THE FORCE Don Winslow, HarperCollins, $32.99

The lines between good and bad are blurred beyond hope in this bawdy, brutal book that blows the lid off New York’s cop culture with a bang. Denny Malone is a detective sergeant in charge of the Force, a special unit set up to fight drug and gang crime. Over the years the Force has become a law unto itself, acting as judge, jury and executioner. Malone and his crew have become corrupted, first by the misery and terror, then by the riches on offer. But Malone gets careless and now the FBI have him, forcing him to become an informant. Malone confronts his greatest dilemma, giving the FBI enough information to keep out of jail while protecting this brother officers, his honour, his family and his deepest secret.