The Con and the FBI Agent: An Unlikely Alliance

In this memoir, Nadolski, a longtime FBI agent, describes how he collaborated with Anthony Romano, a former convict, to prevent a major robbery. After Nadolski chronicles his career, he discusses how he first met Romano. Serving time in prison, Romano contacted the FBI with a tip regarding stolen historical books. Later, Romano became more formally involved with the FBI, agreeing to wear a wire and put himself at significant risk to help prevent a major robbery of an armored car depot in Massachusetts. Colorful details of Nadolski’s career capture the excitement of FBI work. However, the narrative relies too heavily on dialogue that often feels unrealistic and gives the book a stunted, repetitive tone. The book also lacks critical examination of how economic privilege impacted Nadolski’s and Romano’s lives and experiences with law enforcement. Still, Nadolski offers an in-depth perspective on what it’s like for a law enforcement agent to work with a mole, and the highly detailed writing reveals a great deal about the steps the FBI takes to monitor, stop, and prosecute offenders.

Correction: We updated the original review to add “and career of an FBI agent” below.