The debut novel from longtime Brooklyn district attorney Charles “Joe” Hynes, Triple Homicide is the GRITTY SAGA of two generations of New York City police officers fighting to stay on the right side of the law.

In the early 1990s in New York, easy money stands to be made at every turn, and temptation proves a bitter struggle for the young and much-decorated NYPD Sergeant Steven Holt---and for Steven and his uncle Robert, an officer before him, an increasingly violent mess endangers their careers and the reputation of the entire department.

Born out of real stories of corruption and centered around two men who ultimately dare to challenge the fabled “blue wall” of silence, the novel works toward a majestic courtroom on Long Island, where Sergeant Holt is about to stand trial for triple homicide and where, as he comes to know his past, he’ll learn that nothing he’s known has ever been as it seemed.

In its intense telling by one of the only writers who could write it with such realism, the story uncovers decades of deceit and CORRUPTION that infiltrate families and threaten to ruin the force. Reflecting the proud yet troubled history of the NYPD, Charles Hynes’s debut is a searing, up-close portrait of the men and women who live---and die---in the pursuit of criminal justice. 

CHARLES J. HYNES has been the district attorney of Brooklyn, New York, for seventeen years. A veteran trial lawyer, he earned his spurs as the special prosecutor appointed by Governor Mario Cuomo in the famous 1987 Howard Beach murder case. He also teaches at St. John’s, Fordham, and Brooklyn law schools. He lives in Brooklyn, and this is his first novel.

 

R E V I E W S

"Combining his innate Celtic way with words with unequaled knowledge of crime and punishment, D.A. JOE HYNES SCORES A HOME RUN WITH TRIPLE HOMICIDE." ---NYPD Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly

“I lived through this period and NO ONE HAS NAILED IT AS BRILLIANTLY AS JOE HYNES. Absolutely riveting! Joe Hynes tells us what happened to a city during its most corrupt and murderous time. He never held back as a prosecutor and he doesn’t hold back now. By visiting our past, In such brilliant detail, he helps reset our moral clock and determination. History is our best teacher."”--Nicholas Pileggi, author of Wiseguy and the screenplays Goodfellas and Casino

“A TERRIFYING TALE of a time when a ‘few rotten apples’ in the NYPD ran amok opening the sluice gates to let drug money pour in and the murderous mayhemthat flowed in its wake. I speak from five decades in the criminal justice system when I say that only Charles Hynes, with his love for the NYPD, can relate this chronicle of corruption with the authority and compassion it requires.” ---Justice Edwin Torres, author of Carlito’s Way 

"Hynes, the legendary Brooklyn District Attorney, has struck gold with his searing first novel-a story of police corruption and its effect on the legal system. Steven Holt rose through the NYPD ranks to become a decorated sergeant, owing largely to his reputation as an ethical, conscientious law enforcement officer. But when Holt is accused of executing three men-including one cop-his trial uncovers layers of police corruption and intimidation, which will remind readers of the 1970s real-life scandals exposed by Frank Serpico. Intertwined with Holt's story is the tale of his uncle, who also faced institutional corruption in the same department 20 years earlier. The interwoven stories document the degeneration of a once-proud police department and the devastating effects that occur when good cops go bad. Writing in a documentary prose style, Hynes sometimes blurs the line between fiction and history, making it hard for readers to tell whether he was referring to real incidents or fictional events. Despite this flaw, the novel provides a fascinating glimpse inside the fabled "blue wall of silence" that protects many police departments. Hynes's experience as a DA lends instant credibility and an insider voice that few authors are able to attain. Hopefully a second novel isn't far behind. RECOMMENDED FOR ALL FICTION COLLECTIONS."---LIBRARY JOURNAL 

"When a New York City cop is accused of murdering three people, including another cop, the charge sets off a lengthy investigation that peels off the protective layers surrounding a network of corruption extending back for decades. The accused cop might be innocent, but proving it could take down the entire police force. In many ways, a fictionalized version of such true-crime tales as Prince of the City and Serpico, this first novel by Brooklyn district attorney Hynes makes excellent use of a documentary-like style that perfectly suits the material. The book is NOT A TRADITIONAL MYSTERY (although there is a strong whodunit element) so much as an exploration of the nature of corruption and its far-reaching, and frequently devastating, consequences. Recommend this one to mystery fans, of course, but also to readers of true crime: the characters here may be made up, but, as the author acknowledges, many of the key plot elements are based on real events. A strong debut."---BOOKLIST

One cop and two warehouse workers are shot to death in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and a young NYPD sergeant with an impeccable reputation and no obvious motive is charged with the three murders.

