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William Marling (Case Western
University) said of Joseph Wambaugh, he “is a former policeman who transformed the sub-genre of the police novel into
serious literature of a hard-boiled nature. His first four books and his work on the Police Story television series in the
1970s set standards of realism, dialogue, and character development for subsequent writers or turned them in new directions.
The son of a policeman, Wambaugh
was born in East Pittsburgh, joined the Marines at seventeen, and married at eighteen. After an Associate degree from Chafee
College, he joined the police and rose through the ranks from patrolman to detective sergeant (1960-74). While working as
a policeman, he attended Cal State University Los Angeles, receiving his B.A. and M.A. From his Catholic faith to his young
marriage and Marine service, Wambaugh epitomized the police force. But then he began to "moonlight," as he said,
writing about that life and his colleagues. When he published The New Centurions in 1971 the acclaim was instant and unanimous.
"Let us dispel forever the notion that Mr. Wambaugh is only a former cop who happens to write books," wrote Evan
Hunter in the New York Times Book Review: "This would be tantamount to saying that Jack London was first and foremost
a sailor. Mr. Wambaugh is, in fact, a writer of genuine power, style, wit and originality who has chosen to write about police
in particular as a means of expressing his views on society in general.”
In 1954, Joseph Wambaugh entered
the United States Marine Corps. He was discharged in 1957 and began college, earning his BA in 1960. He
joined the Los Angeles Police Department, rising to the rank of Detective Sergeant. He left the LAPD in
1971 to pursue his writing career full-time. In 1968, he earned an MA. Joseph Wambaugh is the author of
Hollywood Station; Hollywood Crows; Delta Star; The New Centurions; The Blooding; Echoes in the Darkness; Finnegan's
Week; The Golden Orange; Lines and Shadows; The Black Marble; The Blue Knight; The Choirboys; The Secrets of Harry Bright;
The Onion Field; Fire Lover; Fugitive Nights; The Glitter Dome; and, Floaters.
One reader of The
Onion Field said, “I lived in Los Angeles in 1963 and I've seen the movie several times, but not until
I picked up a used copy of the book out of the Good Will this last week did I read the written account. As usual, the book
is ten times better than the movie. It's gripping and very hard to put down. The sadness of what happens to the surviving
police detective is so frustrating and seems, today, so unnecessary. Of course, we forget that seeking help from therapists
and even talking about your innermost fears(called "burdening others" with your problems), etc. were not the vogue
in 1963. If they had been, this story might have ended differently. I was particularly interested in the author's references
to local landmarks which made the story come alive for me. What makes it eerier is that the area of the onion field where
the murder took place is not all that far from the city but even so, it's strictly away from city life, kind of up in
the hills, pitch dark at night and isolated with nothing but a big lonely highway running through surrounding fields growing
a variety of crops. Oddly enough, regarding the two sleazoid criminals, at times they seemed more intelligent than some of
the defense attorneys. Fantastic story! I predict it will stay with you for days after reading it.”
Publisher’s Weekly said
of Fire Lover, “Returning to print after a six-year hiatus, former LAPD detective sergeant
and bestselling author Wambaugh (The Onion Field, etc.) focuses on firefighters rather than his usual police beat. It's
a surprising switch, but Wambaugh's regular readers will not be disappointed, since sparks fly throughout this potent
probe into the life of arson investigator John Leonard Orr. Fascinated by fires in his L.A. childhood, Orr learned fire fighting
in the air force. An eccentric loner with few friends and a womanizer with a string of failed marriages, he was rejected by
the LAPD and LAFD. In 1974 he joined the Glendale Fire Department, where his gun-toting, crime-crusading capers earned him
the label "cop wanna-be" from both police and firemen. Rising in the ranks, Orr became well-known as an arson sleuth.
He had a sixth sense for tracking pyros, but there was one serial arsonist, responsible for the deaths of four, who remained
elusive. In 1990, during the worst fire in Glendale's history, some noted that Orr's behavior "seemed very peculiar."
