What do you think?
Rate this book
90 Church Lib/E: Inside America's Notorious First Narcotics Squad
Mad Men meets The Wire in this gripping true-crime memoir by a former agent at the Federal Bureau of Narcotics in 1960s New York.Before Nixon famously declared a "war on drugs," there was the Federal Bureau of Narcotics.New York City, mid-1960s. The war in Vietnam was on the nation's tongue--but so was something else. Clandestine and chaotic, but equally ruthless, the agents of the bureau were feared by the Mafia, dealers, pimps, prostitutes--anyone who did his or her business on the streets. With few rules and almost no oversight, the battle-hardened agents of the bureau were often more vicious than the criminals they chased.Agent Dean Unkefer was a naive kid with notions of justice and fair play when he joined up. But all that quickly changed once he got thrown into the lion's den of 90 Church, the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, where he was shocked to see the agents he revered were often more like thugs than lawmen.When he finally got the chance to prove his mettle by going undercover in the field, the lines became increasingly blurred. As he spiraled into the hell of addiction and watched his life become a complex balancing act of lies and half-truths, he began to wonder what side he was really on.90 Church is both the unbelievable memoir of one man's confrontation with the dark corners of the human experience and a fascinating window into a little-known time in American history. Learn the story of the agents who make the DEA look like choirboys.
Audio CD
First published April 4, 2013
14 people are currently reading
1386 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
March 5, 2019
this book opens by stealing the opening line from goodfellas, replacing "gangster" with "FBI agent." which may or may not be unforgivable to you.
it is a memoir, collecting one agent's experiences working for the infamous federal bureau of narcotics in the mid-60's, located at 90 church street in good old nyfc.
doesn't look so bad, right?
well.
as greg says here, this book is like a james ellroy novel come to life. and he would know. and hopefully he will write a "real" review of the book as promised, because i suspect he has a better background than i do to discuss this subject matter.
because this shit is horrifying. it's the kind of story that, were it presented as fiction, some editor would no doubt swoop in and cross out giant chunks, saying "this is too much. no one's going to buy that this character did this. it's too over the top and is trying too hard to be shocking."
but apparently not.
the federal bureau of narcotics got drugs off the streets, success! but they did it in the same manner in which a bull reorganizes a china shop, leaving nothing but destroyed lives in their wake while they strutted off into the warm glow of accolades, fancy cars, and briefcases of cash. a clandestine agency, with agents undercover infiltrating all aspects of the criminal underworld, there was a lot of leeway when it came to their ends justifying their means. drug use, rape, theft, beatings, and murder were all shrugged off for the most part.
here is an example of the kind of mindset these agents display. this is one of the first anecdotes in the book, and it definitely sets the tone:
"This is Agent Pike. He drives a government vehicle, a black Cadillac convertible." He read off a string of numbers. There was silence. Then one of the men said, "Were you at One Hundred Forty-Fifth Street and Lenox at about four-thirty a.m. Monday morning?"
Pike answered, "Yeah, I guess I was. We were working an after-hours joint, you know; we were there all night."
One of the wrinkled suits said, "There was a witness to a killing and an assault. A lady in a basement apartment got your license-plate number. Since the plate is confidential, it took us a while to track it. Were you there when someone was shot, then run over by your car?"
I heard Pike answer, "A drunk nigger tried to boost me off. He had a gun. I had to shoot him; he got in the way when I left. So what?"
One of the policemen said, "Well, okay, but why didn't you report this? Do you know the man is dead?"
"Well," Pike said, "it was me or him, the car wasn't damaged. I was going to write it up probably today, this afternoon. It happened very late. I was on my way home. I drove across the Williamsburg Bridge. It was after five in the morning.
One of the cops exploded, "You shoot a man on the streets of New York City, you run him over, you don't feel the need to call it in? Is this what you're saying? You fucking kill someone then drive away because your black Cadillac wasn't damaged? Jesus Christ! Is this your story? And you're a fucking supervisor?"
"Well, I should have gotten to it sooner," Pike apologized. "I'll write something up."
and that's just when they get caught doing these things.
incidentally, the punishment for this, once the police leave, is a strongly-worded threat: "If this happens again, you're back in Chicago."
and this is why we can't have nice things.
our pseudonymous author and former agent who tells these stories is both of and not-of this world. after his first day on the job, which reads like complete slapstick in its series of misadventures, he somehow falls into favor with some of the more seasoned agents, who basically carry him throughout his career. for an agent, he is surprisingly naïve. he quickly becomes drawn into the lifestyle's traps, becoming addicted to cocaine and booze, ruining his marriage and making one mistake after another, many of which end in someone's death. now, i completely understand that in some lines of work, it is necessary to develop a sort of callus over those weak human parts like empathy, but it's quite alarming how blasé he is about all the bodies left in his wake - bodies of people with whom he has developed personal relationships, even though they were built upon necessary lies. and yes - sometimes he shows pangs of guilt, and will administer payback for these deaths years later, but it's still pretty horrifying how casually the deaths are treated overall.
