIATES OF THE LUCCHESE FAMILY, THEY WERE CHARGED WITH COMPROMISING STATE AND FEDERAL INVESTIGATIONS AND DISCLOSING THE IDENTITY OF SECRET INFORMANTS, THREE OF WHOM WERE KILLED.”
On a personal note… one of my five largest genres of books in my personal library of approximately twelve-hundred-plus- books… is organized crime… which is obviously topped by the Mafia. The reason I mention this… is… as many know… the heyday of the Mafioso… is all but gone… thanks to among others… Rudy Giuliani… as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in the 1980’s… utilizing the newly found power of the RICO act… went after the Mob in a different… and tremendously successful way. All of this is described and detailed in chapter and verse…in this book… leading to the 1990’s and 2000’s… and the eventual crushing of these two cop-vermin! So one of the many beauties of this book… is that it successfully ties together… all the books… and names… and places… and crimes… that I’ve read about for the last forty years!
I feel… this is also the proper time… to highly compliment the author… on one of the many things… that has earned my highest praise… and enjoyment… in having… invested my valuable time and money… in reading this book. Despite the timeline of over half-a-century… and involving… an extremely large cast of characters… including… but not limited to… gangsters… cops… lawyers… judges… civilians… innocent… and stained individuals… in all categories… in prisons… in courtrooms…. in police offices… in the streets…
The author Michael Cannell… miraculously… kept… an absolute… chronological… path… like a future highway… with no off-ramps. So many authors and stories… have continual “flash-backs”… that not only leave the reader scratching their head… it becomes almost impossible… to know where you were left off… and where the hell you’re (the reader) going. Michael… somehow… never veered from the line in the middle of the road… despite the abundance of legal detail…organizational… literary charts… both criminal… and governmental.
One of the main Mafia figures that dominate the story… is one that I am extremely familiar with… from my prior readings… is the murderous… contemptible… Anthony “Gaspipe” Casso… who in conjunction with… another of the main characters Burt Kaplan… are the direct… “AND”…INDIRECT… LINKS TO THE SOILED COPS!
Burt Kaplan… an out of control gambling addict… distributor of designer rip-off garments… becomes so closely embedded with the mafia… originally because of his constantly mushrooming gambling debts… then through a mob connection recommends the two rotten cops to handle some dirty work for pay that the Mafia needs done. Kaplan does not let the mob… spearheaded by Gaspipe Casso… even know the detective’s names… let alone ever meeting them. Kaplan becomes the most important piece in the Mafioso-Dirty-Cop-Marriage. If it weren’t for the fact that Kaplan was Jewish… he probably would have been a Mafioso himself… but the “by-laws” state that at least the Father’s side must be Italian… for official inclusion.
As the murders… and kidnappings… and the leaking of classified NYPD facts…. such as… when and where… a bust is going to happen… AND MOST IMPORTANTLY… THE SCUMBAG COPS… LET THE MOB KNOW THE NAMES OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS… WHO WERE THEN KILLED! In fact Gaspipe got so much classified info… that led to dead squealers… and empty sting locations… that he started calling the un-named dirty cops **HIS CRYSTAL BALL**!
Then when… due to the Rico Act and all the government arrests… all of a sudden… the supposed **OMERTA** **CODE-OF-SILENCE**… the glorified… Holy Grail… above and beyond anything…. held near and dear to the Mafia… disappeared faster than a box of Twinkies in Chris Christie’s desk drawer!
From Sammy The Bull… to multiple Mafia family bosses… were racing and elbowing others out of the way… to become a lowlife squealer… to freaking… rat out their compatriots. Amazingly… the only key player… who held out… and truly respected “THE-CODE-OF-SILENCE”… and… who really was the only one that had the information to put the Mafia-Cops away… was the non-Mafia-Jewish… Burt Kaplan…. And he kept the code-of-silence… in jail… for almost ten years!
