The first half of this book seems to concentrate on Dave Beckett's escapades as a sheriff's deputy in San Bernardino County, Ca in 1984 with occasional flashbacks to a case which haunts him. We see glimpses of his relationship with his father but no mention of his mother who played a more prominent role in the first book. Too bad because I quite liked her. The second half seems to take place after the events in Book #1 when Dave becomes known by his colleagues as the Bone Dick.

This book, although an interesting read, seems more like just a recital of all the cases Dave has solved and I was waiting and waiting for a hint as to what the story is actually about. I never did figure that out. People keep disappearing from his life - his father, his deputy buddy, the female acting detective he's developed feelings for - and all except the acting detective remain disappeared at the end. To me Dave's actually not very likeable in this book and seems to have a real anger management problem as well as a resistance to authority. There's a lot of action and I was entertained by the book although not as much as the first one. I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book in this series. 3.5 Stars rounded down.

Thank you to Level Best Books via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication: October 17, 2023

Rollercoaster pan none!. Dave Beckett is the willow not the oak when it comes to procedures and has the reputation on both sides of opinion. Good plot and good momentum.

Book Review: A Lonesome Blood-Red Sun (The Bone Detective, Dave Beckett #2) by David Putnam
Published by Level Best Books, October 17, 2023

★★★★☆ (4.0 Stars!)
Mixed.

This is the fifth book I've read by the author, following three books in his incredibly compelling protagonist fighting the good fight, "Bruno Johnson" with the ARC on its eleventh iteration on my TBR, "The Diabolical", out on February 6, 2024.

// A Lonesome Blood-Red Sun (The Bone Detective, Dave Beckett #2) by David Putnam //

When I first read Book 1 of David Putnam's "Dave Beckett" series, I thought only one word came to mind.

Authentic!

I could also see a strong moral compass in a book quite reminiscent of those classic Joseph Wambaugh novels. Fearless, out in the streets of L.A. "The New Centurions." (1970). "The Blue Knight". (1972) "The Choir Boys". (1975).

// San Bernardino County, Southern California, 1979.
.....David Putnam's version is part memoir, part fiction, hardly embellished, Mama's boy, warts and all, with the entire narrative based on stories and cases compiled over a life-long career dedicated to law enforcement. I get a glimpse inside the persona - the author's blood, sweat and tears of what it was like for a beat cop to work the streets. And then some.

"Dave Beckett" he gets his cherry popped with his first call on the swing shift, a call which leaves him rattled and shaken. Then his first "code 3 run, lights and siren" to an "unknown injury traffic accident" which turns out to be a "1144, fatal accident".

Beckett's first armed apprehension. His first officer-involved shooting.... //

But, alas, this was not to be as ground-breaking as I thought.

Just too much tedious heavy baggage on the memoir part. And not entirely that creative and compelling on the fiction part.

Still, I'd read and review, Dave Beckett Book Three, if and when it emanates.

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Best-selling Author David Putnam parleys his years of law enforcement into the palpable realism of his writing. Inter-alia, he was with the real Hawaii Five-O, a narc, on an FBI-sponsored team, with a SWAT team and has supervised corrections, patrol, and a detective bureau.

Review based on an advance reading copy courtesy of Level Best Books and NetGalley.

A Lonesome Blood-Red Sun by David Putnam, the second book in the trilogy featuring Dave Beckett, offers a gritty and realistic take on homicide investigations in the unforgiving backdrop of Southern California's Mojave desert. I hadn't realised that this was the second book in a series though, until I had already received this ARC, but that didn't take away my enjoyment from the book.

This story opens in 1984 with a young and impulsive Beckett, a rookie sheriff's deputy driven by his relentless pursuit of justice. His determination to ascend to the homicide division is challenged by his audacious disregard for the rules and his propensity to speak his mind. Alongside his partner, struggling with their own traumas, Beckett faces harassment from a senior officer. The narrative then leaps four years ahead, with Beckett now working alone and still haunted by his past. When a leg bone discovered in the desert turns out to be someone he was close to, Beckett becomes consumed by the need to find their killer.

