Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Walk the Blue Line summary
James Patterson and Matt Eversmann
They walk the line between life and death
15 mins
Brief summary
'Walk the Blue Line' by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann is a gripping police procedural novel that follows elite homicide detectives as they investigate a series of brutal murders in Washington DC.
Table of Contents
Walk the Blue Line
Summary of 4 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 4
An alcoholic, a brave dog, and respect
Jock Condon is a police officer working in the Midwest. Before coming to the US the Scot served as a cop in the UK’s Royal Air Force.
On this occasion, he’s sitting alone in his car, in the pouring rain at 2:00 a.m., when he’s dispatched to an ongoing burglary in a home close to where he’s parked.
As he steps out of his car he hears gunshots from inside the house. As he goes in, he’s gripped by images of the time he served in Iraq and in Afghanistan. He wonders if this time, his luck will run out? His mind racing through images of his son waking up the next day without a father.
He looks inside a Jack and Jill bathroom and sees a chubby guy with a huge white beard lying inside, bleeding through a wound in his chest. He doesn’t look like a threat. Jock walks into a bedroom where an inconsolable man is lying on the bed, his terrified wife by his side.
It turns out the man with the white beard is an alcoholic who got drunk and walked into the wrong house! Jock manages to keep him alive till the medics come. Thankfully, he lives.
Seven months before the house incident Jack was called to put a fatally-wounded deer out of its misery and was transported back to Afghanistan as he pulled the trigger. It wasn’t his first flashback – they kept coming – and he knew they’d continue. He sought help from a psychologist and was diagnosed with PTSD. The medication and therapy he received help him recover. Now he’s helping other cops get help, too.
<pause>
Brian Sturgeon is a K9 handler – he uses dogs to find and arrest offenders.
One particular night, he’s outside a house waiting for a suspect with Argo, a brave police dog, when the suspect appears. Argo darts over a fence and drags him down. As they tussle on the ground the craziest thing happens – another dog appears and attacks Argo. Brian tries to shoot the other dog but his weapon malfunctions and then the other dog starts to attack Brian too.
As the two men and two dogs struggle, the suspect takes out a box cutter and starts tearing at Argo. Eventually, Brian manages to shoot the other dog. Brian’s team arrives on the scene and arrests the suspect.
Argo is taken to a vet where he’s treated for his bad wounds. Ten days later, he's back to work.
<pause>
Tim O’Brien left the mortgage business to join law enforcement. As a Boston kid who knew a lot of people in the civil service growing up, he’s drilled his sense of respect into his kids. If they ever disrespect a cop, he tells them, this strict policeman and his wife won’t take it.
Tim’s sitting at his mother-in-law’s house one dinnertime waiting for his wife when he gets a call. The officer on the phone tells him that his son was inside a car that’s been pulled over. There were five kids in the car but Tim’s son wasn’t driving, and he was respectful.
Relief.
Fifteen minutes later Tim’s phone rings again. It’s the same cop. He sounds amused. The reason? He’s just pulled over Tim’s wife and daughter for overspeeding on the same road.
Want to see all full key ideas from Walk the Blue Line?
Key ideas in Walk the Blue Line
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Walk the Blue Line about?
Walk the Blue Line (2023) is a collection of real-life stories from police and law enforcement officers working across the United States. Their experiences detail the good, the bad, the gory, and the lasting influence these events have on their lives.
Walk the Blue Line Review
Walk the Blue Line (2010) is a gripping crime thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Here's why this book is definitely worth reading:
- With its suspenseful plot and unexpected twists, it will keep you guessing until the very end.
- The well-developed characters and their complex relationships add depth and depth to the story, making it highly engaging.
- Based on true events, this book offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of law enforcement, providing a unique and authentic reading experience.
Who should read Walk the Blue Line?
- Anyone with an interest in policing
- Organizations seeking dialogue between communities and law enforcement
- Citizens trying to understand what it feels like to work as a policeman in the US
Categories with Walk the Blue Line
Book summaries like Walk the Blue Line
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Stephen R. Covey
Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
23 min
4.6
Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself
Joe Dispenza
How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One
16 min
4.5
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
31 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Walk the Blue Line FAQs
What is the main message of Walk the Blue Line?
The main message of Walk the Blue Line is [...]
How long does it take to read Walk the Blue Line?
The reading time for Walk the Blue Line is [...]
Is Walk the Blue Line a good book? Is it worth reading?
Walk the Blue Line is worth reading because [...]
Who is the author of Walk the Blue Line?
The author of Walk the Blue Line is [...]
What to read after Walk the Blue Line?
If you're wondering what to read next after Walk the Blue Line, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Unfu*k Yourself by Gary John Bishop
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
- 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do by Amy Morin
- Learn Better by Ulrich Boser
- The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
- The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett
- The Negativity Fast by Anthony Iannarino
- Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Dispenza
- You Can Negotiate Anything by Herb Cohen
- Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand