Mafia Cop [Mass Market Paperback]

Eppolito (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1993

Although his father was a Mafia hitman, Lou Eppolito chose to live by a different code; he chose the uniform of the NYPD--and became one of its most decorated cops. But even his sterling record could not protect him when police brass decided to take him down. Eppolito tells in his own words the powerful story of the brutal destruction of one good cop by his own bosses.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Eppolito grew up with the mob. His father, a brother and cousins were made men. He learned Mafia values of honor and respect. Yet after his father's death Eppolito joined the New York City police. He and Drury (coauthor of Fatso ) here record the explosive process of Eppolito's "betrayal" by the NYPD. Eppolito, who retired from the force in 1989, never stopped being a street kid, as fast with his mouth as with his fists. The 11th most decorated cop in the city's history, he is seen as a hot-headed policeman beating up junkies and other "perps," a cop who nevertheless was a hero to the many he helped. Still, the Internal Affairs Division charged him with giving a Mafia "pal" confidential police reports. Eppolito was exonerated but here concludes that the Mafia knows more than the NYPD about honor and respect. His father used to instruct him, "Never make . . . una brutta figura , a bad showing." As this account suggests, it's a lesson Eppolito learned well. Photos not seen by PW. Author tour.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Eppolito grew up in a mob family in Brooklyn, where his father taught him to be tough, to show respect, and to hate cops. When Lou matured, his natural love of adventure and his distaste for the Mafia led him to join the New York Police Department. He soon became a legend, often decorated, and known for his free-wheeling approach to law enforcement. He maintained distant relations with his extended family, shying away from close ties that could taint his reputation. Yet he finally found himself facing suspension and possible arrest on (trumped-up, he claimed) charges that tied him to the mob. This as-told-to story relates Eppolito's childhood, early years in the department, efforts to clear his name, and post-cop life, including his fledgling career as an actor. This book bristles with street language and conveys a colorful and convincing personality. Eppolito can sound self-serving at times (he paints himself as something of a Robin Hood), but on the whole this is a successful and unique blend of cop and organized crime literature. For general collections. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 2/15/92.
- Ben Harrison, East Orange P.L., N.J.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (February 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671742221
• ISBN-13: 978-0671742225
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,650,899 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars "Honest" Cop arrested 3/10/05 for string of murders..., March 10, 2005

By 

Time Will Tell... (The Great State of Washington DC!) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mafia Cop: The Story of an Honest Cop Whose Family Was the Mob (Hardcover)

Lou Eppolito was arrested in Las Vegas, along with his NYPD partner, on March 10, 2005 for carrying out a series of mob murders in the 1980s and 1990s while he was a self-proclaimed "honest" cop.

It turns out he was part of the mob all along, which makes this book quite interesting in that Eppolito had the nerve to write an autobiography that was a complete LIE and sell it to the public anyway!

One can fault Eppolito for his life of crime, but one can never say that the man didn't have nerve!

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Hey Robert C. Preston, March 11, 2005

By 

Bert "Bert" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mafia Cop: The Story of an Honest Cop Whose Family Was the Mob (Hardcover)

You friend ended up being a hitman for the mob all along. Which means the book is complete bs and you've been duped.

Watdayasaybout dat?

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Time for a Post Script!, June 6, 2006

By 

Peter Hyatt (Orrington, Maine) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mafia Cop (Mass Market Paperback)

Well, the hero was sentenced to life behind bars, 1 million dollar fine, and forfeiture of all his assets. Why?

He was a murderer. He was not a hero. He killed killers.

Now, his book is fiction. "Compassionate" guy? Cold-blooded killer for hire; sociopath, narcissist, and now...just another thug behind bars. Praise for this fiction? No, thanks.