While I found the pacing a bit uneven and at times felt like a series of anecdotes piecing together late in the story, Beckett's irreverent attitude and constant defiance of authority were somewhat off-putting. His selective enforcement of the law, such as arresting someone he doesn't like for a crime while aiding a friend in a similar situation, made it difficult to fully empathize with him.

Nonetheless, what truly shines in this novel is Putnam's masterful use of language. His writing is sharp and evocative, far superior to many crime writers. The storyline is terrifying at times and is full of suspense that has you at the edge of your seat. A lot of the incidents described in the book are inspired by true events, most of which the author has experienced himself when he was on the force and that's why he captures the essence of the weariness and cynicism that comes with a career in law enforcement.

The resolution of the various mysteries within the story is well-executed, and Putnam skillfully leaves some storylines open for exploration in the final installment of the trilogy.

A Lonesome Blood-Red Sun is the second book in the Dave Beckett series by best-selling American author, David Putnam. In 1984, Deputy Dave Beckett is working as a patrol cop out of Hesperia Station, catching crooks, unofficially mentoring rookies, covering for PTSD-affected colleagues, failing to stay under the radar of brass that dislike him, and hoping the standard of his work will count towards becoming a homicide detective. He has a case with a perpetrator still at large, one whose victim haunts him, one that he wants to follow up.

On top of that, his marriage has broken up, he’s reconnected with the father who left when he was young, and he’s trying to generously support his ex and their daughter financially. Despite a brutal divorce, he still has feelings for his ex, but those are tested when a pretty young Deputy from Victorville Station begs for his help. Together, he and Jimmie Poe make surprise arrests in two cases deemed “go-nowhere”. Unfortunately, this time Dave’s penchant for immature pranks blows back onto Jimmie.

Four years on, Dave’s dubious methods for getting arrests has seen him relegated to Bone Detective, investigating the finds in the desert around San Bernadino, a popular place for body disposal. His preoccupation with arresting a drug-dealing murderer leads to a delay in following up a bone find. When he does, checking with neighbours in the area leads to a grisly find: the true fate of sweet Jimmie Poe, presumed to have abandoned her deputy job a few years earlier. But will his captain let him take part in the investigation?

The author’s former career as a policeman certainly informs his work and the first part sometimes reads more like a memoir than a novel: a string of incidents that tend to paint the protagonist as impulsive and rather arrogant, if effective. The bullying, petty jealousies and use of questionable methods ring true, as does the unprofessional behaviour of some of his colleagues and the tacit approval of his immediate superiors, given his success rate.

There’s plenty of good detective work in this police procedural, and lots of action building up to a nail-biting climax and ending with and a hefty body count, but there are unresolved issues, unexplained but significant incidents, and the major unresolved issue from the previous book is summarily dismissed with a few short lines. This ARC does have quite a lot of spelling errors and continuity issues that have, hopefully, been corrected for the final print version. Still very readable American crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Level Best Books.

EXCERPT: I was a minor celebrity over the OIS, Officer Involved Shooting. The one where six years earlier I was in the slit trench next to the little girl, with the suspect throwing dirt on top of us. I came to after being hit in the face with a shovel. And while being buried alive, I pulled my back-up ankle-carry pistol and shot the suspect five times.
I didn't consider myself a hero.
The crook got away and was still on the loose. Because of my failed marksmanship the little girl continued to follow me around in my nightmares asking me, 'Why?'

ABOUT 'A LONESOME BLOOD-RED SUN': Dave Beckett, a homicide detective who doesn’t color within the lines, is regulated to the lowest job in the division and is known by his peers as The Bone Dick. He handles all “bag of bone” cases found in San Bernardino County’s twenty thousand square miles, at present, count 256 pending unsolved. It’s a boring, mundane job…until it isn’t. In A Fearsome Blood-Red Sun, Beckett is called to a house far out in the desert where a dog has brought a bone to the back door. Beckett investigates and discovers the victim, two years dead, is someone he knows. Beckett, with his usual verve and colorful methods, tracks the killer. The trail leads through a warren of dead ends until he discovers a most unlikely suspect hiding in plain sight.

