No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels

I’ve read this book before, but lost it to a family member. The book is a true account of how an ATF agent infiltrated the Hells Angels.

My Review:I'm not a big non-fiction reader just because I tend to get bored with it and don't finish the books, no matter how well they are written. This was not that type of book. I read this book for research since the next book I plan to write delves into the undercover motorcycle club world. But I found myself completely riveted by "Bird's" account of this undercover operation, Black Biscuit, which consumed two years of his life and had a hard time putting this book down.This book is an account of this two year operation. For the most part, the book felt very honest. Jay is right up front saying when and where he screwed up and there at the end of this operation that happened a lot as Jay lost sight of himself. To Bird (Jay's MC name), everything about the operation would fall into place once he and his boys became full Hell's Angels and he became obsessed with that happening...to the detriment of his goals, his physical condition, his wife, his kids, and his boss. And he states that very clearly in the text of the book as you read, giving the reader a bit of foreshadowing throughout with leading sentences so you know that things are about to go to a bad place.Overall, the operation was not a success. A few guys got a little bit of jail time, but with the depth of crimes being allegedly committed by these guys, even Jay admits, it was a failure.But the book does give a great view into the world of the Hell's Angels and the protocols for the motorcycle clubs. But it gave an even better view of the price that undercovers pay to help keep us safe. It's hard, dangerous, dirty work with long hours and so much stress. Jay was undercover for two years and readily admits that he lost the good part of himself during that time to "Bird", his undercover persona. Before that time, Jay wasn't even really a motorcycle rider (and he wasn't one after the fact, either), but he became obsessed during that time with the club and the lifestyle. He could have so easily lost everything and at that point in time, he would have been okay with that.The book is hard to read in that respect because you can feel his regret and remorse for those he hurt along the way. I feel for his wife and kids. I can't imagine living like that and watching your husband become this stranger that you only get to see for moments and not knowing from one day to the next if he's even alive or dead.I've always respected what these guys do for a living, but even more so after reading this book. Keeping our country safe is not an easy thing to do and there are guys out there doing what Jay Dobyns did every day. He paid a high price with very little outcome for two years worth of work. I can't imagine how difficult that is to face. But I appreciate him so much for writing this book. It's a great testament and record of what he and his whole team did during that time.

Loved this book. Tough to imagine his time away from his family and then to resume playing the bad guy never knowing if the next meeting would be his last. Good writing that gave you a great view of a dangerous place in which few of us would dare to be.

A lot of these undercover books have been written. I found this to be one of the better ones.

This book is an easy and enjoyable read-- a good road trip book, but I didn't see a lot of crime here, and what there was generally was nickel and dime stuff. I'm not sure the firearms sales were even illegal at all. The HA don't come across to me as bad guys at all-- a little rough and tumble, and there was one heinous murder crime committed by a few members-- mainly, of all people, the confidential informant that made the infiltration possible-- that preceded his investigation. By and large Dobyns heaps contempt on the HA and the people in towns in which they live because they and their families are of modest means, can't spend $50,000 on a wedding and don't play golf-- not because of their acts. And he is full of himself-- even includes a childhood picture of himself in the book. The least sympathetic character in the book is Dobyns's wife. She guilt trips him for his time away from the family, berates him on the phone while he's working undercover, conveniently isn't home when he finally arrives after time away-- everything a wife should do to upset her husband's mental state and distract him so he blows his cover and risks getting killed. I don't think the HA are stupid enough to kill an ATF agent and bring down the wrath of the federal agency that killed 83 peoople in Waco but apparently Dobyns and his wife thought this was a risk. SPOILER ALERT-- Lastly, nobody even goes to jail after all this work. Dobyns says it was because of prosecutorial screwups but I think it's because they had no case-- AND, the feds already lost one RICO case against the HA inCalifornia years before. In that case Sonny Barger refused to allow any plea bargaining-- they went to trial and the HA won the case. With Barger in Arizona, I think the feds figured the HA wouldn't plea bargain and didn't want to risk another big embarrassing loss at trial of the HA.In short, I'm glad I read it, it was enjoyable, but there's nothing 'harrowing' about the story.

Sehr spannende Story ich möchte nicht zu viel verraten daher halte ich mich kurz der Kauf lohnt sich!

Great book, took Somy guts to go undercover amongst some very dangerous people.

Page turning. Im a hard sell when it comes to Non Fiction but the retold account of Jays story is gripping, honest, downright dangerous. What a great read.

*** Commentaire en français sur la version anglaise ****** pour ceux qui souhaiteraient lire l'original... ***Je commente en français, bien qu'ayant lu cette VO. Et je pense avoir fait le bon choix si j'en crois les critiques laissée sur la VF... Dans cette version, pas de lourdeur d'écriture comme relevé dans la VF, le style est au contraire très fluide et sans redondance. Je me suis même demandée si l'auteur avait écrit seul (comme quoi, on a des préjugés ; "un flic, écrire de cette façon ?"). Je n'ai pas la réponse, mais finalement peu importe.Je me suis laissée porter par l'histoire qui peu sembler banale de cette infiltration dans le milieu des Hells Angels (et pas Hell's Angels, comme l'explique l'auteur au détour d'un paragraphe !). Banale car on a un peu de mal à saisir l'enjeu au départ : les Hells semble un club certes un peu fermé et secret, mais dont l'implication criminelle n'apparait pas très forte (un peu de drogue, de troubles à l'ordre public... pas de quoi fouetter un chat). Mais petit à petit, au fur et à mesure que les portes s'ouvrent sur les premiers cercles, ce sont homicides et véritable réseaux mafieux qui se laissent deviner.L'auteur ne cache pas non plus que cette infiltration a eu un impact sur sa vie familiale, mais que la sympathie qu'il peut éprouver individuellement pour des gens qu'il côtoie presque 100% de son temps pendant les longs mois de cette mission, ne lui fait pas perdre de vue son objectif.Les quelques explications sur la vie d'un flic infiltré (qui au yeux de la loi peut être accusé sur certains méfaits qu'il aurait eu à commettre durant sa mission, et se doit donc de s'astreindre à des règles quant à ce qu'il peut ou ne peut pas faire) nous font saisir toute la difficulté à maintenir un équilibre entre crédibilité aux yeux des Hells, et condition de flic avec ses devoirs.La narration reste simple, très directe, et c'est une trame toute trouvée pour un futur long métrage (si pas déjà fait!). Fortement recommandé pour ceux que l'envers du décor des Hells interpelle, et qui seront surpris de constater qu'il y a des hommes et des femmes assez ordinaires somme toute (je pense d'ailleurs que dans l'imaginaire collectif les Hells bénéficient d'un capital sympathie assez fort...), mais qui se font une règle de se marginaliser et de criminaliser leurs activités, les rendant de ce fait nuisibles.

This is an unbelievable account of one man and his team set on a course for justice. The book takes the reader on a journey into the life of the Hells Angels and everything they stand for. The author shows the reader what is necessary to break into the Hells Angels and bring down criminal activity. His sacrifices of family life and those close to his heart in order to put the bad guys in jail. The most amazing thing....it's true.My hat certainly goes off to all those involved with this case and for writing this book to share the experiences with us, the public. I would absolutely recommend this book as it is a great read.