Detective Ernest Lijoi Sr. Authors True-to-Life Crime Book

PR Log (Press Release) – Apr 02, 2009 – DEDHAM, MA and PORT CHARLOTTE, FL Issued April 2, 2009...Detective Ernest Lijoi Sr. has announced the release of his first book in a series, revealing life as a major crime-fighter during the notorious narcotics busts that spanned his career.  Covering a period of more than 20 years, the author reveals intricate details of mainstream crime investigations that trailed throughout many communities in New England.

Street Business is the story of local police officer-turned-deep undercover detective Ernest Lijoi Sr.  During his service to the Quincy police force, Lijoi worked with local, federal and state agencies to solve major crimes.   Projects with the DEA, ATF and the FBI led to the capture of mafia figures, a serial killer, criminals straight out of national headlines, and millions of dollars in stolen bonds, drugs and weapons.  One effort shredded a major New England crime ring that spanned Maine to Columbia, leaving 6 victims dead.  Chronicled as a novel to protect the identities of the innocent, the book explores in-depth descriptions of classified police reports, Lijoi’s experiences, authentic crimes, news coverage and undercover telephone recordings.

Working under these extreme circumstances required a “deep undercover operative” status.  Lijoi took on a fictitious identity as “Eddie Pannoni” to break open criminal casework from the inside.  His dramatic lifestyle took its toll, revealed through Lijoi’s imagery about the secretive life he kept, and the resulting effect on his wife and family.  In one excerpt, he relates back to the daunting “red telephone” that drug dealers and thugs phoned into his home on 24-hours a day.  Pannoni climbed the ranks of trust with drug suppliers, successfully setting a trap that would trigger raids that lead to one of the most dramatic and widespread busts in New England, the largest operation completed in the U.S. during that era.

Raised in Brooklyn, Lijoi resided in Dedham for 35 years.  He worked through the ranks as a young member of the U.S. Air Force, student of law enforcement at Northeastern University, a Boston transit police officer, and later joined the Quincy police force.  His 20-year career changed the landscape of Massachusetts crime fighting during the 1970’s, and 1980’s.  “This book culminates years of living in secret while keeping my family safe,” says Lijoi “Once you’ve negotiated a mafia contract to spare your life, you truly understand the consequences of your actions.  My family functioned around my career.  This book is my way of telling our story, and how the families of all police officers live.  They wait and worry at home while we work to support justice.”  Now a decorated retiree living in Florida, Lijoi is reliving his years on the job through writing. Street Business is the first in a planned series of three books to be released.  His second book Shoveling the Tide is completed; plans for publication are already in the works.

Co-authoring on the story is Larry Matthews, an award-winning investigative reporter and newscaster for major national syndicated radio and television broadcast outlets, including American Broadcasting Company (ABC) and National Public Radio (NPR).

Lijoi is renowned for non-narcotic busts, including the recovery of the original Massachusetts State Charter from 1629, a document that had been stolen from the Massachusetts State House.  He also served as an expert witness for many years in the court system throughout New England.

Street Business is available nationally through Internet bookstores including Amazon, Borders, Books A Million, Barnes & Noble, Comfort Publishing (www.ComfortPublishing.com) and through local booksellers.  The first sequel Shoveling the Tide is expected to hit retailers later this year.

About Street Business

Meet Eddie Pannoni as he infiltrates the mafia, recovers millions in stolen bonds, dodges the bullets of criminals and fellow police officers, leads a 3-state wide high speed chase, and assists the seize of millions in drugs and weapons.

Ernie Lijoi is transformed from a Transit Police Officer in Boston, MA to “Eddie Pannoni”, Deep Undercover Operative engaged by local, federal and state agencies.
An unexpected drug bust leads to an intimidating assignment into the world of bikers, druggies and street scum.  Brooklyn raised and street tough, Lijoi’s new identity hits the pool halls and bars in Eastern Massachusetts, toiling his way through a trail of dealers and suppliers until he fuels the collapse of a major New England drug operation.

Lijoi’s secret life on the streets takes its toll on his family; his wife at the breaking point as she witnesses his life on the beat 24/7, suffering from wounds incurred on the job. Dealers, drug abusers and thugs call on the “red telephone” by his bed day and night, continuously invading their lives. The stage set, his trap triggers a string of raids igniting one of the most dramatic and widespread busts in New England, the largest operation completed in the U.S. at the time.

Street Business is the true-crime story revealing a detective’s life under deep cover, and the family that survives it.

For more information please visit the book website at www.street-business.com .

ISBN#: 978-1-935361-25-1

Media Note:  Review copies are available to the media through the publisher.  Please contact Pamela Tolland at Comfort Publishing (www.ComfortPublishing.com), 9450 Moss Plantation Avenue NW, Concord, NC 28027, 980-622-7847 for a complimentary copy.