Non-Fiction Books

Undercover Operation Julie - The Inside Story , documents everyday life of undercover work as the author, Stephen Bentley, won the confidence of the gang members. Bentley tells in his book how he built a "perfect" relationship with Smiles, an important gang member. But this friendship almost undermined the whole operation.- BBC News England, October 2, 2016. The fascinating and extraordinary inside story from the man who was actually there. - Rob Gittins, Screenwriter and Novelist, Writer of 'Julie' BBC Drama To infiltrate international drug cartels, he had to become a player.. ‘Undercover’: The true story behind Operation Julie, one of Britain's largest drug busts and how the same detective infiltrated a cartel planning to smuggle cocaine into Britain. Forget ‘Breaking Bad’ this is the extraordinary story of the 1970s Welsh LSD ring that supplied the world, told by a cop in deepest cover on the case. In the dim chaos of a Liverpool nightclub, a sharp question cut through the noise: “Are you guys cops?” For Steve Jackson, the words chilled him to the bone. Jackson wasn’t just his name—it was his cover. As an undercover officer navigating the ruthless world of drug cartels, his life depended on the perfect lie. This gripping true crime story pulls you deep into the double life of Stephen Bentley, one of the pioneers of British undercover policing. With no training manuals or playbooks, Bentley dived headfirst into the underworld during Operation Julie, a groundbreaking investigation that dismantled a global drug empire. The operation led to the seizure of 90% of the world’s LSD supply, exposed a massive cocaine importation scheme and resulted in 15 convictions totalling 124 years in prison. But success came at a cost. Living a lie meant constant danger, personal sacrifice, and psychological tolls. Did Bentley cross lines to maintain his cover? What does it take to truly live in the shadows, and how does it feel to return to the light? Based on real events, ‘Undercover’ chronicles not just a legendary case but also the personal and professional battles of an officer who shaped undercover policing. Praised by the BBC and major news outlets, and now adapted for a TV series, this is a true story of trust, betrayal, and the relentless pursuit of justice.

This huge and complex operation is almost unbelievable, the bravery and courage, the risks, the challenges - it creates an epic tale that would rival any fictional thriller or detective novel. - NetGalley UK Review ‘Operation George’ ranks up with true crime classics such as 'Donnie Brasco' and 'The Infiltrator' in its pulse-pounding narrative of undercover operations with significant ramifications. – Readers’ Favorite 5-Star Review ◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆ Meet the real Line of Duty ™ undercover team in this previously untold and gripping story of how a Northern Irish terrorist and murderer and one of his followers, were caught in an audacious and brilliantly executed undercover sting on the English mainland, codenamed, Operation George. Following the horrific murder of Rosemary Nelson, the prominent human rights lawyer, Jim Fulton, a prominent LVF paramilitary, fled to the United States. He was deported with help from the FBI and in collusion with the British police, on his arrival at Heathrow, Fulton ‘walked through an open door,’ a Lewis Carrol-like euphemism for an invitation created by the crack undercover covert police team, only to disappear ‘down the rabbit hole’ on accepting the invitation. The invitation turned undercover policing methods on its head. Normally, undercover officers infiltrate organised crime groups. In this case, the Operation George team of undercover officers was the organised crime group . The ‘rabbit hole’ led to an alternative world: an environment created and controlled by the elite covert team and only inhabited by the undercover officers and their targets. The subterfuge encouraged the terrorist targets into believing Fulton was working for a Plymouth-based ‘criminal firm’ over a period spanning almost two years. In that time, over fifty thousand hours of conversations between the ‘firm’ members were secretly recorded and used to bring the killer and one of his followers to justice. This unique story is told by former undercover officer Mark Dickens who was part of the elite team of Operation George undercover detectives. This deception is one of the most remarkable covert policing operations the world has ever known. Together with pioneering Operation Julie undercover officer and bestselling author, Stephen Bentley, they have written a gripping account of a unique story reminiscent of the premise of ‘The Sting’ film, combining a true-crime page-turner with a fascinating insight into early 21st-century covert policing. 'Operation George' has now been optioned for film/TV.