English Summary/英文概要： During the 20th Century, unarmed Scotland Yard detectives and their uniform counterparts needed to be physically tough and fearless, given the ruthless, armed criminals they confronted.

In this thrilling book, the author draws on archival correspondence and first-hand experiences from his contemporaries. ‘Pat the Cat’ was a detective who was awarded a British Empire Medal for gallantry after surviving a fusillade of shots from an escaped convict and was awarded a Bar to the medal, four years later after being severely injured, when thwarting an armed robbery.

We learn of police officers who, despite being shot, went on to arrest the gunman, plus the Flying Squad detective who dismantled a ticking IRA bomb, primed to detonate outside Scotland Yard.

PC Reggie Grose won a George Medal for rescuing a group, trapped in a building during the Blitz and after wartime service with No. 3 Commando, returned to undertake hazardous duties as an undercover officer with the secretive Ghost Squad. Detective Sergeant Ryland only survived being killed by sticking his thumb between the hammer and the percussion cap of his assailant’s revolver and when an army deserter fired shots at the police, he was caught with the assistance of Police Dog, Rex III and a detective’s truncheon. Two officers tackled a mentally deranged axeman on a roof, 50 feet above street level, warding off his attack with a pig-bin lid – these and many other tales of outstanding bravery await the reader in the pages of Scotland Yard’s Bravest and Best.

Awards/获奖情况： Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Having read countless historical novels featuring detectives from Scotland Yard, I was very interested in reading a non-fiction book about the real-life detectives. I really enjoyed reading about the different people and cases (but definitely prefer the fictional characters I have read about from Scotland Yard. Obviously). Definitely would recommend this book to anyone looking for their next non-fiction book-NetGalley, Rebecca Stewart

This is the perfect true crime to balance out the more intensive of my true crime reads! It is funny, whilst still being true to accurate storytelling of real crimes. I loved being able to look back on historical crimes and laugh at the situations people get into, especially considering the holes present day criminals dig themselves into.-NetGalley, Sophie Schofield

This book, by the celebrated and highly-experienced wordsmith, retired Metropolitan Police detective, Dick Kirby is a page-turner for lovers of police factual books. The author skilfully weaves together a compelling narrative with rich descriptions and a no-holds-barred dialogue. It is … a great starting point for newcomers to true crime stories.-The London Police Pensioner Magazine

DICK KIRBY was born in the East End of London and joined the Metropolitan Police in 1967. Half of his twenty-six years’ service was spent with Scotland Yard’s Serious Crime Squad and the Flying Squad. Kirby contributes to newspapers and magazines on a regular basis, as well as appearing on television and radio. The Guv’nors, The Sweeney, Scotland Yard’s Ghost Squad, Brave Blue Line, Death on the Beat, Scourge of Soho, Scotland Yard’s Flying Squad, London’s Gangs at War, Scotland Yard’s Gangbuster, The Mayfair Mafia, Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad, Racetrack Gangs, IRA Terror on Britain’s Streets, Scotland Yard’s Casebook of Serious Crime, The Brighton Police Scandal, Missing Presumed Murdered and Killers, Kidnappers, Gangsters and Grasses are all published under the Wharncliffe True Crime imprint and he has further other published works to his credit. On retirement he lives near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. Kirby can be contacted via Pen & Sword Books.