MY THOUGHTS: A lot of the incidents described in A Lonesome Blood-Red Sun are true, having happened to the author when he was on the force. Some have been modified to fit the story and, occasionally, they are pure fiction.

I loved the first book in this series, however this one fell a little short for me.

A Fearsome Blood-Red Sun is written in two halves, the first taking place while Dave Beckett is still a detective, the second after his demotion to 'the bone dick'. There seems to be a gap of several years in between the two halves which isn't explained. I can't honestly say I preferred one half to the other, but there's not much detail provided about Dave's work as the bone dick.

Dave is a maverick; he's a loner, restless, hot-headed, angry at any number of things, and is constantly ignoring orders from his superior officers. His personal life doesn't fare much better - he's still angry and alone. As a cop who could track an armed and dangerous crook five miles across the desert on a moonless night, he's a man who can't figure out how to talk to a woman who attracts him without stepping on his tongue. He's recently reconnected with his father who was in jail for a large part of Dave's life. Just as they are beginning to settle into their relationship his father once again disappears, as does a younger female officer Dave has been helping and feels attracted to. This second disappearance is the main focus of the novel, although we learn about the disappearance in retrospect.

While I enjoyed A Fearsome Moonlight Black more than this, it is still a good, if somewhat disjointed, read with plenty of thrills, spills and scrapes to keep the reader's interest.

⭐⭐⭐.6

#ALonesomeBloodRedSun #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Best-selling author David Putnam comes from a family of law enforcement. During his career, he did it all: worked in narcotics, served on FBI-sponsored violent crimes teams, and was cross-sworn as a US Marshall, pursuing murder suspects and bank robbers in Arizona, Nevada, and California. Putnam did two tours on the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s SWAT team. He also has experience in criminal intelligence and internal affairs and has supervised corrections, patrol, and a detective bureau. In Hawaii, Putnam was a member of the real-life Hawaii Five O, serving as Special Agent for the Attorney General investigating smuggling and white-collar crimes.
Putnam lives in Southern California with his wife, Mary.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Level Best Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of A Lonesome Blood-Red Sun by David Putnam for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Beckett is a very interesting character and marches to the beat of a different drum. This was a well crafted plot filled with suspense and a little wit.
Many thanks to Level Best Books and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Lonesome Blood-Red Sun by David Putnam is an intense, gritty, character-driven, and multi-layered police procedural that keeps you guessing till the end.

The story is divided into two parts, with the second happening after a gap of four years. Multiple side stories in the first half kept me hooked. In the second half, we have one mystery - that of Jimmie Poe's disappearance.

I loved the storytelling and the plot. I liked the first part better than the second. Mystery behind Jimmie's murder took an unexpected turn. The killer's identity was a shocker. The ending was unexpected and surprising.

The story also depicts the harsh realities of police work. One of Dave's friend and partner Ben had a breakdown after a triple murder-suicide case - the victims were fellow police officers.

4,5/5

Dave Beckett certainly has his own way of investigating and doing things not always according to the law - even though he is in the Police Force. He makes one rather interesting character, and I'm quite certain part (if not all) of the events written by Mr. Putnam have happened one time or another. This is the second book in the trilogy and I'm looking forward to reading the final installment. Fast-paced, full of action, well-written, and provides great entertainment to the reader!
I thank Mr. Putnam, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

A Lonesome Blood-Red Sun
The Bone Detective, A Dave Beckett Novel
by David Putnam

I'm glad I read the first book in this series because I think it helped me understand this second book better. We start this book "four years earlier" than the present time and Dave is his usual unruly, follow no rules, insubordinate self. He's sleeping in the back of his dad's diner and trying to help a few of his cop friends, unsuccessfully with one of them.

The one he's having more success with is Jimmie Poe, a pretty young cop who wants to make detective and knows hanging with Dave can help her. There is a lot of attraction here but Dave knows better than to sully Poe any more than just hanging with him can do. Still, she adds some flair to the job and he's tempted.

In the present day, both friends are missing. Now a detective, Dave works with the bones of victims. Better than working with live people for the most part. He's been carrying a bone in the back of his car and he needs to start working on that case. When he goes to check out a call he finds that it's connected to the bone in the back of his car and he knows who the bone belongs to now. Dave has let his friends down in a big way and he's going to at least fix things, as if this thing can really be fixed.

The story is really hard to follow at times. It's as if everyone is bad in one way or another, Dave is not the only one not following rules, no one follows rules. Crooked seems to be the way of the job and you really can't be sure who to trust. It's hard to know if what we learn throughout the book is connected to anything we need to know when it comes to the case Dave wants to solve. And really, he doesn't care if he "solves" it, he's going to take care of it his way, legal or not. I just wish the story was clearer to me, it's often hard to tell just what is going on throughout Dave's journey. 3.5 sometimes confused stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to Level Best Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and NetGalley for this ARC.

David Putnam has taken events and incidents from his real life history and woven them into the story of Dave Beckett, SBPD detective. This is book #2 in Beckett's series. As a homicide detective, Beckett considered policy and procedure as suggestions, which tended to irritate his co-workers and commanders. So this book finds our "cowboy" lawman working the myriad cases where human remains are found, usually when the dog digs them up. A unique story line that Putnam skillfully spins into some very interesting case investigations. Det Beckett still has some minor problems following those pesky policies and procedures so he's constantly working to avoid any more consequences. A great book that is not like most of the serial detectives on the shelves. Well worth your reading time.

The second of the Dave Beckett series, A Lonesome Blood-Red Sun by David Putnam (2023) is a gritty crime tale with an anti-conventional hero. Dave is a sheriff’s deputy, hoping to become a detective, and he has the best felony case closure to prove it. Yet, he has a creative approach to policing that upsets his bosses, given he often stretches boundaries and ignores policy requirements. Dave is cynical, burnt out and sleeping in his father’s greasy spoon restaurant. The narrative begins in 1984 when Dave solves two impossible cases for a new female sheriff deputy, not realising his actions will come back to haunt him. Jumping forward to 1988, Dave is now a detective assigned to investigate discovered bones, having been sidelined for his continual disregard for standard police protocols. A realistic gritty police procedural with an enigmatic sheriff detective that is a romp of a read with four and a half stars read rating. With thanks to Level Best Books and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

A Lonesome Blood-Red Sun is a gritty story, sprinkled with a dash of humor and authentic case details pulled from Putnam's personal experiences in law enforcement. It is set in the mid-1980's and told in the first person by David Beckett, a sheriff's deputy in the California desert of San Bernardino County, California, Driven by his instincts and a sense of justice, Beckett doesn't always follow the rules, but he gets the job done. At times, the story seems to just be a bunch of interesting but random cases, sprinkled with insights into the harder, emotional parts of the job, but every case has a role in the over-arching story (which I don't want to give away). The writing style worked for me: I found it easy to get into the story right away, and even if there were times that I wasn't sure where the story was going, it was always interesting. The writing was a little weak when it came to Beckett's relationships, but overall I really enjoyed the book. While it's book 2 in what is intended to be a trilogy, you don't need to have read #1 before you read this one: I haven't and I never felt like I was missing information because of it. That being said, I'll definitely be going back to read A Fearsome Moonlight Black!

I will admit that the main appeal of this series is the chance to see how an author will portray an area I know well. Aside from that, I am getting more attached to this character. I did see some things coming, but I liked how everything grew in this second installment.

I've read three other books by this talented author and looked forward to checking out the adventures of "Bone Detective" Dave Beckett in this series - of which this is the second installment. Honestly, neither he nor the story grabbed me much till at least halfway through, but after that, my interest picked up and I enjoyed the rest of the ride. It helped to learn - albeit after the fact - that most of the adventures are based on the author's real-life experiences in law enforcement.

