FBI from Two Different Perspectives

Back in April I reviewed Gary Noesner's Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator. I talked to my son-in-law about how much I liked the way Noesner wrote about being a negotiator. He ran downstairs and came up with two novels: Black and White.

Chris Whitcomb wrote the novels from the perspective of an FBI sniper, the opposite role Noesner played. Both novels were well written and told solid tales filled with blood and guts, suspense, and a thriller pace. I noticed he had also written a memoir, Cold Zero: Inside the FBI Hostage Rescue Team.

The two memoirs couldn't be more different, yet both talk about the high-profile FBI hostage situations toward the end of the last century, Ruby Ridge and Waco. Noesner's account is about patience with both; Whitcomb's is much more the cowboy with a highh-powered rifle. Both situations came under intense criticism and scrutiny from Congress. Heads rolled.

If, however, you want to get a pretty good idea of what it was like at either sieges, read both books.