"The Wolfman," written by 28-year-old Nicholas Pekearo, is being released Tuesday from Tor Books. The story chronicles the life of a crime-fighting werewolf. Pekearo learned the book would be published days before his death.

Pekearo and fellow volunteer officer Eugene Marshalik were killed March 14, 2007, in a Greenwich Village confrontation with gunman David Garvin.

The two were members of the city's force of part-time auxiliary officers, who provide extra uniformed police presence but do not carry weapons. Their uniforms resemble those of regular officers.

The pair were lauded as heroes for confronting the gunman, even though they were not required to put themselves at risk. It was recently announced their families would receive federal death benefits.

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