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The Pretender: My Life Undercover for the FBI Hardcover – June 6, 2017

by Marc Ruskin (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 189 ratings
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Of all the tools available to law enforcement, the living, breathing undercover operative remains the gold standard. This is true in TV shows and in the real world. In the era of electronic surveillance, UC work enforces accountability; it prevents mistakes, and of all the boots on the ground, undercover agents are often the most valuable.

The FBI generally has about 100 UC agents working full-time in the field. In the 1990s and 2000s, Marc Ruskin had the most diverse, and notorious, case list of all, and the broadest experience within the bureaucracy, including overseas. He worked ops targeting public corruption, corporate fraud, Wall Street scams, narcotics trafficking, La Cosa Nostra, counterfeiting―and gritty street-level scams and schemes.

Sometimes working three or four cases simultaneously, Ruskin switched identities by the day: Each morning he had to walk out the door with the correct ID, clothes, accessories and frame of mind for that day’s mission. Meet Alex Perez, Alejandro Marconi, and Sal Morelli, just a few of Ruskin’s undercover personas.

And how is the right UC agent chosen, how is a bogus identity manufactured and “backstopped,” how is the Bureau's long-term con painstakingly assembled? No one has ever given us the inside story like Ruskin. The Pretender is the definitive narrative of undercover ops―the procedures, the successes, the failures--and the changes in the culture of the new-era FBI.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    368 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Thomas Dunne Books
  4. Publication date
    June 6, 2017
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.94 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1250068630
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1250068637
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“The Pretender is a fascinating read into the dark life of an Undercover Agent. It takes the reader to places they would not dare to venture. A book one cannot put down. Nor does one want it to end.” ―Joseph Pistone aka Donnie Brasco

"There's grit, suspense, and danger on every page of Marc Ruskin's The Pretender. It grabs you on the first page and takes you on a heart-in-your-mouth ride - and the excitement is truly chilling because you know it's all true. I loved The Pretender.” ―Howard Blum, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Goodnight and Dark Invasion

"Marc Ruskin is a natural storyteller, and two decades of FBI undercover work gave him plenty to tell. My advice is pull up a comfortable chair, get a beverage from the cooler, and enjoy this peek into Marc’s unique and improbable adventure." ―Mike German, former FBI agent (1988-2004), former ACLU lobbyist (2006-2013), author of Thinking Like a Terrorist, and co-writer of the feature film Imperium.

"Having practiced criminal law for over 50 years and cross examined hundreds of law enforcement professionals and undercover agents, I thought I knew it all. The Pretender is written with such detail that it put me front and center in an entirely new, dark world of criminality. Wow." ―Murray "Don't Worry Murray" Richman, New York Criminal Lawyer and Former President of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NYSACDL)

"It's said that the two most important days in our lives is when we're born and when we figure out why. Marc Ruskin was born to be an undercover operative for the FBI but didn't know it until he became one. The Pretender: My Life Undercover for the FBI reads like a thriller and written in street savvy-style, replete with details of the undercover lifestyle never before revealed. A winner...." ―Patrick W. Picciarelli, co-author of Street Warrior: The Story of the NYPD's Most Decorated Detective and the Era That Created Him.

About the Author

Marc Ruskin spent 20 years as an FBI Special Agent working primarily in undercover operations for which he was awarded five Commendations from the Bureau Director. A graduate of Vassar College and Cardozo Law School, prior to joining the FBI Ruskin served on the staff of U.S. Senator Daniel Moynihan and as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn. Following his retirement from the FBI in 2012, he has divided his time between a law practice in New York and extended sojourns in Liaoning Province, China, where he writes and studies Mandarin.

Marc is the author of The Pretender.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Dunne Books (June 6, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250068630
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250068637
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.94 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 189 ratings

About the author

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Marc Ruskin

Marc Ruskin

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Marc Ruskin is the author of The Pretender, My Life Undercover for the FBI, released June 2017 by Thomas Dunne Books, an imprint of St. Martin's Press. A memoir and exposé of the inner workings of the FBI, The Pretender has received extensive domestic and international media attention.

