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Doug Brock #1
Blackout
New Jersey state police officer Doug Brock has been after infamous criminal Nicholas Bennett for years. When Bennett kills someone close to Doug, however, Doug's investigation―and his life―start spiraling out of control. He's placed on indefinite suspension from the police force and breaks things off with his fiancé, but he can't let the case go, and he continues an off-the-books investigation on his own. When Doug's former partner on the force, Nate Alvarez, receives a call from Doug saying he's discovered something big, something terrifying, something they need to call in the FBI to handle, Nate is furious that Doug has still been working the case.
But when the call ends abruptly, and shortly afterward Doug is found in a hotel room, shot and in critical condition, Nate’s anger turns to fear. When Doug finally awakens from his coma, however, he has no memory of the case, or even the last several years of his life. But the pull of what he might have discovered is too strong, and he finds himself immersed in a desperate search for truth once again, regardless of the danger.
Once again Rosenfelt has written a propulsive and compelling thriller that will rivet readers from the first page to the last.
But when the call ends abruptly, and shortly afterward Doug is found in a hotel room, shot and in critical condition, Nate’s anger turns to fear. When Doug finally awakens from his coma, however, he has no memory of the case, or even the last several years of his life. But the pull of what he might have discovered is too strong, and he finds himself immersed in a desperate search for truth once again, regardless of the danger.
Once again Rosenfelt has written a propulsive and compelling thriller that will rivet readers from the first page to the last.
274 pages, Hardcover
First published January 5, 2016
964 people are currently reading
1486 people want to read
About the author
David Rosenfelt
74 books2,910 followersI am a novelist with 27 dogs.
I have gotten to this dubious position with absolutely no planning, and at no stage in my life could I have predicted it. But here I am.
My childhood was relentlessly normal. The middle of three brothers, loving parents, a middle-class home in Paterson, New Jersey. We played sports, studied sporadically. laughed around the dinner table, and generally had a good time. By comparison, "Ozzie and Harriet's" clan seemed bizarre.
I graduated NYU, then decided to go into the movie business. I was stunningly brilliant at a job interview with my uncle, who was President of United Artists, and was immediately hired. It set me off on a climb up the executive ladder, culminating in my becoming President of Marketing for Tri-Star Pictures. The movie landscape is filled with the movies I buried; for every "Rambo", "The Natural" and "Rocky", there are countless disasters.
I did manage to find the time to marry and have two children, both of whom are doing very well, and fortunately neither have inherited my eccentricities.
A number of years ago, I left the movie marketing business, to the sustained applause of hundreds of disgruntled producers and directors. I decided to try my hand at writing. I wrote and sold a bunch of feature films, none of which ever came close to being actually filmed, and then a bunch of TV movies, some of which actually made it to the small screen. It's safe to say that their impact on the American cultural scene has been minimal.
About fourteen years ago, my wife and I started the Tara Foundation, named in honor of the greatest Golden Retriever the world has ever known. We rescued almost 4,000 dogs, many of them Goldens, and found them loving homes. Our own home quickly became a sanctuary for those dogs that we rescued that were too old or sickly to be wanted by others. They surround me as I write this. It's total lunacy, but it works, and they are a happy, safe group.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidr...
I have gotten to this dubious position with absolutely no planning, and at no stage in my life could I have predicted it. But here I am.
My childhood was relentlessly normal. The middle of three brothers, loving parents, a middle-class home in Paterson, New Jersey. We played sports, studied sporadically. laughed around the dinner table, and generally had a good time. By comparison, "Ozzie and Harriet's" clan seemed bizarre.
I graduated NYU, then decided to go into the movie business. I was stunningly brilliant at a job interview with my uncle, who was President of United Artists, and was immediately hired. It set me off on a climb up the executive ladder, culminating in my becoming President of Marketing for Tri-Star Pictures. The movie landscape is filled with the movies I buried; for every "Rambo", "The Natural" and "Rocky", there are countless disasters.
I did manage to find the time to marry and have two children, both of whom are doing very well, and fortunately neither have inherited my eccentricities.
