The Bitter Past is book one in the Sheriff Porter Beck mystery series by Bruce Borgos, released July 18, 2023. Book two, Shades of Mercy, releases July 16, 2024, and the review of that book will go live on Bayside Book Reviews and its Instagram page on release day. (Spoiler alert: The book is AWESOME, 5 Stars!)

Since this reviewer absolutely loved Shades of Mercy, I decided to go back to the beginning and read book one, The Bitter Past. I intend to follow this fabulous series long term. Bruce Borgos has written an outstanding modern day western hero in Sheriff Porter Beck of Nevada. Beck's character arc grows significantly from the first book to the second (and I admit I prefer the more seasoned Beck in book two), though his backstory gives us greater perspective and appreciation for his growth.

The Bitter Past is a well-written, well-paced mystery with a hero worthy of admiration, and a unique cast of quirky secondary characters who help him solve crimes and restore order to their remote desert county. This new series is highly entertaining and highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing an advance copy of this book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

An intriguing novel that delves into the secret world of the cold war, atom and nuclear bombs, spies and espionage. The author takes you to dusty desert in Lincoln County Nevada, an area where the people have lived with military testing sites in their backyards. They have seen and experienced the horrible results of radiation fallout, they have lost loved ones and watched as their appeals for help were ignored. The testing has stopped, the bases are closed and the fear the people lived with daily is gone. Life has slowly returned to normal as the years have passed.
But those bases held secrets that had never been fully revealed. And when a retired FBI agent who had made his home in Lincoln was brutally murdered the secrets began to leak out.
As ex-military man, Sheriff Beck starts to delve into the depths of this case he finds that the more he uncovers the more he finds that needs to be uncovered. A plot filled with intrigue, mystery, and an insight into the covert operations of the government agencies.
I especially liked the way the author took the reader back to the past and let the reader experience the events as they originally took place.
The characters, past and present, were well done and fit into the story line perfectly. They were real to the reader, and you were involved with them as they progressed through the story. The plot was interesting, and the ending was a great finish.

Thank you to Negalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

I enjoyed this book. I thought the writing was tight, the plot believable and the characters were interesting. The only part of the book that I found a little too much was the attraction between the sheriff and the NSA officer. To this woman, the description of their attraction was a little too much "good old boy". However, it was but a minor flaw in an otherwise very readable, and enjoyable book.

The Bitter Past introduces us to Porter Beck, the sheriff of Lincoln County, over 10,000 square miles of dry, sparsely populated land in the southeast part of Nevada. Its claim to fame is Area 51, the epicenter of UFO/UAP conspiracies. That seems fitting since Sheriff Beck finds himself unraveling an epic conspiracy, one that seems as rooted in the past and the Los Alamos nuclear research. Indeed, the narrative jumps from the present to the past and the Soviet agent working to infiltrate the program.

The Bitter Past begins with the murder of a retired FBI agent who had been interrogated using multiple forms of torture. It is a horrific death. The FBI wants to be sure it’s not tied into his work and sends an agent, the very beautiful Sana Locke who piques more than Beck’s interest. If that is not enough for the county’s deputies to handle, there is a kidnapping of a woman from a polygamist Mormon clan to divide their focus. Beck thinks dividing their attention might just be the purpose.

In addition to two difficult cases, Beck is burdened with open disrespect from a former police chief who is angry that his local police have been merged with the county sheriff’s with him in the junior position and with a brand new officer recently hired by the former police chief. If that were not enough, his father, the former sheriff, is suffering from age-related dementia.



The Bitter Past is a solid mystery with a complex plot that is fair. Readers can reason their way to not only the solution, but many of the revelations along the way. It is fast-paced and will keep your attention, perhaps even rob you of sleep. However, I found myself rolling my eyes and thinking “of course he does” several times when Beck revealed himself the possessor of arcane knowledge and skills that made him more suitable for a Marvel comic and a Jeopardy tournament than a novel. I hope in future books in what could be a fabulous series, Bruce Borgos will allow Porter Beck a few flaws and have him reach for Google once in a while.

I received an e-galley of The Bitter Past from the publisher through NetGalley.

The Bitter Past at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Bruce Borgos author site

I can’t believe I waited almost a year from publication to read this one. It was simply fabulous and exactly what I needed to read that day! I’m so excited for the second installment of this series that publishes in July. Porter Beck is my new book boyfriend. He’s loyal, rugged, and great at his job as sheriff in the Nevada desert. Told between two time periods, it dove into Beck’s past and set up the backstory for future installments. I loved the mystery and how the details were unraveled between the two time periods. Must read in my opinion for anyone who is a crime mystery reader!

I read this book in one sitting and then read it again! It is tense, exciting and heartbreaking all at once with well developed characters and a really intense story. The narrative moves between WWII and the current day, winding around atomic bomb testing in the southwest and the later attempt to bring a Russian spy to justice. Characters renegotiate their world view as they come to terms with their lives over the years, leading the reader through a range of emotions that runs from appalled to sympathetic. An excellent story.

First read with the author and will definitely read more. First book in a series and I will continue it. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

A horrific murder scene opens this thrilling mystery. Main character Sheriff Porter Beck leads a small team of twelve, policing a huge area in Nevada.

The dead man was tortured, and Beck, a former military intelligence officer, has a feeling there’s more going on. When he finds out the dead man was an FBI agent, and who, despite being retired, seemed to be running his own investigation on a 1950s era, former embedded Russian spy, thanks to intel from FBI agent Sana Locke, who arrives to find out what stage dead agent Atterbury’s investigation was.

After recovering the dead man’s files, and getting shot at by an unidentified Russian spy/assassin, Beck and company realize they must determine the identities of two spies: the young man at the nuclear facility, and the guy hunting down this now elderly man, likely in his eighties.

Author Bruce Borgos not only gives us the suspense-laden present-day investigation, we also meet the Russian spy in the past who gets a job at the facility after romancing a woman with a connection he needs, which is a scientist working on a project the Russian government is very interested in at the nuclear testing facility.

This book kept me reading late into the night as Beck has two urgent searches to manage. Beck and Sana and his team work hard to try to keep ahead of the assassin, who manages to murder another elderly man. And to top it all off, a young woman at a polygamist settlement is kidnapped.

I particularly liked getting to know the 1950s-era spy, and how his outlook on his assignment gradually changed. In the present, the frantic search through likely candidates was nerve-wracking. Borgos used the changes in timeline, as well as moments spent with Beck's former sheriff dad (suffering from dementia) and his adopted sister, a brilliant and dangerous young woman, to break up the tension. Beck's occasional puns, and his wry sense of humour are also great at easing the tension, before the author built it up again. The story was violent, funny, and interesting. I am on board for the next entry in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Thank to you netgalley.com for this ARC.

This was a great mystery novel taking place in a dual time line in Nevada. Dealing with the nuclear bombs creations, secret Russian spies, small town religious sects, and murder all rolled into one. There were a couple of good twists and overall a good story. Loved learning more about the secret locations in the west during the 1950's and the cold war.

I look forward to more books in this series.

Unfortunately, I had to give up on this one. It never really got going and it wasn't holding my interest. The characters weren't engaging or interesting and they didn't get me invested in them or the story around them. What I did read of the book was good, it was just boring.

I liked the feel of this book. It definitely read as an action/thriller spy kind of thing which was a nice change of pace for a small-town cop story. Borgia kicks his series off with a bang, and gives us a potential international incident, spies, and a heartbreaking dual timeline set during the Cold War.

Most of the characters were so likable! However, these were definitely women written by a man. This is absolutely not a bad thing, particularly as they really fit in with the traditional spy thriller that draws, usually male, readers. As not a male reader, it was just funny to see some of these descriptions. None of it really took away from what happened in the book.

The characters I wasn’t fond of were those readers weren’t exactly supposed to like, and the twists with a few of them were surprising, so overall, following them was an interesting experience.

Our protagonist is suave and direct, supported by the writing style and word choice.

Borgos definitely hits the demographic nail on the head, creates an interesting backstory for several characters, and wrote a historical perspective that was not only intriguing but supported the present narrative while adding a touch of romance and perspective. Both arcs built off each other and beautifully encouraged the suspense.

I’m definitely planning to read the next one because it was a fun, easy read with everything you want in a thriller. Definitely one I recommend if you like old-school James Bond or Tom Sellick.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I found this book to be a terrific read. There were twists and turns which came to a satisfying conclusion. Initially, I was confused about the need to swing between the 1950s and current times, but as the story continued, I understood the purpose. The main character, Porter Beck, is an upstanding man facing some physical issues, as well as dealing with his father’s declined mental state.

As you continue with the story, all of this will come together, and you’ll find yourself rooting for the Beck family. I look forward to the next installment.

“Science never sleeps.”

New-to-me author Bruce Borgos got my attention with that shocking introduction and managed to maintain it until the last page!

I loved the opportunity to solve the crimes, discover why someone went missing or went undercover, and learn so much about Area 51/Delta, downwinders, the Dragon Lady, Project 57, Operation Plumbob, empty graves, the FLDS, and land-based ICBMs, to name just a few!

In addition to my appreciation of Burgos's ability to show not tell, I loved being able to work alongside the detectives to realize why a certain crime could not have been labeled a suicide.

Although I smiled at the connection between Special Agent Sana Locke and Sheriff Porter Beck and was interested in their crime-solving, it was Freddie Meyer’s plot that I found the most compelling.

I can’t wait for the next Porter Beck Mystery!

I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Really, really enjoyed this book. I liked the casual writing style and I really liked the character of Porter Beck. Not usually into books about spies, but this was so well done and had twists and turns and was just fun and entertaining. Immediately got the next book, Shades of Mercy and read that one too! Can't wait for another Porter Beck story to come out!!

Fun read! A good combo of Cold War spy thriller and small town cop has to solve a murder. Both good genres and they work well together for this book, which I enjoyed.