Marc is a retired FBI Special Agent with 20 years’ experience in Undercover Operations. He successfully infiltrated a New York Mafia crime family, an ethnic Chinese Malaysian heroin organization, a Wall Street trading exchange, right-wing terrorist groups, and worked on espionage cases. Though these cases and many others received much media coverage, neither Marc’s name nor any of his dozen aliases could ever be mentioned. He has been awarded five Commendations from the Director of the FBI for his work. A native French and Spanish speaker, Marc has worked at US Embassies in Paris, Madrid, Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Asunción, where he was given a Letter of Recognition from the Minister of the Interior for the rescue of a kidnapped former Miss Paraguay, Mariangela Martinez. As an FBI certified police instructor, Marc has lectured at universities and law enforcement academies. Since his retirement from the FBI in 2012, he has divided his time between a law practice in New York and extended sojourns in Liaoning Province, China, where he writes and studies Mandarin.

Marc’s path to the FBI included degrees from Vassar College and Cardozo Law School (cum laude), clerking for Federal Judge H. Curtis Meanor, two years in Washington on the staff of U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and four years as an Assistant District Attorney with the Brooklyn D.A.’s Office.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
189 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

E.C. Wrytes
5.0 out of 5 stars Exceeded Expectations
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2019
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I brought this product as a study to distinguish Hollywood FBI from Real Time FBI. The pretender answered all the questions I had and one I didn't know I had. This is not my normal read, as I typically experience the FBI aka Mr. Fine, through romance novels. I always questioned the use of code names, and tech gear some of my favorite novelist such as Brenda Jackson, or Iris Bolling would use, as some of the names were humorous in my opinion. However, the use of case names and code talk was confirmed by Mr. Ruskin. A nitpick that I had was the overstatement of Mr. Ruskin being Jewish. In reading the book, it was left to question a matter of how it felt to die to oneself seemingly everyday over a 20 year career? Meaning, I wonder if in some way pretending to be the criminal, somehow fed the criminal in you? Yes, I know an FBI agent is supposed to hold a certain standard, however a UC (undercover agent) boarders the line of a rehabilitated criminal. I am also, very curious about how Mr. Ruskin maintained his personal life? Albeit readers got snippets, but snippets none the least. Lastly, how did Ms. Carmen, now Mrs. Carmen, who as I recall an FBI agent, met her beau, who is also an FBI agent? If you have any "T" (truth), regarding how these two met Mr. Ruskin, I am all ears, and eyes!!! Side note: I am more interested as to how the FBI, and FBI UC's in the digital age operate now. Thank you, Mr. Ruskin for the details, and new vocab! I suggest general readers have a dictionary on standby, and Mr. Ruskin does have a recap at the end of FBI Argot and Acronyms.
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Bruce Richardson
4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read-- Highly Recommended
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2017
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When I started reading The Pretender by Marc Ruskin, I had just finished A Gentleman in Moscow and after a few pages I thought that Marc Ruskin's literary abilities will never match Amor Towles finely woven and beautifully written tale. To my surprise he came pretty close. Perhaps truth is stranger than fiction. By the end of the book I was amazed at how Mr. Ruskin could do what he did undercover for as long as he did. I am also grateful that we have men and women who are willing to protect us from the evil that is out there whether they are taking down simple car registration fraud, drug dealers or dishonest police. Good men and women who serve in the FBI and other honest law enforcement agencies are valuable to our country. It is one of the missing narratives that the whole country should be aware of. Dig into this tale and find out why the word "Honey" is key and the phrase "I'm bored" is so important. The Pretender is a good read and I highly recommend it.
3 people found this helpful
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Lisa W
5.0 out of 5 stars Am amazing read!
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2017
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I was excited to read this after seeing a preview for it on the Dail Mail site. My husband served in the military for 24 years, and I was interested to see a different side to how the government operates. This did not disapoint! I appreciate all you sacrificed in the many years of service to our country Marc. I loved hearing about how you constructed each persona and came up with the details I would have never thought of to bolster a back story. Interestingly, I found descriptions of how new agents behaved (joining after 9/11) in line with my husband's observations throughout the military. Gone was the respect for their superiors.....Where my husband was taught to salute or call their officers "Sir or Ma'am" or help without being asked, the new soldiers who enlisted would stand around and complain if they were asked to do something. They would say "What's up?", call their commanders by name, and give a nod of their head rather than salute. They were lazy and entitled, not to mention know it all's. He retired at 45 last year, and worried about the new soldiers taking over. The brotherhood just didn't seem the same and he worried about having to deploy with these new recruits who took shortcuts and were in it for themselves versus the good of all. While reading your experiences the last few years of your career, it reminded me of his experiences. Thank you so much for your story. I hope you get a chance to enjoy your life with those you love now.
4 people found this helpful
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K. Webber
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but dull
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2020
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Mr. Ruskin certainly has a story to tell and I found his life interesting and exciting to say the least. However, writing is not his forte. I call his type of writing list making. This happened and then this happened and then this happened. You get the idea. There is an art to storytelling and drawing a reader into the story. None of that going on here. That being said I certainly appreciate the sacrifices Mr. Ruskin made for our country and we need people like him to protect our freedom. Thank you for the bottom of my heart Mr. Ruskin.
2 people found this helpful
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octagon
5.0 out of 5 stars Proof that truth can be as strange, exciting, and thought provoking as fiction
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2017
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A truthful, realistic account of undercover work and the human qualities, luck, and raw circumstance that determine its success or failure. Many such books, even the better ones, are simply a litany of exploits. There are plenty of riveting, suspenseful accounts of true adventure in this book as well, but much more. In addition to describing the nuts and bolts of undercover procedure and operations, it's also an analysis of the mindset and skills necessary for "actors" who have to do their jobs without a script, yet, at the same time operate within the constraints of the law and their own bureaucracy. I've read other books about undercover work, but none developed these perspectives to an appreciable degree. Some of this is even a bit mundane at first, but Mr. Ruskin deftly weaves it into this narrative of his career of tense moments, close calls, and thinking rapidly on his feet.

