Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview
  • Undercover: Operation Julie - The Inside Story

  • By: Stephen Bentley
  • Narrated by: Greg Patmore
  • Length: 9 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (67 ratings)

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Undercover: Operation Julie - The Inside Story

By: Stephen Bentley
Narrated by: Greg Patmore
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £14.99

Buy Now for £14.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

Forget Breaking Bad, this is the extraordinary story of the 1970s Welsh LSD ring that supplied the world, told by a cop in deepest cover on the case.

'Life undercover was one great adrenaline rush fuelled by copious amounts of alcohol, hash, weed and some cocaine. I was off the leash.'

In the mid-1970s, at the age of 29, Stephen Bentley, a fresh-faced detective, turned himself into Steve Jackson, a dope-smoking, hard-drinking hippie. His time spent undercover with a gang making and distributing LSD helped bring down two criminal networks - but the operation also led to deep personal aftershocks felt long after the case closed.

As we get up-close-and-personal with the people who were the operators of the drug supply chain that fueled 70s counter-culture, the story becomes laden with heavy drug-taking, blurred lines between cop, criminal and friend, and creeping doubts about who Steve really is. Taking us into the unlikely setting of the rural Welsh valleys and infiltrating the gang that was responsible for about 90% of the LSD production in the UK, Steve Bentley's insider account shows what it really takes to go undercover - to befriend, to betray and to bury your sense of self.

Now in development as an 8-part TV series.

©2016 Stephen Bentley (P)2018 Stephen Bentley
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Interceptor cover art
Deep Cover cover art
The Betrayer cover art
Cocky cover art
The Gangbuster cover art
Crack House cover art
Salford Lads cover art
Double Agent cover art
Hard Stop cover art
MRF Shadow Troop cover art
Like No Other Soldier cover art
Gang War cover art
The Accidental Copper cover art
The Texas 7 cover art
Crisis Shot cover art
Deadly Lies cover art

Critic reviews

'Undercover Operation Julie - The Inside Story, ' documents everyday life of undercover work as the author, Stephen Bentley, won the confidence of the gang members. Bentley tells in his book how he built a "perfect" relationship with Smiles, an important gang member. But this friendship almost undermined the whole operation.- BBC News England, October 2, 2016.

'The fascinating and extraordinary inside story from the man who was actually there.' - Rob Gittins, Screenwriter and Novelist, Writer of 'Julie' BBC Drama

What listeners say about Undercover: Operation Julie - The Inside Story

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    38
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    37
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    35
  • 4 Stars
    16
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

enjoyable

Enjoyable listen apart from the technical chapters near the end. Good listen though especially ending on the conspiracy theories

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another brilliant book from Mr Bentley.

i loved this book! a true story of the Authors part in one of the biggest drugs bust in British history. brilliantly narrated and a thrilling book I have come to expect from Stephen Bentley. funny, sad and gripping. What more can you ask ?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating Story...

I was lucky enough to be given a promotional copy of this audiobook by the author in exchange for an honest review, so firstly, thank you Stephen.

I knew nothing of Operation Julie before this book but the author gives a informative and detailed account of his role in this undercover operation and what followed. Knowing that the narration was a first hand account of events added a real edge to the story as it unfolded.

A tale of courage, drama & emotion that I would, and already have recommended to others.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

A fascinating account of a famous police operation

This is a fascinating book, covering his part in Operation Julie. It does an excellent job of describing policing in the seventies, The lifestyle of an undercover policeman. Lots of great facts and stores for the period and the operation. It also covers the stress, threat and strain of this type of work resulting in the high levels of drinking, the issues with some superiors and the relationships with the criminals he was sent to watch. One of the best books of this type I have ever read. The narration is perfect I thought at times Stephen was actually the narrator.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Undercover Op Julie

An amazing insight into the dangers, bravery and the officers of undercover policing which hasn’t really changed since that time and hopefully never will.
Thanks for going into print Stephen enjoyed every chapter.




Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Passionate and thrilling

This is book is an excellent telling of life as an undercover operative, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, from start to finish.

The way it’s written brings you into the world, takes you on the story with the narrator. I have listened to may undercover books but this is by far the best.

I hope that the talents Stephen has portrayed writing this, is brought across into another book. I will be awaiting that day.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Really enjoyable listen!!

I have already been recommending this audiobook to friends. This is a true story recalling the authors undercover work which helped to take down one of the UK’s biggest LSD production ring. Stephen’s recollection of events and descriptive writing makes you feel like you were there. Stephen had a lot of funny sounding moments undercover, high as a kite, laughing uncontrollably, falling out of vans etc. The does also touch on several more serious topics such as depression, alcoholism, drug taking, PTSD as well as an employers responsibility to handle people with depression in the work place.
I enjoyed this very much and I am awaiting Stephen’s other books in audiobook format - I am told October/ November so not long to wait. I hope these books are as gripping as Undercover: Operation Julie. Finally, big respect to Stephen for not only this book but also the incredible undercover work described in the book! Good work!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A different side to the story

The author tells a fascinating story and gives great insight to what it was like for a policeman to drop his whole life to undertake a whole new persona as an undercover agent posing as a drug dealer. If you have read or listened to tales from the criminals involved in 'Operation Julie' this will really appeal to you.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

Inspiring and honest

I was given a copy of this for an honest review. It’s one of the best books I’ve had for a very long time. The true emotion from the author is plain to see and the pride is amazing. The story is like a movie and the author was a pioneer. I loved this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

wow

it was a really interesting listen, I just had to finish it. looking forward to the authors other books now xxxxx

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful