I’ve read many books by Lorenzo Carcaterra, beginning with Sleepers and on through A Safe Place, Apaches, Chasers and more. Carcaterra’s novels are usually filled with characters you can relate to, take place in New York, and are usually nail-biters. That’s why I love them. So, I couldn’t wait to read the latest Carcaterra novel I was offered for review: Tin Badges.
Tank Rizzo wasn’t ready to retire from his NYPD Detective job, but one drug bust gone bad left him injured and his partner paralyzed, consigning him to his fate. And yet, Rizzo made the most of it, enjoying life with his girlfriend, his favorite restaurant and a new job. As a Tin Badge, Rizzo receives cases from the NYPD Chief of Detectives: cases that are cold or otherwise could not be handled by the overtaxed police department. His partner, Pearl, is still helping him out, despite his disability and Tank has enlisted the aide of some rather formidable associates who can do everything from wire taps, camera surveillance, computer hacking and just plain muscle.
Just when Tank thinks he has his life figured out and moving along without a hitch, he is thrown yet another curve ball. His estranged brother and his sister-in-law are killed in a car accident one wintry night and Tank is faced with the need to do the right thing. Tank was never one for fatherhood, but now he is about to become an instant father…of a teenage nephew that he doesn’t even know…one that doesn’t much trust him thanks to the lack of communication between his father and his uncle.
And that’s not all – Tank is about to get a hold of one of the most dangerous cases in his career as a Tin Badge: a double robbery, assault and rape that leads back to one of the most formidable of drug dealers in the city. Now is not the time to be taking on an angry teenager as a boarder…it’s also not the time to discover that one thing he has in common with his nephew – the need to solve crimes.
Just like all of Lorenzo Carcaterra’s novels, Tin Badges reels you in immediately with great characters you want to get to know and edge of your seat action in the very first chapter. The storyline is quite interesting and the characters are down to earth despite their varied societal hierarchies. You want to get to know them, find things you have in common and develop a vested interest in what happens to them. The book moves fast and has plenty of action and intrigue with a bit of drama and emotion added in to keep you on the hook until the very end. The fact that it is set in New York City is a plus for this reader as I can relate to the various locations in the novel, growing up in the city myself.
I must warn you, though, that this book is a bit larger than life…or at least I hope so. The idea that the NYPD employs former detectives to solve crimes that are cold or lack the manpower to solve is not so surprising. It’s the way Tank gets things done…the folks he associates with and the stretching above and beyond that criminal line that makes me hope the city doesn’t allow Tin Badges this much power to get the job done.
That being said, I know Tin Badges is a work of fiction and, though some of the action may be a bit over the top, the fact of the matter is that this still is a great read. Another thing I should warn you about – Tin Badges is destined to be a series as the book ends with a new open case and a revelation as to why Tank and his brother hadn’t spoken in years. That’s okay by me, because I would love to read further adventures of Tank Rizzo and his crew. Definitely a fun page-turner!

Retired detectives are still used to solve cold cases for the NYPD, but this case is barely lukewarm when the department has given up. The Chief gives it to Tank Rizzo and his wheelchair bound former partner Pear. And they the his crew of Tin Badges find themselves embroiled with an evil and violent drug dealer, who threatens all of them, including Tank’s inamorata, the daughter of a former Outfit member, and his recently orphaned nephew, a computer genius. Great Greenwich Village scenes, wonderful characters, and a straight on hard boiled novel as Carcatarra has done so many times. This is a terrific read.

I have read and enjoyed several books written by Lorenzo Carcaterra and this book was enjoyable too. Loved meeting Tank and Pearl and their backgrounds and stories but also was most impressed with Chris! Really appreciated the angst between Chris and Tank and the way their relationship slowly developed. I see sequels to this insightful novel that gives “cold cases” new hope. Many thanks to Lorenzo Cacaterra , and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this interesting read,

I enjoyed ‘meeting’ Tank, a tough guy with a heart of gold, and Chris, Tank’s nephew who now lives with Tank, after the auto accident death of his parents. And then there’s Connie, Tank’s girlfriend, and Carmine, her dad. Not to be left out is Chief of Detectives Connors and Pearl, who’s in a wheelchair due to an earlier on-the-job injury. There are more good guys and bad guys too.

Tin Badges is an enjoyable cop story about Tank and Pearl, retired cops, brought in to solve a cold case. The case quickly becomes bigger than expected and involved drugs, tons of money, dirty cops, thugs, mob, and so much more.

The story was entertaining, believable, and very human. I enjoyed it very much.

Thank you to NetGalley forthright opportunity to read and review this book. I enjoyed it.

I loved this cast of characters that help Tank in his investigation. This was a great story and had me turning the pages.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Tin Badges is an interesting story about two career cops that take retirement to a new level. The characters will worm their way into you hearts. Cold cases can be solved with the right determination. This is a real cop and bad guy page turner. If you love true crime stories you'll love this intense story.

Retired NYC police department detective, Tank Rizzo is occasionally brought in to solve cases .. either "cold" or
those with undesirable political ramifications. He's asked to investigate a case involving two prostitutes who were brutally assaulted and raped two years age ... with little in the way of actual resolution. Tank assembles a colorful team of seemingly misfits ... Alexandra, a gypsy fortune teller, a body builder bartender, and several acquaintances that are computer and tech savvy, his disabled ex-partner, Frank "Pearl" Monroe and eventually his team is joined by an ex-mobster (who runs his favorite Italian restaurant along with his daughter.. Tank's longtime paramour) and he's nephew , Chris. Chris brings with him an unusual love and hunger for researching anything involving crime along with an innate skill for computers. As the investigation evolves it implicates a vicious drug dealer, Gonzo, who appears protected by a cadre of corrupt cops.
Carcaterra proves to be a master storyteller resulting in a relentless page-turner. He fleshes out the personalities and motivations of his characters effortlessly.. A brilliant plan is layed out by Tank's team to bring down Gonzo and his crew. Intertwined in the apoplectic denouement is the truly important things in life ... family, honor and loyalty. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing an Uncorrected Proof of this gem in exchange for an honest review.

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...

Lorenzo cHaracters does a great job of plot advancement and characterization in Tin Badges. Reminiscent of Carcaterra's earlier novels, the book moved withvease, each chapter building on the other. A veteran crime novelist, Lorenzo has not lost his touch. For Baldacci and Legend fanss, this novel will not let you down.

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!

Tank Rizzo is a “tin badge,” a retired detective occasionally assigned by the police department to inactive cases. Tank had me hooked from the beginning, because he narrates much of the book in the first person, and he talks how I imagine Archie Goodwin would sound if he were a modern-day retired cop. There’s the self-assurance of a trained professional coupled with just enough irreverence to make things fun. In reality Tank is more of a hard-boiled Spenser type, a tough guy with gourmet inclinations, his own moral code, and a willingness to beat up bad guys. Let’s not forget a mixed entourage of strong supporting characters (including a partner named Pearl, just like Spenser’s canine best friend). Tank gets word that a car accident on an icy road has killed his estranged brother and his brother’s wife. The couple’s suddenly orphaned teenage son, Chris, comes to live with Tank and soon involves himself in the investigative activities of Tank’s team, which is trying to solve an assault case involving major drug dealers. We’ve all seen the trope of the computer whiz kid who makes himself indispensable, but then again we’ve all seen the tough-guy private eye protagonist a thousand times and would still be happy to see it a thousand more. The author does such a good job populating a mini-world with various interesting characters, including Tank's love interest and her father, a retired mafioso who now runs a restaurant, that everyone is going to be clamoring for a sequel, a movie, etc. The case at hand is brought to a satisfying conclusion, but the author obliges us at the end with a strong hint about the next investigation for Tank’s team. This story was terrific fun, and I look forward to reading the next book in what I hope becomes a series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an advance digital review copy.