The book is well written and effectively paced. The style is almost conversational, with the author seeming to talk with the readers rather than at them. He comes across as sort of a righteous, thinking man's rogue, fully capable of swimming with the sharks, but assiduously defending his country and society from them with intelligence and honor. Highly recommended. And a must for anyone contemplating a career in law enforcement or intelligence; especially that which would involve undercover or other covert work.
8 people found this helpful
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Andrew Slesinger
5.0 out of 5 stars A unique view into a life I would never had the chance to experienced
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2022
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This incredible book is a unique view into a dynamic life of an undercover FBI agent. The incredible stories told are a gift of The author’s experiences that we only usually get to see through movie adaptations. This is a must read!!!
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Top reviews from other countries

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Gregoire Dodier
5.0 out of 5 stars Se lit presque sans arrêt
Reviewed in Canada on February 15, 2023
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Un thriller à chaque page.
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Ekaterine
4.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in Germany on February 14, 2021
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Totally okay for the price and the size is accurate
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars You will not be able to leave the book down ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 10, 2018
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You will not be able to leave the book down, extremely interesting, a must read for readers of this Genre.
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jacquesmonchamp
3.0 out of 5 stars Le pretendant
Reviewed in Canada on August 1, 2023
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Aimé ce quevj'ai lu sur la vie d'un agent du FBI sous couvert.
Malheureuseme les passages les plus attendus ne peuvent être raconté.....
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Andy J
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 22, 2022
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A really interesting read giving you first hand experience of life as an undercover agent . It truly is a great read and takes a special breed of person to do this
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