TWISTED but TRUE

by Darren Burch

Retired Sergeant Darren Burch takes you on a 30-year journey of dark, humorous and depraved cases from his experiences as a patrol officer, sex crimes detectives, and night detective in homicide, starting with his harrowing teenage encounter with a fatal car fire in Twisted Metal, followed by morbidly funny and outrageous stories, each more twisted than the last.Review - "Darren Burch spent 30 years in law enforcement and has seen some incredibly rough, tough and laugh-out-loud stuff on the force. So, the question you're probably asking is, why should I read another book about the Thin Blue Line? Let me warn you now...this is NOT your typical "cop" book. Burch's "Twisted Tales" offers unique insights into humanity's dark and twisted side, and it is a pure joy to read. While the Tales never lose sight of a police officer's first-priority - to protect and serve - it's filled with poignant, funny and terribly tragic stories that all end with an amazing and unpredictable twist. Now the only question that remains: Who plays Darren in the movie?"Mac Watson, radio show hostMac & Gaydos ShowKTAR-FM PHX, AZ www@ktar.com

238 pages, Paperback

Published January 27, 2020

Reviews

[Linda Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being the daughter of a cop and later married to another one, I really could see behind the stories told here. I was privy to a lot of similar stories and thoughts, so I well appreciate this author's memories of growing into his profession.

I nearly choked on my coffee when he talks about locking himself out of his patrol car as a rookie. Also, most of his time was spent in Phoenix .... where I have lived for many years. I remember a couple cases that he was involved in, most notably the Baseline Murderer.

While a lot of the stories here are gut-clenching laugh-out-loud funny, he also covers some of the more serious tragic things he had to handle. During his many years of service, he spent time with the Crimes Against Children Unit, Homicide, and Detective with the Adult Sex Crimes Unit.

This is cleverly written with a great sense of humor with a large side of seriousness. All the stories are entertaining, interesting and helps the reader see what really happens in those middle of the night calls for help.

Many thanks to the author and TBC Reviewer Request Group for the digital copy of this engaging book. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Donna Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many books written by current or former law enforcement officers, but I found this one a different and good read.

Twisted But True by author Darren Burch, highlights actual situations that he was involved in as a law enforcement officer. While this is fairly common in police books, what I liked about his telling of these stories is that he is genuine, humble and loved his job. While there is action and excitement, he also reveals the sadness, the heartbreak, the laughter, and sometimes the horrific. He’s opened a door that easily lets those outside the first responder world in.

For me, humanizing the badge is something that is critical in helping to bridge the gap between law enforcement officers and their communities. With Burch’s sharing of personal thoughts and emotions, this book would also be a good read for anyone considering a career as a law enforcement officer or other first responder, spouses and family members of law enforcement officers and those who have a desire to better understand what it is an officer sees and does on a daily basis.

I highly recommend.

[Mikhaelah Zeigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dealings with police officers have led me to believe that they are, for the most part, corrupt individuals. I do not know any cops personally, but I am very clear on the narrative of people, especially those of minority groups, who are used as collateral in so many police cases, and how they end up getting the short end of the stick as police corruption reigns supreme―such as during the time of Rodney King and more recently during the Black Lives Matter movement. 

I had to pause several times to process what I had just read. I chose this book on a whim, not expecting it to change my mind or affect me at all, but as all good books should, it did. 

The book opens with the gruesome event that propelled Darren Burch, a now-retired Sergeant with the Phoenix Police Department, down his career path. 

At the impressionable, man-making age of 17, he witnessed something that could have left him swimming in the torturous waters of “what if” and “if only”. And although that traumatic event did define him, he chose to let it propel him forward.

Officer Burch takes us along for the ride through his 30-year career: as he joins the military, life as a police officer, and as a sex-crimes detective in various ranks during his service with his hometown police department. 

We get to know the detective as he recounts stories that are macabre and liberally sprinkled with dark humor (a requirement, I’m sure, for being able to do this job sanely for so long), and other stories that are just plain heartbreaking. His tone is reflective and he is quick to point out his mistakes, flaws, and emotions. All the while his twisted sense of humor coaxes several disbelieving laughs out of me.

How far will a person go to escape being arrested? How naive and gullible can a human being be? How heartless can some people become as a result of being broken? And was that an actual demon-possessed man? On this ride-along with an officer of the law, I got a front-row seat to those answers.