This book is an engaging read which also makes it hard to put down and the result is a farily quick read. The main storyline is about a retired New York City detective who is hired by the department to work cold cases which makes him referred to as a tin badge. He has a crew that he works with on these cases with a new addition in this novel. This is a stand alone book, but the ending does set up a sequel if the author chooses to write one (I am hopeful that he does).

I recommend this book to those who enjoy a fast paced crime novel.

I received a free Kindle ARC courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would provide an honest review and post it on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

Tank is retired from the police depot but he still takes on cold cases for the dept. Tank, his ex partner Pearl and motley crew take on one of the biggest drug kings. They are badly outgunned and the crooks have a few dirty cops on their side. Tank is also adjusting to having his nephew living with him after the teens parents die in a car crash.

There was action and suspense that will keep you entertained. The characters were believable, likable, but not perfect. The ending was a perfect set up for a sequel which I would definitely read. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I've been a fan of Carcaterra for years and was excited to see his newest title on NetGalley. I read this one in about three days and loved it. It's actually been awhile since I read his last one and I've sorely missed his writing style. Highly recommended.

Lorenzo Carcaterra has written a dozen books, but Tin Badges, a novel written in 2016, is the first that has been reviewed in this blog. If his other books are as awesome as this one, then we’ve been missing out on a very talented writer. The story starts with two story lines. First there is Tank Rizzo who stopped being a New York City cop when he was involved in a particularly ugly take down in which there were several deaths, including that of his beloved partner, Frank “Pearl” Monroe. Tank couldn’t continue in that line of work anymore. We also learn that Tank had grown up with a brother, Jack. They had been exceedingly close as kids, but something happened that neither would talk about. Tank was not invited to Jack’s wedding, and he had almost no interaction with Jack, his wife, or their 15-year-old son, Chris. Then, Jack and his wife were killed in a winter driving accident.

Jack, although retired from the force, accepted cold case assignments from the force, and that’s how he occupied his time. Tank attended the funeral of his brother, and with the death of Jack and his wife, Chris was given the news that his parents had left him the option of going to live with Uncle Tank, a man he did not know.

Those are the main story lines, and Carcaterra was masterful in developing rich and believable characters. His plot creation was clever, and the writing was excellent. I’m not giving you too good a selling job, but it’s my plan to read more of this authors works. I think he has the potential of being one of my favorites. Give it a try – you won’t be sorry.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Lorenzo Carcaterra and his publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. In the "About the Author." section, we find that Mr, Carcaterra is working on his next novel. I surely hope it is the second of a new series featuring this team of experts and retired NYPD working cold cases. The character development is off to a good start and who doesn't like a suspenseful police procedural with some rogue thrown in. Add family conflicts and some intriguing side stories and you have the making of a great series. Tin Badges had me at the opening page. I found myself flipping through my Kindle to uncover the killer in a cold case assigned to Tank and Pearl; retired NYPD Detectives and to learn more of their family back stories as well as their current relationships. Why not the 5th star? There were a few times when I had to suspend belief, when the plot went over the top. The ending was good and nicely set up book two. I recommend this book as an enjoyable read with lots of action and suspense.

Another great read from Lorenzo. Like fine wine, the stories get better and better, year after year. I couldn’t put this book down and knocked it out in a day. As always I loved the exceptional detail of New York life combined with a great acknowledgement to nyc history. The character development was second to none. The plot twists were great and always leaving a few surprises. Thanks again for the opportunity to review this book.

This is an excellent crime novel with a clean, spare writing style that moves the plot along quickly, which is important as it was hard to put down. The characters felt like real people, like some folks I may have already met. This is the second of the author’s books I have read, and I enjoyed both immensely. Great story. Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC.

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.

“Tin Badges” is a terrific read

Lorenzo Carcaterra has written an exciting roller coaster of a story about a couple of beaten up retired NYPD detectives who cannot quite bring themselves to just sit around in rocking chairs - or wheelchairs.

Tank and Pearl are flawed, yet good people doing some of the most difficult work possible - chasing cold cases from NYPD. I am rooting for Tank’s nephew and cannot wait for Book 2!