From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Sleepers and The Wolf, hailed as “simply the best” (Steve Berry) and “one of the most intriguing writers around” (Newsweek). . . . A top NYPD detective is pulled out of retirement to take down a notorious drug dealer. But will he risk the only family he’s ever had to crack the case? As one of the NYPD’s most trusted “tin badges”—retired detectives … case?
As one of the NYPD’s most trusted “tin badges”—retired detectives brought in to solve cases that are beyond the reach of the everyday force—Tank Rizzo has faced off against some of the city’s toughest criminals without breaking a sweat. To tackle a case involving a dangerous kingpin known as Gonzo, Tank turns to his best friend and ex-partner, Pearl; a former mobster living out a seemingly quiet retirement as the owner of Tank’s favorite Italian restaurant; and a team of expert misfits he would trust with his life. But Gonzo will stop at nothing to defend the empire he’s built, and won’t hesitate to make it personal.
Then Tank gets a call telling him that his brother and sister-in-law, estranged from him for many years, have been killed in a horrific car accident. Tank is the only family left for his orphaned teenage nephew, Chris, although he knows his lifestyle is ill-suited to win him father of the year.
Chris moves in with Tank, and the two circle each other warily. It’s only when Chris reveals an interest in true crime and a genius-level skill with computers that they begin to bond. Chris’s skills may be exactly what Tank’s team needs to take Gonzo down—but getting him involved could put his life at risk.
Advance praise for Tin Badges
“Carcaterra capably combines his trademark adrenaline-fueled action with the emotion involved in Tank taking on a parental role for a sometimes surly teen. All this needs, after a cliff-hanger close, is a sequel, and, fortunately, one is promised.” —Booklist
“Another gem from a writer who has earned his spot at the top echelon of suspense masters . . . Everything here leaps from the page, never stinting on the harsh reality, delivering a spicy, smart, and entertaining adventure.”—Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of the Cotton Malone series
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This was my first book by Carcaterra but it definitely won’t be the last. He’s created a world that is violent, rough around the edges, and utterly compelling – and populated it with a cast of characters that is colorful, clever, and composed of a great amalgamation of personalities. The combination is fantastic – it delivers a no-punches-pulled tale of greed and regret and the importance of always moving forward. The writing is engaging and grabs you by the throat from the opening pages. The tale is fast-paced and holds your attention from beginning to end – much of which is spent on the edge of your seat. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and will be eagerly awaiting the next installment – this one ended with a doozy of a reveal and I can’t wait to see how it plays out…
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my obligation-free review copy.
This was a really good book! It was fast paced with a lot of action! I thought it was well written and kept me turning the pages! I really enjoyed it and hope there might be more with this group. Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy!
Excellent. The story moves smoothly from beginning to end. There is humor, action, loss. I was touched at the beginning, loss that was poignantly done. The bad guys are well and truly written. This does end with a set up for the next book. Well done with a bite.
Fans of tv crimes shows will enjoy this book and what appears to be the start of a series. The chapters are short but detailed, the characters engaging and memorable. The world is full of promise that blends crime, family, history and a dash of romance.
The premise of tin badges was interesting and the crew that was put together fascinating. The story had some good twists that were instrumental in creating the events for this case and the cliffhanger was quite intriguing as it answered one question but created a slew of new ones!
Thanks for the chance to read this book and share my opinions!
Great book. Couldn’t put it down. Loved the characters.
I was surprised at how good it was.
Truly enjoyed this book. Great story.
I really liked all the characters and hope for more books about them. If you like the movie “Red,” you will find a similar camaraderie between the “off the force” but still formidable and capable police retirees and the case they take on, which proves more complex and dangerous than expected. A bit of bad language, but lots of good values (loyalty, friendship, seeing things through, courage). I would love to read more books from this author.
Unfortunately, did not enjoy this book. Read the first few chapters, then bailed.
I picked this up on the new release shelf at the library not knowing what a tin badge is or this author. I am glad I did as it was a great story. I do hope that this becomes a book series as the characters were interesting and I am curious on where they go from here.
Tin Badges started out a bit slow for me, but once it got going… I didn’t want to put the book down. The characters are interesting. Not only the main ones but the side character were just as great.
