Bruce Borgos is a very interesting author. Great plot lines and writing style. While the opinion is my own, I have NetGalley to thank for an advanced reader copy.

I *really* enjoyed this book! It's such a captivating storyline, going back and forth between the present-day case and events from the 1950s, and the way factual bits from that timeframe are woven into the story, it makes it quite believable. The reveals throughout the story kept me turning page after page to see what would happen next, and they made perfect sense within the plot and the information provided to us without it being totally obvious, which is always a delicate balance. Beck is a great main character, and I'm excited to read the next installment soon.

4.5 stars

**I received a free copy from NetGalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and comments contained within are my own.**

I received a copy from NetGalley. Two timelines. A spy mystery. Interesting characters with a lot of back story. I look forward more in this new series.

This is the first book by Bruce Borgos that I have read. It was well written, and I really enjoyed the page turner of a story. I also liked the character development, and I am glad to hear this is the first in a series starring Porter Beck. This was a good mystery, police procedural which is one of my favorite genres. The setting in Nevada was spot on. I will be forwarding this book recommendation to my dad as well as the rest of the book clubs that I participate in. I am thrilled to have found a new author to follow.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital copy. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this part police procedural/part espionage thriller! It is told in past and present timelines which I like. In the present, the local sheriff, Porter Beck, is investigating the murder of a retired FBI agent. Clues point to a mystery surrounding a nuclear testing site in the 1950s. In the past, the reader is transported to the '50s and follows a Russian spy who has infiltrated that nuclear testing site. I found both timelines equally interesting, fast paced and well written. I liked the all characters especially Porter's sister. I enjoyed how both timelines tied together in the end and I thought that was well done. I both listened and read the book and I really enjoyed the narrator. I would recommend it and I plan on reading the next one in the series!

Hey book lovers! 📚✨ Just finished "The Bitter Past" by Bruce Borgos and I am blown away! This book is an incredible blend of suspense, history, and unforgettable characters.

Borgos’s writing is so engaging and atmospheric—you’ll be hooked from the first page. The way he intertwines the past and present is masterful. One scene that really stood out was when the protagonist uncovers a long-buried secret that changes everything. It’s intense and so well done!

The characters are richly developed, each adding depth to the intricate plot. If you’re into mysteries that keep you guessing and historical backdrops that are vividly brought to life, "The Bitter Past" is a must-read. Trust me, you won’t be able to put it down. Happy reading! 🌟📖

#BookReview #MustRead #BruceBorgos #MysteryReads 📚✨

Bruce Borgos (https://bruceborgos.com) is the author of four novels. The Bitter Past was published in 2023 and is the first novel in his Porter Beck mystery series. It is the 69th book I completed reading in 2024.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence and mature language, I categorize this novel as R.

Sheriff Porter Beck serves in Lincoln County in the high desert of eastern Nevada. He had left years earlier and joined the US Army. His career path there led him into intelligence work and dark ops. Retired, he has taken on the job of County Sheriff from his father. The relatively quiet life in rural Nevada is disrupted when retired FBI agent Ralph Atterbury is found brutally tortured and then murdered. Evidence is uncovered that takes Beck’s investigation back to the early days of the Cold War, when atomic tests were ongoing in the Nevada desert.

In 1955, a young man, Freddie Meyer, shows up in Las Vegas looking for work. He finds a job at the newly opened Dunes Hotel and Casino. There, he meets Katherine ‘Kitty’ Ellison, and before long, they are a couple. She invites him home after several dates, and he meets her father, Dr. Roger Ellison.

Freddie and Dr. Ellison get along well. Ellison is one of the research team leaders at the atomic test site. Freddie is ambitious, and Ellison, thinking of his daughter, wants to help him get ahead. Before long, with the help of Ellison, Freddie is working at the test site as a security guard.

Unbeknownst to anyone in the US, Freddie is a Russian spy. He was trained in Russia and sent to the US to penetrate the atomic weapons program. At first, Freddie does his duty to Mother Russia, reporting everything he can. Eventually, the authorities catch on, and he barely escapes from the atomic test site. Afterward, he disappears and, in a change of heart, breaks all contact with his Russian handlers.

Atterbury had been searching for the Russian agent for years, continuing after his official retirement. Because Atterbury was formerly an FBI agent, Agent Dana Locke is dispatched from Washington to follow the local murder investigation. Locke and Beck work closely during the investigation, and before long they become romantically involved.

The murder of Atterbury is tied to Russian agents who are still looking for Freddie. While he could be anywhere, Beck believes he is still somewhere in Nevada, very likely in Lincoln County.

Will Freddie be found? Who will get to him first? Will the Russian agents be caught?