By the time he agreed to make a deal… the Mafia as we knew it… in the movies… no longer existed…BUT… The Mafia-Cops… were still free…
And then a deal was made for Burt to finally sing like a Kosher Canary! And sing he did! Another one of the highlights of this magnificently detailed and researched book… are the… exquisitely meticulous historic quotes from every walk of life involved in this case. One of my favorites is from a famous mob defense attorney… in court trying to denigrate Kaplan and the prosecution… as the defense of the dirty cops is being absolutely destroyed under oath.
(Defense attorney Bruce Cutler)
“THESE MAFIA MEN, THESE ONCE SWAGGERING ADHERENTS OF OMERTA. CUTLER SAID, HAD CAPITULATED AND TURNED ON THEIR OWN FRIENDS AS SOON AS THE GOVERNMENT SQUEEZED THEM. “THEY CALLED EACH OTHER TOUGH GUYS, GOODFELLAS… UNTIL THE JAIL DOOR SHUT,” CUTLER SNIPED. “THEN THEY WET THEIR PANTS AND CALLED MOMMY… THE GOVERNMENT.”
There are untold heroes in the judicial system… and some cops… such as Tommy Dades who never gave up. Like Dades… I’m originally from Brooklyn… and I was raised by a Father… who ingrained me with the belief… that the greatest compliment… you could give someone… is that “HE’S A STANDUP GUY!”… it turns out the Mafia was nothing but a bunch of murderous pretenders… that in the end disgraced… sullied… and were mere impersonators… when push came to shove… in a quest… to earn my dear departed Dad’s greatest accolade!
***FUN-BONUS-NOTES-FOR-MY-LOYAL-FOLLOWERS!!***
One of my favorite things in reading Mafia books… are the nicknames. This book has more nicknames than there are snowflakes in an arctic storm… here’s just a few of them:
FAT PETE… LOUIE BAGELS… FLOUNDERHEAD… THE CHIN… MIKEY MUSCLES… BIG PETE… CRACKHEAD EDDIE… FRANKIE STEEL… LITTLE JOE… BLUE EYES OVER THE BRIDGE… FAT ANTHONY… JOE BUTCH… MICKEY BOY…THE BEAR… QUACK QUACK… TOM MIX… GASPIPE… THE GOLFER… TONY DUCK… TICK… JIM-JIM… GEORGIE NECK… THE BULL… THE GREEK… GRIM REAPER… PETE THE KILLER… NICKY EYES… JIMMY TWO TIMES… FAT ANDY… BIG JOHN… LITTLE JOHN… BUBBLEGUM… BALDY MIKE… RICHIE THE TOUPEE… LITTLE AL…
I look forward to sharing my next review with all of you!
January 5, 2025
It has long been observed that people hate government but love their own representatives. A similar principle may hold for the police: we appreciate and respect individual officers who give us directions, keep the peace, and protect victims, but, especially after the orgiastic cop-hatred ginned up in the summer in 2020, complain in unspecific terms about “the police” (although this trend appears to be reversing as the imprudence of “defunding” dawns on select heretofore wise elites).
The careers of Louie Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, former New York Police Department detectives, are red meat for those who would paint law enforcement as inherently malevolent. Blood and Badge relentlessly portrays just how much damage two wayward public servants can inflict. The lesson offered by author Michael Cannell is not that the police are corrupt — it is that Eppolito and Caracappa weren’t the police. They may have sported badges, rode in cruisers, and drawn city salaries, but they were unequivocally criminals.
We can cautiously conclude that a case like Eppolito and Caracappa’s won’t happen again. Eppolito was born into an organized crime family. Caracappa was not, but before he joined the NYPD, he had been indicted on a felony larceny charge after trying to steal construction materials. Both were hired anyway. Now, an application to a police academy that includes a felony arrest will result in an automatic disqualification in most departments. The desperate onboarding of unqualified officers continues to be a major problem to this day, as seen in the January 2023 murder of Tyre Nichols in Memphis.