and then in the middle of all this urban justice and gunfire and cocaine abuse comes the WEIRDEST INTERLUDE EVER. i don't even know how to address it here. it's like david lynch took over the story after doing bong hits with tim burton. after a series of events that read like an 80's caper film involving an asylum, a birthday cake, and some high heels, the agents are led by a series of coincidences to green, louisiana - a small town they are about to destroy. this is all part of an off-the-books revenge plot orchestrated by another agent, where everything comes together as though by magic - a necessary woman is easily seduced, a car crash is engineered in new orleans simply to keep someone in town, an agent - a complete stranger to the town - is made the assistant football coach - it's more of that stuff that in a novel would come across as "too contrived."
but then there are also these completely bizarre and surreal lynchian elements to this town - a cop whose uniform is three sizes too big, a diversionary tactic successfully pulled off by an agent shoving a napkin down his throat and running out the door of a restaurant, a naked teenage girl playing the flute in the morning fog while standing on the branch of an oak tree, who will later moon the congregation during a church christmas concert, and who will later - well, we'll get to that.
actually, let's get to it now. so this girl, in events unconnected to the agents or the case, is assaulted, and during the attack, her face makes contact with an electrical box, causing all the skin around her mouth to burn away, leaving her teeth and gums completely exposed. which is horrifying enough, but three weeks later, this "skeleton-faced cheerleader" is unfazed:
I have seen a lot of grotesque things in my life, but nothing like seeing Alice lead the cheerleading squad. Completely oblivious to her horribly scarred face and exposed teeth, she backflipped, did her bumps and grinds, and cartwheeled across the field as the crowd cheered.
which - thumbs up for resilience and not falling into despair over the horrible shit life throws at you, but COME ON! are you picturing this? with the bumping and the grinding and all of it? how is this something that happened in the world? this whole louisiana sequence reads like a horrible nightmare, and the way it all wraps up - i can't even. i guess this falls under the rubric of truth being stranger than fiction, but the whole smalltown sequence… it seems both unbelievable and too tidy at once. i'll believe it, just like i believe the rest of this book, but the mind is truly boggled.
and then we're back in new york with the pimps and the dealers and the mob with plenty more horror but none of the dreamlike oddities. crimes are committed, justice is served, people die, comeuppance is dodged, dewey fascinates me and i want to read a book by him, elliott got the rawest deal of all, etc etc.
so yeah - the subject matter is appalling and sensationalistic, but it's undeniably compelling if you have the stomach for it. and i do, but part of me is kicking the part of me that enjoyed the book. the stars given to this book are for the entertainment value of the book itself, but for the man who wrote it, i give zero stars. zero stars to you, sir. you have made some terrible decisions. which, considering he probably still has plenty of connections to dangerous men, is going to see me get whacked, but it's hard for me to applaud these deeds as a human being, even though i am admittedly, reluctantly, fascinated.
it's all very complicated.
but it's a damn good read.
come to my blog!
it is a memoir, collecting one agent's experiences working for the infamous federal bureau of narcotics in the mid-60's, located at 90 church street in good old nyfc.
doesn't look so bad, right?
well.
as greg says here, this book is like a james ellroy novel come to life. and he would know. and hopefully he will write a "real" review of the book as promised, because i suspect he has a better background than i do to discuss this subject matter.
because this shit is horrifying. it's the kind of story that, were it presented as fiction, some editor would no doubt swoop in and cross out giant chunks, saying "this is too much. no one's going to buy that this character did this. it's too over the top and is trying too hard to be shocking."
but apparently not.
the federal bureau of narcotics got drugs off the streets, success! but they did it in the same manner in which a bull reorganizes a china shop, leaving nothing but destroyed lives in their wake while they strutted off into the warm glow of accolades, fancy cars, and briefcases of cash. a clandestine agency, with agents undercover infiltrating all aspects of the criminal underworld, there was a lot of leeway when it came to their ends justifying their means. drug use, rape, theft, beatings, and murder were all shrugged off for the most part.
here is an example of the kind of mindset these agents display. this is one of the first anecdotes in the book, and it definitely sets the tone:
"This is Agent Pike. He drives a government vehicle, a black Cadillac convertible." He read off a string of numbers. There was silence. Then one of the men said, "Were you at One Hundred Forty-Fifth Street and Lenox at about four-thirty a.m. Monday morning?"
Pike answered, "Yeah, I guess I was. We were working an after-hours joint, you know; we were there all night."
One of the wrinkled suits said, "There was a witness to a killing and an assault. A lady in a basement apartment got your license-plate number. Since the plate is confidential, it took us a while to track it. Were you there when someone was shot, then run over by your car?"
I heard Pike answer, "A drunk nigger tried to boost me off. He had a gun. I had to shoot him; he got in the way when I left. So what?"
One of the policemen said, "Well, okay, but why didn't you report this? Do you know the man is dead?"
"Well," Pike said, "it was me or him, the car wasn't damaged. I was going to write it up probably today, this afternoon. It happened very late. I was on my way home. I drove across the Williamsburg Bridge. It was after five in the morning.
One of the cops exploded, "You shoot a man on the streets of New York City, you run him over, you don't feel the need to call it in? Is this what you're saying? You fucking kill someone then drive away because your black Cadillac wasn't damaged? Jesus Christ! Is this your story? And you're a fucking supervisor?"
"Well, I should have gotten to it sooner," Pike apologized. "I'll write something up."
and that's just when they get caught doing these things.
incidentally, the punishment for this, once the police leave, is a strongly-worded threat: "If this happens again, you're back in Chicago."
and this is why we can't have nice things.
our pseudonymous author and former agent who tells these stories is both of and not-of this world. after his first day on the job, which reads like complete slapstick in its series of misadventures, he somehow falls into favor with some of the more seasoned agents, who basically carry him throughout his career. for an agent, he is surprisingly naïve. he quickly becomes drawn into the lifestyle's traps, becoming addicted to cocaine and booze, ruining his marriage and making one mistake after another, many of which end in someone's death. now, i completely understand that in some lines of work, it is necessary to develop a sort of callus over those weak human parts like empathy, but it's quite alarming how blasé he is about all the bodies left in his wake - bodies of people with whom he has developed personal relationships, even though they were built upon necessary lies. and yes - sometimes he shows pangs of guilt, and will administer payback for these deaths years later, but it's still pretty horrifying how casually the deaths are treated overall.
and then in the middle of all this urban justice and gunfire and cocaine abuse comes the WEIRDEST INTERLUDE EVER. i don't even know how to address it here. it's like david lynch took over the story after doing bong hits with tim burton. after a series of events that read like an 80's caper film involving an asylum, a birthday cake, and some high heels, the agents are led by a series of coincidences to green, louisiana - a small town they are about to destroy. this is all part of an off-the-books revenge plot orchestrated by another agent, where everything comes together as though by magic - a necessary woman is easily seduced, a car crash is engineered in new orleans simply to keep someone in town, an agent - a complete stranger to the town - is made the assistant football coach - it's more of that stuff that in a novel would come across as "too contrived."
but then there are also these completely bizarre and surreal lynchian elements to this town - a cop whose uniform is three sizes too big, a diversionary tactic successfully pulled off by an agent shoving a napkin down his throat and running out the door of a restaurant, a naked teenage girl playing the flute in the morning fog while standing on the branch of an oak tree, who will later moon the congregation during a church christmas concert, and who will later - well, we'll get to that.
actually, let's get to it now. so this girl, in events unconnected to the agents or the case, is assaulted, and during the attack, her face makes contact with an electrical box, causing all the skin around her mouth to burn away, leaving her teeth and gums completely exposed. which is horrifying enough, but three weeks later, this "skeleton-faced cheerleader" is unfazed:
I have seen a lot of grotesque things in my life, but nothing like seeing Alice lead the cheerleading squad. Completely oblivious to her horribly scarred face and exposed teeth, she backflipped, did her bumps and grinds, and cartwheeled across the field as the crowd cheered.
which - thumbs up for resilience and not falling into despair over the horrible shit life throws at you, but COME ON! are you picturing this? with the bumping and the grinding and all of it? how is this something that happened in the world? this whole louisiana sequence reads like a horrible nightmare, and the way it all wraps up - i can't even. i guess this falls under the rubric of truth being stranger than fiction, but the whole smalltown sequence… it seems both unbelievable and too tidy at once. i'll believe it, just like i believe the rest of this book, but the mind is truly boggled.
and then we're back in new york with the pimps and the dealers and the mob with plenty more horror but none of the dreamlike oddities. crimes are committed, justice is served, people die, comeuppance is dodged, dewey fascinates me and i want to read a book by him, elliott got the rawest deal of all, etc etc.
so yeah - the subject matter is appalling and sensationalistic, but it's undeniably compelling if you have the stomach for it. and i do, but part of me is kicking the part of me that enjoyed the book. the stars given to this book are for the entertainment value of the book itself, but for the man who wrote it, i give zero stars. zero stars to you, sir. you have made some terrible decisions. which, considering he probably still has plenty of connections to dangerous men, is going to see me get whacked, but it's hard for me to applaud these deeds as a human being, even though i am admittedly, reluctantly, fascinated.
it's all very complicated.
but it's a damn good read.
come to my blog!