A number of years ago, I left the movie marketing business, to the sustained applause of hundreds of disgruntled producers and directors. I decided to try my hand at writing. I wrote and sold a bunch of feature films, none of which ever came close to being actually filmed, and then a bunch of TV movies, some of which actually made it to the small screen. It's safe to say that their impact on the American cultural scene has been minimal.
About fourteen years ago, my wife and I started the Tara Foundation, named in honor of the greatest Golden Retriever the world has ever known. We rescued almost 4,000 dogs, many of them Goldens, and found them loving homes. Our own home quickly became a sanctuary for those dogs that we rescued that were too old or sickly to be wanted by others. They surround me as I write this. It's total lunacy, but it works, and they are a happy, safe group.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidr...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 397 reviews
January 30, 2016
3.5 stars
I'm a big fan of David Rosenfelt and was thrilled the second I saw this book was in the works. I jumped on the library wait list as quickly as possible and was as giddy as a schoolgirl when I brought it home. Even though his books tend to be shorter, I've always gotten as much out of them as some twice as long. I expected this one to be no different but once finished, couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Clearly I seem to be in the minority on this so by all means, read it! It was simply a case of the too high expectations for myself.
I'm not going to rehash the plot summary as that would take away a good chunk of your reading experience, but it seemed very "been there, done that". Nothing new or unique IMO but a decent story none the less. If I had been smart, I would have saved this for a beach read as it was intriguing enough that the plot flowed quickly and the length was easily readable in a day (came in at 274 pages with super short chapters of James Patterson-esque style). If you're a huge fan, go ahead and read this one; if you're new to Rosenfelt and are not wanting to start with his Andy Carpenter series, Don't Tell a Soul and Without Warning are great places to start.
I'm a big fan of David Rosenfelt and was thrilled the second I saw this book was in the works. I jumped on the library wait list as quickly as possible and was as giddy as a schoolgirl when I brought it home. Even though his books tend to be shorter, I've always gotten as much out of them as some twice as long. I expected this one to be no different but once finished, couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Clearly I seem to be in the minority on this so by all means, read it! It was simply a case of the too high expectations for myself.
I'm not going to rehash the plot summary as that would take away a good chunk of your reading experience, but it seemed very "been there, done that". Nothing new or unique IMO but a decent story none the less. If I had been smart, I would have saved this for a beach read as it was intriguing enough that the plot flowed quickly and the length was easily readable in a day (came in at 274 pages with super short chapters of James Patterson-esque style). If you're a huge fan, go ahead and read this one; if you're new to Rosenfelt and are not wanting to start with his Andy Carpenter series, Don't Tell a Soul and Without Warning are great places to start.
March 4, 2016
I really like David Rosenfelt's books, which include his Andy Carpenter series. They are easy to read and the author's wit is often in evidence in the dialogue. This makes his characters very likable. This book, a stand alone, is no exception.
The premise is interesting. Policeman Doug Brock incurred a brain injury when he fell from a balcony after being shot and has retrograde amnesia. He can't remember the past 10 years. In order to solve the crime, he must rely on his partner, Nate, and Jessie, to whom he'd been engaged. With their help and some technology, he retraces his footsteps to see how he was put into such a compromising position. I thought the interaction between the three was very good. How does one relate to those he has history with without knowing the history? Doug slowly recovers some memories, and it's like getting a do-over.
Fans of Rosenfelt will enjoy this book. If this author is new to you, this book is a good place to start.
The premise is interesting. Policeman Doug Brock incurred a brain injury when he fell from a balcony after being shot and has retrograde amnesia. He can't remember the past 10 years. In order to solve the crime, he must rely on his partner, Nate, and Jessie, to whom he'd been engaged. With their help and some technology, he retraces his footsteps to see how he was put into such a compromising position. I thought the interaction between the three was very good. How does one relate to those he has history with without knowing the history? Doug slowly recovers some memories, and it's like getting a do-over.
Fans of Rosenfelt will enjoy this book. If this author is new to you, this book is a good place to start.
October 12, 2024
For Andy Carpenter fans, this isn’t it.
But…I have to say seeing this side of Rosenfelt, with his characters Doug Brock and Nate Alvarez, was a welcome treat. No snarky humor, no courtroom drama (which I do love)…
But…Amazing police procedural work with an interesting twist, Doug has Retrograde amnesia from head trauma as a recent shooting victim.