Once improvidently admitted into the ranks of New York’s Finest, it was practically impossible to get rid of them. It almost happened with Eppolito, who should have been swiftly canned after he was discovered to have handled confidential documents on a mafia family that were later found at the New Jersey residence of a member of that very family with Eppolito’s fingerprints on them. But after an internal affairs trial, he was acquitted and reinstated with back pay.
The list of Eppolito and Caracappa’s misdeeds on the payroll of the Lucchese crime family beggars belief. They committed and covered up murders. They revealed the identities of informants, compromising numerous investigations. Eppolito redirected a murder investigation away from the mob-connected assailant by framing an innocent man for murder, sending the hapless bystander to prison for over two decades. They facilitated the murder of a second innocent man by providing their wise guy contacts the information for the person with the same name as the mob’s intended target. It goes on and on.
The mark of a great crime writer, I think, is in his treatment of the legal proceedings following the big arrests. Trials and other court hearings are complicated, reducing complicated things to lay readers is hard, it is a noble pursuit to acquaint the citizenry with the mechanics of our judicial system — and besides, to what purpose has the reader slogged through all of this blood and gore if only to end in a muddle?
Cannell is virtuosic here. Not only was the trial stage the crucial denouement of Eppolito and Caracappa’s sordid careers, but theirs was a RICO trial, which are famously involved — the judge’s written instructions to the jury on the law went on for all of 134 pages!
The legal pitfall threatening the prosecution arose out of the five-year statute of limitations. Since both defendants had retired from the NYPD and moved to Las Vegas over 10 years before they were indicted, and since the crux of the case against them is that they abused their authority as detectives, the prosecution needed a more-recent hook that continued the conspiracy after their retirement. And this hook was pretty dubious, indeed: it consisted of Eppolito’s son selling a bit of methamphetamine in Las Vegas to an acquaintance of Eppolito’s accountant — arguably far removed from the mob business back east.
(The Eppolito and Caracappa trial is a fine exemplar of how hopelessly outdated the five-year statute of limitations on most federal crimes has become. Statutes of limitations are in place because it is unfair to ask people to defend old allegations when, as time goes by, evidence is lost or destroyed. With the advent of digital documents and recordings, this concern is not as urgent as it once was.)
Competent defense attorneys would have spotted this problem as soon as the indictment was unsealed. They would have settled down with a dozen cups of coffee and Microsoft Word and penned the mother of all motions to dismiss the indictment. The last thing the defense ought to have wanted was to go to trial. Even if the convictions were later reversed — a remote possibility — no lawyer would have wanted a public airing of the outrageous conduct in which these guys engaged, and a trial could (and in this case absolutely did) bolster the once-weak connection between the New York conduct and the Las Vegas conduct, diminishing the force of the strongest legal argument against the prosecution's case. But a trial there was; the defendants were convicted on all counts.
And this was the moment for the brilliant stroke of the trial judge, the late Jack Weinstein of the Eastern District of New York. Judge Weinstein, who all along was skeptical of the prosecution’s meth hook, imposed life sentences to both defendants, but held the sentences in abeyance so that the defendants, through their new attorneys, could argue that they received ineffective assistance from their trial attorneys. Next, Judge Weinstein reversed the convictions, knowing that the prosecution would appeal his decision and, it’s not unlikely, knowing that the court of appeals would reinstate the convictions, practically insulating them from further review. And this is precisely what happened. Eppolito and Cracappa both died in federal prison. If Judge Weinstein had reversed the convictions before imposing their sentences — had he acquitted them — the prosecution would have had no recourse, because acquittals are not appealable and the Double Jeopardy Clause would have barred another trial.
Blood and Badge is a riveting portrayal of justice gone wrong — and, though much later, justice winning the day.