May 19, 2015
Before the Drug Enforcement Administration, a ragtag group of agents was tasked with stopping the flow of drugs onto the streets of America. Dubbed The Federal Bureau of Narcotics, they took on dealers, thugs, pimps and ultimately, the Mafia. Operating without a governing body, they were often just as ruthless as their adversaries. 90 Church: Inside America’s Notorious First Narcotics Squad follows one agent through undercover missions, near-death experiences and drug-fuelled madness.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
It’s no secret that crime fiction is far and away my favourite genre to read but for some reason, I’ve more or less stayed away from true crime. However, when a review popped up on Goodreads describing 90 Church as a James Ellroy novel brought to life, I knew I had to check it out.
90 Church is pure craziness from start to finish. This book is filled with so much double crossing, violence and death that it’s remarkable any of the people involved came out the other end with their sanity intact.
I have to hand it to the author, he pulls no punches when recalling his own questionable behaviour. Admittedly, he made a lot of bad decisions during his tenure but who could blame him, he was coming into this world completely naive, like a boyscout among hardened men and due to a strong desire to belong, his convictions fell away faster than The Flash on cocaine.
With the author’s decision to change some names to protect the parties involved, it drove me crazy when I couldn’t find anything online to support the events detailed within. 90 Church is one of those memoirs that you have to constantly remind yourself “yes, this actually happened”.
I had a blast with this one. 90 Church is a true crime tour de force.
Also posted @ Every Read Thing.
Check out Karen's awesome review as well.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
It’s no secret that crime fiction is far and away my favourite genre to read but for some reason, I’ve more or less stayed away from true crime. However, when a review popped up on Goodreads describing 90 Church as a James Ellroy novel brought to life, I knew I had to check it out.
90 Church is pure craziness from start to finish. This book is filled with so much double crossing, violence and death that it’s remarkable any of the people involved came out the other end with their sanity intact.
I have to hand it to the author, he pulls no punches when recalling his own questionable behaviour. Admittedly, he made a lot of bad decisions during his tenure but who could blame him, he was coming into this world completely naive, like a boyscout among hardened men and due to a strong desire to belong, his convictions fell away faster than The Flash on cocaine.
With the author’s decision to change some names to protect the parties involved, it drove me crazy when I couldn’t find anything online to support the events detailed within. 90 Church is one of those memoirs that you have to constantly remind yourself “yes, this actually happened”.
I had a blast with this one. 90 Church is a true crime tour de force.
Also posted @ Every Read Thing.
Check out Karen's awesome review as well.
April 4, 2016
Makes you realize just how extremely difficult policing really can be. It's not a black and white type of job. Everyone should read this book.
December 22, 2014
I'll try to write a real review for this sometime soon, but this is like a James Ellroy novel come to life. All kinds of depravity and fuckedupness. Not to be missed.
October 8, 2015
Soooo where do I start? I made the mistake of flipping to the back of the book and seeing the smug photo of Dean Unkefer. Immediately my skin crawled. He reminds me of one of those of con artists from CNBC's American Greed. I was going into this book wondering how "real" this memoir was going to be.
One thing that is real is how proud of himself Dean is. Through all the tales of murder, theft, rape, and horror that he participates in while working at 90 Church Dean always tries to make himself somehow seem like a Boy Scout. There are so many instances in this book where everything comes together with such a nice bow tied up at the end that it can't be real. I would say this is a very lose form of non fiction, maybe 20% true. Dean himself says how there is scant evidence of the workings of what happened at 90 Church so there's no way to remotely verify anything. Thus we the reader are forced to look inward and examine Dean's character. His obvious misogyny, arrogant comments and inflated ego tell you all you need to know about how real this tale is. I'm only giving 2 stars because reading it is like watching a train wreck. You can't turn away from the horror and madness.
One thing that is real is how proud of himself Dean is. Through all the tales of murder, theft, rape, and horror that he participates in while working at 90 Church Dean always tries to make himself somehow seem like a Boy Scout. There are so many instances in this book where everything comes together with such a nice bow tied up at the end that it can't be real. I would say this is a very lose form of non fiction, maybe 20% true. Dean himself says how there is scant evidence of the workings of what happened at 90 Church so there's no way to remotely verify anything. Thus we the reader are forced to look inward and examine Dean's character. His obvious misogyny, arrogant comments and inflated ego tell you all you need to know about how real this tale is. I'm only giving 2 stars because reading it is like watching a train wreck. You can't turn away from the horror and madness.
November 22, 2018
I found this book to be amazing. I could not put it down. The group of amoral narcotics agents depicted in this book put the "anti" in "antihero". This book in not for the faint of heart. It is hardcore.
Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote: "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster...." This book examines these monsters in a no-hold-bared way. One can argue that there are not any "good guys" in this book. If you enjoy true crime books, this stranger than fiction recollection should more than satisfy.
Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote: "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster...." This book examines these monsters in a no-hold-bared way. One can argue that there are not any "good guys" in this book. If you enjoy true crime books, this stranger than fiction recollection should more than satisfy.
May 4, 2016
I LOVED this book. This book fascinated me and kept me interested till the very end. The drugs, gangs, violence, and the city made this book amazing. This truly is one of my favorite books I love history and this definitely delivered. It totally depicts what Federal Bureau Narcotics did and how they fought to protect the integrity of the New York streets from the mafia.
" As far back as I can remember I had always wanted to be and FBI agent. I had never met an agent or criminal, or even someone victimized by a serious crime. But, like many other things in life that I could not explain, I just wanted to fight for truth, justice and the American way." (Unkefer 3)
To me this quote shows how perspective can alter a story. He says he always wanted to be a FBI agent and wanted to fight crime " the American way ". Our author was in for a culture shock because he had no idea about what was going to unfold. Some of the things that he did may have been illegal but it never seemed that way to readers because it was told through his perspective. If this was a story about our narrator then maybe the perception of him would change.
I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys history. Also this would be a great read if you are into organized crime or how drugs were spread in New York.
" As far back as I can remember I had always wanted to be and FBI agent. I had never met an agent or criminal, or even someone victimized by a serious crime. But, like many other things in life that I could not explain, I just wanted to fight for truth, justice and the American way." (Unkefer 3)
To me this quote shows how perspective can alter a story. He says he always wanted to be a FBI agent and wanted to fight crime " the American way ". Our author was in for a culture shock because he had no idea about what was going to unfold. Some of the things that he did may have been illegal but it never seemed that way to readers because it was told through his perspective. If this was a story about our narrator then maybe the perception of him would change.
I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys history. Also this would be a great read if you are into organized crime or how drugs were spread in New York.
September 1, 2013
This book will grab you by the throat and not let go.
The Federal Bureau of Narcotics was founded in 1930 and was disbanded in 1968. It was reorganized as the Federal Drug Administration two years later. This is the true story of one man who joined the "war on drugs" as a naïve young man and learned more than he bargained for.
Dean Unkefer ( a nom de plume )worked from the flagship office in New York City. He was patriotic, believed he could make a difference and wanted to get the Mafiosi and other bad guys who were ruining people's lives with drugs. His boss was a paper shuffler who chose to look the other way if the agents under him bent the rules. As long as he could demonstrate ever more escalating numbers of arrests to Washington, he was fine with it.
Unkefer walked into a crazy world of alcohol and drug addicted agents who were as lawless as those they busted. Agents planted drugs on people and confiscated cocaine stashes only to snort it themselves or to reward snitches.Government vehicles were totaled, innocent bystanders were murdered on the streets and it was all tidied up in the agents' reports. These people were completely out of control but because they had guns and badges, they got away with it.
Read this book and get your eyes opened.
The Federal Bureau of Narcotics was founded in 1930 and was disbanded in 1968. It was reorganized as the Federal Drug Administration two years later. This is the true story of one man who joined the "war on drugs" as a naïve young man and learned more than he bargained for.
Dean Unkefer ( a nom de plume )worked from the flagship office in New York City. He was patriotic, believed he could make a difference and wanted to get the Mafiosi and other bad guys who were ruining people's lives with drugs. His boss was a paper shuffler who chose to look the other way if the agents under him bent the rules. As long as he could demonstrate ever more escalating numbers of arrests to Washington, he was fine with it.
Unkefer walked into a crazy world of alcohol and drug addicted agents who were as lawless as those they busted. Agents planted drugs on people and confiscated cocaine stashes only to snort it themselves or to reward snitches.Government vehicles were totaled, innocent bystanders were murdered on the streets and it was all tidied up in the agents' reports. These people were completely out of control but because they had guns and badges, they got away with it.
Read this book and get your eyes opened.
September 27, 2019
I abandoned his audiobook about 70% through after I sorta got the gist. Crazy story about a guy going uncover, doing drive to not blow his cover. Pretty vulgar, as to be expected.
November 3, 2020
This book is wonderfully written. Even though it is a memoir, it reads more like fiction due to the sheer insanity of the goings on inside of 90 Church. Unkefer does a fantastic job drawing you in and portraying the dizzying downward spiral he himself went through, and closes everything off in a satisfying way. Although there is some fairly gruesome content, I would highly recommend anyone interested in crime, history, or memoirs read this book.
April 20, 2025
I try not to rate books that are real-life experiences, but this one was difficult. The way our world can operate in the many shades of grey and have no sense of right and wrong is terrifying. The things purposefully gone unseen are horrific. What people will do for recognition, money, and a “stable job” disgusts me. However this book painted a phenomenal picture of what lack of justice does to humanity, and what it still is doing.