And…They need the information from the shooting he incurred that day to stop a terrorist attack.
Will he be able to recover his memories to save the city?
This is a fast-moving, well-organized, expertly plotted story with well-developed characters.
Apparently…This is the first in the series.
And…Gratefully, this was donated to my Little Free Library Shed. I have now ordered the second book, “Fade to Black” from my library. I like Doug and Nate. I hope the series continues with the same fervent energy.
But…I have to say seeing this side of Rosenfelt, with his characters Doug Brock and Nate Alvarez, was a welcome treat. No snarky humor, no courtroom drama (which I do love)…
But…Amazing police procedural work with an interesting twist, Doug has Retrograde amnesia from head trauma as a recent shooting victim.
And…They need the information from the shooting he incurred that day to stop a terrorist attack.
Will he be able to recover his memories to save the city?
This is a fast-moving, well-organized, expertly plotted story with well-developed characters.
Apparently…This is the first in the series.
And…Gratefully, this was donated to my Little Free Library Shed. I have now ordered the second book, “Fade to Black” from my library. I like Doug and Nate. I hope the series continues with the same fervent energy.
January 31, 2022
I really like David Rosenfelt’s writing. Doug Brock#1 was the first in a new series of his books I hadn’t explored up to this point, and I was not disappointed! Rosenfelt is quick with his wit, he has likable characters, great chemistry with friendships, presents a good mystery, with a dash of suspense. He keeps the story lively, and sets it at a good pace.
Doug, a police officer shot on the job, has finally awoke from his hospital bed. Only problem is, he’s lost his memory - no memory of the 10 years, and no memory of his life leading up to the shooting, not with the case details nor his private life. But he’s deemed fit for duty and is eager to get back on the force and try to pick all the pieces up in spite of the amnesia he suffers. Will he have what it takes to move forward? Will he find out who shot and him and why? Does he still have enemies he doesn’t know and can’t remember? All good questions!
This was a nice start to the series, Doug Brock. I’ll be looking forward to continuing on with it! Recommended!
Doug, a police officer shot on the job, has finally awoke from his hospital bed. Only problem is, he’s lost his memory - no memory of the 10 years, and no memory of his life leading up to the shooting, not with the case details nor his private life. But he’s deemed fit for duty and is eager to get back on the force and try to pick all the pieces up in spite of the amnesia he suffers. Will he have what it takes to move forward? Will he find out who shot and him and why? Does he still have enemies he doesn’t know and can’t remember? All good questions!
This was a nice start to the series, Doug Brock. I’ll be looking forward to continuing on with it! Recommended!
March 21, 2018
I love DR's Andy Carpenter books, naturally I want to try his other series. I enjoyed Blackout and thought it was a good mystery. Main characters are likable but doesn't pull you in like Andy does.
May 26, 2019
This was pretty good, not the cozy mystery of the Andy Carpenter series nor humorous. It's a serious mystery following a State Police Lt. who is dealing with retrograde amnesia, an old plot, but far better done than normal - not convenient. I don't know anything about it, but I think it was well done. Seemed real enough - frustrating & embarrassing, often more of a problem to others than himself.
They mystery was quite twisty & the characters well done set in northern NJ, so a lot of place names in common with the AC series. It's not narrated by Grover Gardner, though. That's good, because he is the voice of Andy for me, although I've liked other books by other authors he's narrated, too. This narrator was a bit too emotional for me, though. Good voice, but he tends to emphasize words & sentences rather than letting them speak for themselves. It was somewhat irritating with Rosenfelt's prose, made it melodramatic. Might work well with dryer text, though.
At times, it almost read like a serial (at what I believe were chapter breaks) because points are recapped. I find that really irritating. It's not long or complex enough to require that, especially in the short times it's done. Still, it was a pleasant way to pass the time mowing & doing chores.
They mystery was quite twisty & the characters well done set in northern NJ, so a lot of place names in common with the AC series. It's not narrated by Grover Gardner, though. That's good, because he is the voice of Andy for me, although I've liked other books by other authors he's narrated, too. This narrator was a bit too emotional for me, though. Good voice, but he tends to emphasize words & sentences rather than letting them speak for themselves. It was somewhat irritating with Rosenfelt's prose, made it melodramatic. Might work well with dryer text, though.
