Nothing Left to Prove

“The sharp, hardboiled prose you would expect from a detective novelist… Smith shares vivid details, hard-earned insights, and stories of courage and terror, told with crisp, raw dialogue, a feeling for the drama of potentially violent confrontations, and an undercurrent of despair, despite many heartfelt tributes to cops he trusted and the mentor whose murder he had to look into”(BookLife Review).

From the streets of South Los Angeles to the elite homicide bureau, former sheriff’s detective Danny R. Smith saw some of L.A.’s darkest hours: a crack cocaine epidemic, unprecedented gang warfare, a spike in homicides that stunned the nation, the Rodney King riots, until one day, a beating left him unconscious. Only the miraculous malfunction of a killer’s automatic weapon saved his life. But it was the hundreds of deaths and innumerable tragedies—murdered colleagues, dead kids, a Native American burned alive by skinheads—that took the greatest toll.

In this no-holds-barred memoir, Smith offers a rare, unfiltered view of a career in law enforcement, and reveals his unique insights into battling PTSD and being forced to leave the profession he loved.

Nothing Left to Prove is shocking, riveting, and poignant—remarkably honest. It’s the very personal story of one man’s career and its effect on his life, unveiled through Smith’s masterful storytelling. If you think you know cops, if you enjoy compelling true-crime stories, then you’ll love Danny R. Smith’s powerful narrative.

This discussion guide was shared and sponsored by Dartfrog Books