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Covert: My Years Infiltrating the Mob
In this true crime novel, a respected NBA referee reveals his clandestine past infiltrating organized crime for the New Jersey State Troopers.Soon after joining the New Jersey State Troopers in 1973, Delaney was offered a tantalizing undercover to infiltrate the Mob. And so he became Bobby Covert, the president of Alamo Trucking, a fully-operational business used by law enforcement as flypaper for snagging wise guys. While wearing a wire, Delaney dealt daily with mobsters who modeled themselves after their on-screen counterparts (at the height of The Godfather’s popularity), and even crossed paths with Joe Pistone, the real-life Donnie Brasco. After three tense years playing a role in which a single slip could cost him his life, Delaney had gathered enough evidence to convict more than thirty members of the Genovese and Bruno crime families. Struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder from the strain of his undercover life, Delaney began officiating high school and intramural basketball games as a way to rebuild his life, eventually working his way up to the NBA, where he has been a referee for over two decades. This is his amazing true story.Praise for CovertOne of USA Today’s Best Books of the YearFeatured on ESPN, NPR and CNN“A mob-infiltration memoir for the Sopranos age.” —The New York Times“Delaney’s story . . . becomes more intense than overtime in the playoffs.” —Boston Globe “Delaney’s heroic performance during his perilous assignment represents the finest traditions of the New Jersey State Police. My father, the first superintendent of the New Jersey State Police Department, would have been proud of him.” —General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, U.S. Army (ret.)“Gripping . . . Fans of such undercover-themed books as Donnie Brasco, or organized-crime exposés like The Valachi Papers, will devour this one.” —Booklist “Fascinating . . . a must-read.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A slam dunk, a bull’s eye and any other glowing mafia or basketball metaphor you can think of.” —Kirkus Reviews
343 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
March 18, 2015
This was my first NF book in a while and it really spoke to me. It connected two things - basketball and the Mob. I knew a lot about basketball and knew little about the Mob. I was so interested in how deep the mob is and all of the control they had. My favorite part of the book was when one of the mob members that Bob had grown to befriend, looks at him and is shocked and devastated that he turned him in. It breaks a barrier that show the mean, stereotypical mob guys, with normal, everyday people. No matter what we do, we all share bonds and connections with each other. I loved how heartfelt this stories were and emotion provoking, I loved it.
December 4, 2019
I have a lot of feelings about this book. Deep respect for Bob Delaney, the risks he willingly undertook for the greater good as well as the personal battle he fought to come back out of the organized crime world. Deep sadness for men who are so twisted in their thinking and unconcerned about their fellow man that they don't perceive their actions as wrong. Empathy but also confusion toward the innocents caught in the snares of the crime world.
The book is insightful into organized crime's thinking--anything for more money and power, even if it means working with an otherwise opposing organization. While the book shows moments where these men and women are also real people with real problems (like sick children), I appreciated Mr. Delaney's insistence later in the book that they are still bad guys. They've done wrong. They've hurt and defrauded and intimidated without thought for the law or for others.
More than all of that, I profoundly respect Mr. Delaney for his choice to not let those years of undercover work limit him. I cannot imagine the security measures he and his family submit to out of necessity, but I appreciate his determination to live his life as he wants in spite of the threat against him.
Overall, this was a fascinating book and a story--a man--worth knowing.
The book is insightful into organized crime's thinking--anything for more money and power, even if it means working with an otherwise opposing organization. While the book shows moments where these men and women are also real people with real problems (like sick children), I appreciated Mr. Delaney's insistence later in the book that they are still bad guys. They've done wrong. They've hurt and defrauded and intimidated without thought for the law or for others.
More than all of that, I profoundly respect Mr. Delaney for his choice to not let those years of undercover work limit him. I cannot imagine the security measures he and his family submit to out of necessity, but I appreciate his determination to live his life as he wants in spite of the threat against him.
Overall, this was a fascinating book and a story--a man--worth knowing.
April 19, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “CURRENT NBA REFEREE HAD A PRIOR LIFE AS A “DONNIE BRASCO”!
