Infiltration: The True Story of the Man Who Cracked the Mafia

by Colin McLaren

A compelling narrative written by a former undercover police operative, this memoir offers personal insight into the inner workings of the Mafia and some of the most notorious crimes in Australian history. Posing as a dodgy art dealer, Colin McLaren eventually maneuvered his way into Godfather Antonio Romeo’s band of mafiosi and immersed himself within their world. This account of that period details the listening devices, wire taps, and drug deals, and the delicate balance between staying sane and staying alive. Chronicling two of the bloodiest decades in organized crime, this remarkable record offers a fascinating view of the blurring of identities, the conflicting loyalties, and the strain on family that is part of the difficult nature of undercover work.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Book Club, Crime

304 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2009

About the author

Colin McLaren was one of Australia's best detectives; he travelled the world on high-end investigations during the 1980s and 1990s. He faced down the underbelly of Australian crime and his work has been the subject of many police genre documentaries and television series. A film of his own life, based on his hugely successful first book Infiltration, the true story of his efforts as an undercover cop, was made in 2011. Colin writes constantly and is a regular advisor to TV and film productions. His book on John F. Kennedy's death, JFK: The Smoking Gun, was an Australian bestseller. He is an Emmy judge and highly respected in the US as well as Australia for his investigative journalism. Southern Justice is his latest work - and his most important to date.

Reviews

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is bigger than just the infiltration of the mafia. The book talks about a number of undercover cases that Colin McLaren undertook. The biggest one of these was two years posing as an art dealer to infiltrate the mafia.

What I found interesting was the claims that the police cut him loose at the end of it. I have heard similar stories in another book where the person went undercover. It is a shame that this seems to be happening as going undercover is incredibly risky.

[Charlotte (readwithchar)]

dnf @ page 52

[Edgarr Alien Pooh · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love true crime, get this book and live this book. The inside story of an undercover cop who infiltrates the mafia in Australia to bring them down. Once trusted he spends more than a year on the inside, witness to some extraordinary crimes - drug deals, standover tactics, money laundering and more. He has VERY limited access to his own police force and when they near an arrest the force just asks him to stay a little longer just for a little more evidence. His last weeks on the job he is confronted with real fears that he has been 'made' by the mob but he just can't get out.

[Deb Caines · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book you would think it could be a bit tedious but I read it all the way through. What a remarkable man we were soo lucky to have him working for us but he certainly paid the price.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't finish it.
Not a bad book, what I read. The story of Colin McLaren's life, from growing up to becoming a police officer. I got to where he had just made detective, then stopped. I started reading another type of book, and found that Infiltration wasn't holding my attention like it had been.

[Paul Guilford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.

[Polly Inglis · Rating 2 out of 5]

All good, pretty interesting but am watching the wire at the moment too so a bit too much crime and cops content for my liking

[Patrik Klages · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

INFILTRATION doesn't seem to be served particularly well by the blurb on the book. It's considerably more than just the story of an undercover sting against the Mafia, in fact it's part personal memoir, part story of the Mafia operation, but sprinkled throughout with snippets of other parts of Colin McLaren's astounding police career.

Many of us lead lives pretty sheltered from the advent or consequences of violent crime in particular. "Big" criminal events are still pretty few and far between in Victoria Australia, so it's particularly sobering to realise that those big events can be attended by such a small core of police. The Queen Street shootings, the Walsh Street shootings, the NCA bombings, Mr Cruel, the Griffith Mafia are all connected in a chilling way by Colin McLaren's life story. Along the way you get glimpses of a man who is also a son to a mother he loves very much, a dedicated single father to a daughter of whom he is immensely proud and a boyfriend, lover, husband (and ex a few times over it has to be said). Alongside the lifelong relationships with his mother and daughter, you're reminded again and again of how hard it must be for policemen and women to maintain personal relationships - of how odd the life of an undercover or task force cop must be.

INFILTRATION does definitely outline much of Colin's involvement in the breaking of the Mafia in and around Griffith in NSW, and it touches on a range of earlier cases and experience - including his time in Richmond at the time of the notorious Pettingell/Allen family heights (or lows if you prefer that analogy). Whilst that's definitely interesting, what was more rewarding, touching in some places, highly illuminating in others was the story of Colin's life, and the way that the demands of the job dictate how the rest of your life is going to be lived. If you're not much of a fan of true crime, then INFILTRATION is worth reading - particularly for that personal viewpoint. This is a book which is less about the crimes, certainly less about the criminals. It's a very personal story from a policeman who has seen and done a lot of things that the rest of us wouldn't even contemplate.

[Vireya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found this tough going until about page 198 when it finally gets to what the cover says it is about - the undercover investigation. I didn't really need to be reminded of a lot of other crimes that occurred earlier; it seemed they were just included to pad out the book. The actual story of the undercover work was more interesting because it was something I didn't know much about.

Not a book I would have chosen for myself, but like the rating says, it was OK.

[Peta Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, sexy read... Made me want to become an undercover police woman :) reality of it was all entailed in a exhilarating read.. I couldn't put it down and from most true crime stories I've read,not his one went hand in hand reading about what I had already heard of... Enjoyed it.