The careers of Louie Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, former New York Police Department detectives, are red meat for those who would paint law enforcement as inherently malevolent. Blood and Badge relentlessly portrays just how much damage two wayward public servants can inflict. The lesson offered by author Michael Cannell is not that the police are corrupt — it is that Eppolito and Caracappa weren’t the police. They may have sported badges, rode in cruisers, and drawn city salaries, but they were unequivocally criminals.
We can cautiously conclude that a case like Eppolito and Caracappa’s won’t happen again. Eppolito was born into an organized crime family. Caracappa was not, but before he joined the NYPD, he had been indicted on a felony larceny charge after trying to steal construction materials. Both were hired anyway. Now, an application to a police academy that includes a felony arrest will result in an automatic disqualification in most departments. The desperate onboarding of unqualified officers continues to be a major problem to this day, as seen in the January 2023 murder of Tyre Nichols in Memphis.
Once improvidently admitted into the ranks of New York’s Finest, it was practically impossible to get rid of them. It almost happened with Eppolito, who should have been swiftly canned after he was discovered to have handled confidential documents on a mafia family that were later found at the New Jersey residence of a member of that very family with Eppolito’s fingerprints on them. But after an internal affairs trial, he was acquitted and reinstated with back pay.
The list of Eppolito and Caracappa’s misdeeds on the payroll of the Lucchese crime family beggars belief. They committed and covered up murders. They revealed the identities of informants, compromising numerous investigations. Eppolito redirected a murder investigation away from the mob-connected assailant by framing an innocent man for murder, sending the hapless bystander to prison for over two decades. They facilitated the murder of a second innocent man by providing their wise guy contacts the information for the person with the same name as the mob’s intended target. It goes on and on.
The mark of a great crime writer, I think, is in his treatment of the legal proceedings following the big arrests. Trials and other court hearings are complicated, reducing complicated things to lay readers is hard, it is a noble pursuit to acquaint the citizenry with the mechanics of our judicial system — and besides, to what purpose has the reader slogged through all of this blood and gore if only to end in a muddle?
Cannell is virtuosic here. Not only was the trial stage the crucial denouement of Eppolito and Caracappa’s sordid careers, but theirs was a RICO trial, which are famously involved — the judge’s written instructions to the jury on the law went on for all of 134 pages!
The legal pitfall threatening the prosecution arose out of the five-year statute of limitations. Since both defendants had retired from the NYPD and moved to Las Vegas over 10 years before they were indicted, and since the crux of the case against them is that they abused their authority as detectives, the prosecution needed a more-recent hook that continued the conspiracy after their retirement. And this hook was pretty dubious, indeed: it consisted of Eppolito’s son selling a bit of methamphetamine in Las Vegas to an acquaintance of Eppolito’s accountant — arguably far removed from the mob business back east.
(The Eppolito and Caracappa trial is a fine exemplar of how hopelessly outdated the five-year statute of limitations on most federal crimes has become. Statutes of limitations are in place because it is unfair to ask people to defend old allegations when, as time goes by, evidence is lost or destroyed. With the advent of digital documents and recordings, this concern is not as urgent as it once was.)
Competent defense attorneys would have spotted this problem as soon as the indictment was unsealed. They would have settled down with a dozen cups of coffee and Microsoft Word and penned the mother of all motions to dismiss the indictment. The last thing the defense ought to have wanted was to go to trial. Even if the convictions were later reversed — a remote possibility — no lawyer would have wanted a public airing of the outrageous conduct in which these guys engaged, and a trial could (and in this case absolutely did) bolster the once-weak connection between the New York conduct and the Las Vegas conduct, diminishing the force of the strongest legal argument against the prosecution's case. But a trial there was; the defendants were convicted on all counts.