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This autobiography of current NBA referee Bob Delaney commences on April 18, 1999 at America West Arena in Phoenix Arizona. As Bob was going through his normal last minute pre-game rituals, he heard a voice from the crowd yelling “Hey Bob!”… “Hey Bob!” Delaney was now in his second decade of refereeing NBA games, and as a veteran he had developed a second skin, or an emotional armor if you will, against hecklers. NBA ref’s, just like umpires in baseball learned to simply ignore the boo’s and the catcall’s that inevitably came with the territory. He’d heard them all: “Hey ref, get it right for once!”… “Hey ref, eat me!”… “Hey ref, your fly’s open!”… “Hey ref, you suck!”… “Hey ref, don’t quit your day job!”… And one of his personal favorites that rated high on the creativity chart: “Hey Delaney, I’ve seen better referees at the Foot Locker!” Bob had trained himself not to look at hecklers because that would only encourage them and possibly add fuel to the fire. Then the same voice from the stands yelled: “ALAMO TRUCKING!” All of a sudden every muscle in Bob’s body tightened. This fan had information no average fan could possibly have. Delaney’s pulse started to race and a prior lifetime of “shadowy” thunder rumbled in his head. Then the same voice yelled: “ALAMO!” Bob looked to the stands into the mega-expensive courtside seats, and the fan is yelling “ALAMO! ALAMO!” Bob looked straight at him and at first had no idea who the fan was, but “ALAMO TRUCKING” was “a loaded reference to a time almost a quarter century before, and a place nearly three thousand miles away on the New Jersey waterfront.”
“Bob… it’s me… Pat from ALAMO.” Then the name, the face, the place and time, all came together in Delaney’s hidden memory, unlocking the combination to his secret inner vault. It was Pat Kelly. Bob hadn’t seen Pat for over twenty years. Not since the time Pat and Delaney had been in Federal Court testifying against the mob. Pat had entered the Witness Protection Program. Bob Delaney, had been a New Jersey State Trooper, who had given up his name, his identity, and his entire life, to go undercover as Bobby Covert, to infiltrate organized crime for almost three years as part of “PROJECT ALPHA”, and had just come out of “DEEP COVER”. There are two ways to go undercover in law enforcement: The first is where you go undercover but you still live at home with your family. The second is termed “DEEP COVER”, and that’s where you not only go undercover, but you give up all ties to your family, friends, and life as you knew it. Bob Delaney went into deep cover in 1975.
Bob arranged for someone to pass a note to Pat at halftime of the game, telling him to meet him after the game. From their reunion after the game the story flashes back to Bob’s life story which begins in New Jersey where Bob was the son of a high ranking New Jersey State Trooper Officer. Bob came from a strong Irish family and they lived in a close knit Italian neighborhood. Bob was an All-State basketball player in high school and he also played two years at Jersey City State College. He was a good player at his level but he knew he couldn’t go any higher, so when there was an opening in the State Trooper’s he applied and was accepted. In a very short period of time Bob impressed the right people and was asked if he wanted to be part of “PROJECT ALPHA” even though it meant “DEEP COVER” and his entire life as he knew it would change. Bob, overflowing with patriotism said yes! The first thing Bob and the other members of the group did was set up a real-live trucking company, and named it Alamo Trucking. The Fed’s had a slick wheeler-dealer who they had the goods on by the name of Pat Kelly, and gave him an option of working with “PROJECT ALPHA” or going to prison. Based on the beginning of this review the potential reader already knows the choice Pat made. The rest of the story is a harrowing, amazing, definition of stress and inner fortitude, that along with undying patriotism, is what makes up Delaney’s entire DNA. Without giving away any more of this classic episode in crime fighting, that can easily be discussed under the same topic as “DONNIE BRASCO” (Donnie went into “DEEP COVER” for six years, the longest in FBI history.), it should be noted that the busload of high ranking organized crime arrests that resulted from “ALPHA PROJECT” made America a safer place to live. The reader will also find of utmost interest the “withdrawal” symptoms and post traumatic problems with Bob’s entire personality and lifestyle once the assignment was completed. I highly recommend this book and must also complement the author’s writing style that utilizes everyday jargon and terminology. The storytelling comes across like you’re just sitting around having a conversation with an everyday “Jersey-Guy” which Bob Delaney certainly is.
