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Bruno Johnson #6
The Reckless
Perfect for fans of Robert Crais and John Sandford. Bruno Johnson, a young and inexperienced LA County Deputy Sheriff, is trying to balance his life as the single father of a two-year-old daughter and his responsibilities as a cop in the Violent Crimes Unit. When he and his impetuous partner Ned Kiefer are put on loan to the FBI to help out with a "special problem," Bruno finds himself in a real bind. The FBI hands Bruno and Ned a case that the Bureau prefers not to touch--a group of teenage criminals that are being run by a nefarious criminal known as The Darkman. Bruno discovers the identity of The Darkman and is stunned to realize that he is the perpetrator from a lingering unsolved case--a triple homicide that continues to haunt Bruno. The problem is how to stop the juvenile criminals without killing kids, and at the same time, avoid being killed by the kids--or by The Darkman--and keep his reckless partner Ned under control.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2019
34 people are currently reading
2968 people want to read
About the author
David Putnam
20 books2,029 followersBest-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.
Putnam lives in Southern California with his wife, Mary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
February 18, 2019
This is the second prequel in the popular Bruno Johnson series that takes us back to his early years. Bruno is an LA County deputy sheriff who works in the violent crimes unit. He likes his boss, his colleagues & their current investigation. So he’s less than thrilled when he shows up to work one day & gets a double whammy. His old partner Ned Kiefer is back & they’re being seconded to the FBI as part of a joint task force tackling a surge in bank robberies. Oh, if only it was that simple.
Sure, being sworn in as a US Marshall is a kick. But it’s immediately clear their FBI counterparts view them as subordinates who must be tolerated. It’s a frosty welcome with one exception. Special Agent Chelsea Miller is part of the team and she & Bruno have a bit of history.
Bruno & Ned dig in & have some early success. But when they’re handed one particular case, they discover the task force’s true agenda. One of the gangs responsible for the robberies is made up of disadvantaged teens. There is little chance this will end well, making it a political hot potato the FBI would prefer to avoid. And for Bruno it will be a case that tests him personally & professionally.
What follows is an action packed wild ride with plenty of twists. The multiple story lines are populated by a colourful mix of cops, gang bangers, drug addicts & honest people just trying to survive in some of LA’s poorer neighbourhoods.
At the centre of it all is Bruno, a hard working cop who wants to make a difference. His world revolves around the little house he shares with 2 year old daughter Olivia & his father. He’s a decent guy whose good nature can sometimes be a liability. Bruno is besieged by people who want him to return a favour, keep a secret, save a friend, do a job, protect a loved one…..seriously, the guy needs to learn how to say no.
However, the result is a book that has to cover a lot of territory in 320 pages. There are so many story lines running concurrently, easily enough for 2 books. If a couple were dropped, perhaps those remaining (& the characters involved) could have been more developed as the author certainly has his work cut out to tie them all up by the end.
One thing is for sure…..there is zero chance of getting bored as the hits just keep on coming. And mixed in with the action are some great twists, lovely little shockers that will make you look at some of the cast with fresh eyes. Although this is book #6 the author provides plenty of back story so if you’re looking for a fast paced adrenaline rush don’t hesitate to jump in here.
3.5 rounded up to 4*
Sure, being sworn in as a US Marshall is a kick. But it’s immediately clear their FBI counterparts view them as subordinates who must be tolerated. It’s a frosty welcome with one exception. Special Agent Chelsea Miller is part of the team and she & Bruno have a bit of history.
Bruno & Ned dig in & have some early success. But when they’re handed one particular case, they discover the task force’s true agenda. One of the gangs responsible for the robberies is made up of disadvantaged teens. There is little chance this will end well, making it a political hot potato the FBI would prefer to avoid. And for Bruno it will be a case that tests him personally & professionally.
What follows is an action packed wild ride with plenty of twists. The multiple story lines are populated by a colourful mix of cops, gang bangers, drug addicts & honest people just trying to survive in some of LA’s poorer neighbourhoods.
At the centre of it all is Bruno, a hard working cop who wants to make a difference. His world revolves around the little house he shares with 2 year old daughter Olivia & his father. He’s a decent guy whose good nature can sometimes be a liability. Bruno is besieged by people who want him to return a favour, keep a secret, save a friend, do a job, protect a loved one…..seriously, the guy needs to learn how to say no.
However, the result is a book that has to cover a lot of territory in 320 pages. There are so many story lines running concurrently, easily enough for 2 books. If a couple were dropped, perhaps those remaining (& the characters involved) could have been more developed as the author certainly has his work cut out to tie them all up by the end.
One thing is for sure…..there is zero chance of getting bored as the hits just keep on coming. And mixed in with the action are some great twists, lovely little shockers that will make you look at some of the cast with fresh eyes. Although this is book #6 the author provides plenty of back story so if you’re looking for a fast paced adrenaline rush don’t hesitate to jump in here.
3.5 rounded up to 4*
July 24, 2019
I really cannot speak highly enough about this series. I LOVE these books. This is one of the best books I've read this year and I know I will still be saying that in December. Bruno Johnson is a perfect character hero; principled but tempted, funny but focused, competent but subject to the unpredictability of criminals' behavior. These books have it all.
David Putnam writes high octane stuff. When the team (of Johnson and his co workers at the Sherrif's department) is chasing someone or questioning suspects, the writing rings true and the plot(s) are subtly developed. Personal stories intertwine with professional and Bruno's past, his neighboorhood, and the criminals all come to life. The dialogues are whip smart.
Not sure what else I can say but if you like Michael Connelly, try this series (I gotta be honest, I love Connelly but Putnam is better. Really.) Connelly, CJ Box and Robert Dugoni all like this series; you need to check it out. Cannot wait to read more. Ten stars. (I know, I know. I'm still giving it 10 stars.)