And this was the moment for the brilliant stroke of the trial judge, the late Jack Weinstein of the Eastern District of New York. Judge Weinstein, who all along was skeptical of the prosecution’s meth hook, imposed life sentences to both defendants, but held the sentences in abeyance so that the defendants, through their new attorneys, could argue that they received ineffective assistance from their trial attorneys. Next, Judge Weinstein reversed the convictions, knowing that the prosecution would appeal his decision and, it’s not unlikely, knowing that the court of appeals would reinstate the convictions, practically insulating them from further review. And this is precisely what happened. Eppolito and Cracappa both died in federal prison. If Judge Weinstein had reversed the convictions before imposing their sentences — had he acquitted them — the prosecution would have had no recourse, because acquittals are not appealable and the Double Jeopardy Clause would have barred another trial.
Blood and Badge is a riveting portrayal of justice gone wrong — and, though much later, justice winning the day.
August 24, 2024
4.5 stars. A very worthy and interesting mafia, true crime read. This book tells the story of two corrupt cops but, within the key story, were tales of the mafia and how it was all intricately connected. It was layered and detailed and brought the many characters alive as though you were a fly on the wall. This is the first book that has really opened my eyes to the extent of pain, devastation and suffering that the mafia brought to communities. You always think it’s ‘gangsters killing gangsters’ but the ruthlessness and criminality bleeds into everything around them with much ‘collateral damage’.
I found this book thought-provoking in many ways. Firstly in the way we celebrate gangsters with the many films and shows. We hold admiration for the fearlessness, power and prestige. Everybody loves ‘Tony Soprano’ kind of thing. This felt to me to be a look at the other slightly darker side to that.
I did at times during the latter part of the book, feel a little overwhelmed as there were so many characters and so much information. I could feel a little jaded but then my attention would pick back up again as the story coherently moved along with purpose. This was the reason I didn’t give 5 stars but that is my only critique on an otherwise fantastic book.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc.
I found this book thought-provoking in many ways. Firstly in the way we celebrate gangsters with the many films and shows. We hold admiration for the fearlessness, power and prestige. Everybody loves ‘Tony Soprano’ kind of thing. This felt to me to be a look at the other slightly darker side to that.
I did at times during the latter part of the book, feel a little overwhelmed as there were so many characters and so much information. I could feel a little jaded but then my attention would pick back up again as the story coherently moved along with purpose. This was the reason I didn’t give 5 stars but that is my only critique on an otherwise fantastic book.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc.
November 15, 2024
I had the opportunity to read this book thanks to a good read’s giveaway.
This was a dnf for me. I was a hundred pages in and I had no idea still who anyone one. There are so many different people involved that I just couldn’t keep it straight despite the story being ultimately interesting. If someone is already aware or some of the big names during this period, I can definitely see them enjoying this book.
This was a dnf for me. I was a hundred pages in and I had no idea still who anyone one. There are so many different people involved that I just couldn’t keep it straight despite the story being ultimately interesting. If someone is already aware or some of the big names during this period, I can definitely see them enjoying this book.
January 10, 2025
For readers who are very versed in the New York mafia scene of the time, the level of detail in this book is probably good, but I would have appreciated more grounding and scene-setting, especially given the number of people appearing in this book. It's an interesting story but it felt like it lacked a core since we learn so little about the motivations of the two police officers.
I received an ARC of this via NetGalley.
I received an ARC of this via NetGalley.
February 20, 2025
I am a fan of tales of the mafia. I’m certain that I wouldn’t be as big a fan if I lived in the big cities normally associated with mafia activity now or even during the peak time of the most infamous mafioso. I also believe that “the families” still exist and are active. I was intrigued by the subtitle of this book…The Mafia, Two Killer Cops, and a Scandal That Shocked the Nation. This is what drew me to request a copy of this book.
