Fabulous thriller that kept me eagerly turning the pages!! Fantastic characters and plot, could not put it down.

David Putnam's book is thriller with a court official stepping outside the bounds of authority in a race against time.

Having not read any of the previous books in the series I struggled a little bit with this.

I could not decide what year we were supposed to be in as mobile phones were not being used and having to used these things called pagers!!!!!
The action was non stop though and if you like Die Hard then I am sure you will enjoy this.

Compelling law enforcement thriller/procedural that I read in o e sitting. Rounding up from 4 and a half stars. Exciting story, my first in the Bruno Johnson series, but I felt the story stood on its own without having to read the earlier books. What first appears to be his daughter's boyfriend risking her life by taking her to a gang controlled drug house, it much more complex and sinisterly masterminded. Bruno is on the hunt to protect and save his daughter's life, by any means necessary. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Very enjoyable book. A number of plot items were predictable, especially the sub-story of father and teenage daughter ,otherwise I was standing right next to Bruno throughout the novel. Funny action, predictable police and "bad guy" actions and lots of moving parts that all combined to be an entertaining read.

L A County Deputy Bruno Johnson has taken a job as a court bailiff to give his daughter, Olivia, more structure in her life. Olivia is fifteen, rebellious and is attracted to a local gangbanger. Bruno is forced to go back to his old life in the Violent Crimes Team when Louis Barkow has arranged to escape from prison, using Olivia as bait. Louis continues his killing spree daring Bruno to find him.

I have received this book from Edelweiss for free in exchange for an honest review. I couldn't put the book down. Bruno Johnson is an anti-hero. He likes to protect people but will cross lines in doing so. In this book, he tries to save his daughter from a life of crime and possible death. He gets a more stable job but she still wants to be with her boyfriend who lives the street life. The book is full of action from the first chapter and almost every page Bruno Johnson is a terrific character and is what every father should be. I am glad the book shows his vulnerability to his father, his daughter, and his potential love interest. The book is number 7 in the series. I would recommend the series if it if as good as this book

This was not a book which I found enjoyable. The characters were unlikeable, too many of the scenes unbelievable, and overall the book was lacking in any suspense. This was the first book of the authors that I have read and I will not be reading his earlier works.

Bruno Johnson is an LA policeman who has given up the hunt for a position with the courts to enable him to spend more time with his daughter. Beginning with this premise, the book provides exciting stories and side plots, most based on actual events in LA. The characters are interesting, to say the least, and the style of writing allows for rapid reading. Many aspects of human nature are on display, good and bad. Suspense and violence abound, but nothing is really gory. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview The Heartless by David Putnam. This is a series book, but it does stand on it's own to some degree. I have not read any other books by this author so I was at a disadvantage. This is a police procedural, with a strong lead character - Bruno Johnson. If you like this genre, this series is good. I found it entertaining.
3. stars.

This is the first Bruno Johnson book I've read and I thoroughly enjoyed. Putnam is a skilled writer who creates interesting characters and surprising plots. His writing reminds me of Harlan Coben's work. I'll definitely go back and read the rest of the Bruno Johnson series.

When a publisher offers me a free book, I rarely look a gift horse in the mouth (the only exception is if it's a romance novel, which I will read only if a shotgun is pointed at my head and maybe not even then). Admittedly, I hesitated a minute or two because this is the seventh in a series of which I've read none, but since I'm always on the lookout for cool characters and plots and the description sounded promising, I decided to take a chance.

And I enjoyed it. For readers new to the series like me, I'll say this one stands alone well, although I'm sure I'd have enjoyed it more had I started at the beginning (which IMHO is true of any series). The "hero," former Los Angeles County Deputy Bruno Johnson, is just enough of a maverick to tickle my fancy, and the plot is for the most part believable and filled with action - edge-of-seat in places.