I enjoyed the 8.5+ hours I spent reading this 310-page mystery. The story bounces back and forth between the 1950s and the current day, but the transitions are very smooth.The plot is a bit complex and has a nice twist at the end of the book. I had the chance to read the sequel to this novel, Shades of Mercy. It is nearly as good as this one was. I recommend them both. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 5 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

This is my first encounter with Bruce Borgos, and his story-telling techniques and flow in the story have really impressed me. The way the past and the present are bound together in the plot is close to flawless, and the twists and turns of the story line are credible and adds a dynamic to the book that makes it a really easy and interesting read.
The combination of the espionage and crime/mystery elements along with the personal dilemmas for the main charachter, Sherif Porter Beck, work out wonderfully, and the book is among my absolute favorite reads of the year. 5 stars without doubt or hesitation!

I enjoyed the first Sheriff Beck book. This had a dual timeline between the present and the 1950s. It was interesting to hear about the nuclear arms race from this perspective. Other than a few descriptions of women in the beginning that should have been edited, this was a good read and I would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastic book linking the past with the present in a great mystery/murder. You will love this book I'm sure of it! Give it a try. Thank you Bruce for a great book and look forward to #2!

I almost didn’t make it to page 2 of this novel after the over-the-top grisliness of the crime scene on page 1. Eventually I picked the book up again and am glad I did. If you can make it to the next page, you will be rewarded with a gripping present-day story with roots in the 1950’s, when nuclear testing was taking place in the Nevada desert. The investigation requires Sheriff Beck to collaborate with the occasionally uncooperative personalities in his department as well as a federal agent to figure out what modern-day murders might have to do with Russian spies more than half a century ago. The hero combines language and operational skills honed in a previous career in intelligence with perfect recall (that irresistible real-life superpower) and an appealingly Holmesian capacity for deduction. The action features procedural-style investigation, the compelling drama of a high-stakes thriller, and a family story. It’s well worth sticking around for the second page and beyond.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital advance review copy.

The sheriff of a town in Nevada, Porter Beck, is investigating a murder. It's rare to have big crimes in his jurisdiction. This story leads to some very interesting history, right there in his region.

The mystery element in this story goes between two different time periods, which is a writing technique I really like. It's fun to see the differences in the different times. This mystery stretches all the way back to 1953, when there were nuclear tests in the desert. The murdered man was a retired FBI agent. He had been on a case looking for a Russian agent. The Russian agent was active in the 1950's and somehow modern agents believe this agent is still living in the area. They are out to find him.

Beck has assistance from his adopted sister, who is an expert with firearms. Beck also has something wrong with is eyes, such that he can't see at night. This causes him to get into some dangerous situations. The investigation leads them to uncover some very intriguing history of the area. I loved the plot twist at the end.

This was a very interesting read and I recommend this series. This is the first book in the series, of which there are now two books. I like the characters of Beck and his sister and hope to see more from this author.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

🌟🌟🌟
3 Stars “The Bitter Past” is a compelling blend of contemporary murder mystery and Cold War espionage, accentuated by the intriguing disappearance of a Russian spy carrying historical secrets. Initially, the book captivates with its engaging storyline, spanning the present and the past. While the plot becomes somewhat convoluted in the middle section, it culminates in a firm conclusion, setting the stage for a promising new series.

The protagonist, Sheriff Porter Beck, grapples with an uncommonly gruesome murder in the desert, drawing the attention of federal authorities. Beck emerges as a robust lead character for the burgeoning series, exhibiting intelligence and fortitude, albeit with inherent limitations that foreshadow compelling future developments. Regrettably, the supporting characters tend to conform to stereotypes rather than embody multifaceted personas. However, given the early stage of the series, there remains ample opportunity for their evolution beyond mere stereotypes.

The portrayal of Brinley, a character torn between her aspirations for escape and her unwavering loyalty to her family, is particularly commendable. The depiction of her affectionate relationship with Beck and their deeply caring attitude towards their father is heartwarming in the narrative. Conversely, the handling of Brinley's mental health issues by the author is less satisfactory, warranting improvement.

The writing style is satisfactory, although, at times, the dialogue appears choppy and repetitive, leading to confusion as characters mirror each other's expressions verbatim. While this mirroring is a natural conversational feature in specific contexts, it tends to affect the reading experience detrimentally. The author's evident knowledge of and dedication to depicting Nevada in a protective light is a notable strength.

Following a robust start, the narrative loses momentum in the middle section, introducing many convoluted plot elements that appear superfluous while intertwining with the principal story. The past-era segments constitute the novel's strongest component, while the present-day timeline deviates and meanders. As Beck immerses himself in the lives of Nevada's inhabitants affected by the aftermath of nuclear testing, his gradual realization of the Cold War's true impact on both Americans and Russians facilitates a compelling narrative leading to a satisfying resolution.

Ultimately, while the unmasking of the Russian spy and the characters' true identities yielded a sense of gratification, there was also a measure of fulfillment in having suspicions vindicated. The book adeptly intersperses misdirection surrounding the spy's identity without imposing an artificial feel.