March 2, 2018
What do we do with a cop who steps over the line and becomes a criminal? Are all cops good cops? And, most importantly in this novel, what makes the narcotics crime make a powerful force to make a cop go over the line. The first half of the novel gives us some insight. The second half doesn’t.
August 17, 2025
Cool story, but it’s pretty unbelievable. It reads like a fictional crime book with its stilted dialogue and too neat and perfect investigations and results.
I don’t think there’s a single likable character, either. Not exactly a flattering portrayal of the ethics of law enforcement officers, and that may be the most accurate thing about this book.
I don’t think there’s a single likable character, either. Not exactly a flattering portrayal of the ethics of law enforcement officers, and that may be the most accurate thing about this book.
December 3, 2017
Pretty good. Lots of visual detail that provided a 70's Scorsese film vibe. It reads like the author had a screenplay in mind. There's a lot of characters in the book so pay close attention! The "femme fatales" of the 70's are much tougher than found in James Ellroy or pulp noir screeds.
January 12, 2020
This book was hilarious!! I did not think a book about narcotics could be so funny even with all the killings. Maybe the author did that to balance the evil in the book. I highly recommend this book.
January 5, 2020
Exciting, complex narrative. Hard to believe it not, at best, an embellished but still interesting.
April 7, 2020
Very entertaining
August 30, 2022
I loved this book. I met the author on an airplane and read his book as soon as I could get my hands on it. Just WOW! Thanks for writing this book Dean. I couldn’t put it down.
October 15, 2022
Fact or fiction? Doesn’t matter. Reads like a rejected story arc from The Shield. If you find Don Winslow’s new book too highbrow, this might hit the spot.
June 23, 2017
Ruthless, compelling and hard to put down. An eye opening story of the rise and fall of 90 Church and the early war on drugs in America. In this shocking and startlingly honest account of his life as an agent Unkefer reveals the inside view. A definite mustread.
August 10, 2013
I was grateful to have received a copy of 90 Church via Goodreads First Reads giveaway. I must say that I was not sure what to expect, however, from the minute I started reading I was hooked. The author, Dean Unkefer, shares straight from his soul about the rise and fall of 90 Church, "The Narcotics Squad from Hell". Unkefer did not hold back in sharing his personal memories about the iconic 90 Church that can never be duplicated. His writing flowed at an amazing pace, I felt as though he was sitting with me in the same room telling his tale. Numerous times I found myself thinking, how does one endure such tragedy and live another day to talk about it? The agents of 90 Church pulled off more than a lifetime of incredible feats while they dedicated their lives to ridding America of mafia drug trade. Like scenes out of a mob movie, they were in the center of some of the most horrific and sinister drug wars. The author did not sugar coat one minute of what he and 90 Church endured, it was raw and at times it was beyond comprehension. There was even emphasis on the government agent side of the coin versus that of the mafia and the codes within the dark underground drug world. The author saw things in his life that many of us will never even have nightmares about. Unkefer shared a part of history that surely deserved more recognition and public awareness upon it's disbandment. I am motivated to take the author's suggested readings and learn more about this incredible group of dedicated warriors for justice. This book is not for the light at heart and you should not read it if you cannot handle the graphic nature within. I highly recommend to anyone with an interest in true crime and non-fiction history. This memoir reads life fiction and it is a truly outstanding read. I give 4.5 stars and commend the author for having the courage to share.
May 9, 2013
I am not a great book reader, so when I obtained a copy of 90 Church and realized how many pages there were, I said to myself, hell I am not going to read this, but I started and could not stop until I finished reading every page. I did not realize that I was going to learn almost firsthand about the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and the Squad from Hell. They went about their business secretly and without batting an eye as to how they do their jobs. Most of them were a little crazy, but they had a vision of getting drugs off of American streets.. If you are afraid to read a book that the language leaves no stones unturned, and how and what these men did to accomplish each and every case, trust me the info contained in the book is important to know about. They did some things that I could not believe, did not agree with, but as I read the pages, I understood what they were trying to do, and they were always in danger of losing their own life. It is unbiased, unscrupulous, unmistakably truthful, unmitigated, and without a doubt a part of our government history that they seemed to want to sweep under the rug. Too bad we do not have a squad like this now, or do we?