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This autobiography of current NBA referee Bob Delaney commences on April 18, 1999 at America West Arena in Phoenix Arizona. As Bob was going through his normal last minute pre-game rituals, he heard a voice from the crowd yelling “Hey Bob!”… “Hey Bob!” Delaney was now in his second decade of refereeing NBA games, and as a veteran he had developed a second skin, or an emotional armor if you will, against hecklers. NBA ref’s, just like umpires in baseball learned to simply ignore the boo’s and the catcall’s that inevitably came with the territory. He’d heard them all: “Hey ref, get it right for once!”… “Hey ref, eat me!”… “Hey ref, your fly’s open!”… “Hey ref, you suck!”… “Hey ref, don’t quit your day job!”… And one of his personal favorites that rated high on the creativity chart: “Hey Delaney, I’ve seen better referees at the Foot Locker!” Bob had trained himself not to look at hecklers because that would only encourage them and possibly add fuel to the fire. Then the same voice from the stands yelled: “ALAMO TRUCKING!” All of a sudden every muscle in Bob’s body tightened. This fan had information no average fan could possibly have. Delaney’s pulse started to race and a prior lifetime of “shadowy” thunder rumbled in his head. Then the same voice yelled: “ALAMO!” Bob looked to the stands into the mega-expensive courtside seats, and the fan is yelling “ALAMO! ALAMO!” Bob looked straight at him and at first had no idea who the fan was, but “ALAMO TRUCKING” was “a loaded reference to a time almost a quarter century before, and a place nearly three thousand miles away on the New Jersey waterfront.”
“Bob… it’s me… Pat from ALAMO.” Then the name, the face, the place and time, all came together in Delaney’s hidden memory, unlocking the combination to his secret inner vault. It was Pat Kelly. Bob hadn’t seen Pat for over twenty years. Not since the time Pat and Delaney had been in Federal Court testifying against the mob. Pat had entered the Witness Protection Program. Bob Delaney, had been a New Jersey State Trooper, who had given up his name, his identity, and his entire life, to go undercover as Bobby Covert, to infiltrate organized crime for almost three years as part of “PROJECT ALPHA”, and had just come out of “DEEP COVER”. There are two ways to go undercover in law enforcement: The first is where you go undercover but you still live at home with your family. The second is termed “DEEP COVER”, and that’s where you not only go undercover, but you give up all ties to your family, friends, and life as you knew it. Bob Delaney went into deep cover in 1975.
Bob arranged for someone to pass a note to Pat at halftime of the game, telling him to meet him after the game. From their reunion after the game the story flashes back to Bob’s life story which begins in New Jersey where Bob was the son of a high ranking New Jersey State Trooper Officer. Bob came from a strong Irish family and they lived in a close knit Italian neighborhood. Bob was an All-State basketball player in high school and he also played two years at Jersey City State College. He was a good player at his level but he knew he couldn’t go any higher, so when there was an opening in the State Trooper’s he applied and was accepted. In a very short period of time Bob impressed the right people and was asked if he wanted to be part of “PROJECT ALPHA” even though it meant “DEEP COVER” and his entire life as he knew it would change. Bob, overflowing with patriotism said yes! The first thing Bob and the other members of the group did was set up a real-live trucking company, and named it Alamo Trucking. The Fed’s had a slick wheeler-dealer who they had the goods on by the name of Pat Kelly, and gave him an option of working with “PROJECT ALPHA” or going to prison. Based on the beginning of this review the potential reader already knows the choice Pat made. The rest of the story is a harrowing, amazing, definition of stress and inner fortitude, that along with undying patriotism, is what makes up Delaney’s entire DNA. Without giving away any more of this classic episode in crime fighting, that can easily be discussed under the same topic as “DONNIE BRASCO” (Donnie went into “DEEP COVER” for six years, the longest in FBI history.), it should be noted that the busload of high ranking organized crime arrests that resulted from “ALPHA PROJECT” made America a safer place to live. The reader will also find of utmost interest the “withdrawal” symptoms and post traumatic problems with Bob’s entire personality and lifestyle once the assignment was completed. I highly recommend this book and must also complement the author’s writing style that utilizes everyday jargon and terminology. The storytelling comes across like you’re just sitting around having a conversation with an everyday “Jersey-Guy” which Bob Delaney certainly is.
June 21, 2024
Bob Delaney graduated from the police academy and almost immediately went into a deep undercover role to investigate the mob. The operation appears to have been well-funded and well-organized. Delaney's superior appears to have been a very capable manager. Co-author Dave Scheiber also wrote a good book based on Delaney's recollections. However, I am not sure that Delaney understood his role or how prosecutions work. The result is a collection of vague stories / memories that are based on Delaney's emotions rather than his actions. Therefore readers spend more time reading about his visits to therapists and his NBA career.
The idea of taking a fresh graduate out of the academy and throwing them into a high-risk, high-stress undercover environment is the stuff of B-rated movies. Bob Delaney is no Johnny Depp or Vin Diesel. If anything, this book shows the reality of such drama. Delaney describes his conversion from New Jersey State Trooper to hoodlum (armpit with eyes) in a very opaque fashion. There is a clear distinction between Covert and Donnie Brasco. FBI Agent Joe Pistone tells readers what it was like inside a Mafia crew. He says what they did, what he did, and how he transformed. In contrast, Delaney says he transformed, and he felt bad. There is a lot of information missing.
