The Buyer The making and breaking of an undercover detective

'An extraordinary writer' James O'Brien

'The best account of life as an undercover cop that I've read' Neil Lancaster, bestselling author of the DS Max Craigie series

'A compelling and powerful account from the darker side of policing and the terrifying impact it has on those who strive to keep us safe' Nazir Afzal


'To be an undercover officer, you must watch and wait. Before that, though, is the question of identity. Embarking on a covert operation you first must decide who you are. Who will you be today?'

Liam Thomas was an officer in the Met for over a decade, many of those years spent deep at the heart of Britain's most dangerous criminal enterprises in the murky world of undercover surveillance. Before him, his father had also been a police officer, a pillar of their small community.

Fighting corruption was Liam's life. But the murky world of undercover work teaches him that justice is far from black and white - and a family secret reveals that corruption is closer to home than he had ever expected. The revelations push him to the edge of his sanity - and then he discovers that his bosses are investigating him...

A thrilling memoir of a life lived amongst a world of corruption, justice and loyalties, this book tells the real story of the police's line of duty.

Liam Thomas is a former undercover detective for the Metropolitan Police, where he worked for twelve years. He is now an actor, playwright and screenwriter; he recently finished filming his directorial debut Tide (which he also wrote), funded by the Arts Council. In 2018 he launched Sleeping Dogs, a new theatre company which aims to champion and offer opportunity to northern voices. Arts Council England funded their first, critically acclaimed, production.