Like all gangster fans, I’ve enjoyed The Sopranos (hated the ending), The Godfather trilogy, Goodfellas, Boardwalk Empire (my favorite) and even a lot of mediocre to poor TV series and movies about mafia families. This book is different. This book describes real crimes committed by not only mafia bad guys but also two supposed “good guys.” Louie Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa were New York City police officers who worked their ways up to NYPD detectives. Sometime early in their detective careers they made the decisions to work both sides of the fence for the Lucchese crime family. This did not come totally out of the blue. Eppolito’s father and uncles had been active with the Gambino crime family, but Caracappa had no ties to any crime family. He had the “good fortune” of being Eppolito’s partner before becoming detectives. The partners were very close, and through hurt feelings, meanness, greed, a need to feel superior, missing hearts, or other unexplainable reasons, decided to not only feed valuable information to but also carry out acts of intimidation and actual murders for the Lucchese crime family. To say they acted with total abandon and did horrific damage in and around NYC is a huge understatement.
If the reader is my age (mid-60’s) or older and lives in the NYC area, you may very well recognize the names of crime family members, NYPD officers and other detectives, and NYC district attorneys. I was unfamiliar with almost every person mentioned in this book. Every now and then a “famous” mafia name would drop into the narrative. I enjoyed that for some occasional familiar context. But to tell you the truth, I really didn’t need the name-drops for this book to hold my attention. Never a minute went by that it wasn’t crystal clear that I was reading actual true crime.
I have read no other books by Mr. Cannell. I believe that he has written four other nonfiction books in the same genre (not sure about this). I will be checking them out once this excellent read has time to process. Here are a few basic reading notes. I liked the pace. It never lets up. I never felt that any information was filler or wasteful…even if I got a little lost in some of the legalese (especially concerning RICO). I was frustrated that it took DECADES for Eppolito and Caracappa to be brought to justice, but that certainly wasn’t the author’s fault. The suffering of all the victims’ families was horrifying and palpable!
Mafia enthusiasts ENJOY!
Like all gangster fans, I’ve enjoyed The Sopranos (hated the ending), The Godfather trilogy, Goodfellas, Boardwalk Empire (my favorite) and even a lot of mediocre to poor TV series and movies about mafia families. This book is different. This book describes real crimes committed by not only mafia bad guys but also two supposed “good guys.” Louie Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa were New York City police officers who worked their ways up to NYPD detectives. Sometime early in their detective careers they made the decisions to work both sides of the fence for the Lucchese crime family. This did not come totally out of the blue. Eppolito’s father and uncles had been active with the Gambino crime family, but Caracappa had no ties to any crime family. He had the “good fortune” of being Eppolito’s partner before becoming detectives. The partners were very close, and through hurt feelings, meanness, greed, a need to feel superior, missing hearts, or other unexplainable reasons, decided to not only feed valuable information to but also carry out acts of intimidation and actual murders for the Lucchese crime family. To say they acted with total abandon and did horrific damage in and around NYC is a huge understatement.
If the reader is my age (mid-60’s) or older and lives in the NYC area, you may very well recognize the names of crime family members, NYPD officers and other detectives, and NYC district attorneys. I was unfamiliar with almost every person mentioned in this book. Every now and then a “famous” mafia name would drop into the narrative. I enjoyed that for some occasional familiar context. But to tell you the truth, I really didn’t need the name-drops for this book to hold my attention. Never a minute went by that it wasn’t crystal clear that I was reading actual true crime.
I have read no other books by Mr. Cannell. I believe that he has written four other nonfiction books in the same genre (not sure about this). I will be checking them out once this excellent read has time to process. Here are a few basic reading notes. I liked the pace. It never lets up. I never felt that any information was filler or wasteful…even if I got a little lost in some of the legalese (especially concerning RICO). I was frustrated that it took DECADES for Eppolito and Caracappa to be brought to justice, but that certainly wasn’t the author’s fault. The suffering of all the victims’ families was horrifying and palpable!
Mafia enthusiasts ENJOY!
October 27, 2024
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
Michael Cannell’s “Blood and the Badge” is a gripping true crime narrative that delves into one of the most shocking scandals in the history of the New York City Police Department. This meticulously researched book uncovers the dark and twisted tale of Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, two decorated NYPD detectives who secretly worked as hitmen for the Mafia12.