As the story begins, Johnson has traded in his law enforcement status for work as a court bailiff, mostly so he can keep more of an eye on his teenage daughter Olivia. In the middle of the trial, he gets a call from Olivia begging for help; with her ne'er-do-well boyfriend - the one Johnson despises - she's in the middle of a confrontation that involves a gun. So Johnson is off to save her day (and perhaps her life). He's successful, but the incident certainly doesn't change his opinion of Olivia's drug-dealing boyfriend.

Meanwhile, back at the local prison, there's a brouhaha that results in the escape of several dangerous criminals including murderer Louis Barkow. As the story progresses, readers (and Johnson) learn that the incident with his daughter was rigged to set the stage for the escape. Now, Johnson is even madder; no way, he insists, is his daughter going to be used as a pawn - and it looks as if that might happen yet again. Enter Johnson's old partner Robby Wick, still on the force and happy to lend his more-than-capable assistance with Johnson's search for the illusive Barkow, who's gone to ground.

Along the way, there's what I suppose is a requisite love interest, but for me, at least, it was nothing more than an unnecessary diversion (as were a handful of typos that should have been caught). As for the love part, I know Johnson has been living alone for several years, but really, he can't - or shouldn't - be quite that stupid. Otherwise, the plot thickens as the search for Barkow intensifies and Olivia's life really does go on the line. But as the saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough get going - and it's clear Johnson and his partner plan on hanging tough all the way to what is an exciting end. All told, this is a good old-fashioned knock 'em down, drag 'em out story which, for the record, I can see as a TV series or movie, perhaps with a younger version of Denzel Washington in the lead (hint, hint).

Lots of violence with fairly believable characters. The bad-guy vibe from Bruno is softened by his love for his daughter which makes the character more likable than if he were just a run of the mill big bad cop. The book reads like a movie or tv script. Good for fans of mystery and police novels. I haven't read the previous books in the series. I imagine that would have made this one more enjoyable,.

This is a very solid mystery with an engaging plot and plenty of action. There are lots of reviews already, so I'll just recommend it to mystery fans.

I really appreciate the review copy!!

I probably wouldn't have requested this title as it screams violence, but when it was offered to me I realized that sometimes these publishers know me better than I know myself! I ended up loving this book! Bruno Johnson is a big bad cop, loving father of Olivia, his fifteen-year-old daughter who is in love with a drug-dealing thug. If that by itself doesn't hook you then this isn't the book for you. And when there's a complicated prison break that Olivia gets caught up in, Bruno ramps up his energy to deter boyfriend, Derek as well as find the prisoners who are all murderers. Yes, lots of violence, action, and the pace never wavers, but Bruno is a lovable yet flawed character who you will root for with every fiber of your being. I also didn't realize this is part of a series starring Bruno so I will definitely be reading more of Putnam!

For a police procedural thriller written by a former violent crimes detective, I didn’t find the story or the characters very believable.. Highly predictable plot line. For police procedural thrillers I recommend Michael Connelly or John Sandford.

Bruno Johnson has left the elite Violent Crimes Team and now works as a bailiff in the courts. He changed jobs in order to spend more time with his 15-year old daughter Olivia. Olivia is making bad decisions including being infatuated with no-good 17-yr old Derek Sams.

Then Bruno gets a frantic call to extricate Olivia from a gang-infested house during the murder trial of Louis Borkow. The trial is halted and shortly later Borkow and three other criminals break out of jail and go into hiding. Bruno is plunged back into violent crime mode when he learns that Borkow is using Olivia as a pawn to thwart Bruno from continuing his desperate hunt for him.

This was a thrilling read as the violence escalates to a deadly confrontation between Bruno and Borkow.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

The writing and the characters are OK, and the story is entertaining, but there are two things I don't like in books: Changing POV between first and third person, and a main character who is stupid.

Suspenseful and Gritty Crime Novel!

