Smoke and Mirrors: Police Dreams

NYPD sergeant, Jordan P. Castro, burst onto the literary landscape in 2016 with his direct-from-the-streets crime novel, “Smoke and Mirrors: Police Dreams.” Written in the wake of the assassinations of two NYPD detectives, the novel is both a powerful police procedural and resounding social commentary. Castro spun his story from the frontlines in a Hemingwayesque approach that landed him a memorable television appearance on ABC7’s “Up Close” with Bill Ritter. The interview revealed the author’s desire to bridge the gap between police and communities. Inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The New York Times writes, “His first book is more likely to evoke the hard-hitting, consciously feverish prose of Mike Hammer.” Not for the faint-hearted, the Times continues, “Mr. Castro’s ear for gritty dialogue in “Police Dreams” might leave some readers feeling begrimed, others staggering like Brandon Rose, his rookie hero.” The story, about an avenging cop and his vivacious teenage informant, will impact you profoundly.