3.5 stars rounded up. I have mixed emotions about this book. It was a very interesting story and I liked the dual timelines. The historical events were well plotted and it kept my attention. However, I didn't care for the feeble attempt at romance between Beck and the FBI agent. And one of my pet peeves, sooooo many characters to keep up with, it was hard at times to separate the good ones from the bad ones. But I did enjoy the book and since it is the start of a series, I will probably read the next one. My thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

So well written drew me right in.Enjoyed the two time lines the characters .Definitely will be recommending and following the author.#netgalley #the bitterpast.

I was intrigued by the dual timeline plot, investigating a present day murder with the backdrop of Soviet spies and nuclear testing in Nevada in the 50s. Very timely with the release of the Oppenheimer movie this month. The murder investigation and past timeline details were well done. It otherwise would have been a solid 3-4 star rating. However, the sexist language was so pervasive and the interactions between the main character and most of the women in this book were equal parts problematic and cringe-worthy (specific examples available upon request).
*Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books (ebook) and Recorded Books for the advance copies for review.

Bruce Borgos, series debut, The Bitter Past, is a strong, plotted, intelligent, complicated story that explores little-known history. I instantly enjoyed Sheriff Beck's witty narrative, even though he comes across as sexist when he has fun sizing up Agent Santa Locke, who is called in to help him with the mystery around a gruesome discovery, "Zero body fat, a BMI built for a BMW. Right off a New York runway if she was so inclined." ~Beck. Normally that would be a turn-off for me. Still, Bruce Borgos won me over with his cast of fascinating, amusing, damaged characters and their witty, humorous dialogue that offsets the tension.

There is plenty of action with a race against time element. The barren, haunted Nevada desert is an unforgiving backdrop that drives the tension forward. However, the characters will have me reading the second book in the series.

The summary of this book sounded so interesting and it was all that and more! Sheriff Porter Beck, the new sheriff in Lincoln County, is former military and worked in Army Intelligence. He is smart, clever and at times a bit sarcastic. A retired FBI agent has been viciously murdered. He was researching the involvement, decades ago, of a Russian spy at the nuclear testing site. It is believed the spy gained employment to do the bidding of the Russian government, a situation that could have caused the deaths of thousands in Las Vegas. The story moves back and forth from the present to the past when the spy, using the name Freddie Meyer, became infatuated with the daughter of a physicist who worked at the facility. Realizing what he was to do, he betrayed Russia. Now, a Russian spy is trying to locate the traitor and return him to Russia. Suspense, intrigue and a twist at the end as Beck and his team try to find and outsmart the killer. I think this might be a series and I sure hope so! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

The Bitter Past by Bruce Burgos was a police/FBI thriller about a Russian spy that had embedded himself in the nuclear testing facility in Nevada in the mid-fifties. The problem was, the Russians had lost him and for some reason now, more than 50 years later they wanted him back. They were killing people and Sheriff Porter Beck didn’t like it. It liked it even less when they sent an FBI agent to help him in his investigation. A beautiful FBI agent named Sana Locke, who was there because a retired agent had been the first victim. And it had been gruesome. Tortured first, grotesquely. At the same time, a young woman from the local FLDS compound was reported missing. Theirs was a small force, hardly adequate for one investigation, certainly not two. But Beck knew what he was doing: former military intelligence and years spent in Russia. He was the man for the job.

Beck was a good man, and smart. His biggest issue was that he was night blind. It was getting worse and that was why he’d left the army. He thought he’d hidden it pretty well, but it was getting tougher. Sana was beautiful and smart. There was an attraction, but it was complicated. The plot was interesting and multi-faceted. It calls into question the government’s role in the testing and coverups which took place in regard to nuclear bombs. It also brought to the forefront the possibility that Russian spies are still being embedded in the US. Frightening. The plot was good but I saw it coming . . . the two big reveals. They were still exciting when they happened. It was a good book.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Bitter Past by St. Martin’s Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #BruceBurgos #TheBitterPast

This story opens with the gruesome murder of an ex-FBI agent. So it's not surprising when an FBI agent shows. However, from the start it is obvious that something is off. But what? In addition to this storyline, we are also taken back to the mid-1950s nuclear testing and a Russian spy. The transition between the present and the past was handled well and added to the depth of the story. There is an interesting mix of characters, although personally I did not care for Beck's juvenile behavior when he first met Special Agent Locke. Thankfully that was a very small part of the overall story. We get a clear description of the settings in the story and there are many twists and turns in both the past and the present.

