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Bad to Blue
- Author
- Mike Moy
- Narrator
- Mike Moy, James Sie
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date
- 30 August 2025
- Run Time
- 11 hours 26 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
In this intimate and harrowing memoir, a former Chinese gang member tells the story of how he went from “bad to blue” by leaving the gang behind and becoming a New York City police detective.
Nestled in the warm embrace of his immigrant grandmother, Mike Moy was raised hearing bloodcurdling tales of the brutal life she escaped in China. But growing up on the mean streets of Manhattan’s Chinatown, Mike has also faced shocking violence coupled with destructive racism. In a tight-knit community besieged with fear and alienation, teenage Mike takes refuge in one of Chinatown’s notorious gangs, tattooing his membership in Fuk Ching on his body.
The gangs’ fearsome reputations are warranted. Frequenting gambling dens and pool halls, Mike and a boisterous band of gangmates run amok: selling and shooting guns, stealing, and running protection schemes. But the fast pace and constant danger take a terrible toll, with friends being killed or sent to prison—the inevitable end for most gang members. But vexing questions are raised for young Mike after he learns the extraordinary story of a cop who forgave the young shooter who made him a paraplegic. NYPD Officer Steven McDonald’s morality and compassion arouse a longing deep within Mike to be one of the “good guys.”
In a world-changing turnaround expected by no one, Mike joins the NYPD. By donning that blue uniform, he gets the adrenaline-driven lifestyle he craves while staying on the right side of the law. But coming clean is not so easy. Patrolling the streets he once terrorized, he fears the exposure of his secret past. Anyone identifying him as a former gang member could lead to investigations, expulsion from the NYPD, media scandal, and legal charges for past crimes. And what would his former gangmates think if they found out he’d joined “the enemy”?
Packed with violence, heartbreak, and love, Mike tells the triumphant story of one man’s transformation—even as bullets fly just above his head.
Critics Review
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“Mike’s story highlights his transformation from a gang member to a law-abiding citizen, committed to protecting the very communities he once was part of. As his former field training sergeant, I am proud of his remarkable journey and the positive impact he has made, fulfilling his mission to mentor and inspire others.”
Captain Philip Lam, NYPD, retired, former executive commanding officer of the Fifth Precinct
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“I have worked with Mike for many years and am proud to say he’s my friend. He was an exceptional police officer and detective. Then I learned about his past, and it all started to make sense.”
Deputy Inspector Hsiao Loo, NYPD, retired, former commanding officer of the NYPD Asian Hate Crime Task Force
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“I certainly don’t condone Mike’s prior life, and if he was doing that when I was working he would have been one of my clients and been behind bars, but his life’s journey sure took him in another direction. His story is incredible and a great read…I highly recommend this book.”
Detective Ralph Friedman, NYPD, retired, New York City’s most decorated detective and coauthor of Street Warrior
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“To say that Michael Moy turned his life around is too simplistic; he flipped it on its head. Bad to Blue is an amazing story about an NYPD detective who learned about crime by living his formative years as a criminal in one of New York’s most dangerous Chinese street gangs…and every word of it is true.”
Lieutenant Patrick Picciarelli, NYPD, retired, coauthor of Hollywood Godfather
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“Mike Moy’s journey from ‘bad to blue’ is a graphic exposition of the complexity of what we all are: a mixture of good and bad and the choices we make in the balance of those conflicting dispositions. The rigid world of gangsters and cops share many similarities, and Mike exposes both dichotomies in a sincere, humanized approach. Read it.”
Deputy Inspector Michael Lau, NYPD, retired, former commanding officer of the Fifth Precinct
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“He survived the violent streets of Chinatown in a remarkable transformation from the dark side to the blue (NYPD) light of day. In this harrowing tale, Mike Moy emerges from thug into hero and saves his own life. A must-read.”
Henry Chang, author of Chinatown Beat
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“An illuminating and inspiring story about how it’s never too late to change the direction of one’s life.”
Booklist
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“Moy’s story is fascinating and stuffed with vivid details about downtown New York in the ’70s and ’80s…Readers will take heart in Moy’s message that ‘no life is beyond repair.’”
Publishers Weekly
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Details
- Author
- Mike Moy
- Narrator
- Mike Moy, James Sie
- Duration
- 11 hours 26 minutes
- Release Date
- 30 August 2025
- ISBN
- 9798228003811
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Genre
- Memoirs, Biography: general, Ethnic studies, Biography: general, Police and security services, Biography: general, True crime, True crime, Organized crime
Synopsis
In this intimate and harrowing memoir, a former Chinese gang member tells the story of how he went from “bad to blue” by leaving the gang behind and becoming a New York City police detective.Nestled in the warm embrace of his immigrant grandmother, Mike Moy was raised hearing bloodcurdling tales of the brutal life she escaped in China. But growing up on the mean streets of Manhattan’s Chinatown, Mike has also faced shocking violence coupled with destructive racism. In a tight-knit community besieged with fear and alienation, teenage Mike takes refuge in one of Chinatown’s notorious gangs, tattooing his membership in Fuk Ching on his body.The gangs’ fearsome reputations are warranted. Frequenting gambling dens and pool halls, Mike and a boisterous band of gangmates run amok: selling and shooting guns, stealing, and running protection schemes. But the fast pace and constant danger take a terrible toll, with friends being killed or sent to prison—the inevitable end for most gang members. But vexing questions are raised for young Mike after he learns the extraordinary story of a cop who forgave the young shooter who made him a paraplegic. NYPD Officer Steven McDonald’s morality and compassion arouse a longing deep within Mike to be one of the “good guys.”In a world-changing turnaround expected by no one, Mike joins the NYPD. By donning that blue uniform, he gets the adrenaline-driven lifestyle he craves while staying on the right side of the law. But coming clean is not so easy. Patrolling the streets he once terrorized, he fears the exposure of his secret past. Anyone identifying him as a former gang member could lead to investigations, expulsion from the NYPD, media scandal, and legal charges for past crimes. And what would his former gangmates think if they found out he’d joined “the enemy”?Packed with violence, heartbreak, and love, Mike tells the triumphant story of one man’s transformation—even as bullets fly just above his head.
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