The Buyer: The making and breaking of an undercover detective

by Liam Thomas

The real Line of Duty.

'The first rule of covert surveillance is never disturb the environment. To be an undercover officer, you must watch and wait. Before that, though, is the question of identity. Embarking on a covert operation you first must decide who you are. Who will you be today?'

Liam Thomas was an officer in the Met for over a decade, many of those years spent deep at the heart of Britain's most dangerous criminal enterprises in the murky world of undercover surveillance. Before him, his father had also been a police officer, a pillar of their small community.

Fighting corruption was Liam's life. But the murky world of undercover work teaches him that justice is far from black and white - and a family secret reveals that corruption is closer to home than he had ever expected. The revelations push him to the edge of his sanity - and then he discovers that his bosses are investigating him...

A thrilling memoir of a life lived amongst a world of corruption, justice and questionable loyalties, this book tells the real story of the police's line of duty.

397 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 27, 2023

Reviews

[Malcolm Schaffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a good read if you want to believe k in n the credibility of the met police . Obviously it’s one persons account and there could be bias or misinformation but it rings true and can be corroborated by various inquiries and tragedies . The most disturbing aspect of the book is not tales of corruption though they are present but the sheer incompetent management and desire to cover up , an all too familiar story . The author tells his story at length from childhood but dwelling on his suspension as a police officer for four years in relation to improved allegations and the toll it placed on him . It makes for a grim read. Two aspects let it down , firstly and mainly it is far too long and goes into detail that spoils the impact of the story . Secondly presumably for legal reasons every police officer mentioned is given a Nick name and the sheer number of these confuse and bewilder and mean one cannot keep a clear picture of those involved .
But an interesting read

[Richard Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liam Thomas's "The Buyer" is a heavy-hitting dive into undercover policing that'll leave you emotionally drained. His bizarre habit of using animal nicknames for characters makes the narrative feel like a confusing zoo map - was that the Badger or the Lynx? Good luck keeping track!

The book drips with a sense of psychological weight, capturing the soul-crushing reality of detective work. While authentically raw, it's not an easy read. Thomas serves up a gritty, unfiltered look at police life that feels more like a burden than a story.

Pros:

Brutally honest storytelling
Genuine insider perspective
Dark, compelling moments
Cons:

Confusing animal-based character names
Overwhelmingly depressive tone
Challenging narrative flow

A three-star journey that's more emotional marathon than light reading. Approach with caution and maybe a strong coffee.

[Jonny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up in a library and had high hopes for it…but they faded about the time the author joined the police force. From then on the story became hard to follow and lost in a sea of nicknames. A really interesting idea, but not well executed.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another unsung hero. Thank you, Liam.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent - burns with (rightful) anger