Tank is pretty complex and you kind of fall a little bit in love with him as the story goes on, he has heart.
The story starts when Tank and his partner Pearl are on the force. Flash forward and they are called Tin Badges because they are ex-cops that take on cold cases. Tank has a team and they are given a difficult case. But that isn’t all that is going on. Tanks’ brother dies and he has a teenage nephew that he is going to have to take care of. It seems like a lot, but Tank rolls with the punches.
This is the first time I’ve read this author, but it won’t be the last. Great story, good pacing, interesting character, action and heart, that is what Tin Badges has going for it.
Tin Badges is pure platinum. Action fans will love the complex move/countermove battle between retired NYPD detective Tank Rizzo’s colorful crew of societal misfits and a vicious drug dealer and the corrupt cops who protect him, but Carcaterra digs deeper, rendering a soulful meditation on the things that make the life-and-death struggle worth the risk — family, honor, loyalty, and sacrifice. Tin Badges shines brilliantly.
This is perhaps one of the best police stories I have read. It all takes place in New York City, and involves just about every issue in human relationships you can identify. The characters are very realistic and covered in depth, warts and all. The story begins with Tank and his long time partner on a bust that ends with both of them wounded and sent to pasture. Many separate plot threads keep the reader engaged and provide understanding of the characters involved and the progress of their relationships. I ended up taking the afternoon off to finish this book, and I’m happy I did. I was overjoyed to find the ending seemed to promise more to come.
This is a good crime story. There are police officers (both good and bad), mobsters and drug lords. Most of the people in this book would rather shoot first and ask questions later. When Tank, a retired police officer, is asked to look into a cold case where two prostitutes were brutally attacked. It quickly becomes apparent that there is a lot more to this case. Things escalate quickly until Tank is involved in a war with a drug lord named Gonzo.
The story moves along quickly and was very interesting. There is a lot of action. There is a bit of a family element, with Tank suddenly becoming the guardian of his nephew. The ending contains a set up for a future book. I would recommend this book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest
Tin Badges are those imaginary ones carried by ex-cops and ex-military looking to clear up unsolved crimes after authorities have given up on finding a solution. Tank Rizzo is retired from the NYPD and his old commander brings him the occasional dead file to keep him and his team of misfits busy. Working one case until it is solved is a luxury available only to those no longer working the street, and Tank and crew have an excellent success rate going for them.
But the case handed down to them this time is slightly different. In the first place it is only a few months old, a home invasion where a couple of working girls were beaten and raped. The ladies spent 10 plus days in ICU, bringing attempted murder into the charges. And one of the girls was an underaged runaway from a well-to-do out-of-state family. Looking closer, there aren’t many signs of real police work done on the case, and closer still there may be a link to a really nasty drug connection named Gonzo. Throw in a newly orphaned teen nephew and Tank certainly has his hands full. But you know from the get-go that he can handle it. The only question is ‘how’?
This novel is filled with interesting characters who make you smile and mysteries that keep your mind hopping. I am pleased to recommend this work to friends and family. Lorenzo Carcaterra is an author to follow.
I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Lorenzo Carcaterra, and Mulholland Books. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this tale of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work.
This story grabbed me at the beginning and hung on. The characters are great. Tank is strong and honest. He doesn’t hide his feelings for his family. His family is group of people he has gathered to help him solve crimes. He loves them all and will protect them at all costs. Tank and his partner, Pearl, are no longer on the police force, but they help the chief solve cold cases. They are given a case that isn’t so cold, but it turns out to be very dangerous. Tank isn’t sure if any of them will be standing when they go up against a dangerous kingpin. Can he save his family?
Wow! A good old knock-down, shoot ’em up story with a really cool lead character (somewhat reminiscent of the late Robert B. Parker’s Spenser) that doesn’t challenge readers with ever-changing character perspectives and time flashbacks or confusing head games. That means assuming the very talented Mr. Carcaterra keeps writing about retired NYPD cop “Tank” Rizzo, I’ll be first in line to read each and every one.
