4.5 stars

I’m going to start by saying this isn’t my normal genre for reading, but I’m so glad that I decided to pick this one up.

It completely amazes me the lengths that Ken went to, to infiltrate himself into the Pagan MC’s. It takes a super human being to risk himself and his family. I applaud him for even attempting this feat. But to go to the extent that he did, was pretty amazing.

This book was interesting and I would highly recommend it to anyone. I read it in a day and couldn’t put it down once I started.

***Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for an ARC copy in return for an honest review***

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me access to the ARC even though I did not finish it on time. The book started out slow for me, which made me put it down and forget to pick it back up. Therefore, I am rating this book 3.5 stars and am rounding out to 4 stars since things picked up further into the book.

I did not realize this was going to be an actual account of being undercover in a motorcycle gang, just like I did not know SOA was a fictional show when I first saw previews. This book was a nailbiter once I realized my mistake! I felt like I got an inside scoop into the life of an undercover agent.

Riding with Evil was an eye-opening adventure going behind the scenes of the criminal underground. TV gave mc's a romanticized twist while this book gave them a dark and scary truth.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. It was extremely educational.

Ken Croak tells of his experience of going undercover and riding with the Pagans a notorious biker gang. The book goes into detail about how he got into undercover work and how he took on this assignment. Also how it affected his family by missing events in his children's lives and time with his wife. He also had to relearn to be a husband and a parent once the job was over.
The time with the gang had moments that were intense and I am sure most days felt like that for him especially when they would go on rides for days at a time wondering if his cover would be blown. At times an intense book but the story is one that I enjoyed reading.

Republished from ATFA Newsletter

Riding with Evil: Taking Down the Notorious Pagan Motorcycle Club. By Ken Croke and Dave Wedge
Reviewed by David Mattingly


Undercover operations that place a federal special agent in an outlaw motorcycle gang (OMG) and which result in full patch membership in an OMG are some of the most dangerous and stressful assignments within the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Retired Assistant Director Ken Croke and Dave Wedge, a noted crime author for the New York Times, have written an excellent account of Croke’s time as he moved through the stages of becoming a member and officer in the Pagans Motorcycle Club. They have written of the same dirty and often dangerous day-to-day activities of deep undercover agents like Bill Queen, Under and Alone, and Jay Dobyns, No Angel, among others.
Croke, at the time a supervisory special agent, had experience in numerous undercover cases but as he points out, “ATF supervisors rarely, if ever, went undercover.” However, after an informant approached an agent in Boston with information on the Devil’s Disciples and the Pagans Motorcycle Clubs, Croke agreed to a short-term assignment to see if the case was worth bringing in an undercover agent for a long-term assignment. It wouldn’t be long before he saw the opportunity to not only open a case but that he was being accepted as a “hang arounder,” the first step in the process of becoming a prospect and then achieving full patch membership.
Croke obtained his status as a prospect not only once, but after an incident where one of his supporters was dismissed from the club, he lost his status and had to start over. Instead of walking away, Croke continued his work to slowly rebuilt his trust with the members and leaders of the chapter. He was finally restored as a prospect but to his dismay had to restart the minimum time requirement for his consideration for full patch membership. He would have to spend another six months answering twenty-four hours a day to the hazing and every request of the members. Croke was trusted by the leaders to the point that, after becoming a member, he was given assignments as club treasurer and sergeant of arms. Both important positions opened the financial records and inner workings to ATF and the US Attorney’s Office to build a RICO case against the Pagans Motorcycle Club.

As a father who was very active in the lives of his daughters, Croke goes into great detail about how his assignment affected his family. He was married to Ang, a fellow ATF special agent who had also worked undercover cases and knew the dangers that her husband was facing daily. She had to become a single parent as Croke’s time was more and more controlled by the club leaders. Additionally, Croke realized that his conversations with his wife were being overheard by their daughters. They started talking about the case, a possible security disaster.

An undercover case comes with its own stressors and dangers. However, the undercover agent often finds themselves at odds with supervisors who are risk-averse or the prosecutors that lack the background needed to prosecute undercover cases. There is a fine line between what a law enforcement officer can do while in their undercover roles, such as participating in “bar fights, assaults, and drug usage.” Croke briefed the case to a new assistant US attorney (AUSA) that typically prosecuted white-collar crimes. The AUSA exclaimed, “You saw crimes and you didn’t do anything to stop it?” The AUSA wanted Croke to be criminally charged with the crimes even though Croke explained that if he didn’t participate “it would be a one-day case.” Luckily, the AUSA was transferred and removed from the case before he could bring charges against Croke. However, Croke was under investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) after anonymous letters were received that alleged illegal activities by Croke. After an eighteen-month investigation, Croke was cleared of the charges. He also writes about how some supervisors who wanted to shut down the case on a few occasions put his life in danger by their actions.

The case concluded with the arrests and convictions of many Pagan members throughout the northeast, including some of the most senior members of the organization. Croke goes into detail about the process of returning to regular status, including physical and mental examinations, and the difficulties of returning to a normal family life where he had been absent for two years.

I would highly recommend Riding With Evil to anyone interested in undercover criminal operations, criminal gang activities, and especially outlaw motorcycle gangs.

Published on members of ATFA only

David Mattingly served in the ATF Louisville Field Division, Intelligence Group as an intelligence research specialist. He retired from the Navy as a Master Chief Intelligence Specialist and served as a senior intelligence officer with the Department of Defense and Department of Justice.