Porter Beck is the sheriff in the high desert of Nevada. It is usually a low crime area, but now a former FBI agent is found dead ad his death was not pleasant at all - he was apparently brutally tortured. Beck uses his skills well - he was a former army intelligence officer, and realizes the FBI agent’s files in his hidden home were from years earlier when nuclear testing was done in Nevada. Current FBI agent shows up offering help in finding who is behind the torture and death of the former agent. The story goes back and forth between present day and the late 1950’s when the nuclear testing was taking place. We meet many characters - the officers in the sheriff’s department, Beck’s father, the former sheriff who now is showing signs of dementia, and Beck’s sister Brin among them. The characters are well written . The story moves along well for the most part, I felt it dragged a bit in the past sections, and a few surprises along the way. I give the book 4 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book was published in July, 2023.

After retiring from the Army, Porter Beck returns home to take on the role as sheriff of Lincoln County, located in the high desert of Nevada. When a retired FBI agent is killed, a mystery from 60 years ago involving a Russian KGB agent who came to pilfer the United States’ nuclear technology appears to be linked to the recent death. The nuclear testing site storyline, the FBI aspects of the story, and the ending make this an all-around fabulous read. This is a huge page turner. I just loved it. 4.5 stars.

"The Bitter Past" by Bruce Borgos serves up a wild ride in a small Nevada town, hinting at a promising series ahead. Sheriff Beck, armed with his military background, finds himself smack in the middle of a tangled case when a retired FBI agent's death raises suspicions.

Teaming up with FBI agent Sona, Beck dives headfirst into the investigation, uncovering layers of intrigue that span both past and present. The narrative effortlessly flips between timelines, weaving in a thrilling subplot involving a Russian spy and a covert nuclear testing base in Nevada.

While the story keeps the adrenaline pumping with its constant action, some moments might feel a tad over-the-top or cheesy. The sudden romance between Beck and Sona feels a bit forced, sticking out like a sore thumb in an otherwise gritty tale of crime and espionage.

That said, the historical subplot steals the show with its gripping portrayal of espionage and secrecy. Despite its flaws, "The Bitter Past" lays down a solid groundwork for future adventures, leaving readers hungry for more from this dynamic duo.

My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book.

As some of the older series that I've read are winding down, I'm always on the lookout for something that scratches the itch.
This was a great introduction to the series. I'm now hooked and i've read both this and the sequel in over the past.3 days.

The writing style is crisp, and i enjoyed the twists and turns. The plot is gripping, and I see a cast of secondary characters that I can enjoy as the series contineus

Thanks Netgalley and St Martin's Press for providing a reader. copy. Thank you for a well authored novel Bruce, and I look forward to more adventures wth Porter Beck.

On a February Friday in a remote, off-the-grid house set in front of the vast Big Rocks Wilderness in Lincoln County, Nevada, sheriff’s deputies, responding to a welfare check request, discover the horrifically tortured corpse of retired FBI special agent Ralph Atterbury. No property is missing and there’s no sign of forced entry suggesting Atterbury had let the killer into the house. It’s clear from both the manner of death and condition of the house that the killer was searching for something. Lincoln County Sheriff Porter Beck launches an investigation.

After notifying the FBI field office in Las Vegas of the murder, Sana Locke arrives in Beck’s office, identifying herself as an FBI special agent, and the investigation takes an unexpected turn. Sheriff Beck learns the motive behind Atterbury’s death stretches back to the Cold War and the atmospheric nuclear tests at the Nevada Proving Grounds back in the 1950s. Beck, his deputies, and Locke team up to search for Atterbury’s killer. The sheriff learns from her they are looking for Russian intelligence officers who will continue killing until they find what they are searching for, a Russian spy from the fifties who betrayed the Soviet Union and disappeared in the United States. Along the way, Beck, a former Army intelligence officer, learns that there is more to Sana Locke than meets the eye and discovers something completely unexpected about his own past.

Bruce Borgos’ gripping mixed genre mystery and espionage thriller centers on the search for a former Russian intelligence officer who spied on the American nuclear program in the 1950s and then betrayed the Soviet Union and disappeared. Now both American and Russian intelligence are searching for him and the Russians will kill as many people as they have to in order to find their traitorous comrade first.

This mixed genre novel blends mystery and thriller genres themes of betrayal, government corruption, and closely held secrets in an imaginative plot that maintains the reader’s interest and presents a compelling set of characters and suspects. The Bitter Past will satisfy both crime and espionage thriller seasoned readers, following a standard police procedural narrative that keeps readers guessing until the final chapter. What is initially a gruesome one-off murder soon leads to more killings, and the pacing and tension remain at a high level throughout the entire story as a rural sheriff’s department and a federal agent pursue Russian intelligence assassins in a remote part of Nevada.

The Bitter Past consists of many notable secondary characters to keep the story interesting—in particular, Porter Beck, his father Joe Beck, sister Brinley, and Sana Locke, all of whom hold significant presences in the story.

A strong setting anchors the novel—the enormous but sparsely populated Lincoln County, Nevada near the infamous secret federal government Area 51 site. A county about the size of Maryland with only a 12-person sheriff’s department to maintain law and order is filled with eccentric and interesting characters and long-held secrets. Largely character-driven with a tight plot, Borgos does well in capturing the isolated county that contributes to a sense of foreboding that puts the reader in mind of many Australian rural crime novels. Readers will find the conclusion particularly satisfying.