Operation Alpha looks good on paper. The New Jersey State Police and the FBI team up to investigate the mob in Northern New Jersey. They realize the mob is involved in labor unions and transportation, so they set up a trucking company and wait for the mob to approach them. They wait, and wait. Ultimately, a near casual interaction with a highly charismatic associate of the underworld changes everything. The State Police and the FBI introduce themselves to Patrick Kelly and warn him the dangers of associating with the mob. Then, just like that, he agrees to switch sides. His connection with the underworld quickly reinvigorates the operation.
The entire project hinges on Pat Kelly. And yet, readers know very little about him. Some guy who suddenly appears with Mafia leaders in different families is shocked that investigators watch him. Once again, there is a lot of missing information. His motivations are really left to the reader. But I am reminded of a similar low-level associate with a lot of charisma and underworld connections. Marvin Elkind was connected with many Canadian underworld figures. The wiseguys really liked him. He decided to switch sides because he felt he should have risen higher in the underworld than gopher. He eagerly switched sides and built criminal cases for his handlers. His story is told in Adrian Humphreys' book The Weasel. Wiseguys liked Kelly, too. And, like Marvin Elkind, Kelly appears to enjoy helping the good guys.
Delaney glosses over the logistics of Project Alpha. However, from the story he portrays, money was hardly a problem. A "grant" funded a 3-6 month investigation. Somehow, it dragged on for almost 3 years. This was probably due to Jack Libby, Delaney's superior. Libby kept track of his underling with regular meetings covered by "family ties" at a neighboring facility. Libby appears to have been the person who should have written this book. Delaney may have been on the front line, Libby was directing as much of it as he could. It is a testament to his management that funding continued for a project that was led by a dubious informant (Kelly) and a kid clearly out of his element (Delaney).
In only a couple of instances does Delaney lay out specific crimes. These include egregious examples of greed and thuggery. A mysterious Ray Suarez tried to ship contaminated meat to Canada for sale. Tino Fiumara extorted a restaurateur in brazen fashion. Along the way, petty criminals tried to sell stolen goods to the undercover law officers. Overall, for the cost of the operation, these crimes seemingly do not add up to a good return on investment. It appears they did obtain good intelligence. But Pat Kelly could have supplied much of that without Operation Alpha. Looking back, Delaney recalls people asking him if he thought the results justified the cost. He believes they did. But he glosses over any direct results of Project Alpha. Seemingly the results were combined with much larger federal cases, such as UNIRAC which sent Fiumara to jail for twenty-plus years. I conclude that Delaney did not understand the laws or the cases. This is remarkably different than Pistone's experience as Donnie Brasco. He knew what the prosecutors needed, and he moved to obtain those results. Delaney appears to be riding along without any idea where Kelly is driving. At least twice Delaney exploded at Kelly for not knowing what was going on.
Considering all of this, Scheiber did a marvelous job collecting the various stories and presenting a narrative that is seemingly in chronological order. Readers can see clearly how parasitic the wiseguys are. They can see the greed, the laziness, and the intimidation. There is no attempt to romanticize these hoodlums. Nor is there glorification of law enforcement, although there is a chapter all by itself that adds little except recites accolades from various people directed to Delaney. I think that goes back to Delaney not knowing what was going on. He was in the middle and did not know what to do. Scheiber certainly captures it.
Of course, there is a lot of material on Delaney's NBA career. To recap, he graduated from the police academy, went undercover, came out, decided he could not be a street officer, went on to teaching, and drifted into refereeing basketball games, a career he stayed with much longer than as a state trooper. Delaney's memory is much sharper with regards to basketball than organized crime or Project Alpha. Admittedly, I skimmed these chapters. Yes, Bob Delaney is a patriot and a good referee. Great. Good job. Maybe the stress of being killed by wiseguys is comparable to stress on an NBA court. I don't know.
Years later as an instructor and guest lecturer, he offers his own definition of organized crime: "an ongoing conspiracy which uses fear and corruption in an attempt to make money and / or gain power in a community or society." This overly-simple definition fit with this book. It is vague to the point of being meaningless. Money and power? That is the goal of seemingly everything we do. Conspiracy? What is a conspiracy? Is it criminal? The definition could apply to an academic department fighting a dean, or any number of legitimate businesses. The point is, Delaney could obtain a poignant definition of organized crime from countless academic publications; but instead developed his own. That mindset encapsulates this book. I do not recommend it if readers are interested in organized crime. Read Donnie Brasco. It is not only more exciting; better written; but it is also way more transparent in the overall picture of undercover work.
