I would highly recommend Street Business to readers seeking an exciting story where they will get more than a glimpse into the rat hole of the drug business. Lijoi has been there. The time he spent as a deep undercover investigator is reality. The rat-like characters he describes in the book, the disturbing lives they lead, the language they use, the killing they do, are all believable...
What happens to Lijoi, his wife, and his children, because of his resolution to undermine and bring down the Quincy drug trade is a downright, out and out, nerve-wracking story. One cannot help but fear for this courageous man and his secret identity each time a drug deal goes down. Although his spouse understands the strain on her husband, will she be able to keep safe and hold herself and their marriage together through this exciting book?
That accent was just about all that was real about Lijoi who courted danger from both sides of the law for some five years, "You don't have your own name, no I.D. of your real name. You are only your street name and street person." ... "It was tough on the family." Lijoi said, recalling the time his young sons discovered his work, "They would have a lot of questions about drugs." The lifestyle was even harder on his wife who helped him prepare his reports and backed up his decisions. Eventually, the worry was too much. "She had to go see a psychiatrist," said Lijoi of the pressure of his double identity and the fears for his safety and the safety of his family. Lijoi worked with local, state and federal agencies to solve some major crimes from the 1970's to the late 1980's. He was "deep undercover" in his early years with the police department. In fact, Lijoi, actually, became "Eddie Pannoni," and donned all the trappings of a street thug and mobster.
And, yes, he did know of Whitey Bulger and Steve "The Rifleman" Flemmi on Quincy Shore Drive and Bulger's girlfriend in Squantum, but those were not among his major assignments.
Laura Griffin