Going Under: Kidnapping, Murder, and a Life Undercover

In this memoir, former law enforcement agent John Madinger recounts his experiences working undercover throughout his career. The narrative opens with a complex case involving corruption on both sides of the law—a kidnapping where the victim is a criminal and officers must bend rules to recover him. Madinger explores the contradictory nature of undercover work, where appearances deceive and identities blur. Over nearly two decades as an undercover agent, Madinger operated within criminal networks while maintaining his law enforcement role. His account provides perspective on American crime and the War on Drugs from both law enforcement and criminal viewpoints. The memoir includes encounters with street-level criminals, major rock stars, wealthy individuals, an Academy Award-winning actor, marijuana traffickers involved in a plot to assassinate a federal judge, and the President of the United States.