"Bad Boy Johnson" is the name Bruno Johnson was known as when he worked the streets as a hardcore detective in the Crime Task Force before he retired from the team to become a better father to his daughter Olivia who is now fifteen years old and his hands are more than full being a single parent. Bruno now works as a bailiff in the system so he can have a regular working schedule but he sorely misses the physical and adrenaline rush of chasing thugs, drug dealers and murderers off the streets. Bruno is a loving and great dad but he carries a lot of guilt trying to to parent Olivia that even under his watchful eye she still managed to get involved with a young punk who is rapidly going down the wrong road and if Bruno doesn't take drastic measures soon he just may lose Olivia. Complicating matters, his assistance is desperately needed back on his old job and before he can give a firm no, he finds that the case has just gotten personal. The stakes are high and the game has changed to life and death and there will be many lives at stake whether Bruno takes this job or stays working in the court but what will happen with his daughter if he makes the wrong decision!

This book was very fast paced and full of dark, gritty and realistic details and I found it very believable. There are many likable as well as despicable characters but they are easy to keep track of due to the author's smooth and descriptive writing. I ended up loving the Bruno Johnson character and I will seek out more books in the series to read. I also could easily see a television series being built around this deeply flawed but loveable character.
A strong and tough man with a wonderfully soft heart! The story had so many u-turns and a shocker at the end of the story which only makes a reader want to read the next book. (Hopefully, there will be a #8 book in the series). Also, at the end there is an author's note about how writer used some of his own personal experience as a Crime Detective to enhance this wonderful work of fiction.
Well Done David Putnam!

I want to thank Oceanview Publishing via Netgalley and the author who provided a print copy as well, and my review is based only on my own unbiased thoughts and opinions!

I highly recommend this novel and have given a rating of 4 1/2 Action Packed 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌠

There's nothing a father wouldn't do to save his daughter! Enter the violent and gritty world of Bruno Johnson. His name is used with reverence when uttered by his adversaries .... known on the streets for his unwavering tenacity and violence while a member of the violent crime task force of Los Angeles. There was never a problem in using extreme force or skirting into the gray zone of the law to apprehend and subdue the most violent criminal. He has left the hunting game preserve of the dangerous streets for the stable and subdued life of a court bailiff .... for the sake of raising his daughter Olivia as a single parent.. However his life is ignited on fire when he learns Oliva has been put in harm's way and used as a pawn and diversion in an intricately plotted jail break freeing multiple murderers on death row.. Willingly he rejoins the violent crime task force on a temporary basis (really?) to apprehend the murderers .... especially Louis Borkow, the mastermind of the plot ... a ruthless crime boss and probable psychopath.
Putnam proves to be a master storyteller and weaves a high-octane twisted narrative that is both relentless and escalating and culminates in an exhilarating denouement. This authentic and gritty gem is meant to be gobbled up .... it only took me two gulps. This is obviously penned by one who has lived the life. The finely honed characters will be ingrained in your memory long after you've finished the last page. This is my first foray into the oeuvre of David Putnam. Although this is the seventh Bruno Johnson thriller - I thoroughly enjoyed this novel as a standalone, and look forward to exploring the earlier entries. (at readersremains.com)
.... Thanks to Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for providing an electronic Proof in exchange for an honest review !

The Heartless by David Putnam -- 5 Stars
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
ISBN: 9781608093786

It is exciting to find a thriller with a great plot, well developed characters and plenty of action. The Heartless has all of these.
Bruno Johnson, the central character, does battle in the dangerous streets of Los Angeles while struggling with personal conflicts. He tries to do the right things as he juggles the responsibilities of being the single parent of an intelligent rebellious teenage daughter and working long hours as a member of an elite law enforcement unit.
The action is intense throughout the book. It never slows.
Best of all, the plot is believable. It is obvious the David Putnam knows what he is writing about. He spent years working in areas of law enforcement. Don’t miss the author’s note at the end of the story.
I have read very many police-based novels over the years and The Heartless is among the best. This book can be enjoyed without having read the first six in the series, but I am anxious to start from the beginning. I have already purchased the first book.

Reviewer: Nancy