Basically, Beckett, a homicide detective in San Bernadino County, California, has earned a reputation for noncompliance with the rules - even to the point of writing his own. For years, he's gotten away with his offbeat, borderline illegal words and actions, mostly because he also gets his man (or woman) - or at least more often than the other detectives in his department. Still, his antics are enough to try the patience of Job (and certainly didn't endear him much to me). The plot is a sort of compilation of his adventures and misadventures over four or so years, centering primarily on the father he barely got to know, his emotionally disturbed partner and his attraction to a pretty female officer named Judith "Jimmie" Poe. Throw in his own penchant for shooting himself in the foot (usually after loading the gun himself), and you've got a real mishmash of back-and-forths that at times can be a little hard to follow (or, in some instances, really care much about).

Eventually, though, it all comes together with a gruesome find unearthed - literally - by a local dog. The rest of the story isn't much less gruesome, but it does bring closure of at least one major case that pretty much assures a follow-up. Will I? Yes, I think - if for no other reason than to see what beat of whose drum this guy will follow next time out. Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the pre-release review copy of this one.

The characters lacked depth and development. The setting, the desert of San Bernardino County, was described fairly well, but the author used the word 'desert' so many times (87 times, in fact) that it became annoying and frustrating. The writing style and slow pacing was not a combination that worked for me at all.

The book description is misleading. It talks about Detective Beckett, known as The Bone Dick, gets a call about a bone that someone's dog had brought up. Now, this does occur, but not until you're halfway through the book. The first half is Detective Beckett bouncing around, seemingly aimless, helping other officers solve their cases, while dealing with PTSD from a violent case he'd had prior to the book's beginning.

A choice the author made at the halfway mark was to JUMP ahead 4 YEARS. Just skipped right over apprehending a murderer who played a big role in the first half and an important character from the first half has disappeared. This disappearance is a big deal and the fact that we get the beginning of the character's story at the start of the book, it's a huge part of the second half, it made zero sense to skip over when this character disappears. I was absolutely baffled. It made me think the author couldn't figure out how to make the story work otherwise.

There is a metric ton of cop jargon that could have been removed from the narrative so that it would flow better. I understand if you have an officer/deputy calling in over the radio - sure, use the correct jargon there - but leave that out when the main character is thinking to themselves or talking to someone else. To put the acronym and then go through the trouble of spelling out what it means in parenthesis got clunky with the amount of times it occurred.

A lot of the events that happened in the line of duty felt incredibly convenient, yet when I read the author's note at the end, almost every single instance was a true account. It makes me think that there's no such thing as good policework, just dumb criminals who catch themselves.

In closing, this author's writing style is not for me. I won't be continuing the series or reading more from David Putnam. I reckon I've been spoiled by Evan Smoak, Jack Reacher, and Jason Bourne.

BOOK: A LONESOME BLOOD RED SUN(2.5)
AUTHOR: DAVID PUTNAM
PUB DATE: OCTOBER 2023
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
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The first 45% of this book was annoying because I was so confused! The key word in the synopsis is 'bone dick' and 'detective none of which made a presence till the 28th chapter and 45% into the book. I had to reread the synopsis three times because I was sure I was reading the wrong book.
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Don't even get me started on Dave, most arrogant, head strong officer I've ever read about. He flouts the rules, thinks he's above them. Hates anyone who had the gall to correct him, hates Internal Affairs officers. He thinks he's the best officer, goes looking for trouble even when he's at a disadvantage. He had the emotional maturity of a toddler.
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I'd have liked this book better if it had a better MMC and if the dual timeline had been normal. Like, before, after, before, after. The book was just like, before then after.
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The first part of tbe book was dragging because I didn't what the purpose was, but the second part was okay. I was not surprised at the perp.
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Would I tell you to read this book? You can read it if you can get past the uncessary first part of the book and the most annoying mmc

David Putnam has written a gritty crime novel based on true-life incidents and his experiences in law-enforcement. It doesn't get more real than this. His character, David Beckett, is working for the Sheriff's department in San Bernardino County. His style is a headache to his superiors but he gets the job done.