That same year, Orr was appointed fire captain and began writing a "fact-based novel" about a serial arsonist who
turns out to be a firefighter and in it Orr revealed certain facts about the unsolved arson case that he couldn't have
known through his work. Was Orr the serial arsonist? Wambaugh recreates these events for a suspenseful, adrenaline-rush account
of what one profiler dubbed "probably the most prolific American arsonist" of the 20th century.”
One reader of The
Glitter Dome said, “The Glitter Dome is a good way to start the Wambaugh adventure. More humor than The
Choir Boys and less preaching than the latter. Laughs abound on nearly every page ending the story on a somber note. A delightful
read which is episodic, easy to put down when the occasion requires it but easy to pick up later when the schedule allows.
Wambaugh's character development and dialogue combine as his strong suit. Nicknames and physical characteristics are a
very close second. Collectively, the characters dance before your eyes and tell their stories in a most delightful fashion.”
One reader of Floaters said,
“This is my second experience reading Wambaugh, the first being "The Golden Orange". Wambaugh's strength
lies in his sharp, cynical, sarcastic and blackly humerous use of language. I laughed out loud at his witty and dark brand
of humor. His command of the English language and cynical look at Americana seen through the eyes of cops and robbers is worth
the price of admission alone. This novel works mostly through his style, and the plot is greatly enhanced through his wordplay.
I learned more about Americas Cup racing than I ever wanted to know, yet was never bored throughout "Floaters".
A lesser writer might not have been able to make such a plot work, since the finale is laced with coincidence and irony, yet
Wambaugh's style more than makes up for any potentially lame plot twists. This is not to say that the plot is poor or
predictable; it's neither. But the fact is that few writers would be able to pull off such a tale.”
Publisher’s Weekly said
of Fugitive Nights, “Wambaugh's latest, following The Golden Orange , promises more entertainment
than it delivers. The plot centers around PI Breda spok Burrows, a former LAPD detective, and three cops: hard-drinking Lynn
Cutter, waiting for approval of his disability pension and retirement; Jack Graves, whose life and career were ruined when
he killed a 12-year-old boy by mistake; and Nelson Hareem, an ambitious and aggressively manic young officer hoping for reassignment
from the county outskirts to Palm Springs. Burrows hires Cutter to determine why the wealthy elderly husband of her client
has apparently made a donation to a local sperm bank. Meanwhile, as Graves works to redeem himself, Hareem tracks a mysterious
fugitive--perhaps an international terrorist-- who beat up a cop at a desert airport, stole a truck and disappeared. An unexpected
resolution to Burrows's case precedes a wild chase during a celebrity golf tournament and a bloody climax at a post-tournament
party. While poking fun at the Palm Springs lifestyle, Wambaugh offers plenty of his trademark cop humor, including a funny
but essentially irrelevant prologue skewering President Bush and Sonny Bono. But in this case, the whole equals less than
the sum of its parts.”
According to the book description
of The Choirboys, “Partners in the Los Angeles Police Department, they’re haunted by
terrifying dark secrets of the night watch–shared predawn drink and sex sessions they call choir practice. Each wears
his cynicism like a bulletproof jockstrap–each has his horror story, his bad dream, his night shriek. He is afraid of
his friends–he is afraid of himself.”
One reader of The
Choirboys said, when it “was published almost thirty years ago, I was a young Marine thinking of becoming
a police officer. I read Wambaugh's fiction back then because it provided a unique combination of humor and truth about
police work. Or at least it seemed as if it might be the truth - Wambaugh had been a cop and I hadn't. And of all his
fiction, Choirboys was by far the funniest... and at the same time, its story the most tragic and bittersweet. Now I'm
an old cop in a big metro area, looking towards retirement. Every couple years, I read Choirboys again. It amazes me and overwhelms
me to find that it rings more true with every reading. The more I see of police work and of life, the more I realize how much
humor and truth Wambaugh really was able to put into this book. It's all there: the amazing things that happen in life,
some horrible, some hilarious. The camaraderie, kidding, and practical jokes that cops constantly use to keep their perspective.