I love beach reads and this one is a fast, fun read. This book had me turning the pages so fast to see what would happen. You will definitely enjoy this thriller. Many thanks to the author, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is about detective Porter Beck when he is called to a man’s home who has been burned and clearly tortured he is at first baffled but when he finds remnants from the nuclear war he is downright confused. Eventually he will get help from FBI agent Shana lock someone he finds himself extremely attracted to and she seems to feel the same the case he will investigate will dredge up things from his past and although he is a new sheriff and has taken over for his dad who has dementia is dead may just help him solve the case or at least be a part of it. I love intelligent books about those who fight crime and solve mysteries but I do not like things to do with the CIA an international humbug but I must admit this book held my attention until the end it took me one day to read it and I would definitely be interested in reading the next book as this is the first in the series. I do want to say everyone in this book had the strangest names I am just stating that as a fact here is a negative I thought it a bit ridiculous that Tubi his crime scene photographer is supposed to take pictures of dead bodies yet bad smells make her nauseated and sometimes even worse. That is a bad affliction for someone with her career to have but that is just a small part of what is a great read. I want to think Net Galle minotaur books in Saint Martin’s press please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review. y

The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos is part spy thriller, part police drama, part historical fiction…all of my favorite genres all rolled into one! The story takes place in remote Lincoln County, Nevada, where there are few people and lots of land. It is the place where the government did nuclear testing in the 50s. The story jumps back and forth between the present day hunt for a former Soviet spy and the spy’s story from the 1950s.

I really liked the main character, Sheriff Porter Beck. The author does a great job of weaving together all the pieces of this mystery and teaches you something about the nuclear age. I would definitely read another book if this series continues!

The Bitter Past is a captivating mystery infused with espionage, intriguing storytelling and skillfully crafted characters.

A retired FBI agent is tortured and killed in Nevada and it falls to Sheriff Porter Beck to investigate. Beck is a former member of the military who worked with Intelligence until a medical condition forced his retirement. The agent had been investigating the infiltration of Russians in the early days of the nuclear testing programs and his death points to Russian involvement. fBI agent Sana Locke arrives to assist Beck but withholds information vital to the case. When the tortured body of a second retiree is found, Beck’s investigation takes him back to the 1950s and a former security guard named Freddie Weaver. Weaver’s burned body was found with the bodies of four Russian agents in 1957, a time when a crucial test was planned. He was actually Georgiy Dudko, dating the daughter of one of the scientists and passing nuclear secrets to his handler. If he had actually survived, he would be the same age as the two victims. Beck and Locke must try to find him, but someone seems to be two steps ahead of them. In an effort to narrow the search, Beck calls on his father, the retired sheriff who is more familiar with the residents of the area.

Bruce Borgos’ story follows a dual timeline as Beck investigates in the present and the story of Weaver/Dudko is revealed in the past. He takes you back to a time when the results of nuclear fallout were still largely unknown. As they became evident they were weighed against the growing arms race with Russia. The Bitter Past is a fast moving mystery as well as a fascinating look at the past and Borgos has provided a true page turner. I would like to thank. EtGalley for providing this book for my review.

The Bitter Past by Bruce Borgos is a spy/crime thriller that will have you holding your breath until the last page.

This books dual timelines of the Past and Present seems to merge into one great story. In the present we are following Sheriff Porter Beck, our narrator, who grew up in the town. Beck enlisted in the Army and served in Intelligence. He served in the shadows, in places he could never discuss. Now he has returned to his home town to become the Sheriff. Then we have the past, taking place in the 1950s during the testing of nuclear bombs in Nevada’s desert.

Beck is happy being in his small quiet small town, when all of a sudden there are several deaths in his jurisdiction. The story opens up with the investigation of a brutal crime scene of a murdered FBI agent. The scene reviles the FBI Agent was tortured. With these clues a hunt for a hidden Russian mole is underway.

Something far more serious and complicated is going on. Soon they will learn the case has ties to events from the 1950's and Beck's career in the Army intelligence in Russia.

The Bitter Past is a fast-paced blend of police procedural, espionage thriller, and historical fiction that grabs the reader on the first page and never lets go. A really good mystery and I can’t wait to read more about Beck in this upcoming series.

The Bitter Past is a nice debut from Bruce Borgos.

"Sheriff Beck gets a call to a murder scene where it looks like the victim, a retired FBI agent, was tortured. The killer was obviously after some information but what was it? Did the killer get what he came for? Does it have anything to do with the county being close to the old Nuclear testing areas of the 50's? Beck must get answers if he wants to find and stop the killer."

This is crime fiction - but with the flavor of Cold War espionage. The setting is part of wide-open Nevada - a big county with few people and fewer law enforcement personnel. There are multiple layers to several characters. Sheriff Beck is full of surprises - from his military background and medical condition. The killer - hiding in plain sight. And probably my favorite character is Brin - Beck's sister. I hope we get a future book with her as the main character.
This book has dual timelines. The present and past events from the 50s that have everyone looking for answers.
The reveal was a surprise and the ending makes me want to visit Nevada. There's also some interesting tidbits about the fallout from previous nuclear testing.
Borgos has great pace in this book. It's Cold War fiction with a modern twist. Can't wait to see more.

I read this in a day and want more! This is a great story of a former military intelligence office who has settled down in Nevada as Sheriff of Lincoln County. A surprising murder that draws the interest of the FBI pulls him back into the days of the Cold War and, why not, Area 51.
The story telling is magnificent and truly captured the feeling of the Cold War, both in the flashbacks and in how it hangs over us today. I can't wait for more in this series, highly recommend! Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Former Army Intelligence turned Nevada Sheriff Porter Beck is a sheriff in a large, sparsely populated county in Northern Nevada. All things are fairly routine for him and his department until a former FBI agent is found to have been brutally tortured and murdered. The case has links back to the Cold War when they tested nuclear weapons in the desert of Nevada in the 1950s. When an FBI agent shows up to assist, Porter wonders if there's more to this case than meets the eye.

