A former FBI undercover agent and whistleblower tells the story of the transformation of the FBI after the 9/11 attacks from a law enforcement agency, made famous by prosecuting organized crime and corruption in business and government, into arguably the most secretive domestic intelligence agency America has ever seen.
This indictment, which German supports with much evidence, is disturbing but not likely unsurprising for most informed readers ... Suitable for adults interested in politics and law enforcement reform.
German is an angry critic of his old employer. His anger makes his book a useful contribution. Despite the many reforms of the post-Hoover era, the FBI remains an institution apart from American society, still staffed overwhelmingly by white people who tend to be conservative and conventional and prone to big, embarrassing mistakes ... Comey does not escape German’s scorn.
... [an] impassioned polemic ...German collects a searing set of eye-opening case studies that point to a decreasingly effective organization ... erman’s experiences as an undercover agent provide a unique insight into the inner workings of the FBI ... Bound to be divisive, German’s account is unlikely to convince readers who don’t agree with him that the FBI is on the wrong path, but it raises some valuable questions about the primary role of this key government agency.