Tank, you see, is a “tin badge” – the term used for retired police officers who are called back by the department to provide extra help. This isn’t Rizzo’s first such rodeo; he and his former partner Pearl, who suffered a formal career-ending injury that’s left him in a wheelchair for life, now have an entire group to work with and a stellar solve rate. Together, they form a rather motley crew that includes a couple of young techies and a beautiful gypsy fortune teller (yes, you read that correctly).
This time, Tank gets the nod following a home invasion that leaves two women nearly dead. Two men are sure bets for doing the deed, but they have alibis that are phony as a two-dollar bill but unshakable. As he gathers his buddies to get started, Tank gets bad news: His long-estranged brother and his wife have been killed in an auto accident, orphaning their teenage son Chris. With no other relatives available, Tank offers the boy living quarters in his Greenwich Village brownstone; reluctantly, the kid – not coincidentally a computer whiz and cops-and-robbers aficionado – agrees to the arrangement.
Angered over the emotional distance between Tank and his late father, Chris takes more liking to other crew members as well as Tank’s longtime love, Connie, and her “retired” mobster boss Carmine. Over the years, despite their usually-at-loggerheads occupations, Tank and Carmine have forged an unlikely but very real friendship. For the record, that unusual relationship, plus Tank’s love of wine, jazz and other more intellectual pursuits and a strong but marriage-free relationship with a beautiful woman are among the traits he shares with the aforementioned Spenser.
As the investigation moves along, it leads directly in the path of a very nasty mob boss who threatens the lives of Tank and everyone he loves and works with. Needless to say, that doesn’t sit well with Carmine; his age and the loss of his beloved wife may have nudged him toward inactivity, but threats to his family quickly revive his sense of honor (even if it is among thieves).
All told, it’s a fast-moving, totally engaging plot as well as a study in character development and interaction. In the end, I wanted for nothing except more – which hopefully will come soon. Meantime, my wholehearted thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy.
This novel was 4.5 stars raised to a five! Tank Rizzo is a retired NYPD detective who, along with his partner, are Tin Badges (retired or disabled ex-detectives who look into cold cases for the NYPD). They are called upon to look into the robbery and rape of two women that was left unsolved. They had also formed a crew of irregulars who worked with them. Tank was called in to care for his teenaged nephew and only living relative after the boy’s parents died in an automobile accident. Tank and the boy had no pervious contact with each other because of an estrangement between the two men. Their investigation led to drug dealers, former gangsters (Tank’s lady friend is the daughter of a “retired” gangster and runs his restaurant), money laundering and a climax that any reader will remember for a long time. It is well written and very visually written. I am hoping for more Tank Rizzo novels. Thanks to Net Galley and Ballantine for an ARC for an honest review.
This book reads like smooth jazz. Tank and his pals form a team of off books investigators for the NYPD. He gets a new case and also gets a nephew coming to live with him at the same time. This story is top notch in terms of plot and characters. You will get lost in the hard hitting conversations between Tank, his partner and Carmine. You will fall in love with this rag tag team that takes on a major drug dealer and corrupt cops and come out on the winning side. The smooth transitions lingo and procedures will give a clear and vivid picture in your mind of every action taking place. You will mourn with Chris and congratulate him as he finds a home among the team. One thing I guarantee you will not put this book down once you open it until you read the last word.
I give Tin Badges 3.5. It’s a very quick read, with short chapters and a fast moving plot.
The main character, “Tank” Rizzo is a former cop who still works cases now and then with his former partner, “Pearl” Monroe, and a small team of misfits. After a family tragedy, Chris, Tank’s teenage nephew, is forced to go live with him, moving from an ideal suburban life to one in the big city with an uncle he’s never met. Tank won’t talk about Chris’s father (Tank’s brother) or why they stopped communicating nearly two decades before. The book follows the evolution of Tank’s and Chris’ relationship as they go from complete strangers, to friends, to blood. They both are natural born crime solvers and find they’re a lot alike. Chris joins Tank’s team to help solve a crime that turns out to be a lot bigger (and more dangerous) than it first appears.
This was an easy read and a good beginning to what I hope will be an engaging series. I did feel like the dialogue was a bit stilted and I would’ve liked to have gotten to know some of the characters a bit better, Tank in particular. However, I have a feeling that that will come in the next book, as the ending definitely left a good opening for it. I do look forward to continuing the series. I won this book in a giveaway.