This is the first in a series featuring Porter Beck. I enjoyed the character building and the plot. The story is told in two timelines; the present investigation and in the 1950s at the Nevada testing site. I enjoyed both timelines but found myself more interested in the past timeline as it took Beck's character a little bit to grow on me. I enjoyed the other characters in the book and the pacing made this book hard to put down. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. If you like a snarky, punny sheriff then this one is worth a read!

My thanks to Saint Martin's Press, Minotaur, authorBruce Borgos, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

An intriguing story. I enjoyed the characters in this book. The mystery in the story is mixed in with a story from the past. The story in the past brings up a time in US history that often is ignored. The transitions between the past and current time worked really well. Both stories were interesting and kept me reading to find out how it would end. I enjoyed the book a lot. I received advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Beck is the local sheriff in a rural county in Nevada. Not too many crazy things happen there until a former FBI agent is found tortured. Along comes FBI Agent Sana Locke to help hunt down the killer. Beck soon finds out that the killings are linked to the past and the nuclear testing that happened in the area. Can Sheriff Beck and Special Agent Sana Locke figure out who the killer is before its too late?

The book is told in two different timelines past and present. The past is told in a Russian spies POV. The Russian spy worked in Nevada trying to get information. The present is told in Sheriff Beck's POV. At first I didn't like Beck, but he grew on me. I thought Beck was an insanely smart cop. I also liked Brin, she seemed like such a badass female character. I would have liked to see more of her! I did call one of the twists early on but was surprised on the other!

Being from Utah, I always like reading books where I am familiar-ish with the locations. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the copy of the book!

This Revenge Was Not Served Cold

The novel opens with a very gruesome murder scene. An FBI agent, who has been retired for 20 years, is found bound and terribly tortured. Sheriff Porter Beck tells a deputy to notify the Las Vegas FBI office of the retired agent’s death. When an FBI agent from Washington, D.C. arrives, Beck learns that this FBI agent was still searching for an illegal Soviet spy that worked in the nearby atomic testing grounds. From this start, an engrossing novel of espionage and revenge wrapped in a police procedural begins.

There are three major threads in the main storyline. The first is all flashbacks and tells the story of a Soviet spy at the Nevada atomic test site. This thread merges with the current thread which is the hunt for a Russian assassin killing people looking for that spy. The last thread is about kidnapping of a young wife from a breakaway polygamist Mormon sect. With the assassin killing the Soviet spy last handler and another man who could be the Soviet spy, and the kidnapping of a young wife, the tension is cranked up to high very quickly. The author masterfully weaves these threads, especially the flashbacks, into an easy to follow and very captivating story. I was hooked quickly. I could not stop reading and finished it in 75% of my average reading time.

As this novel appears to be a stand-alone, the background on Sheriff Beck is quite extensive. Most of it is provided through Beck’s interactions, thoughts, and conversations with the FBI agent. There was a quick thread when he was a military attaché in the US Embassy in Moscow. This provides Beck with experience in the dark world of espionage. In addition to the Beck’s background, there is a very interesting B-storyline between one of his best deputies, Arshal Jessup and his brother Amon who is an elder in a local Mormon sect. This storyline also plays heavily in the kidnapping portion of the main storyline. To add to this, there are two C-storylines in the novel. The first is the relations ship between Arshal and Amon that changes over the course of the novel. The second is the story of the illegal Soviet spy into US intelligence asset. All these aspects added much richness to the novel and enhanced my reading enjoyment.

As for the aspects that may cause some readers to stop reading, there may be reasons for concern with this novel. There is on brief intimate scene, and some innuendo. There is rude and vulgar language but not excessive. There is more impious language than I’ve seen in the novels I read. Violence is described in the edgier as it occurs, but after the fact for the more gruesome violence. There are not any previous novels, so there are not any issues concerning anything in this novel that depends upon a previous novel.

This novel has in spades all the aspects for me to have a high-star rating. The main storyline with a rich background story and rich B- and C-storylines quickly captured my interest. Probably, my time in the Navy military and civilian made the cavalier sharing of classified information bothersome for me. Then, I also noticed that the author changed history, physics, and chemistry to reinforce the main storyline. For me, these aspects decreased my reading enjoyment. This is a work of fiction, and these aspects were needed to facilitate the flow of the novel. As these aspects may be more personal to me, I am mentioning them and, let you decide. I really like the last chapter. I do recommend reading this novel for most readers. While for most readers, this can be a five-star read, for me it was a four-star read.

I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Minotaur/St. Martin’s Press. My review is based only on my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Minotaur/St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

I stopped at the 30% mark and did not finish this book. I did not like the main character, Sheriff Beck. I found his point of view to be sexist and insulting that he could only make physical observations about the female FBI agent. He stayed hung up on her looks instead of her intelligence or other characteristics. I'm sure others will like this book, but it just was not for me.