The Bitter Past is a commendable initial installment for a new mystery series. Its potential for subsequent developments and the repercussions of the revelations within the story on the principal and supporting characters heighten the anticipation for forthcoming installments. I look forward to reading the next instalment.

I want to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing the e-ARC in exchange for an impartial review. All opinions expressed are my own."

I know I’m supposed to give a brief synopsis here in my own words, but I’m so excited about discovering this series that I can’t (chuckle). I freaking love Porter Beck. This series is now a must read for me because I still can’t get Beck’s voice out of my head.

Porter Beck is investigating the rare murder in his small town, never mind that it is a gruesome incident. While tracking down a killer, he finds that there is much more than murder going on and it goes back as far as 1953.

There is humor in death and Beck brings it. Bruce Borgos has created a charmer in this world weary Sheriff. I was chuckling, shaking my head at his nonsense, and loving his instincts. It is truly Beck who makes the story. This isn’t to say that the mystery isn’t good. It is. It’s complex as it bounces back between 1953 and now. Everything connects and tracks as the story unfolds.

The ending actually surprised me and you gotta love that in a mystery. I have a new crush and his (yes “his”) name is Porter Beck. I can’t wait to read the next one.

One of my favorite recent TV series was the ironically named “The Americans,” about a family of Soviet sleeper agents masquerading as ordinary Americans during the Reagan era. Go back one generation, and Russian agents do the same thing in Bruce Borgos’ imaginative new action thriller, “The Bitter Past.” In the book, Borgos combines nuclear-test-era intrigue with a modern-day crime thriller featuring a hero who will remind readers of similar fictional lawmen like Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire.

The protagonist of “The Bitter Past” is Porter Beck, the fictional sheriff of the real-life Lincoln County, NV, due north of Las Vegas’s Clark County. The county has only 6,000 residents, but is the seventh-largest county in the United States. So, when Beck investigates the torture and murder of Ralph Atterbury, a retired FBI agent, the case taxes the resources of his tiny department. He gets some help in the form of Sana Locke, an active FBI Special Agent. She has been called in to assist in this case of a murder in the Bureau’s family.

Beck and Locke discover that the dead, retired agent was searching for a Russian sleeper agent who came to the United States in the 1950s. His mission was to spy on the U.S. nuclear testing program. The sleeper later defected, providing the FBI for many years with valuable intelligence about ongoing Russian espionage activities. Now, decades later, some modern-day Russian agents believe the former sleeper is still alive and living in Lincoln County. They tortured Atterbury in an unsuccessful attempt to learn the sleeper’s whereabouts. “The Bitter Past” also has a parallel storyline, set in the 1950s, describing that sleeper agent and his espionage activities. Fans of “The Americans” will appreciate reading that the man with a shadowy past can ingratiate himself with a nuclear scientist and his daughter to get a job at the testing facility.

Although “The Bitter Past” has a complex storyline, it’s reasonably easy to follow. The author clearly identifies his present-day and 1950s sections. Porter Beck narrates the present-day scenes, while the 1950s segments are told in the third person. The plot resembles a tricky whodunit, with clues scattered throughout the book, which the author eventually ties together. Several characters and situations are not what they first appear to be, and the story has several twists and surprises. I figured out the main twist, but the author fooled me several other times until the last couple of chapters. Further, the author gradually reveals the mystery’s answers, so the book doesn’t get bogged down with lengthy information-dump explanations that slow down the pace.

The protagonist, Porter Beck, is a good action series hero. He seems almost too well-qualified to be a Podunk county sheriff (as the author explains, his father was sheriff for many years previously). Beck has extensive army intelligence training, including a convenient previous undercover assignment in Russia, which helps make him a shrewd detective and handy with many firearms. However, he’s no Superman, but, like Superman, he’s got a weakness. Beck suffers from night blindness. And, as anyone familiar with the principle of Chekhov’s gun knows, that weakness figures into the plot at a crucial moment.

“The Bitter Past” also has some entertaining supporting characters. The villains are rather bland and have the unfortunate habit of spouting cliched dialogue that seems to come from a 1950s Red Scare thriller. However, Beck’s subordinates aren’t a group of Barney Fifes. Instead, they are surprisingly adept in weapons training and classical police work. The most entertaining supporting character (who returns in the second novel in this series) is Beck’s adopted sister, Brinley. She’s even more of a firearms expert than he is (she moonlights as a firearms consultant for film projects). She and Beck form a two-person special forces attack squad when the need arises.