This could've been so interesting, but it was just so...flat. One-dimensional. All of the people seemed like caricatures (maybe getting more back story of the club, the chapter, and the immediate people that Croke interacted with the most would've helped), there was a whole lot of telling and not a lot of showing, and Croke falsely builds up so many moments that lead to nothing that everything starts to seem silly.

Riding with Evil is now-retired ATF Agent Ken Croke’s account of his undercover operation to infiltrate the Pagans Motorcycle Club with the goal of compiling evidence to charge members with federal RICO (Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organization) violations. His account is compelling, and not unlike those of William Queen and Jay Dobyns, including the incompetence and lack of support of ATF higher-ups which put both his case and his life in danger. To be fair, not all of his bosses were unsupportive, but even one in a key position could be harmful. Fortunately, he had the support and assistance of good back-up and cover team partners.

Croke honestly shared the effects his assignment had on his marriage and family. His account should give the reader a respect for the sacrifices agents make when undertaking these investigations. There is a lot of work and risk involved, including the development and maintenance of dual identities and personalities, plus the massive documentation that must be made. That he survived this effort with both his sanity, morality, and career intact is a testimony to his dedication to justice and his family.

My one criticism is that the book at times reads as if it was written episodically. Many chapters read as if they were standalone instead of part of a continuous flow. Information was repeated several times. This more of a stylistic annoyance than a detraction from the overall account. Nonetheless, I rate this book fours instead of five for that reason. I still recommend the book for anyone interested in this area of criminal justice.

This is one of the most amazing books I have ever read. I never realized how terrifying these motorcycle gangs are. I also can't believe how our detectives infiltrate them.

Once you start the first chapter you cannot put it down. Absolutely riveting.

Free ARC from NETGALLEY

Sad to write but you can be bored reading some of the "I infiltrated' yarns and there are many. Not here. no way

20 year veteran of the war on drugs Ken Croke tells a great tale and doesn't just focus on himself or how great he is. There is good detail but even still it is well written. Enjoy

I would recommend this book for fans of Paul Holes or Joe Kenda. Ken Croke's account of his time undercover in the dangerous Pagans motorcycle gang is harrowing and fast paced. It was more disturbing than other true crime books I've read, because Croke witnessed a lot of messed up incidents first hand. So be prepared for that. It was really interesting to learn about motorcycle gangs in America in general. I like how the author interspersed sections about history and his personal life with the timeline of undercover events. The suspense was killing me so I had to jump to the end, even though I knew the author made it out alive.

WOW! What a fast-paced memoir! I've read a few memoirs from Federal agents who infiltrated motorcycle clubs, but I hadn't realized that the Pagans were never infiltrated until Ken Croke!! His story was fascinating to read, and I was honestly shocked by some of the events that he described in Riding with Evil.

His courage, determination, and strength are apparent, and his undercover work provided law enforcement with critical information. He literally put his life on the line daily to try and make our communities safer.

My only comment: there were some details or situations that were somewhat repetitive, but not a huge deal.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the gifted e-book copy!

What a thrilling and angst-inspiring inside look at the violent Pagan motorcycle gang. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Highly reccomend.

An absolutely incredible book! It is my favorite read of the year so far. I could not put it down!
Croke was a 20 year veteran agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). He undertook a two year undercover investigation of the Pagan Motorcycle Gang. Through dedication, hard work, and a good dose of luck, he found himself "patched" (made an official member), appointed Sergeant-Of-Arms, and in charge of the books for his local chapter. He was the first law enforcement officer to ever infiltrate the Pagans.
Croke vividly describes the violent, paranoid, crazy world that the Pagans live in. He tells all about the process, how his persona was crafted, and "backstopped". How the Pagans leadership is constantly checking on it's members, and what happens when they are disappointed (spoiler: it's not pretty). He tells about the drug dealing, the illegal gun sales, the "Christmas presents" (bombs), the paranoia and fear of their rivals (the Hell's Angels), the partying and mandatory gatherings.
How the author survived two years is an amazing feat. I found myself getting anxious during times in the book, as I did not know how he would get out of some of the situations.
Never bragging, he comes across as a real American treasure.
The writing is great. Coherent, easy to follow, impossible to put down.
Just a great, great book!

I just love this type of undercover agent book, and this is one of my favorites out of the ones I’ve read. Ken Croak has a way with telling the story of his wild time undercover with the Pagans during a time they were all at risk of being attacked by Hell’s Angels. He had quite a few close calls and incredible luck. The first to even infiltrate the Pagans ever. He shares the toll it took on his family while he was risking his life to gather intel and make cases. A very wild ride but a great read of his experiences. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Take a wild ride with a violent motorcycle gang. Undercover ATF agent Ken Croke set out to infiltrate the Pagan's motorcycle gang, a secretive and violent motorcycle gang, every member carries an axe handle at all times to beat people and members that transgress their rules, whose base of power stretches from Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, into New York and Massachusetts. Croke's mission is straightforward: become a full patched member of the Pagan's and use what he learns to take down the club and inhibit their ability to commit crimes and violence. As with any operation of this type failure could lead to the agent's death. Croke makes it clear how wanton the club's violence can be and that he needed to guard his every action and word in case his true identity is found out. Readers who enjoy true crime, and especially readers of Jay Dobyns' and William Queen's earlier accounts of gang infiltration should check this out.