The idea of taking a fresh graduate out of the academy and throwing them into a high-risk, high-stress undercover environment is the stuff of B-rated movies. Bob Delaney is no Johnny Depp or Vin Diesel. If anything, this book shows the reality of such drama. Delaney describes his conversion from New Jersey State Trooper to hoodlum (armpit with eyes) in a very opaque fashion. There is a clear distinction between Covert and Donnie Brasco. FBI Agent Joe Pistone tells readers what it was like inside a Mafia crew. He says what they did, what he did, and how he transformed. In contrast, Delaney says he transformed, and he felt bad. There is a lot of information missing.
Operation Alpha looks good on paper. The New Jersey State Police and the FBI team up to investigate the mob in Northern New Jersey. They realize the mob is involved in labor unions and transportation, so they set up a trucking company and wait for the mob to approach them. They wait, and wait. Ultimately, a near casual interaction with a highly charismatic associate of the underworld changes everything. The State Police and the FBI introduce themselves to Patrick Kelly and warn him the dangers of associating with the mob. Then, just like that, he agrees to switch sides. His connection with the underworld quickly reinvigorates the operation.
The entire project hinges on Pat Kelly. And yet, readers know very little about him. Some guy who suddenly appears with Mafia leaders in different families is shocked that investigators watch him. Once again, there is a lot of missing information. His motivations are really left to the reader. But I am reminded of a similar low-level associate with a lot of charisma and underworld connections. Marvin Elkind was connected with many Canadian underworld figures. The wiseguys really liked him. He decided to switch sides because he felt he should have risen higher in the underworld than gopher. He eagerly switched sides and built criminal cases for his handlers. His story is told in Adrian Humphreys' book The Weasel. Wiseguys liked Kelly, too. And, like Marvin Elkind, Kelly appears to enjoy helping the good guys.
Delaney glosses over the logistics of Project Alpha. However, from the story he portrays, money was hardly a problem. A "grant" funded a 3-6 month investigation. Somehow, it dragged on for almost 3 years. This was probably due to Jack Libby, Delaney's superior. Libby kept track of his underling with regular meetings covered by "family ties" at a neighboring facility. Libby appears to have been the person who should have written this book. Delaney may have been on the front line, Libby was directing as much of it as he could. It is a testament to his management that funding continued for a project that was led by a dubious informant (Kelly) and a kid clearly out of his element (Delaney).
In only a couple of instances does Delaney lay out specific crimes. These include egregious examples of greed and thuggery. A mysterious Ray Suarez tried to ship contaminated meat to Canada for sale. Tino Fiumara extorted a restaurateur in brazen fashion. Along the way, petty criminals tried to sell stolen goods to the undercover law officers. Overall, for the cost of the operation, these crimes seemingly do not add up to a good return on investment. It appears they did obtain good intelligence. But Pat Kelly could have supplied much of that without Operation Alpha. Looking back, Delaney recalls people asking him if he thought the results justified the cost. He believes they did. But he glosses over any direct results of Project Alpha. Seemingly the results were combined with much larger federal cases, such as UNIRAC which sent Fiumara to jail for twenty-plus years. I conclude that Delaney did not understand the laws or the cases. This is remarkably different than Pistone's experience as Donnie Brasco. He knew what the prosecutors needed, and he moved to obtain those results. Delaney appears to be riding along without any idea where Kelly is driving. At least twice Delaney exploded at Kelly for not knowing what was going on.
Considering all of this, Scheiber did a marvelous job collecting the various stories and presenting a narrative that is seemingly in chronological order. Readers can see clearly how parasitic the wiseguys are. They can see the greed, the laziness, and the intimidation. There is no attempt to romanticize these hoodlums. Nor is there glorification of law enforcement, although there is a chapter all by itself that adds little except recites accolades from various people directed to Delaney. I think that goes back to Delaney not knowing what was going on. He was in the middle and did not know what to do. Scheiber certainly captures it.
Of course, there is a lot of material on Delaney's NBA career. To recap, he graduated from the police academy, went undercover, came out, decided he could not be a street officer, went on to teaching, and drifted into refereeing basketball games, a career he stayed with much longer than as a state trooper. Delaney's memory is much sharper with regards to basketball than organized crime or Project Alpha. Admittedly, I skimmed these chapters. Yes, Bob Delaney is a patriot and a good referee. Great. Good job. Maybe the stress of being killed by wiseguys is comparable to stress on an NBA court. I don't know.
Years later as an instructor and guest lecturer, he offers his own definition of organized crime: "an ongoing conspiracy which uses fear and corruption in an attempt to make money and / or gain power in a community or society." This overly-simple definition fit with this book. It is vague to the point of being meaningless. Money and power? That is the goal of seemingly everything we do. Conspiracy? What is a conspiracy? Is it criminal? The definition could apply to an academic department fighting a dean, or any number of legitimate businesses. The point is, Delaney could obtain a poignant definition of organized crime from countless academic publications; but instead developed his own. That mindset encapsulates this book. I do not recommend it if readers are interested in organized crime. Read Donnie Brasco. It is not only more exciting; better written; but it is also way more transparent in the overall picture of undercover work.
May 9, 2019
Covert was a great book with two interesting points of life. It leaves so many powerful messages throughout the story but the most powerful passage is, “I knew there was a way out. I knew there was another kind of life because I have read about it. I knew there other places,and there was another way of being - Oprah Winfrey”(251) This message shows how life can change at any time and can be better for you. The main character goes from being a New York trooper to being a well respected NBA referee. This quote shows many messages of how good things always come to an end, how life changes, and how you always move on in life. Bob Delaney shows all these messages through his whole career, through the story of being a troop to a NBA referee. Bob experienced many life lessons throughout his NBA career bringing an interesting view of life. I liked the experience of seeing life changing, and how different your life can evolve.
September 1, 2023
Even though the details may be a bit outdated, I believe this memoir is extremely useful for prospective crime writers developing a plot centered on deep cover missions. The author's heart, compassion for victims of the Mafia, and his honest portrayal of post-operation PTSD was the best part of the book for me. I also appreciated his subtle humor (and his assumption that God must also share a sense of humor). I'm not a basketball fan, so the second part of the memoir was less interesting for me. But, I have to say this was the most memorable book about deep cover work I have read (and I've read a bunch).
March 17, 2025
I am so glad I finally got around to reading this book about Bob Delaney. I had no idea that he lived the life that is described in great detail in the book before becoming an NBA referee. Fascinating stuff and unbelievable that someone would sign up for that type of assignment to be an undercover cop infiltrating the mob. And then to live such a public life after the fact is quite remarkable though he explains why he did it that way. Any sports fan will want to read the book along with anyone interested in the behind the scenes look at organized crime as seen with Bob's eyes firsthand.
September 13, 2024
After being underwhelmed by reading Donnie Brasco, I found that Covert did a far better job of story telling. Delaney does a good job at giving the important characters depth. He details his issues with understanding who he is, and who he is becoming in a way the reader can truly feel. The addition of his career post-mob is uplifting.
January 15, 2026
An interesting memoir of an undercover Jersey police officer that becomes a Mob Boss for a trucking company. Poor Louie just getting his restaurant taken over! The chapter of mental health after what Delaney went through was important especially for the stigma of men and their mental health. Wish he would have talked about how he met his wife but that’s the romantic in me with books.
January 21, 2019
A fascinating story of a young state trooper becoming an undercover agent to learn how the mob operates and the struggles he has reintegrating into life after those stressful and traumatic experiences through counseling and becoming a basketball referee.
December 13, 2017
Books about the mob and its history fascinate me and this one was no exception. What an incredible story. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is that it left me with so many questions!
July 2, 2019
Thank you, Mr. Delaney for sharing your story with the world. Inspiring with a little (huge) dose of crazy! ...and you continue to help those suffering from traumatic experiences. Good on you.
May 11, 2020
An interesting story
It was a fascinating story. At times, especially early in the book, I felt it dragged. My daughter, who recommended the book, never had this issue.
It was a fascinating story. At times, especially early in the book, I felt it dragged. My daughter, who recommended the book, never had this issue.
November 7, 2022
Picked up this book at a flea market… Very interesting read!
Of course since it’s mob related, lots of profanity.
Of course since it’s mob related, lots of profanity.
October 31, 2012
This is a very interesting book for anyone looking to understand the life of an undercover agent. Bob Delaney, who recently graduated from the New Jersey Police Academy, gets chosen to serve as an undercover agent for Project Alpha (an operation to infiltrate the mob). The initial operation is slated to last only 6 months, but the team realizes after 6 months, they barely have made any progress whatsoever. It is not until they end up gaining an informant that they start to have a breakthrough in their investigation. This informant is very well known and liked inside the mob. Bob and this informant end up setting up an undercover business called Alamo Trucking which they end up turning into a front while they conduct illegitimate business operations with the mob.