90 Church is something every citizen over 21 needs to read. This book is ready for the big screen.
Marty Martel
90 Church is something every citizen over 21 needs to read. This book is ready for the big screen.
Marty Martel
July 23, 2013
I was absolutely fascinated by this true story about a naive young man who, all his life, wanted to be an FBI officer, then was surprisingly hired as an enforcement officer with the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Told with sometimes shocking clarity and detail, the story reads as good as any crime fiction novel. I had to continually remind myself that this is a true story about a man who found himself sucked into a life that we usually attribute to the worst criminals. The author is surprisingly frank about the sordid activities he and fellow officers engaged in while seeking "truth and justice" in the dirty world of drug dealing, double dealing, bribery and murder. The story is extremely engaging and well written. The author is not apologetic about his activities in a world that has rules known and followed by criminals and police alike; he merely describes how he and fellow officers pursued the "bad guys" in the war against drugs during the shortlived history of the FBN in New York City.
July 25, 2017
The story behind 90 Church is one thing and its is a good one thing and needed to be tolled; but as far as I am concerned with the righting and the book as a read ---- "WOW" I am not much of a reader and do not remember the last time I read a book in a timely fashion.
When I started last Sunday I read 180pgs the first day!! I finished the book in four days. I almost did not want it to end I loved some of the characters and the humble way in which the author, Dean Unkefer, humbly presented the material from the beginning making phone of himself about his first day went all the way to how he had Dewey and Michael so larger than life throughout. People I wished I could meet.
I don't have a lot compare it to but with my limited reading history I would say that it has the caricature of a Dean Koontz novel and the ease of read and material of John Grisham's legal novels.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and would be very proud to say I wrote something like this but the fact that it comes from reality and our recent past just makes it a home-run.
When I started last Sunday I read 180pgs the first day!! I finished the book in four days. I almost did not want it to end I loved some of the characters and the humble way in which the author, Dean Unkefer, humbly presented the material from the beginning making phone of himself about his first day went all the way to how he had Dewey and Michael so larger than life throughout. People I wished I could meet.
I don't have a lot compare it to but with my limited reading history I would say that it has the caricature of a Dean Koontz novel and the ease of read and material of John Grisham's legal novels.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and would be very proud to say I wrote something like this but the fact that it comes from reality and our recent past just makes it a home-run.
December 14, 2015
"These memoirs are based on the author's best recollections of events in his life...the author has stated to the publisher that the contents of this book are true."
Call me a cynic, but this smells like a cover for things that AREN'T going to be exactly true. The subtitle of this book should have been "You Can't Make this Stuff Up", except I think that part of it is just that.
If you ever doubted what a complete and total failure the government's War on Drugs is--right from the get-go--this book will confirm it. The federal team is full of liars, cheats, psychos and stone killers.(And these are the "good guys") All except the author of course, who continually portrays himself as a naive guy who just wants to rid his country of drugs and crime. This is tough to swallow as you read of the stuff he's pulling, and also with the giant gaps in some of the chapters concerning his undercover work. By the time I finished this book I was totally disgusted with everyone in it. It's interesting, undeniably, but I felt like I needed to take a long shower after I finished it.
Call me a cynic, but this smells like a cover for things that AREN'T going to be exactly true. The subtitle of this book should have been "You Can't Make this Stuff Up", except I think that part of it is just that.
If you ever doubted what a complete and total failure the government's War on Drugs is--right from the get-go--this book will confirm it. The federal team is full of liars, cheats, psychos and stone killers.(And these are the "good guys") All except the author of course, who continually portrays himself as a naive guy who just wants to rid his country of drugs and crime. This is tough to swallow as you read of the stuff he's pulling, and also with the giant gaps in some of the chapters concerning his undercover work. By the time I finished this book I was totally disgusted with everyone in it. It's interesting, undeniably, but I felt like I needed to take a long shower after I finished it.
April 2, 2016
90 Church: Inside America's Notorious First Narcotics Squad by Dean Unkefer (Picador 2013) (363.45). Author Dean Unkefer worked in New York City in the 1960's for the Federal Bureau of Narcotics as an undercover agent. The FBN was shut down in 1968, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (the DEA) was created. This book is Dean Unkefer's account of his years of service with the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, which was apparently as corrupt as any justice agency that has ever purported to serve the United States. Unkefer reports that these street agents were without honor; the only justice they administered was “every man for himself” as they lied, stole, became addicted to confiscated narcotics themselves, and killed without recourse. It was a scary time in the history of US justice. If Unkefer's account is to be believed, the thugs were running the justice system, and the inmates had taken control of the asylum. I cringe to think what system we have in place now! My rating: 7/10, finished 3/25/16.
August 12, 2019
This is a very interesting book. Crime isn't really up there in my list of genres to read first but I'm glad I gave this book a chance.
Fans of true crime stories or crime stories in general will certainly find this book interesting to read. The story told from first-person perspective lets the reader into the mind of the main character and you feel like you were really there amid all the drugs and mobsters. Also, being that I'm not from American...this book shows me a glimpse of how the American justice system work back then.
