Book excerpt: RCMP Superintendent "Scotty" Gardiner's captivating memoir reveals what truly goes on behind the scenes in local and international criminal and civil investigations - from solving small-town break-ins to busting multi-national drug operations, and from foiling historical coin counterfeiting to making a controversial money-for-bodies deal with serial killer Clifford Olson. IN THE MIND OF A MOUNTIE provides deep insight into the thought processes, self-discipline and integrity required to be an exemplary policeman. "There is no LUCK in investigation," Gardiner emphasizes. "Instead you must focus on PREPARATION, so you will recognize OPPORTUNITY." With masterful storytelling, Scotty Gardiner's IN THE MIND OF A MOUNTIE brings vividly to life the role of a policeman and investigator in late 20th-century Canadian society. -- ENDORSEMENTS FROM EXPERTS -- "A refreshing page-turner as Scotty leads from one crime investigation to the next, while offering shrewd insights into the nature and habits of career criminals and RCMP officers alike. His is a broadly sympathetic view of the human condition, seen through the eyes of a very smart and experienced RCMP officer." - Geoff Machin, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Emeritus Prof. of Pathology, U. of Alberta "A remarkably rich and personal memoir, full of stories that illustrate both the routine and complex in police work. The book is also a testament to how a combination of hard work, intellectual imagination, integrity, and self-discipline served Scotty well as a Mountie in postings across this vast country. It is an account of a life's work that needs to be told, especially in these times when the Force seems in disarray and those values compromised." - John McLaren, Emeritus Prof. of Law, U. of Victoria "A compelling story told in a most readable manner. Highly recommended for all ages - Scotty's life is the stuff of legends and deserves to be read widely." - Hamish Simpson, former head of Glenlyon School, Pearson College, and Upper Canada College Preparatory School