It is amazing to hear the several cases of racketerring that happens within the mob. One legitimate Italian Restaurant owner gets threatened by one of the mob groups to start paying them a percentage of his profits, but he reaches out for help and he ends up getting another mob group to protect him. Little does he know, but asking for that protection ends up costing him 20% of his weekly profits to this other mob group. In addition to that, this mob group frequents the restaurant every other day without paying for anything and treat the restaurant as if its their own.
As 6 months turns into 1 year and 1 year turns into 2 years, Bob Delaney is now fulling becoming a mobster. No longer does he feel like he is playing a part, but he starts to talk and cuss without thinking now as if the mob language is his regular language. He also makes a trip to Florida with the informant without notifying his police colleagues to work on a deal with the mob. This is the point at which he realizes how his head is getting too big. Despite being just 26 years old and a relatively new cop, he is talking back to his superiors and telling them he is not going to do certain things. Some of the cops remind him who he really is and say they cant wait for him to get back in the force so they can treat him like the junior cop he really is.
You see quickly into the book how grueling the life of an undercover agent really is. Wearing wires into places with mobsters and hearing all of the atrocious murders these guys commit and laugh about, you are constantly afraid of being found out and killed frankly. When they finally decide to shut down the operation and arrest all of the mobsters, Bob Delaney (Covert) starts to feel a little saddened about turning in some of these mobsters who have become his good friends now. He even finds himself defending some of these guys to the police saying, "Come on, all that they were doing is asking for 10% of their business etc)". This is prime example of how he no longer is just playing a part, but how the mob life and mindset has taken over him. Bob truly plays an outstanding role here though as he sees the investigation all the way through helping the lawyers understand the countless hours of tape and testifying in several instances to convict as many mobsters as possible.
Post Project Alpha, Bob starts officiating basketball games at the high school level and then the college level and he ends up getting asked to become an NBA official. He does this role concurrently with his job as a policeman at first, but he finally ends up quitting to go full time. It is quite incredible to be honest to see him take such a high profile role in the spotlight given the amount of people he ratted out, while the informant who was his colleague at Alamo Trucking entered the witness protection program.
It is amazing to hear the several cases of racketerring that happens within the mob. One legitimate Italian Restaurant owner gets threatened by one of the mob groups to start paying them a percentage of his profits, but he reaches out for help and he ends up getting another mob group to protect him. Little does he know, but asking for that protection ends up costing him 20% of his weekly profits to this other mob group. In addition to that, this mob group frequents the restaurant every other day without paying for anything and treat the restaurant as if its their own.
As 6 months turns into 1 year and 1 year turns into 2 years, Bob Delaney is now fulling becoming a mobster. No longer does he feel like he is playing a part, but he starts to talk and cuss without thinking now as if the mob language is his regular language. He also makes a trip to Florida with the informant without notifying his police colleagues to work on a deal with the mob. This is the point at which he realizes how his head is getting too big. Despite being just 26 years old and a relatively new cop, he is talking back to his superiors and telling them he is not going to do certain things. Some of the cops remind him who he really is and say they cant wait for him to get back in the force so they can treat him like the junior cop he really is.
You see quickly into the book how grueling the life of an undercover agent really is. Wearing wires into places with mobsters and hearing all of the atrocious murders these guys commit and laugh about, you are constantly afraid of being found out and killed frankly. When they finally decide to shut down the operation and arrest all of the mobsters, Bob Delaney (Covert) starts to feel a little saddened about turning in some of these mobsters who have become his good friends now. He even finds himself defending some of these guys to the police saying, "Come on, all that they were doing is asking for 10% of their business etc)". This is prime example of how he no longer is just playing a part, but how the mob life and mindset has taken over him. Bob truly plays an outstanding role here though as he sees the investigation all the way through helping the lawyers understand the countless hours of tape and testifying in several instances to convict as many mobsters as possible.
Post Project Alpha, Bob starts officiating basketball games at the high school level and then the college level and he ends up getting asked to become an NBA official. He does this role concurrently with his job as a policeman at first, but he finally ends up quitting to go full time. It is quite incredible to be honest to see him take such a high profile role in the spotlight given the amount of people he ratted out, while the informant who was his colleague at Alamo Trucking entered the witness protection program.
November 19, 2012
NBA referee Delaney's fascinating account of his prior life as a New Jersey state trooper who infiltrated organized crime will be a must-read for those drawn to Joe Pistone's similar account in Donnie Brasco (or the movie adaptation starring Johnny Depp).