At times, it almost read like a serial (at what I believe were chapter breaks) because points are recapped. I find that really irritating. It's not long or complex enough to require that, especially in the short times it's done. Still, it was a pleasant way to pass the time mowing & doing chores.
January 9, 2016
Loved this stand alone book by Rosenfelt. His sense of humor that he infuses in the characters' dialogue is the best. Dry and sarcastic, witty and self deprecating. Love, love the way his characters think and respond. Humor and mystery all in one. For me this was a quick read as I enjoyed it so much and found that how he played out the amnesia to be quite clever. This could actually be a new series, which I would thoroughly enjoy. Thank you Rosenfelt for starting my year off right with an awesome book. So glad I own the copy so I can share it with others. For me it was one book worth purchasing.
April 23, 2018
This time Rosenfelt wrote a story that doesn't prominently feature a dog, but I'll forgive him because I liked this book. Blackout is an entertaining read, though it does require some suspension of disbelief in how things should actually happen. I'll definitely pick the second in this new series featuring NJ state cop Doug Brock.
May 23, 2019
A stand alone that I couldn't put down. I was leery at first but once I realized who the hero was going to be, it got better. Not always happy with an amnesia plot, but this one worked out great. (Also, since this is a Rosenfelt book, a dog had to be a memory trigger) Excellent characters, an excellent mystery and a really good twist!! I have met Rosenfelt several times at The Poison Pen bookstore in Scottsdale, AZ and his real life sense of humor finds fine form in his books. Now I must go read another of his books I have had on my shelf!!! Enjoy
May 29, 2018
If you like police procedure books- you will really enjoy this series..... A great story , with great characters !! Really looking forward to picking up number 2 in this series.....
April 28, 2021
A good new detective series for me and I accidentally started with Book #1. Liked it enough to put holds at the library for the next two. Nicely written, clever plot and I really liked Nate, Doug and Jessie - a terrific trio!
June 16, 2019
Fairly interesting terrorists conspire with mob and corrupt cops plot that moves at a fast clip, good characterization, great badinage.
May 1, 2017
I'd heard good things about this author, but I have to say that I left this book feeling disappointed. I'm not completely turned off by the author, so maybe I'll try something else of his at some point.
The story follows a cop named Doug who had been suspended from the force due to the fact that he was not able to let go and move on from a crime that had been previously committed where the perpetrator hadn't been arrested. Even though he's suspended, Doug continues to do some investigative work on his own. One night, he calls his former partner and urgently tells him "I've got him this time", however the call is cut off because Doug has been shot before finishing his sentence.
After waking up in the hospital, Doug has lost all memories from the last 10 years. The story follows him and his partner Nate as they attempt to uncover what it was that Doug had uncovered.
The story was quick, which was nice. The "chapters" were short, but not clearly labeled, which made it difficult to know how long I had left in a chapter while reading on the kindle. That might be a nuance I personally don't like - maybe it doesn't bother anyone else!
I had a few problems with the book. First, the plot felt pretty thin to me, and it also didn't feel super unique. There wasn't a ton happening, so it felt like a lot of the book was dragged out, and I found myself getting bored at some points. I'm glad this was a book I chose to alternate between kindle and audiobook, because I'm honestly not sure if I wouldn't have gotten though it without also being able to listen to it on my commute to and from work. I also didn't particularly love any of the characters. It's not that I disliked them per say, but I didn't like them either. I wasn't necessarily rooting for them in the end. I felt totally indifferent to how the book was going to end, which isn't what I want out of a book marketed as a thriller. Lastly, I felt like some of the dialogue and character interaction felt really unnatural to me, which took me out of the story.
I alternated between two and three stars, but given how hard it was for me to want to keep reading and the fact that I didn't care how it ended, I'm going to land on two stars.
The story follows a cop named Doug who had been suspended from the force due to the fact that he was not able to let go and move on from a crime that had been previously committed where the perpetrator hadn't been arrested. Even though he's suspended, Doug continues to do some investigative work on his own. One night, he calls his former partner and urgently tells him "I've got him this time", however the call is cut off because Doug has been shot before finishing his sentence.