He further chipped away at my harsh outlook on cops as he relayed his devotion to his son, the brotherhood on the force, and the harsh reality of their chosen profession. Policemen choose an occupation where they daily pit themselves against the worst aspects of humanity and protect the innocent, all while being understaffed and overworked. They make mistakes and have bad days; they deal with grief and devastating loss while still having to show up to protect and serve. At the end of the day, they are just another segment of society striving to do their job and put food on the table.

My mindset toward police was challenged by statements like: “Media sensationalizes police mistakes” and “Cops get blamed and used as scapegoats”. And my thoughts were brought to a standstill when he wrote, “Taking a life for the first time changes you; it should change you.”

It was shocking to learn how many things a cop must keep in mind in the most intense moments. Even as they wrestle an armed suspect to the ground, the choice of which hold and grapple to employ may be recounted later in court and could impact his career. Officers can sometimes destroy their entire case simply by failing to follow protocol. 

I understood his take on how police are constantly portrayed as bumbling idiots when that is rarely the case (I give him props for sharing stories where the cops’ inexperience or ineptitude make things go awry).

I started out reading this book as a skeptical, narrow-eyed critic, but as I read about how highly he values human life and pushes back against any semblance of an ideology where we could be OK or blase about ending a life, respect was born. As he went to great lengths to show the numerous checks and balances that are built into police procedures which are surely there to balance the immense authority and power they wield, a grudging sense of trust was born. Trust, not necessarily for police officers in general, but more hope for the good ones who refuse to be jaded by the toll of ugliness they encounter every day. Maybe I can look for that to honor it in police officers I meet from now on. 

The author does not speak about any corruption in the police force; no mention of “dirty cops”, bribes, or even District Attorneys on the take. Rather, Twisted But True tells the other side of the story; it highlights the good and humanizes an organization so well known for its corruption and brutality. 

I would be intrigued to see this author’s take on the darker elements of police work such as corruption and racism. I know there are two sides to every story, and I would be very interested to hear a nuanced view of what is greatly sensationalized by the media. If most cadets begin eager to protect and serve, what changes in them? I think it would be worthwhile to shed light on that, from an understanding insider.

This book was definitely worth the read. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars because there were minimal editing errors, I was hooked from start to finish, and the parts I didn’t like caused moments of introspection for me, and that’s what a good book is supposed to do. I recommend it for lovers of true crime and anything related to law enforcement or military stories, and for anyone open to changing their potentially misguided outlook on police officers.

[Chiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gli agenti di polizia sono spesso considerati eroi. Li immaginiamo sempre mentre arrestano criminali pericolosi e salvano vite in giro per la città. Tuttavia, essere nelle forze dell'ordine a volte comporta assistere a delinquenti ubriachi che si mettono in imbarazzo da soli in pubblico, venire ricoperti da una varietà di fluidi corporei, e riuscire a mantenere la calma nonostante tutto. L'autore, Darren Burch, ha lavorato in diverse squadre per più di trent'anni. E riporta alla memoria alcuni degli eventi più strani e memorabili della sua carriera nel suo libro, Twisted But True.

L'antologia si apre con la terrificante esperienza vissuta in prima persona quando era adolescente, di assistere a un incidente d'auto mortale, e prosegue col narrare tutti gli eventi che lo hanno motivato a perseguire questa carriera. Poi si passa da episodi assurdi, come quello di un rapinatore di banche vestito in abbigliamento da discoteca, quello dell'inseguimento assennato di una mucca pazza, e quello di una banda armata nel bel mezzo di un circo, fino a esperienze raccapriccianti e a un passo dalla morte. Alcuni episodi sono particolarmente esilaranti, come quello riguardante la misteriosa scomparsa di un certo Jimmy. Altri sono commoventi, perché sono pieni di dolore e sofferenza. Ma tutti loro, nessuno escluso, mostrano chiaramente che gran bella persona sia l'autore. Troppo di frequente, la gente vede i poliziotti come distintivi piuttosto che come persone. Spesso dimentichiamo che anche loro hanno una vita, anche loro hanno degli affetti, e anche loro soffrono. Questo libro è un'opportunità per impararlo. Abbiamo bisogno di più poliziotti come lui. E sicuramente abbiamo bisogno di più padri come lui.

Le storie di true crime mi hanno sempre affascinato, quindi non vedevo l'ora di iniziare a leggere questa collezione. Se siete come me, sarete tentati di leggere un racconto dopo l'altro. L'autore ha un sottile senso dell'umorismo. Mi ha fatto morire dal ridere più di una volta. Fornisce una prospettiva unica sulle cose, e non capita ogni giorno di leggere storie come queste. Alcune erano davvero inaspettate. È interessante entrare a conoscenza di alcuni dei termini specifici utilizzati nella professione, e trovo anche molto intrigante il fatto che abbia incluso alcune immagini e documenti autentici.

L'impaginazione non è delle migliori, ma l'unico vero difetto a mio parere è che essendo stato inserito sotto il genere true crime, mi aspettavo qualche dettaglio macabro in più. Più di qualche. Ma forse sono semplicemente io che sono fissata. Ad ogni modo, è stata una lettura piacevole, senza dubbio.

[Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I want to thank Darren Burch for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

Retired Darren Burch who had 30-years in law enforcement opens up and shares his very unique cases he has had over the years in Twisted but True. I am a huge fan of the true crime genre but never had I read or seen anything so shocking, dark or comical as Darren has experienced.

Not only does he open up about his life in law enforcement but his personal life as well. There is a chapter called A Family Affair that talks about Rape and his grandmother at a very young age. That was a hard chapter to read. He also mentions at the end of the book about his son and brother passing. My heart goes out to him for his losses.

Every story in this book was true. As always, some names were changed to protect the innocent and some to embarrass the guilty! I had to laugh at that last part!

Darren warns his readers due to the graphic and explicit language, detailing homicides and sex crime investigations; this book may not be suitable for everyone.

Kudos to the graphic designer for his incredible cover that was spot on yet comical to the topic of the book. I loved the lettering and ow it looked like blood splotches, the outline of an animal with a blood stain on it, plus the caution tape with Darren’s name on it. Great reviews on the front cover from well known people of the community. This cover just pops out and says read me.

Right from the beginning Darren got me interested in the book. He shared that his needs started out as a teenager to save lives when he stumbled upon a torn body of a young woman. It is a story he seldom shares but he could remember the feeling he had.

In this book he shares many stories of cases that he has worked on over the years. All of them are true as I stated earlier. Like the name states in the title many are extremely twisted. One that shocked me the most was a boy with a Star Wars shirt was reported missing by his grandparents. The grandparents went on and on about the grandson. Darren needed to speak with the boy’s parents but they were unavailable. Well…they confessed the boy wasn’t missing…he was across the street with a “whore.” Turns out the boy was a 50-year-old man living with a woman across the street! The grandparents didn’t want Darren to leave and asked him to be their son. Crazy!!

Darren Burch definitely has had a very fascinating career in Law Enforcement that has opened the doors for bigger and brighter things too.

[Sarvani Kandukuri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you someone who is a fan of cops and cop stories? Someone who loves to read stories involving wild chases of criminals which we only see in movies and TV shows? Would you like to know more about how the police officers track down and arrest the bad guys? Then Twisted But True by Darren Burch is your catch.
The book is a collection of 34 stories that involve interesting and twisted encounters by the author who is a retired sergeant and has worked 28 years in the Phoenix Police Department. The incidents in the first chapter explain the reason why the author wanted to become a police officer and his passion to save the lives of other people. The other chapters give a perspicacity into the cases he solved and his encounters with different kinds of beings.
I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. The book is written in a very fascinating way accompanying some light humor. The description of the scenes and the encounters are very vivid which transports you into the actual scene and makes you feel like the third person who is witnessing all of it. My favorite part of the book is the twist after every chapter where the author gives us a broader picture of the scenes and the aftermath. Another aspect of the book which I loved is that the author doesn't give the actual names of the culprits but addresses them as "Mr." or "Mrs." followed by a word that is related to the character and the scene narrated.
There were very few grammatical and punctuational mistakes. Some profane words were used. I won't personally recommend this book to children as it has graphic descriptions of some crime scenes.
I would highly suggest individuals who love watching cop shows and movies read the book as it gets more exciting as you start turning pages. The titles of the chapters are eye-catchy which manipulate you to start reading them. When I had picked the book I thought it would contain some serious cop stories without much fun and gaiety into them, but as soon as I started reading the book, I found the stories truly engaging and captivating to a point where I wished there would be more chapters in the book.
On the whole, I honestly enjoyed reading the book; the author shared some of his personal life events and recorded emotions into them which makes the book more authentic and amiable.

[Abigail Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisted but true by Darren Burch is a book that really exceeded my expectations. I went into the book not expecting much, but the various encounters the author has written about are enough to keep you gripping your seat. From runaway cows to getting sprayed with bodily fluids to a bank robber decked out in disco apparel, I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster the entire time.

Through the various incidents which he had portrayed throughout the book we are given an insight to a policeman’s life, one we don’t often see on the outside. The way the stories had been written makes you feel like you are watching a movie or something, it made me feel like I was right next to him watching everything unfold. The parts where he narrowly escaped getting killed kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was to come next. I thought that the book would be hard to read but it was quite easy and very informative. The stories were all so heartwarming, heartbreaking and shocking at the same time.
I liked how each chapter ended with a twist. In these lil twists the author ended the chapter on a lighter note.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves reading true crime or who knows a police office in real life as this would give you an insight as to what police officers go through on a daily basis. But I must say this is not a book to be read while you are eating or drinking because some of the stuff in it are very vivid and twisted.

check out my full review here:)
http://bitly.ws/gEtp

[Zach Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book from start to finish. Can’t recommend it enough. Laugh out loud moments at his days as a bumbling rookie to gripping tales that will have you on the edge of your seat. Each chapter is a crazy story with a twist and they’re all relatively short chapters, which I appreciated.

[Kendra Norbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Entertaining

I highly recommend Twisted But True. The author talks about actual cases from his career as a police officer. He injects a little humor into each chapter. This book was a definite page turned.

[DJ Madd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was hilarious, sad, and infuriating all at once. Each chapter is a short twisted but true tale that makes reading this book a breeze. I laughed at loud at stories I shared with my kids and got a first person reminder of the horrors of police work.

I HIGHKY recommend this book!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it but this book is more for the mature audiences.

[Elena Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burch tells the truth about being a police officer, but also lets you in on some of the humor. A very entertaining book about a man and his job – not necessarily what you would expect.

[Ken Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author, Darren Burch does a phenomenal job of chronicling his life as a police officer in "Twisted but True" by sharing his life-long experiences as a police officer, chapter by chapter. He put me on an emotional roller coaster ride where at one point I'd be laughing hysterically then the next chapter would have my jaw dropping to its lower extreme, simply in awe at what I was reading. I have the utmost respect for the men and women in blue and Darren's work made me quickly realize that he is one of those guys I purposely walk up to and thank for all he does every day for us. Coming from an Air Force flying background, I thought I had heard, witnessed, or experienced first-hand nearly every practical joke that could be played on a friend/coworker. Nope. Simply not the case. Darren opened my eyes to some new pranks that made me burst into laughter. He's my kind of guy and my kind of author. I highly recommend this book to every firefighter, police officer, and "fun" coworker you know. It's a perfect gift! You will not be disappointed. Order your copy today!

Ken Murray, Author, "On Parr”

[GRivera23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It made me laugh, cry, gasp, and just feel. This book isn't just stories from a cop. It's a look into the man behind the uniform as well. I couldn't pick a favorite among the stories and some were hard to read, which he warned us about at the beginning. I will definitely read the next 2 books.

[Amy Selvidge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted But TrueDarren Burch

Darren Burch shows his great humor in Twist But True. He tells outrageous stories of true events that occurred during his youth and time on the police force. Although I would not recommend this book for immature readers due to the graphic nature and sexual content of the book, it is an amazing and fun read. At the end of each chapter, he tells the "twists" of each story. I highly recommend this entertaining read.

[Rose Mute · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great pick for fans of any crime show ever. The author does a great job of introducing to us not only his personal life, but also to some of the cases he handled in his 30 years in law enforcement. The cases ranged from the scary, to laugh out loud to dark and gory. As I read each story, I felt like I was sitting with the author as he narrated each case. This book truly didn't disappoint. I would recommend to any reader intrigued by the criminal mind and how real policemen & women handle real cases.

[Sky]

I will have a proper and official review up soon, after I finish prepping for other work that I am writing for at the moment.
I really enjoyed this collection of memories; it's a nice way to show details in police work and at the same time not overplay the stories and actions (it's real work). When I have my official review up, I will update this one.