Thus begins "Triple Homicide," a thriller written by a man who knows the territory well, Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes.

"IT'S BASED ON REAL EVENTS, murders that occurred in 1992 and there was some discussion then that cops were involved," said Hynes, Brooklyn's lead prosecutor since 1989. The murders occur against a backdrop of the police corruption scandals of the time, including payoffs by drug dealers and mob-linked bookies.
---William Sherman, DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER, read more
 

Hynes says he knew then that someday he would need to write a novel to explore all the pathologies and ramifications of police corruption.

"I wanted to write a book so that if some young cop picked it up, it would just chill him and make him realize that crossing the line, BETRAYING THE BADGE, is just never worth it," says Hynes, whose first novel, "Triple Homicide," hits bookstores on June 11. ---Denis Hamill, DAILY NEWS COLUMNIST, read review

"In “Triple Homicide” Joe Hynes the District attorney from New York’s Kings County  (Brooklyn) has vividly demonstrated his love of cops and hate of corruption that can and has ruined so many. Hynes has incorporated his skills as special prosecutor for police corruption and DA and coupled this with his knowledge of the NYPD to write a compelling novel. The book a must read for cops shows the dark side of policing and the difficulties faced by a young idealistic police officer who comes from a police family who gets caught in the tentacles of corruption that almost leads to his being imprisoned for life for a crime he did not commit. Any police officer reading this exciting tome will empathize with this young police officer. Reading the book I remembered the apathy and look the other way that prevailed in New York in the sixties. I found myself cursing the system that would allow this idealistic police officer to be set up and nearly ruined. The ending of the book will surprise you and for those who liked watching Perry Mason get set for a PERRY MASON TYPE ENDING."
---William McKechnie,  Past President NYC Transit PBA

“Not only is Triple Homicide a crackling good murder mystery that takes you into the multiethnic netherworld of Brooklyn, with more nifty twists and turns than Coney Island’s storied Cyclone roller coaster, but it’s like a civic MRI of big-city government. AN ASS-KICKING FIRST NOVEL, told with the gritty eye for detail and street-smart ear for dialogue of a Brooklyn native son made good.” ---Denis Hamill, author of Fork in the Road and Ten Spot

 

“A SENSATIONAL and GRIPPING tale of big-city cops gone bad, set in the context of a whodunit that will keep you guessing until the end. A compelling and detailed account of what can happen when honest police officers look the other way while isolated bands of rogue cops exploit the chaos and brutality of the streets for their own gain. As a former prosecutor and current criminal defense lawyer, I can tell you this is the real deal. Triple Homicide is a must for anyone seriously interested in the subject of police corruption---or for anyone just looking for flat-out reading entertainment.”

---Laura Brevetti, former chief of the Federal Organized Crime Task Force, Eastern District of New York, and former counsel for the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association

 

“Charles Hynes has vividly and with BRUTAL HONESTY created a murder mystery that is impossible to put down. He captures the colorful personalities of the superhero cops, the gritty defense attorneys, the dedicated prosecutors, the judges, and how some can turn---in a heartbeat---to the corrupt, sordid, and brutal underbelly of life. It may very well become the best beach read of next summer!” ---Professor Lisa C. Smith, director of the Criminal Practice Clinic, Brooklyn Law School

 

"Triple Homicide is a GRITTY, REALISTIC, AND POWERFUL DEBUT NOVEL by Charles Hynes. I have lived this life as a former assistant special prosecutor and former assistant district attorney, yet I found it difficult to put this book down.” ---Patricia L. Gatling, commissioner of the New York City Commission on Human Rights

"POLICE CORRUPTION forms the backdrop for personal tragedy in this fiction debut, introduced in the prologue as a mostly true story. A compelling morality tale"..........KIRKUS Review, March 2007

 

“A fast paced page turner written by someone who’s been there, done that.  Joe Hynes has captured the essence of our justice system and the sometimes elastic ethical boundaries that play a role in it.  A career prosecutor’s first novel draws upon a lifetime of courtroom battles in rooting out public corruption . . . WELL WORTH THE WAIT.” -
---Bill Fitzpatrick District Attorney Onondaga County, New York State And Son Of A New York City Police Officer“

A GRIPPING NOVEL OF PAIN AND REDEMPTION, courage and salvation, told in the street-wise, courtroom-smart language that only a seasoned veteran like Joe Hynes can mimic.  Pick it up, kick off your shoes and cancel your plans for the weekend.”  ---Frank J. Clark District Attorney Erie County, New York State