When reporter Pete Crooks set out to write a simple feature article about a local PI firm that only staffed mothers, he never expected the biggest story of his career.
Pete met with the firm’s owner, Chris Butler, who was planning to launch a reality show showcasing his business, set to be called P.I. Moms. Chris invited Pete to come on a ride-along during a covert operation to follow a man accused of cheating on his wife.
After the insane ride-along that followed the suspected cheater to multiple locations over the course of a day, Pete began receiving mysterious emails that lead him to believe Chris’s business was not all it seemed. Following his instincts, Pete started digging, and soon learned that the “sting” operation he had witnessed had been entirely fictional-everyone involved had been acting, and Chris had scammed him. But why?
This was only the tip of the iceberg. As he continued his research, Pete began to realize he was in over his head—but he was determined to expose the truth. The Setup: A True Story of Dirty Cops, Soccer Moms, and Reality TV is his story of uncovering the fraud that not only deceived him, but major media outlets like People magazine and Dr. Phil.
This is a great read that I’m particularly excited about!