First published 1987
Roy Fehler and his fellow police academy graduates hit the streets of Los Angeles as rookie cops in the 1960s. They start young and eager, but the city quickly strips away their illusions. Gang violence erupts in the neighborhoods they patrol. Prostitutes work the corners while killers roam free. Corruption spreads through the department itself. Each shift brings new dangers that could end their lives. The rookies must learn fast or die trying. Some crack under the pressure. Others grow hard and cynical. A few find ways to stay human while doing an inhuman job. These new centurions guard a city that seems to be falling apart around them. They face a choice between survival and their souls.
Genres: fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century, crime, thriller, police
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, survival
Setting: Los Angeles
Period: 1960s
368 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Dell
Content warnings: violence