I also enjoyed the attention to geographic detail the author includes in the book. Bruce Borgos comes by this naturally since he’s a longtime resident of the Lincoln County area. But for those who think Nevada is just Las Vegas plus a lot of nothing, “The Bitter Past” shows how much there is to that nothing. The author notes the county is home to the notorious Area 51 of UFO fame. Area 51 is next to Area 13, where the sleeper agent worked as a security guard and the Air Force conducted its nuclear tests. Agent Locke gets rudely introduced to Lincoln County’s vast expanse when her directive to Beck to take her to the Atterbury crime scene turns into a two-hour trek over dirt roads through rugged country. They then have an equally lengthy trip to Las Vegas, where the novel’s dead bodies (there are more murders in the book) are taken for autopsies.

“The Bitter Past” requires more than the usual suspension of disbelief found in complex thrillers of this nature. However, much of the story, especially the segments set in the past, is grounded in historical facts regarding the nuclear tests that were conducted then without adequate concerns for human safety. Once readers accept the central premise of the sleeper agent, much of the ensuing plot is at least marginally plausible.

I enjoyed “The Bitter Past” a great deal and hope to read further Porter Beck adventures. Ideally, I’d like to see him take on more of the typical run of cases a rural Nevada sheriff would encounter, similar to those that challenge Walt Longmire or Joe Pickett. I hope the author tones down Beck’s descriptions of the book’s women in sometimes sexist terms that seem to come from a 50s pulp novel. However, “The Bitter Past” is a sweet introduction to a present-day action crime series.

NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.

This story is told in first person by Porter Beck interspersed with “alternate” chapters from the past in third person following the story of a Russian spy in the 1950s who seeks out a position at a local nuclear testing site. Beck is the sheriff of a small town in Nevada, north of Las Vegas, a job that he pretty much took over from his father who is now ill and needs care. His army intelligence background gives him a unique perspective when he’s called to the scene of a grisly murder in his normally quiet jurisdiction. The victim was a retired FBI agent and Beck is quickly joined in his investigation by a current FBI agent.

I really enjoyed the characters and community in this story. Beck’s background and family complications made for a complex protagonist. The former nuclear facilities in the area have left lasting effects that influence the story and characters. There’s also a local sect of FLDS in the area. The main characters quickly discern that someone is torturing locals trying to find information about the location of a spy who fled revealing Russian secrets to the government. Beck and his department race to find the former spy before the Russians and their hired guns can.

This was a quick, adventurous read and I'm looking forward to continuing the series. Recommended to mystery readers that enjoy police procedurals and espionage.

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur for a copy provided for an honest review.

This was such an interesting book!

Thank you so much for the invite to read this series! The twists and surprises in this book were never ending, which honestly kept it interesting. I enjoyed the main characters sense of humor and side jokes/comments he would make.

The mystery itself was twisted and had a very surprising ending. I can't wait to read book 2!

Bruce Borgos's The Bitter Past masterfully intertwines a historical espionage tale with a modern-day murder mystery, creating a riveting narrative that keeps readers engaged. Set in the stark, high desert of Nevada, the story follows Sheriff Porter Beck, whose return to his hometown from a career in Army Intelligence places him at the center of a chilling investigation. The brutal murder of a retired FBI agent leads Beck into a web of secrets dating back to the nuclear age, blending historical intrigue with contemporary crime-solving in a compelling and original way.

The novel's mid-speed pace allows for a thorough exploration of both the 1950s espionage subplot and the current investigation without losing momentum. Borgos skillfully balances the dual timelines, creating a richly layered narrative that unfolds with just the right amount of suspense. The unique setting and complex characters, particularly the enigmatic Sheriff Beck, add depth to the story, making it a standout in the mystery genre. Fans of Craig Johnson and C. J. Box will appreciate this fresh yet familiar approach to crime fiction.

The Bitter Past is a dual timeline story set in and around the part of the Nevada desert that is home to the Nevada Test Site/Proving Grounds, where the US military tested nuclear devices in the 1950's. In the present timeline, Sheriff Porter Beck is called to a scene where a former FBI agent has been brutally tortured and murdered. Current Special Agent Sana Locke shows up to work with Beck on the case, providing enough information to suggest the killing is connected to a Russian spy still hiding in the U.S. and something that happened at the Nevada Test Site over 60 years ago and has been a closely guarded secret since. Beck is an interesting, smart and likable character. His military background gives him unique insight into what's happening and he's able to connect dots that nobody else sees. The plot is strong and well-paced, giving enough clues that I could guess at some of the surprises, but not all.
I was provided a digital copy of this book by the publisher to read and review in anticipation of book 2 in the series, "Shades of Mercy", and I am so glad to be introduced to this series, it is definitely going on my "must read" list!

The Bitter Past is the first book in the Porter Beck series. Set in Nevada (in dual timelines), it follows a KGB spy trying to infiltrate the nuclear program in the desert. Sixty years later, it follows Sheriff Porter Beck's investigation into the gruesome murder of a retired FBI agent. Each storyline was well-written and kept me on my toes. The author tied the two storylines in an explosive reveal I didn't see coming.