After waking up in the hospital, Doug has lost all memories from the last 10 years. The story follows him and his partner Nate as they attempt to uncover what it was that Doug had uncovered.
The story was quick, which was nice. The "chapters" were short, but not clearly labeled, which made it difficult to know how long I had left in a chapter while reading on the kindle. That might be a nuance I personally don't like - maybe it doesn't bother anyone else!
I had a few problems with the book. First, the plot felt pretty thin to me, and it also didn't feel super unique. There wasn't a ton happening, so it felt like a lot of the book was dragged out, and I found myself getting bored at some points. I'm glad this was a book I chose to alternate between kindle and audiobook, because I'm honestly not sure if I wouldn't have gotten though it without also being able to listen to it on my commute to and from work. I also didn't particularly love any of the characters. It's not that I disliked them per say, but I didn't like them either. I wasn't necessarily rooting for them in the end. I felt totally indifferent to how the book was going to end, which isn't what I want out of a book marketed as a thriller. Lastly, I felt like some of the dialogue and character interaction felt really unnatural to me, which took me out of the story.
I alternated between two and three stars, but given how hard it was for me to want to keep reading and the fact that I didn't care how it ended, I'm going to land on two stars.
June 8, 2016
Full review @ Smoke & Mirrors: http://books-n-music.blogspot.com/201.... That. Was. Excellent! Really! I love Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series, and was anxious to read one of his stand-alone mysteries. Yep! Loved it! Though I admit I prefer the AC series, simply because I prefer the more thorough characterization possible in a series, and Rosenfelt does that very well. Now I know I will basically love reading anything this man publishes! I agree with some who have likened this book/format to James Patterson. It did seem reminiscent of Patterson's format though I liked this much better than the few I've read by Patterson. Though with that said, I did read and love Alex Cross's Trial, which was unique for him as historical fiction.
June 11, 2018
3.75 stars. New Jersey state police officer Doug Brock is shot twice but the most serious injury is to his brain when he fell. He's in a coma for awhile and when he wakes up, he can't remember the last 10 years. Not good when trying to piece together the case he was working on. With the help of his partner Nate and ex-fiancee Jessie, he tries to re-create his steps prior to the shooting.
This was my first time reading a book by David Rosenfelt and I enjoyed it. I liked the writing style. It was easy to read which I always appreciate. I liked the main characters of Doug, Nate, and Jessie and look forward to more of their interactions. I also enjoyed the tongue in cheek humor.
This was my first time reading a book by David Rosenfelt and I enjoyed it. I liked the writing style. It was easy to read which I always appreciate. I liked the main characters of Doug, Nate, and Jessie and look forward to more of their interactions. I also enjoyed the tongue in cheek humor.
August 24, 2016
An "okay" thriller for a listen while I take walks or work in the yard, but Rosenfelt's standalones all lack the gentle wry humor that make his Andy Carpenter books so good. I gotta remember to stick to Andy in the future.
March 20, 2017
Like most of author's work and this one as well. Well narrated and recommended.
February 23, 2016
The only criticism I have of this book compared to his others is that there was only a passing mention of Golden Retrievers, and this wasn't until page 229!
December 1, 2020
Doug Brock is the tough cop hero here.
Nate is his partner and Jessie, also a cop, is his lover (former fiancee) but that all gets righted at the end. Nice wrap-up.
Interesting twist with Doug losing the last 10 years of his memory after a head injury.
He had been undercover and figured out the terrorist plot but got hurt just before he let Nate know what was going on.
He has to redo the investigation with help of N & J.
Nate is his partner and Jessie, also a cop, is his lover (former fiancee) but that all gets righted at the end. Nice wrap-up.
Interesting twist with Doug losing the last 10 years of his memory after a head injury.
He had been undercover and figured out the terrorist plot but got hurt just before he let Nate know what was going on.
He has to redo the investigation with help of N & J.
January 23, 2020
This is an interesting story about a New Jersey State Policeman Doug Brock who has
been chasing a criminal Nicholas Bennett for years. Bennett kills someone close to
Doug and he goes out of control and is suspended from the force. Doug calls his former
partner for some help and while talking to her on the phone he gets shot. He's taken to the
hospital in critical condition. After coming out of a coma and recuperating he and his partner
continue hunting Bennett. He has no memory of the last several years but there is enough to
continue the hunt for Bennett. A readable story I liked it and gave it a 3.75
been chasing a criminal Nicholas Bennett for years. Bennett kills someone close to
Doug and he goes out of control and is suspended from the force. Doug calls his former
partner for some help and while talking to her on the phone he gets shot. He's taken to the
hospital in critical condition. After coming out of a coma and recuperating he and his partner
continue hunting Bennett. He has no memory of the last several years but there is enough to
continue the hunt for Bennett. A readable story I liked it and gave it a 3.75
May 12, 2022
I've enjoyed David Rosenfelt’s books and gave this one a try. It was a quick read, something that I enjoy! It was interesting and had a good plot.
June 4, 2016
I love David Rosenfelt's books. They are easy to read, there are no complicated plot twists that you have to stop and figure out, his characters are always very appealing, and his stories always entertain. I pretty much read this in one sitting. 4 1/2 stars definitely.
Doug Brock seemingly has a great life. A police officer, he has a partner, Nate, who is also his best friend, he's engaged to be married to a wonderful woman, Jessie, who is also a cop, and he's in the process of adopting a teenage boy, Johnny, whom he's mentored and helped turn his life around. Then everything changes in the blink of an eye when his soon-to-be son is killed in a drive by shooting. Doug is convinced it was perpetrated by Nicholas Bennett, a man Doug and Nate have been investigating. He becomes obsessed with taking the guy down. He ends up breaking his engagement, comes close to alienating his partner, and has most of the police force convinced he's gone off the deep end.
One day, Nate gets a call from him. Doug is babbling almost incoherently about how he's got enough to put "him" away - the "him" surely meaning Bennett. While trying to convince Doug that he's gone overboard in his thinking, Nate hears gunshots and the line goes dead. Before he can discover his partner's whereabouts, he gets a call from Jessie saying Doug has been shot. Nate rushes to the hospital to find Doug's wounds aren't serious but he sustained a traumatic brain injury from falling off a second story balcony and is in surgery. To make a long story short, when Doug wakes up he can't remember anything from before his phone call to Nate, has in fact, lost ten years of his life.
Thus begins the main storyline of the book. Once sufficiently recovered, Doug begins to piece together what he was doing prior to being attacked. If what Nate told him was true then he'd obviously found a way to prove Bennett's evil doings. He just needs to recall whatever it was he'd uncovered. Then Nate is shot while he and Doug are attempting to stop a terrorist bombing at a theatre. Turns out, the terrorist had ties to Bennett. As Nate recovers, Doug enlists Jessie's aid in his quest for justice. This gives Doug some time to mend some fences with Jessie. For the life of him, he can't figure out why he would have let her go. It was made painfully clear to him by both Nate and Jessie that he'd hurt her but she refuses to talk about it. And neither Nate nor Jessie have told him about Johnny's death and what motivated Doug to go after Bennett in the first place.
I really enjoyed the way the author brought Doug and Jessie back together. It was during the course of their investigation that they had to spend time together which gave Doug the opportunity to get to know Jessie all over again. In this way, we get some idea of who these characters really are and what their past relationship had been like. I also liked Doug's interaction not only with his partner, but with his captain as well. Given Doug's amnesia, he can't remember the man and it makes for a few comical moments in the book.
In addition, Doug's investigation leads him to a terrorist plot of massive proportions so then they are racing against time to try and foil it before it happens. I'm not giving anything away here because we learn early in the book there is more going on than Doug's quest for vengeance. All in all, this was a very enjoyable read. If you've never read this particular author before, I suggest you give him a try. He also has the Andy Carpenter series in case you enjoy legal thrillers and have a love for dogs!
Doug Brock seemingly has a great life. A police officer, he has a partner, Nate, who is also his best friend, he's engaged to be married to a wonderful woman, Jessie, who is also a cop, and he's in the process of adopting a teenage boy, Johnny, whom he's mentored and helped turn his life around. Then everything changes in the blink of an eye when his soon-to-be son is killed in a drive by shooting. Doug is convinced it was perpetrated by Nicholas Bennett, a man Doug and Nate have been investigating. He becomes obsessed with taking the guy down. He ends up breaking his engagement, comes close to alienating his partner, and has most of the police force convinced he's gone off the deep end.
One day, Nate gets a call from him. Doug is babbling almost incoherently about how he's got enough to put "him" away - the "him" surely meaning Bennett. While trying to convince Doug that he's gone overboard in his thinking, Nate hears gunshots and the line goes dead. Before he can discover his partner's whereabouts, he gets a call from Jessie saying Doug has been shot. Nate rushes to the hospital to find Doug's wounds aren't serious but he sustained a traumatic brain injury from falling off a second story balcony and is in surgery. To make a long story short, when Doug wakes up he can't remember anything from before his phone call to Nate, has in fact, lost ten years of his life.
Thus begins the main storyline of the book. Once sufficiently recovered, Doug begins to piece together what he was doing prior to being attacked. If what Nate told him was true then he'd obviously found a way to prove Bennett's evil doings. He just needs to recall whatever it was he'd uncovered. Then Nate is shot while he and Doug are attempting to stop a terrorist bombing at a theatre. Turns out, the terrorist had ties to Bennett. As Nate recovers, Doug enlists Jessie's aid in his quest for justice. This gives Doug some time to mend some fences with Jessie. For the life of him, he can't figure out why he would have let her go. It was made painfully clear to him by both Nate and Jessie that he'd hurt her but she refuses to talk about it. And neither Nate nor Jessie have told him about Johnny's death and what motivated Doug to go after Bennett in the first place.
I really enjoyed the way the author brought Doug and Jessie back together. It was during the course of their investigation that they had to spend time together which gave Doug the opportunity to get to know Jessie all over again. In this way, we get some idea of who these characters really are and what their past relationship had been like. I also liked Doug's interaction not only with his partner, but with his captain as well. Given Doug's amnesia, he can't remember the man and it makes for a few comical moments in the book.
In addition, Doug's investigation leads him to a terrorist plot of massive proportions so then they are racing against time to try and foil it before it happens. I'm not giving anything away here because we learn early in the book there is more going on than Doug's quest for vengeance. All in all, this was a very enjoyable read. If you've never read this particular author before, I suggest you give him a try. He also has the Andy Carpenter series in case you enjoy legal thrillers and have a love for dogs!
September 6, 2017
3.5 stars
A typical Rosenfelt book: suspense, great characters, and humour! It's this aspect of his novels that sets him apart.
When Doug Brock is injured while investigating on his own, he suffers brain trauma that causes him to lose the memories of the last ten years. This includes the answers related to the case he was working on involving Bennet, a modern head of crime family.
He also forgets his relationship with Jess, they were supposed to be married but Doug called off the wedding.
When he is fit to return to work, Doug continues to follow his leads on Bennet. He tries to retrace his moments leading up to his being shot. To do this he needs the help of both Nate and Jess.
It is an interesting story, full of tense moments, good police work, a bit of romance and, of course, humour.
I would recommend this book. It is a quick read and quite entertaining.
A typical Rosenfelt book: suspense, great characters, and humour! It's this aspect of his novels that sets him apart.
When Doug Brock is injured while investigating on his own, he suffers brain trauma that causes him to lose the memories of the last ten years. This includes the answers related to the case he was working on involving Bennet, a modern head of crime family.
He also forgets his relationship with Jess, they were supposed to be married but Doug called off the wedding.
When he is fit to return to work, Doug continues to follow his leads on Bennet. He tries to retrace his moments leading up to his being shot. To do this he needs the help of both Nate and Jess.
It is an interesting story, full of tense moments, good police work, a bit of romance and, of course, humour.
I would recommend this book. It is a quick read and quite entertaining.
July 16, 2018
Steitzer's voices for most of the characters seem to be drawn from cartoon dogs. The partner of the main character sounds like a slightly more articulate Scooby Doo, most of the rest of them sound like Deputy Dawg or cartoon variations channeling Lenny from Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men." With all of these undeniably cartoon dog-derived voices, even the non-dog voices become dogs, with the female lead becoming some dog version of Jessica Rabbit, and the protagonist becoming Brian Griffin. While listening to the book, as the plot unfolds, all I can visualize is different cartoon dogs walking around on their hind legs, driving cars, drinking Bloody Marys, and whatever it is that anyone is doing. It's quite distracting, and difficult to judge the actual merit of the book when I get the impression that any one of the characters might at some point pee on my leg.
February 18, 2019
The book grew on me as I read it. At the beginning, it just didn't have the feel of a book I enjoy. I can't describe it exactly but it just didn't grab me. It wasn't bad enough to quit and I am glad of that. By the middle of the book I was really into it. The storyline was unique and the characters were interesting. A good quick read.
September 3, 2016
Distinctly voiced characters with amnesia as a vehicle tying together friendship, humor, police investigation, terrorism, and what it means to take risks and keep trying and to have your partners's back. Ably narrated by Jeff Steitzer.
August 1, 2017
good story but not Andy Carpenter.
December 19, 2019
While waiting for my copy, of the second Andy Carpenter book to come in the mail. I picked up, the first two books in David Rosenfelt's other series, about Doug Brock at my local used bookstore.
I went into this book thinking, it was going to be pretty close to an Andy Carpenter book, but really, this is a whole different style of writing. Its more gritty and dark with hardly any humor. A dog, would have been a nice addition, but there isn't one.
The story was interesting, and held my attention through out, but it wasn't really what I was in the mood to be reading right now. Which is a shame, since it was a great story and leaves with a lot of unanswered questions, about Doug and if he ever remembers, anymore of his missing years. I'm still, on the fence if I like Doug or not. He is a hard character to understand, since he doesn't know a whole lot about himself. Since I have the second book, I'll most likely read it. But for right now, I'm more looking forward to continuing with Andy, and that whole cast of characters.
I went into this book thinking, it was going to be pretty close to an Andy Carpenter book, but really, this is a whole different style of writing. Its more gritty and dark with hardly any humor. A dog, would have been a nice addition, but there isn't one.
The story was interesting, and held my attention through out, but it wasn't really what I was in the mood to be reading right now. Which is a shame, since it was a great story and leaves with a lot of unanswered questions, about Doug and if he ever remembers, anymore of his missing years. I'm still, on the fence if I like Doug or not. He is a hard character to understand, since he doesn't know a whole lot about himself. Since I have the second book, I'll most likely read it. But for right now, I'm more looking forward to continuing with Andy, and that whole cast of characters.
January 30, 2018
Trigger warnings: shooting, explosions(?), amnesia.
Uuuuuuuuuuuuugh. This was SUCH a struggle for me. The chapters are really short and it cuts back and forth between first person and third person perspectives, which I did NOT enjoy at all. The short chapters made it difficult to get to know the characters in any real way, and I basically found myself skim reading this because I just didn't give a shit.
Basically? I liked the concept of this - cop is on the brink of a breakthrough when he gets shot and forgets 10 years of his life - but the execution was...nope.
Uuuuuuuuuuuuugh. This was SUCH a struggle for me. The chapters are really short and it cuts back and forth between first person and third person perspectives, which I did NOT enjoy at all. The short chapters made it difficult to get to know the characters in any real way, and I basically found myself skim reading this because I just didn't give a shit.
Basically? I liked the concept of this - cop is on the brink of a breakthrough when he gets shot and forgets 10 years of his life - but the execution was...nope.
June 12, 2022
The first in a three book series on Doig Brock, a police detective who lost his memory due to a traumatic brain injury while working on a case.
The series uses the concept of slowly recovering a
10 year gap in his memory and depending upon is Partner Nat and his experience-fiancé Jessy to help him learn to function in 2015 with all the modern advances.
Narration is good but not as engaging as Grover Gardener narrating the Andy Carpenter series of audio books.
The series uses the concept of slowly recovering a
10 year gap in his memory and depending upon is Partner Nat and his experience-fiancé Jessy to help him learn to function in 2015 with all the modern advances.
Narration is good but not as engaging as Grover Gardener narrating the Andy Carpenter series of audio books.
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