Cannell’s storytelling prowess shines as he reconstructs the chilling events that led to the downfall of these “killer cops.” The book opens a window into the gritty underworld of 1980s Brooklyn, where corruption and crime were rampant. Eppolito and Caracappa, once respected members of the force, used their positions to serve the interests of the Lucchese crime family, leaking sensitive information and even participating in mob killing.
What sets “Blood and the Badge” apart is Cannell’s ability to humanize the story without losing sight of its gravity. He provides a nuanced portrayal of Eppolito and Caracappa, exploring their motivations and the complex web of deceit they wove. The narrative is enriched by interviews with key figures, including Sammy “the Bull” Gravano.
The book is a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice. Cannell highlights the efforts of law enforcement officers like Tommy Dades, who refused to let the case go cold and ultimately brought the rogue detectives to justice.
Cannell’s writing is both engaging and informative, making “Blood and the Badge” a page-turner that is hard to put down. His attention to detail and ability to weave complex narratives into a cohesive story make this book a standout in the true crime genre. The pacing is perfect, with each chapter building on the suspense and intrigue of the previous one.
“Blood and the Badge” is a compelling and thought-provoking read that sheds light on one of the most egregious cases of police corruption in American history. Michael Cannell has crafted a masterful true crime narrative that is both chilling and inspiring.
This book is a must-read for fans of the genre and anyone interested in the complexities of justice and morality.
Michael Cannell’s “Blood and the Badge” is a gripping true crime narrative that delves into one of the most shocking scandals in the history of the New York City Police Department. This meticulously researched book uncovers the dark and twisted tale of Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, two decorated NYPD detectives who secretly worked as hitmen for the Mafia12.
Cannell’s storytelling prowess shines as he reconstructs the chilling events that led to the downfall of these “killer cops.” The book opens a window into the gritty underworld of 1980s Brooklyn, where corruption and crime were rampant. Eppolito and Caracappa, once respected members of the force, used their positions to serve the interests of the Lucchese crime family, leaking sensitive information and even participating in mob killing.
What sets “Blood and the Badge” apart is Cannell’s ability to humanize the story without losing sight of its gravity. He provides a nuanced portrayal of Eppolito and Caracappa, exploring their motivations and the complex web of deceit they wove. The narrative is enriched by interviews with key figures, including Sammy “the Bull” Gravano.
The book is a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice. Cannell highlights the efforts of law enforcement officers like Tommy Dades, who refused to let the case go cold and ultimately brought the rogue detectives to justice.
Cannell’s writing is both engaging and informative, making “Blood and the Badge” a page-turner that is hard to put down. His attention to detail and ability to weave complex narratives into a cohesive story make this book a standout in the true crime genre. The pacing is perfect, with each chapter building on the suspense and intrigue of the previous one.
“Blood and the Badge” is a compelling and thought-provoking read that sheds light on one of the most egregious cases of police corruption in American history. Michael Cannell has crafted a masterful true crime narrative that is both chilling and inspiring.
This book is a must-read for fans of the genre and anyone interested in the complexities of justice and morality.
March 23, 2025
Crooked cops aren't a recent concept in society. The only reason police are now paid public service positions is because of the rampant corruption in the old sheriff/ constable system. And I don't think it would surprise anyone to know that the majority of the crimes committed in this book happened in Brooklyn in the 80s. Before gentrification, Brooklyn was rough around the edges.
We are introduced to Louis Eppolito and his partner Stephen Caracappa. One of the biggest problems in America is that when there is a shortage of acceptably qualified people for a particular job, rather than make the job one that is more venerated or worthwhile, we just start hiring whoever the hell walks in off the street to fill the positions. This is how two men with mafia connections and rap sheets ended up as police officers in the first place.