In 1975, Delaney was a relative novice in law enforcement when he was tapped by a superior to help build cases against major Mafia families by creating and running a fake business, Alamo Trucking. With the aid of St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times sportswriter Scheiber, Delaney captures perfectly the daily routine and perils of undercover work, and describes the psychological challenges he faced during the three years of Project Alpha: The granite foundation of my self-image... had given way to shifting sands of doubt and worry. While less heralded than Pistone's work, Delaney's achievements—which yielded multiple convictions of members of the Bruno and Genovese families—were significant precursors to the Feds' massive 1980s assault on La Cosa Nostra.
Becoming a basketball referee after these proceedings was a return to an early passion of the high school all-state forward and captain of his college team—but the fear, he says, still comes back sometimes.
In 1975, Delaney was a relative novice in law enforcement when he was tapped by a superior to help build cases against major Mafia families by creating and running a fake business, Alamo Trucking. With the aid of St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times sportswriter Scheiber, Delaney captures perfectly the daily routine and perils of undercover work, and describes the psychological challenges he faced during the three years of Project Alpha: The granite foundation of my self-image... had given way to shifting sands of doubt and worry. While less heralded than Pistone's work, Delaney's achievements—which yielded multiple convictions of members of the Bruno and Genovese families—were significant precursors to the Feds' massive 1980s assault on La Cosa Nostra.
Becoming a basketball referee after these proceedings was a return to an early passion of the high school all-state forward and captain of his college team—but the fear, he says, still comes back sometimes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2012
Okay, this may not be the best-written book I've ever read, but it might be one of the best memoir-not-written-by-a-writer that I've read. The writing wasn't fantastic, but it wasn't weak. And the story was different enough and interesting enough to keep me reading. I didn't care so much about the basketball part, so I was glad it was smallish, but the parts about being undercover and recovering from being undercover were very informative and highly readable. This book was just what I was looking for.
April 2, 2008
Pretty good non-fiction book and Delaney himself is a very impressive guy. However, unlike many non-fiction works that are really fascinating, I feel like this book is only interesting because it is true. The stories just aren't that captivating. I guess I may just be spoiled by all the fictional mob stories out there and was expecting too much.
September 24, 2008
I saw an interview with Bob Delaney on ESPN when his book came out and was interested in his story- undercover NJ trooper turned NBA referee. Good story, simple but effective writing and storytelling, lots of interesting mob facts and references. I especially liked reading about his life after coming out of his undercover role and how becoming a referee shaped his life and outlook.
December 11, 2009
I thought that Bob Delaney did a great job at telling his story without being overly self-involved like so many other memoirists out there. He has led a very interesting life and it was very intriguing to read about where he has been and what he has done. Delaney is a hero for his efforts to breakdown the grasp of organized crime in the New York/New Jersey areas.
March 27, 2008
This was a pretty decent undercover-in-the-mob book. What I found interesting was how many of these storylines made their way into the Sopranos. Especially fascinating/depressing was a story that seemed to contain the origins of Artie Bucco.
April 27, 2008
Thought this book talked to much about his NBA career. Although a needed part of the book it was just too much for someone who doesn't care all that much about basketball. I actually thought is would deal more with his life as an under cover cop. It mored me for the most part.
November 14, 2011
Awesome story and scary at the same time. I really felt sorry for him for all the things he had to go through while under cover. He had a very hard time getting his life put back together after being “covert” for so long.
March 16, 2012
Good read about New Jersey cop infiltrating the Mob. Very realistic and hard to put down. Really brought home the way the Mafia ruined good peoples lives and how the only way to beat them was to become like them and then betray them.
July 9, 2016
3.5 stars...Overall it was interesting, minus some language due to quoting his time with mobsters. I actually found the parts about his referring in the NBA just as interesting, if not more. Mr. Delaney certainly made a great and positive impact in many aspects of his life.
July 26, 2016
This book was amazing. Bob is truly a remarkable man who has lived an incredible life. going undercover to take down the mob and now an NBA referee. an amazing man and an amazing book. we need more Bobs in the world.
April 12, 2008
Great book. Must read. Delaney recently appeared on the Jime Rome radio show and the book soared on the Barnes and Noble and Amazon charts.
August 18, 2011
This is fascinating! Plus my uncle wrote it!
April 21, 2008
This book was a quick read and very good, though I thought the language was a bit basic.
September 8, 2008
Excellent account of NJ state policeman Bob Delaney's deep undercover role infiltrating the Mafia. Nonfiction, but reads like a novel.
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