In book one, he seems to enjoy tormenting the Lieutenant of one division named Cordova and befriends a young woman deputy named Jimmie Poe, helping her solve a couple difficult cases and get promoted. Both have a goal of making it to homicide detective.

Book two continues four years later (1988). Beckett has made it to homicide on the lowest rungs, investigating bone cases found in the desert. Unfortunately one such case turns out to be someone he knows, someone who'd gone missing almost three years earlier.

Beckett comes across as a real guy, a bit rough around the edges, and trying to learn from his mistakes, if only he can control his urges long enough. He's loyal and smart and seems to have great instincts when it comes to solving crimes. The story is definitely gritty but has lots of laugh-out-loud humor sprinkled in too. The 'whodunit' keeps the reader guessing till the surprising and satisfying ending. Highly recommend for an entertaining read.

I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks! My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

A Fast-Paced Action Police Procedural

This novel opens with some background on two deputies in Hesperia, California. Beckett is driving home from his shift and sees a vehicle chase behind him. He pulls over. The driver being pursued is so drunk that he sideswipes Beckett's car. He joins the tail end of the pursuit as he recognized the driver as a fellow deputy, Ben Siderites. Beckett tries to have Siderites arrested, but the CHP officers are not agreeable. While showing much loyalty for his fellow deputy, his belligerent side makes an appearance. Then, the novel shifts into high-action chasing and arresting criminals.

The novel has two sequential main threads. The first provides the background of the major characters, who are all deputies or their bosses. Beckett takes a young deputy from another station under his wing. All Beckett wants to do is to become a detective. There are heart-pounding car and foot chases, some interesting arrests, and professional and personal disappointments for Beckett. After a several-year break, the second thread starts. Beckett is now a detective. As he is not much of a team player, he has been assigned as a team of one to investigate bones found in the desert. Once Beckett learns the identity of a leg bone in his trunk, the novel shifts into an even higher gear. The first thread has nice twists, but they become more substantial in the second thread. There are even some that are at the level of literary grenades. The first thread kept my interest with well-portrayed chases and other action. The second thread solidly locked my attention.

From Beckett’s interaction with Ben Siderites, a captain of a neighboring district and a deputy of that district, Jamie Poe, combined with these thoughts and actions, presents a person who is steadfastly loyal, opinionated, and often does what he wants and not what he is told. He has developed quite a sense to see criminals trying to blend in. This leads to some spectacular results and significant problems, especially when he relies on his headstrong nature. Therefore, in some aspects, the Beckett character is well developed, but not in all aspects. For a strong law and order officer, some behavior was inconsistent with that image.

For the aspects of novels that can turn off some readers, first there are not any intimate scenes although some false starts occur. For vulgar language, it is non-existent. Rude and impious language is present. There is violence that is described as it occurs, but it tends to be quick and not dwelt upon. Lastly, this is the second novel in the series. I have not read the first novel in this series, and I did not find any holes in this story that required reading the first novel. I believe most readers will be able to read this novel even if it is your first read of this author.

Overall, this novel is a police procedural with a strong and fast-paced action flavor that helped me to continue reading. As with fast-paced action novel, some action seems over the top. Upon finishing reading that is how I felt. In the Author’s Notes, he states that most of these action scenes had occurred during his years of his law enforcement career and went down essentially as written. The action scenes were very well written with the action not being over the top. For me, it was the frequency of them that bothered me some, but this is a significant aspect of action novels. This was a double-edged sword for me. For me, the positive aspects of this won over the negative aspects. I really liked the ending as it brought a smile to my face.

I enjoyed reading this novel, which is the second in this series. It was the first novel and the first read from this author for me, so he is in my Pending author rating. I look forward to reading his next novel. I recommend reading this novel. I rate it with four stars.

I received a free pre-publication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Level Best Books. My review is based solely on my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Level Best Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

Publication: 10/17/2023 by Level Best Books
Page Count: 333

Ride along in the shoes of Homicide Detective Dave Beckett, as he daily experiences and contends with violence and mayhem, and sense how it shapes and molds his life and future. Dave Putnam unravels a gritty street poem that blossoms from a police procedural into an action-packed crime thriller. Putnam melds his fiction into a woven tapestry of true-life incidents imbuing an intense feeling of authenticity.
Dave Beckett is a maverick and never worries about stretching the boundaries of rules and regulations in his quest to apprehend the criminal element. At times his behavior is misconstrued as insubordination. There are two distinct parts of this tale. The first part firmly establishes his thought processes, methods, and his views on life, justifying his assault on his criminal adversaries. It chronicles his life after the divorce from his beloved wife, Beth … and his continual longing for his daughter. We experience his inner monologue when he reunites with his long estranged father, as they enter a symbiotic relationship. Dave’s inner angst is experiences with his unsuccessful attempt to save the soul of his partner, Ben Siderites. Ben is severely emotionally injured after being first on the scene of a murder-suicide. He entered a blood filled room with three dead fellow officers on the floor. The overwhelming grief has claimed a chunk of his soul, making him an emotional cripple. Dave repeatedly tries to be supportive to no avail. Siderites disappears…. takes a patrol car and rides off into the desert. He could not heal his troubled friend from drowning in grief and booze.
This however, did not stop him from befriending and aiding a young female street cop, “Jimmie” (Judith) Poe. She enlisted his aid and advice on an onerous situation that she was facing. Poe was deeply distressed that Nico Sumter was going to get away with another crime. Four years ago he stalked and raped Jessica Purdue, a high school senior at the time. He was convicted an sentenced for fourteen years. However, his sentence was reduced and he was roaming the streets after six years. Jessica was recently abducted into a van by a man wearing a black ski mask … held for hours and repeatedly raped. She was convinced that this heinous act was perpetrated by Nico.
The second part of this immersive tale occurs four years later. Dave has been sanctioned for his adversarial behavior and controversial methods. He is now tasked with the position of being “The Bone Dick.” Dave makes the most of this supposed punishment. He puts his heart into investigating any bone found in the desert … occasionally linking them to a murder. A bone discovery occurs every two of three weeks in San Bernardino County (usually discovered by a dog) … the largest county in the US …. covering nearly twenty thousand square miles of desert. Dave’s methods frequently took him to the brink of adhering to the rules of conduct. His life was turned upside down when the desert yielded a leg bone and a desiccated swatch of skin, containing a tattoo that he recognized from the past. The case immediately suggested the possible murder of a highly regarded friend and officer … that disappeared under usual circumstances. During the course of Dave’s continuing investigations he continues to experience a haunting nightmare from a past unresolved case. He finds himself in a ditch, face to face staring into the dead eyes filmed over of the missing girl, Jessica DeFrank. A shovel to the face renders him briefly unconscious. His next recollection is of dirt raining down upon his and Jessica’s bodies. He has the resolve to reach for his ankle pistol, sit up and fire five shots at the shadow yielding the shovel. Dave cannot understand or explain his poor marksmanship. This same scenario replays itself on an endless loop in his brain.
As Putman muses: “Cops were merely immunologists or surgeons, who excised the malignant growths from society, or quarantined the most infectious ( in prison ) from the rest of us. The cops tried to keep the virus from spreading.” David Putnam proves to be a masterful storyteller as he weaves multiple plot lines into a startling narrative with unexpected twists and reveals. This gritty street tale unfolds in a cascade of intricate and convoluted intertwining events that benefits from a cast of multidimensional characters. The finely honed protagonist of Dave Beckett is firmly ingrained in your memory long after the last page is turned. This tale is obviously told through the eyes of one who has lived the life. David Putnam has had a long and storied career in law enforcement, that oozes through the pages. This compelling police procedural escalates into an immersive mystery thriller that obviously is an authentic depiction of life on the street. Hopefully Putnam will continue to add to the lore and life of Detective Dave Beckett, rivaling his finely crafted Bruno Johnson series.
Thanks to NetGalley, Level Best Books, and David Putnam for providing me with an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.