The way Wambaugh's cops don't always like each other, but they always look out for each other. The supervisors and
administrators - some good, far too many bad. It's the truest book I've ever read and gets better every time I read
it. I've given away a lot of copies of this one.
I'm not sure, but I believe
Choirboys was written at about the time that Wambaugh was leaving police work to devote all his time to writing. The book
is definitely written from the perspective of someone who is willing to burn some bridges. It is unflinchingly realistic regarding
the careerism and hypocrisy that Wambaugh saw in many police supervisors and administrators, and in the politics of the department
itself. But Wambaugh never preaches, he satirizes, and he makes his reader laugh out loud again and again. The bottom line
is - this is the best cop book I know of. I hope you'll think so too, and I'm willing to bet that you do.”
One reader of The
Blue Knight said, “Mr. Wambaugh's outstanding book still holds up after three decades. World-weary
after twenty years on the police force, Bumper Morgan reflects on the changing nature of police work and the potential for
a new phase of his life when he retires at the age of 50. He is exposed on a daily basis to the extremes of the human condition;
from seamy survivalist of poverty and drug-addiction to courageous, law-abiding citizens just trying to get by. Overweight
Bumper wallows in a variety of "freebies", especially food, that appreciative merchants heap upon him for helping
them out throughout his career. A realistic and compassionate depiction of a street cop. Absolutely worth reading.”
One reader of Lines
and Shadows said, “A realistic journey into the forbidden zones of our border lands with Mexico. Mr. Wambaugh's
skill as a writer takes the reader on a nerve-wracking, hair-standing trip into the danger zone traversed every night by the
illegal immigrants. A must read for all Wambaugh fans and a good starting place for those who wish to become fans.”
One reader of The
Golden Orange said, “In reading the previous reviews, I think this book has not been given it's due.
I have read the book several times for the humor found within it. I have been a police officer for 26 years and found The
Golden Orange to be full of police humor from the first chapter to the last. The lead character leads the life of a pensioned
out officer who is constantly battling his past using alcohol and levity to ease that past. Wambaugh molds every character
into ones we can all relate to. The police characters are no doubt taken from Wambaugh's experience as police officer
from the cynical old timers to the optimistic green rookies. There are FEW books I would recommend as highly as this one for
action, mystery and real belly laughs. I only wish he had 100 more like it.”
One reader of Finnegan's
Week said, “Wambaugh has a flair for scriptwriting equal to Quinton Tarantino at his best. He's brutal,
sly, topical, sharp, intense and outrageous all at the same time. This novel can be a bit silly at times, but never does it
become stale. "Finnegan's Week" should appeal to readers of a wide variety of tastes, and I'm surprised
that Wambaugh doesn't have a larger following than he has. His plots weave in and out, and he always finds a unique way
to bring it all together at the end. His razor-sharp wit sets him apart from the rest of the thriller writers out there. A
great, fun read with a superior style.”
The Library Journal said of The
Blooding, “Wambaugh, best known for his books dealing with American crime and detection, here tells the
engrossing story of two British sex murders and the police hunt for the killer. The title stems from a procedure of genetic
fingerprinting detected by examining blood samples, and used by the police to catch the murderer. Armed with the new discovery
for detection, the police launched a massive drive to "fingerprint" men in the Narborough village area. Wambaugh
gives an inside look at the police and their intense and, at last, successful drive to catch the murderer. He also discusses
the process, and some of its limitless possibilities. An excellent account of murder, detection, and this amazing scientific
discovery.”
