My enjoyment of Johnny Careless by Kevin Wade is due to more than just that it takes me back to the North Shore of Long Island, NY where I spent many years, it’s that having read so many police procedural and crime fiction novels with a big city as its setting, it was an interesting change to read a compelling tale set in a small town. A police chief, his police force, town political figures, and local residents round out the image of small town life and the drama associated with adulthood in a place where you had spent your childhood.
Coming from a well-to-do family, Johnny Chambliss (AKA Johnny Careless) is Police Chief Gerald Paul (AKA Jeep) Mullane’s friend from childhood. Johnny is found dead in the water in Bayville. Jeep’s deceased father had been a NYPD cop just as Jeep had been before moving back to his hometown. He had been close to Johnny and his family although not sharing the affluent life style of the Chambliss family. Now Jeep must tell Pete and Gwen, Johnny’s parents, that Johnny is dead while trying to ascertain the true nature of their son’s death. Johnny’s parents as well as Johnny’s ex-wife, also a long time friend of Jeep’s, have long held secrets that must be uncovered to prove Johnny’s death was not a suicide but a homicide.
Memories, allegiances, loyalty and self-reflection all are important components of Jeep’s need to find answers on behalf of his complicated dead friend. Jeep owes Johnny for a past contribution to his younger life but must also act accordingly as police chief.
The story takes the reader all over the small towns of Long Island and in to the life of small town law enforcement including that of the Nassau County Police Department. Chapters move from present to past and the plot involves two storylines that converge into an emotional, satisfying ending. It is a story about the class division between between the wealthy and privileged and the not-so-wealthy, about family money passed down to the next generation and about the repercussions of that wealth and the power wielded by it.
Author Kevin Wade was screenwriter, showrunner and executive producer of the CBS TV police drama, Blue Bloods. I look forward to his next book, be it about Jeep or involving a new protagonist. Now that, unhappily, Blue Bloods has ended, perhaps a book series and/or a TV series about an ex-NYC cop who takes a job as the new police chief of his hometown?
I would like to thank Celadon Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of Johnny Careless. This is my honest review of Kevin Wade’s book.

Johnny Careless by Kevin Wade is a good police procedural story.
Jeep Mullane grew up with Johnny Chambliss who was called Careless because of his attitude.
Jeep was a NYPD police officer but now is the Chief of Police in the town he and Johnny grew up in. Johnny was rich and Jeep was the son of a police officer.
When the verdict comes back undetermined Jeep keeps looking for the killer.
I liked the story and the search for the killer. The story was told in flashbacks, and they were well written.
Jeep would be a good character for a series.

At times, this novel gave me a tinge of nostalgia for Long Island, which I left for good reason decades ago. In its best moments, especially early on, it gave me flashbacks to the great Nelson DeMille, both in style and setting. Although the cutting sarcasm and dry humor lag after a while, and the thin plot gets a little too convenient, it’s a fun read by an accomplished writer.

I wasn't sure what to expect of this book. Initially, it seemed like a crime noir book with quirky characters, but it became a good police procedural with quirky characters.

Jeep Mullane has switched from being a New York City cop to the police chief of a wealthy community where he had grown up, far from the "haves" who populate the community. When the body of his wealthy friend, Johnny Chambliss, aka Johnny Careless, because of his "care less" attitude, is found, Jeep suspects foul play. Because of his connection, the case is taken away, and he is forced to concentrate on a gang stealing high-end vehicles. Not to be deterred, he keeps tabs on the investigation and often steps on the toes of the officer in charge. When the cause of Johnny's death comes back as undetermined, Jeep decides it is up to him to figure out what happened to Johnny.

Written with a touch of humor, this is a fast-moving story with great characters. Johnny's mysterious death and secret past add to a mix of loose ends Jeep is determined to tie up. Overall, it's a good story but failed to capture my attention fully. I'm a mood reader, so maybe I wasn't in the right frame of mind. 3.5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Celadon Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is January 28, 2025.

I tried to get into this story but it just didn't hold my attention. I'm sure it's a wonderful novel but just not for me.

Jeep Mullane is an ex-NYPD. Cop. The story begins with his return to his Long Island hometown as the new police chief. Right off the bat, he’s involved with the seemingly accidental death of a friend from his past. The friend Johnny Chambliss, better known as Johnny Careless for his reckless privileged boy shenanigans, who was a member of the elite Chambliss family. The deep scratch marks found on Johnny’s back suggest the death might be the result of foul play. Suddenly past and present colludes and Jeep finds himself conducting a potentially dangerous investigation. The question lingering throughout the story concerns a Chilean car thief ring who have been stealing luxury cars from town residents.. Is there a connection to Johnny’s death?

The author is a film and TV writer, most known for his run with the long running police show, Blue Bloods of which I’m a big fan.
.Despite this, the Johnny Reckless story failed to maintain my attention

I enjoyed reading Johnny Careless by Kevin Wade. Johnny and Jeep grew up together in Long Island. Johnny comes from money and Jeep is the son of a NYC cop. Despite their different backgrounds they form a lifelong bond. The book starts with the death of Johnny and his death’s investigation consumes the rest of the book. Overall I enjoyed reading the book. Maybe this will be a first book in a series of Jeep investigations?

Johnny Carelss was just that. A rich Long Island kid. His best friend, frim thwe other side of the tracks, so to speak is a police officer. Jeep, has been an NYPD cop, but he has come home to Long Island. Then he finds his friends's body on the beach.

This is a bit of an odd book. It starts out slowly with the apparent accidental death of the son of a prominent local figure. The setting of most of the plot is the North Shore of Long Island east of New York City. Apparently this particular area is the home of old money or the royalty of America. The protagonist was brought up here too but the child of working class parents but as things sometimes happen, he was part of the group that ran mostly with the wealthy. He’s now the police chief of the area.

A good deal of the story is told in flashbacks. The entire setup and interaction reminded me of an old Steve Gutenberg movie, ‘Diner’ where a mixed group of teens chat about their soon to be entry into the adult world. Here we get the adult players’ adventures when younger.

The cause of death seemed to me to be apparent from the condition of the body but for some strange reason, the medical examiner refused to agree because of some trivial added trauma. For most of the book, the players shuffled around in a rather desultory manner interacting, reminiscing and generally doing not much. There’s a romance portended that everybody aside from the protagonist can see coming about as subtly as a Mike Tyson right cross.

The final act starts about the 70% mark and it changes the entire tone of the novel. Suddenly the action is coming at the reader hard and heavy. This final act has enough exciting movement to replace so much that has been missing so far. The plot wraps up tying loose ends from the plot neatly, but leaves a glaring technical error unresolved.

I like that Celadon has started publishing some crime fiction like this book - Johnny Careless by Kevin Wade.

"Jeep is the Police Chief on Long Island's North Shore. A body washes up on the beach thst turns out to be one of his childhood friends. Jeep thinks there more to the case than the detective believes. Jeep has to navigate the problems of the ultra-wealthy families and secrets to find the truth."

Jeep is a great character. He is flawed and has baggage, but is unwilling to accept the story the detective spins about Johnny. He is a "have-not" versus most of the people involved who are the wealthy of NYC. There are interesting past relationships, including Johnny's ex-wife. There are the expected dynamics between the "Haves" and "Have nots" - how appearances often override what is right. There are secrets - always secrets. The final answer is a surprise. You probably won't guess the direction that Wade goes. I like the way that Jeep gets there and I like the ending.

Fast paced, good story from Wade.

I live on Long Island, so to read a book and know exactly the streets, and towns, and localities was so cool.....I really loved that part of the book, and I loved the main character.

There were definitely a few plot points where I felt like i needed more information - I know that authors don't want everything too on the nose, but I sometimes felt like I was missing something important by making an assumption. For instance, what was the big reveal with the mayors by the salt piles? Was I supposed to remember that it was the mayor's car that they recovered? Probably something that plays better on TV. And, where was the car hidden? He mentions the salt piles.......are we assuming it was behind a salt pile?

I hope that there are more books with this character, I really liked Jeep and loved Niven.

I liked everything about this book, but for the name, and the cop "banter" that is mostly in the beginning. Otherwise, it is a very unique story, written by a very capable author. Sort of a commentary on the social ladders of life in addition to the mystery of who killed Johnny. I would recommend this book to most readers, especially lovers of good mystery.
Thank you for sharing this on Net Gally, I have found a new mystery writer for my leisure time.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

The discovery of a body in the water sets an investigation in motion that will have far-reaching effects. The police chief, Gerald Paul “Jeep” Mullane, discovers that the dead man is his friend from childhood, John Payson Chambliss, better known as Johnny Careless.

Despite being part of the North Shore’s uber-wealthy Chambliss family, Johnny has always been friends with “have-not” Jeep. Now, as the police chief, Jeep is responsible for finding the answers to the mystery surrounding his friend’s death.

Who was responsible? And what is the secret surrounding Johnny’s death?

=========

The unfolding story takes place in two timelines . . . the present and twenty-some years earlier when Jeep and Johnny were growing up in Bayville. There’s a strong sense of place; realistic, believable characters populate the narrative. The plot in interesting and, between the death investigation and a car theft ring, it works to keep the readers involved in the telling of the tale as the story races toward an unexpected denouement.

The police procedural moves along at a brisk pace; a highlight of the tale is the relationships between the characters. Readers who enjoy mysteries, police procedurals, and absorbing relationships will find much to appreciate here.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Celadon Books and NetGalley
#JohnnyCareless #NetGalley

Johnny Careless is Kevin Wade’s first novel, but it is readily apparent that the author, who’s had a long career in television and movie screenwriting, knows how to develop a well-paced plot and write a great mystery novel. This is not a book about a mastermind attempting the perfect crime. It is a simple story about a small town murder with the usual suspects – but in the author’s hands it is an especially well-crafted and enjoyable book. Wade has a skilled eye for using detail and nuance to develop vivid scenes and sequences, and his writing makes it easy for the reader to visualize the action. The characters are relatable, the dialog seems realistic, the suspense steadily increases, and the storyline feels very credible. Hopefully it will only be the first for Wade, and we will see more of his books and perhaps more of his Long Island North Shore police chief, Jeep Mullane.

Thanks to Net Galley and Celadon Books for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

There is very little to dislike about this novel. The author, Kevin Wade, is a long time screenwriter and is a writer for the acclaimed TV series Blue Bloods. He certainly knows his way around police officers and crime stories, and it shows. His experience is reflected in the snappy dialogue, gallows humor, and messy relationships that make Johnny Careless a great read.

The main character is troubled, but competent and likable. He has a fundamentally good heart, despite all that he has seen. This novel, however, is deeper than your average procedural. It has an aspect of “local boy made good,” is a meditation on friendship and loyalty, and also explores all the ways one can be from the other side of the tracks, both an insider and an outsider at the same time.

I am grateful to Celadon and to NetGalley for access to this very entertaining book in exchange for my honest opinions. Four and one-half stars, rounded up to five, for Kevin Wade’s Johnny Careless.

3.5 Good solid crime fiction debut for Kevin Wade. I enjoyed Jeep, the MC and would like to read more of his adventures. The LI rich people setting and the small town politics were intriguing but there were a lot of characters to keep track of.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

It's an enjoyable mystery novel that plays it straight down the middle. Likable protagonist, some engaging secondary characters, and an engaging plot that draws you in from the jump. The story glides along at a strong tempo, with some good but not overly ornate prose. There are no surprises for any fans of the genre, the author tries to have it both ways politically more than once (with some seriously cartoony straw men) and the procedure lacks friction (with the hero being handed answers more than once). But all in all, a really good first novel.

Kevin Wade is the long-time show runner responsible for the popular television series 'Blue Bloods,' and I suppose it's only natural that the tone of his television creation would to some degree creep into this, his first novel.

That's not intended to be criticism since I'm a big fan of traditional America cops-and-robbers TV, and specifically a fan of 'Blue Bloods.' It did seem a bit odd, however, to recognize specific lines here and there that I could recall from 'Blue Bloods' episodes. "I'm the Commissioner so I know everything," Tom Selleck often intones to explain how he knows something that seems surprising, and you'll find the same narrative device popping up here more than once.

That said, this is both a fine novel and a good read. Keven Wade should be proud of what he has accomplished by venturing into another form of storytelling. I hope he has plans for more novels in the future. If he does, I suspect he will over time build a reputation as a crime novelist of the first order.

Highly recommended.

This was an odd read for me. Johnny Careless is a story written in the current time and the past. They seemed like they were 2 different stories, written by 2 different authors. I absolutely loved the current story, but I did not like the past tense at all.

It seems that the Hamptons are seeing a surge in crime! This is not the only murder mystery I’ve read this year that has been set there. It is a great setting in that any one location with such inordinate wealth is ripe for crime.

Johnny Chambliss, otherwise known as the title’s Johnny Careless, is found dead on the beach. He and his family are part of the Hampton’s elite whose reach in influencing the law and police department is strong. Jeep, a police chief in one of the towns, grew up there and despite not having pedigree or wealth, had been a trusted friend of Johnny’s

Jeep didn’t always work as a small town policeman. He is a veteran NYC police officer, not immediately inclined to call the death an accident. The scratches the medical examiner detected on Johnny's back make Jeep suspicious. He has to do what he can to conduct an investigation when the powers that be are satisfied in calling it an accident. At the same time, there is a Chilean car thief ring who have been stealing luxury cars from town residents.. Is there a connection to Johnny’s death? That question that lingers throughout the story.

The plot line is thin. What is most interesting are the characters who are very well developed. With his long history as a town native, Jeep is a thoughtful, if not flawed character, with good intentions. Johnny, in flashback, is flushed out and we see the real man behind the reputation. The politics of the various police departments also play a role in enriching the story line.

It didn’t surprise me when I read the author is a film and TV writer, most notable for his long run with the police procedural, Blue Bloods. This reads like a TV show and throughout I was trying to decide who should play Jeep.

I’d give it three stars for the human-interest part of the story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon for the opportunity to read the advanced readers copy and provide an honest review.