After writing his first non-fiction
book “The Warrior In Me”, Gray decided
to write his second book titled “True
To The Blue”. Even though his second
book is a work of fiction, it is based
in part on a true story that includes
actual events that the author
experienced or witnessed while on the
job. Many of the characters portrayed
in “True to the Blue” are patterned
after real people who have either
worked or crossed paths with D. E.
Gray during his 42 year career as a
seasoned street cop.
After experiencing a 42 year high
working at the two police agencies,
Gray realized that he and others like
him were being replaced by a new breed
of cop, many of whom never had to
think outside the box or more
accurately, outside the police
manual. The new breed of cops had new
cars, new weapons, newer equipment,
newer training and even more modern
newly built police stations. This gave
Gray the idea for his third and newest
book titled, “Eclipse of the Blue”
(For Greater Glory). This story
follows the lives of twelve retired L.
A. police officers who band together
to commit the perfect crime, proving
to themselves that they aren’t too old
to out-smart and out-wit the newer
generation of cops that have taken
their places. This story is part “The
Sting” and part “Mission Impossible”
with a surprise ending that will have
you rooting for the twelve former cops
who call themselves, “The Retired
Blues Crew.”
According to the book description of
Eclipse of the Blue: For Greater
Glory, “For the “Retired Blues
Crew”, a small group of retired LAPD
police officers that meet once a month
to share old war stories and enjoy
each other’s company, accepting
retirement was a hard pill to swallow.
Once considered savvy street warriors
who risked life and limb protecting
the good citizens of Los Angeles, they
were now the forgotten hero’s whose
past heroic deeds were now only
remembrances visited through their
colorful story telling during their
once a month get-togethers.
Like all things in life, they were all
expendable and the guys in the
“Retired Blues Crew” had been replaced
by a new generation of street
warriors. To the old dogs who were put
out to pasture, the new centurions
were taking their places with new
technology and a confidence that
bordered on disrespect for those who
had paved the way before them.
The argument that the old days of
crushing crime without the benefit of
all the new-fangled gadgets was more
rewarding than the technology of the
future was a misconception of the new
breed that were now in charge of
protecting the citizens of Los
Angeles. For the select group of old
story tellers, they needed to add one
more chapter in their lives, something
for the street warriors of the present
to remember them by when their time
finally came and they were reduced to
second class citizens too old to do
the job anymore.
This small tight knit group of old
street warriors had enough and it was
time to prove beyond a shadow of a
doubt that they weren’t too old to
out-smart and out-wit the high-tech
rouges who have now taken their
places. Proving that computers and
gadgets could never replace the wisdom
and experience that the old dogs were
blessed with wouldn’t be an easy task,
but they were determined to challenge
the new breed and beat them at their
own game. They knew whatever it was
they were going to do couldn’t
replicate anything like the violent
movies you see were people die, get
hurt or cars get wrecked and buildings
are blown up, after all they were cops
or at least they were once.
That being said, the old dogs had to
pull off the perfect caper and they
had to do it without claiming any of
the bragging rights they so much
yearned for. It would have to be for
no other reason than “For Greater
Glory.”
In that one of their own had been
diagnosed with cancer with less than
six months to live, they only had a
small window of opportunity to get it
done. Since he was the architect
behind the perfect crime referred to
as “Operation Blue Eclipse,” their
success would depend on how well the
plan was executed with no room for
error. If all went as planned and
after all was said and done, the
Retired Blues Crew would truly know
who the best of the best was.”