The only nit-picky thing I have is that sometimes I feel like the situations that the main character got placed in is a bit too unreal. And knowing that this is a true crime story makes it even more unbelievable and I am amazed how he even managed to come out of it alive and tell his story.
Maybe it is as they say: "Truth is stranger than fiction".
[Disclaimer: Copy received from Giveaway.]
Fans of true crime stories or crime stories in general will certainly find this book interesting to read. The story told from first-person perspective lets the reader into the mind of the main character and you feel like you were really there amid all the drugs and mobsters. Also, being that I'm not from American...this book shows me a glimpse of how the American justice system work back then.
The only nit-picky thing I have is that sometimes I feel like the situations that the main character got placed in is a bit too unreal. And knowing that this is a true crime story makes it even more unbelievable and I am amazed how he even managed to come out of it alive and tell his story.
Maybe it is as they say: "Truth is stranger than fiction".
[Disclaimer: Copy received from Giveaway.]
July 30, 2013
This book was a real treat from cover to cover. Don't be expecting any paragraphs describing the serene, mid-afternoon calm of central park. Oh no. Be expecting raw and honest perspective regarding undercover activity that involves drugs, murder, rape, prostitution, addiction, conspiracy, with a little sidecar of deceit.
We follow the story of young man who dreams of making it as an undercover agent and will fight for "truth, justice, and the American way" no matter what. He finally gets his big break when he lands a job with the Narcotics Bureau. What we see unfold will have you questioning each of those original sentiments, and just what can and/or should be done to wage the war on drugs.
A very gripping and powerful story that, even though set in the 1960s, applies to us today. How far was/is too far in the war on drugs? How far is too far for the contemporary war on terror? These are just some of the things you will be asking yourself when you finish this one.
We follow the story of young man who dreams of making it as an undercover agent and will fight for "truth, justice, and the American way" no matter what. He finally gets his big break when he lands a job with the Narcotics Bureau. What we see unfold will have you questioning each of those original sentiments, and just what can and/or should be done to wage the war on drugs.
A very gripping and powerful story that, even though set in the 1960s, applies to us today. How far was/is too far in the war on drugs? How far is too far for the contemporary war on terror? These are just some of the things you will be asking yourself when you finish this one.
December 29, 2013
I won this in the Goodreads Giveaways.
This was a very interesting, and disturbing book. A true story of the Bureau of Narcotics, told by one of their young agents. It details the way that drugs were taken off the streets and mafia families brought down in the 1960's in New York City. One of the reasons that it was so successful as an agency, was that the agents behaved how ever they needed to, to get the job done. Turned informants, gave away and bought drugs, were addicted to drugs and alcohol, sold out drug dealers to each other and to the mafia, so the body count piles up quickly. A really gritty account of the true side of the war on drugs.
While hard to read, this book was good. The naivity of the young agent, his desire to save America from drugs, and his gradual descent into hell were all very well written.
This was a very interesting, and disturbing book. A true story of the Bureau of Narcotics, told by one of their young agents. It details the way that drugs were taken off the streets and mafia families brought down in the 1960's in New York City. One of the reasons that it was so successful as an agency, was that the agents behaved how ever they needed to, to get the job done. Turned informants, gave away and bought drugs, were addicted to drugs and alcohol, sold out drug dealers to each other and to the mafia, so the body count piles up quickly. A really gritty account of the true side of the war on drugs.
While hard to read, this book was good. The naivity of the young agent, his desire to save America from drugs, and his gradual descent into hell were all very well written.
June 22, 2015
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
It's an odd biography, about a naive fool who joins the Narcotics Bureau because he couldn't get into the FBI, only to find that he isn't ready for primetime.
He spends most of his time drinking, snorting coke, and not knowing what is going on, while other people do the real work and give him credit. He also spends a lot of time feeling guilty about it, and making poor decisions.
I guess we're all supposed to appalled how this government agency didn't follow the rule of law and such, but they're the only somewhat effective government agency I've ever heard of.
I think we're supposed to read this and pat ourselves on the back for being more 'evolved' than the troglodytes in these pages. If that's your bag, this book is for you. Otherwise, it's very hit and miss, because the author never knows what's going on.
It's an odd biography, about a naive fool who joins the Narcotics Bureau because he couldn't get into the FBI, only to find that he isn't ready for primetime.
He spends most of his time drinking, snorting coke, and not knowing what is going on, while other people do the real work and give him credit. He also spends a lot of time feeling guilty about it, and making poor decisions.
I guess we're all supposed to appalled how this government agency didn't follow the rule of law and such, but they're the only somewhat effective government agency I've ever heard of.
I think we're supposed to read this and pat ourselves on the back for being more 'evolved' than the troglodytes in these pages. If that's your bag, this book is for you. Otherwise, it's very hit and miss, because the author never knows what's going on.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews