Under and Alone

The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang

By: William Queen

Narrated by: William Queen

In 1998, William Queen was a veteran law enforcement agent with a lifelong love of motorcycles and a lack of patience with paperwork. When a “confidential informant” made contact with his boss at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, offering to take an agent inside the San Fernando chapter of the Mongols (the scourge of Southern California, and one of the most dangerous gangs in America), Queen jumped at the chance, not realizing that he was kicking-starting the most extensive undercover operation inside an outlaw motorcycle gang in the history of American law enforcement.

Nor did Queen suspect that he would penetrate the gang so successfully that he would become a fully “patched-in” member, eventually rising through their ranks to the office of treasurer, where he had unprecedented access to evidence of their criminal activity. After Queen spent twenty-eight months as “Billy St. John,” the bearded, beer-swilling, Harley-riding gang-banger, the truth of his identity became blurry, even to himself.

During his initial “prospecting” phase, Queen was at the mercy of crank-fueled criminal psychopaths who sought to have him test his mettle and prove his fealty by any means necessary, from selling (and doing) drugs, to arms trafficking, stealing motorcycles, driving getaway cars, and, in one shocking instance, stitching up the face of a Mongol “ol’ lady” after a particularly brutal beating at the hands of her boyfriend.

Yet despite the constant criminality of the gang, for whom planning cop killings and gang rapes were business as usual, Queen also came to see the genuine camaraderie they shared. When his lengthy undercover work totally isolated Queen from family, his friends, and ATF colleagues, the Mongols felt like the only family he had left. “I had no doubt these guys genuinely loved Billy St. John and would have laid down their lives for him. But they wouldn’t hesitate to murder Billy Queen.”

From Queen’s first sleight of hand with a line of methamphetamine in front of him and a knife at his throat, to the fearsome face-off with their decades-old enemy, the Hell’s Angels (a brawl that left three bikers dead), to the heartbreaking scene of a father ostracized at Parents’ Night because his deranged-outlaw appearance precluded any interaction with regular citizens, Under and Alone is a breathless, adrenaline-charged read that puts you on the street with some of the most dangerous men in America and with the law enforcement agents who risk everything to bring them in.©2005 William Queen; (P)2005 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

Advance praise for Under and Alone

“Under and Alone is the dangerous and fascinating true story of an undercover ATF agent and the psychological price he was made to pay for his courageous work.”
–Joseph Wambaugh, bestselling author of The Onion Field

“A riveting story of a one-of-a-kind officer that takes you to the deepest and most dangerous part of undercover work. Highly recommended.”
–Joseph Pistone, author of Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia

“Top-shelf adventure . . . packed with great intensity . . . a dark and twisted world, fully realized. Don’t be surprised if it runs to bestsellerdom.”
–Kirkus Reviews

Brave, brave man!

This was absolutlely awesome in the way it was delivered. You felt at times that you were there. William Queen's choice to voice this audio himself was the right one, and I can't say that about everybody. You feel close to the character and, even though it was harrowing at times, I was sad when it ended. Cracking good listen if you ask me!

Cojones

From the minute you start listening the voice of Queen you know it's going to be great. My only complaint is that is was too short! The story will soon be a movie with Mel Gibson.

Excellent

I loved every bit of it and look forward to reading other stories with William Queen

Hard to stop listening

Outstanding book. I first heard of William Queen when he was interviewed on the G. Gordon Liddy show. I was intrigued by the sacrifice he made and what it cost him. I had to read the book. I did and enjoyed it. It is well written, well read, and makes you feel like you were there.

Get On the Reading

Any additional comments?

Brilliant narration. Loved his passion and enthusiasm in both narrations and writing. The story is extremely intriguing and held my interest all the way, perhaps I myself have some connections to gangs, though not a motorcycle one.

For me, this book held my interest for several levels. I thought it gave both sides of life in a gang. It's definitely good that Queen talked about how some people could be so cruel, but it was also great that he also spoke of how in the gang itself, there is a genuine since of family. The members would go to great length to protect their own, even though it often required violence.

I'm not saying that gangs are good and should insist to continue their infliction of pain and terror. However, I think everyone should know that no matter how bad a person is, whatever deceptions they made, there is bound to be a bit of good under all that. Likewise, even the best person also have a dark streak way under. Humans, I think, are one of or the only species that is capable of good and the most intense cruelty, as shown here.