The Choirboys

Book cover of The Choirboys

Book description

The classic novel of the LA Police

They are the Choirboys - the patrol squad of the LA Police attempting to stay sane in an insane world.

The Choirboys are five sets of partners on the night-watch, all men of varying temperaments and backgrounds, but they are joined together by…

Explore

Topics

Genres

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Choirboys as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Desmond P. Ryan

Author

I first read Wambaugh long before I was a police detective and, truth to be told, linking policing to crime writing left my mind for many years.

What drew me to Wambaugh and to this book in particular is the way in which the characters are gritty and flawed. Unlike the Larger-Than-Life characters that were the norm back in the day, Spermwhale Wallen, Calvin Potts, and the rest of the night watch platoon are damaged souls.

The Choirboys is an excellent (fictionalized) account of how the daily trauma of police work can impact a person.

From Desmond's list on police procedurals with a flawed protagonist.