Eppolito was the son of a relatively well-known mafioso, not some low-level thug. The lack of oversight on him is almost inexcusable - especially considering that there was evidence early on tying him to police files that were found in the possession of a mobster who was arrested. Passing information is bad enough, but these two officers used their positions of power to carry out shocking crimes for cash.
Michael Cannell does an amazing job compiling information. There is a long stretch of the book where the case against these men is being built which had me turning pages at a pretty rapid pace. While that may not seem that interesting to most, it actually built a significant amount of suspense for me.
Will they get away with their crimes? Without an informant, the prosecution has no case. There are so few who even know about the role these crooked cops played that getting someone to snitch is almost impossible. With the statute of limitations already run out, a daring scheme is hatched to try to back these men into a corner.
We are introduced to Louis Eppolito and his partner Stephen Caracappa. One of the biggest problems in America is that when there is a shortage of acceptably qualified people for a particular job, rather than make the job one that is more venerated or worthwhile, we just start hiring whoever the hell walks in off the street to fill the positions. This is how two men with mafia connections and rap sheets ended up as police officers in the first place.
Eppolito was the son of a relatively well-known mafioso, not some low-level thug. The lack of oversight on him is almost inexcusable - especially considering that there was evidence early on tying him to police files that were found in the possession of a mobster who was arrested. Passing information is bad enough, but these two officers used their positions of power to carry out shocking crimes for cash.
Michael Cannell does an amazing job compiling information. There is a long stretch of the book where the case against these men is being built which had me turning pages at a pretty rapid pace. While that may not seem that interesting to most, it actually built a significant amount of suspense for me.
Will they get away with their crimes? Without an informant, the prosecution has no case. There are so few who even know about the role these crooked cops played that getting someone to snitch is almost impossible. With the statute of limitations already run out, a daring scheme is hatched to try to back these men into a corner.
June 23, 2025
This was a rough one. There are so many existing books about these events that it's not hard to find a better one, and aside from being more recent and thus recapping the dates of death of the major players, it's not clear what this one hopes to add to the existing landscape.
The tone, particularly in audio form, is very much in the America's Most Wanted/Unsolved Mysteries lane - which isn't always a bad thing, but there's a reason why those shows are an hour long and not 14+ hours. The repetition and skipping to the most horrific aspects of the crime that draw us into those shows are not nearly as effective in describing patterns of behavior and interactions between people over decades, so the text manages to be both needlessly long and devoid of new information.
The first and much longer section of the book is a meandering review of the mafia families active in New York in the 1980's and 90's, with way too many names and no real narrative structure. The second section, the trial, is rushed and disconnected from the first part. It's unclear who the intended audience is supposed to be - if you're already familiar with the case, there's nothing new here, and if you're not, you will get more out of reading a Wikipedia entry than this book if you want to understand what happened. There's never any real attempt to analyze the systems that allowed this to happen, the motivations of the main characters, or the other societal changes that were changing crime and policing during the period.
Give this one a pass - whether you're a true crime fan or just specifically interested in this case, there are better options out there.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
The tone, particularly in audio form, is very much in the America's Most Wanted/Unsolved Mysteries lane - which isn't always a bad thing, but there's a reason why those shows are an hour long and not 14+ hours. The repetition and skipping to the most horrific aspects of the crime that draw us into those shows are not nearly as effective in describing patterns of behavior and interactions between people over decades, so the text manages to be both needlessly long and devoid of new information.
The first and much longer section of the book is a meandering review of the mafia families active in New York in the 1980's and 90's, with way too many names and no real narrative structure. The second section, the trial, is rushed and disconnected from the first part. It's unclear who the intended audience is supposed to be - if you're already familiar with the case, there's nothing new here, and if you're not, you will get more out of reading a Wikipedia entry than this book if you want to understand what happened. There's never any real attempt to analyze the systems that allowed this to happen, the motivations of the main characters, or the other societal changes that were changing crime and policing during the period.
Give this one a pass - whether you're a true crime fan or just specifically interested in this case, there are better options out there.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
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