One reader of The
Blooding said, “A fifteen year old girl is raped and strangled, her body left along a footpath near an
English Village called Narborough. Though a massive effort is launch to find the killer, he remains at large for years. Then
the Killer strikes three years after the first murder, killing another young girl in the same brutal fashion, and leaving
her body only a short distance from the first. The police do not give up, but this man continually evades detection until
several years later Scotland Yard comes a calling with a new tool: DNA. The first time its was used to solve a police case,
and to actually track a killer not just to reinforce a case. In a very controversial move, nearly 4000 men in and around the
town of Narborough are tested, everyone from teen to old man are 'blooded' meaning their DNA of their blood is tested
against the samples of the killer. Never has any police force taken such a massive Orwellian move, compelling every male able
to commit the crime to come forward for testing. Even so, the killer continually evades being blooded, but it was a matter
of time and dogged police work. Warbaugh's best work since The Onion Field, may be uncomfortable for some people because
of the details of the murders etc, others - believers of the right of individual - will be upset with the Orwellian dragnet,
but its a fascinating detailed account that often compels as repels in the same breath.”
According to the book description
of The New Centurions, “In a class of new police recruits, Augustus Plebesly is fast and scared.
Roy Fehler is full of ideals. And Serge Duran is an ex-marine running away from his Chicano childhood. In a few weeks they'll
put on the blue uniform of the LAPD. In months they'll know how to interpret the mad babble of the car radio, smell danger,
trap a drug dealer, hide a secret, and-most of all-live with the understanding that cops are different from everyone else.
But for these men, these new centurions, time is an enemy. The year is 1960. The streets are burning with rage. And before
they can grow old on this job, they'll have to fight for their lives.”
One reader of The
New Centurions said it “came as a bit of a surprise to me. I read other Wambaugh works, but they were
written more recently. This book was written back in the early part fo Wambaugh's career, and I feel under the false assumption
that it was going to be inferior. Boy, was I wrong. This is the most honest and perfect police novel I have ever read, and
I liked it more than the author's later work (which I love).
"The New Centurions"
focuses on the lives of three Los Angeles cops from boot camp to their 5 year anniversary on the force. Not a police procedural,
the emphasis is rather on the lives of the characters and the various experiences they go through as police officers. Alternately
brutal, funny, smart, sad, warm, philosophical, and ugly, "The New Centurions" is an extremely well-done piece of
realistic fiction. These characters could be real. I won't spoil anything here, but I have to recommend this book to anyone
interested in the cop lifestyle. I'm going to give this book to my brother who has contemplated becoming a police officer,
since I think the realism here can be an eye-opener.”
One reader said of the Delta
Star, “This is Joseph Wambaugh at his best, humorous, suspenseful, and sympathetic to his police characters
while not shying away from their faults, foibles, and flaws. In one of his better mysteries, the cops of Rampart Station try
to solve the connections between a Nobel Prize, a Russian submarine, a useless credit card, a dead hooker and a similarly
deceased sleazy private eye. Detective Mario Villalobos tries to solve the murder of a young hooker named "Missy Moonbeam"
by day while spending his nights drowning his sorrows with a typical Wambaugh cast of police and groupie characters at Leery's
Saloon. Larger than life characters such as "The Bad Czech", "Jane Wayne", Ludwig the police dog, and
the "Gooned Out Vice Cop" all make appearances. The thing is Wambaugh makes you actually care about these people
and their situations. It is obvious that the former policeman turned author still understands and feels a great empathy and
affection for the men and women who police our "mean streets".
Villalobos is one of his better
drawn characters. A burned out man who drinks too much, he still possesses some great police instincts, and he is not so far
gone as some of the suicidal main characters of Wambaugh's darker novels, such THE SECRETS OF HARRY BRIGHT or THE GLITTER
DOME. A mixture of serendipitous luck and good police work lead to a surprising twist of a conclusion, but as with most of
Wambaugh's best books, the journey and the whacky cast of characters one encounters along the way is actually more important
than the destination itself.”
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