The debut novel of a New York City Police Department veteran, Detective First Grade is a gripping, absolutely authentic account of a five-day secret war between the NYPD and a group of desperate terrorists. The war begins when Detective Second Grade Brian McKenna spots a man carrying a concealed weapon. Exiled from the bright lights of Manhattan to a Brooklyn patrol, McKenna feels sorry for himself: He's broken one too many rules, his dreams of a First Grade promotion are on hold, and his girlfriend Angelita wants him to quit the Job. But this routine gun collar turns into a wild chase, as McKenna charges into the biggest case of his life. Detective First Grade is crammed with details of police life, of cops at work and at play. From the streets of Brooklyn to Manhattan's tonier locales, inside squad rooms where plans are hatched and off-duty bars where legends are embellished, the plot moves toward an explosive finish. First-time author Dan Mahoney knows how cops think and talk, how an investigation proceeds; Detective First Grade rings true with his own experience. Readers of Wambaugh, Caunitz, Daley, and McBain will find a new voice here: wry, smart, cynical, and a born storyteller.