David Putnam writes high octane stuff. When the team (of Johnson and his co workers at the Sherrif's department) is chasing someone or questioning suspects, the writing rings true and the plot(s) are subtly developed. Personal stories intertwine with professional and Bruno's past, his neighboorhood, and the criminals all come to life. The dialogues are whip smart.
Not sure what else I can say but if you like Michael Connelly, try this series (I gotta be honest, I love Connelly but Putnam is better. Really.) Connelly, CJ Box and Robert Dugoni all like this series; you need to check it out. Cannot wait to read more. Ten stars. (I know, I know. I'm still giving it 10 stars.)
February 5, 2019
I will begin by saying I have never read any books in this series by this author. That's something I am definitely going to change in the very near future.
Although 6th in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone. This book tells of his early years, when he was young and new to the Violent Crimes Unit in Los Angeles. Living with his father and having the total care of his very young daughter almost gives him more responsibility than he's used to.
Bruno and his partner, Ned, are sent to work with the FBI. Originally, they are given the task of hunting down bank robbers ... the ones the FBI hasn't been able to locate, sometimes for years. When Bruno and Ned find a couple within a matter of days, the FBI seems unhappy to have been shown up by these two 'cowboys'.
But what the FBI really wants them to do is an almost impossible job. And the leader of this particular group is someone from Bruno's past .... a killer that was never caught.
There is so much to this story ... Ned's personal problems which are interfering with his job ... a woman Bruno let slip through his fingers several years earlier .... a supervisor who Bruno suspects is not mentally stable enough to lead his men .... and some who are hiding secrets and cannot be trusted at any cost.
This is an extremely well written crime fiction. Action starts on the very first page and just never lets up. It's a real page turner.
Because of the author's background, I expected a lot of credibility with the story premise ..and the characters. He didn't disappoint. Why he wrote this book is as interesting as reading the actual book. If you like crime fiction, you don't want to miss this one ... it may be the best you read all year.
Many thanks to the author / Oceanview Publishing / Edelweiss for the advanced digital copy of this most thrilling crime story. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
August 8, 2022
[Read Nov. 2018; Reviewed June 2022]
Thin description leaves the reader feeling bewildered and nearsighted. Overdescription buries him or her in details and images. The trick is to find a happy medium. --Stephen King
When the environment is less real, the people you put into that environment become less believable, and less interesting. --John D. MacDonald
I often think about the two quotes above, as well as similar such advice from these two masters of storytelling, particularly as with each passing year, prose in general leans more and more toward pace and readability and away from mood and atmosphere. And detail. The creation of vivid scenes was always evident in the work of King and MacDonald, and when asked to expound on the subject they would each gladly elaborate. Judgements are not descriptions. An idea is not an image. Details bring a scene into focus, but the right details, in the right amount. As a reader I agree with them completely. Several pages into The Reckless, it is clear that David Putnam does not. Everything is a rug, an office, a van. Bruno Johnson, the protagonist, drives a Ford Ranger but how it is different from any other Ford Ranger on the streets of Los Angeles, I couldn't tell you. Does this make Putnam a hack? Certainly not. Does he lack the skill—-or the will--to produce a more detailed narrative? Not at all. It's a matter of philosophy. An art form, any art form, consists of thousands of ways to get it wrong and no one single way of getting it right. You have to find YOUR single way, a philosophy that works for you as an individual artist. Putnam's is to make the situations so real that only breathing, flesh-and-blood people can populate these pages.
The Reckless is classified as an “Early Years” novel but I couldn't tell you anything about that either. This is my first time meeting Bruno Johnson. A member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, he lives with his father and his two-year-old daughter, of whom he is a single parent. There is a story behind that. He is about to be reunited with Ned Kiefer, who also has a young daughter. There's a story behind that too. As there is as to why these two men haven’t seen each other in years. In fact, there's a lot of backstory in the first 20 pages or so. If you're flipping through this book in a store or have clicked on a preview link and your first thought is, info dump; it could honestly be argued either way. If that is your reaction, I suggest you power through. Once we get Bruno and Ned together, driving in a car and talking as friends, acting as if the last 4 years hadn't happened, the novel moves ahead at a solid, steady pace.
How Putnam goes about pacing The Reckless is interesting in itself. Bruno Johnson is currently assigned to the violent crimes unit, which in turn is about to be loaned out to the FBI. The first couple of assignments they draw promptly allow them to make fools of the Bureau, particularly the man put in charge of them, who is a pompous jerk and the closest thing you’ll find to a cliché in the book. There are humorous moments during this stretch but it is not played for comedy. Putnam is entertaining us while he sets up the characters and situations and emotions that will play out when things turn much more serious. Throughout the novel he makes great use of the unit’s need to remain clandestine. When emotional arguments erupt and the natural reaction is to be loud and boisterous, but the environment forces you to be subdued and contained, an extra level of drama plays out.
Like his lead character, David Putnam had policed LA in many capacities over his career. I suspect you have two agendas once you venture into the world of fiction and choose to write about your former profession. The first is obviously authenticity, particularly if the day-to-day details of your job have been repeatedly misrepresented across all media. For example, around-the-clock surveillance is reserved for high profile task forces with budgets to match. These cops tuck their suspect in at night and go home, and hope to be back in the morning before he goes out again. The author’s other goal is to fulfill the expectations of the genre. There is little point to authenticity if the reader leaves disappointed. He has to deliver murders and plot twists, reveals and betrayals. And Putnam serves both masters with his ending, providing a solution to a problem where the traditional solution will not come anywhere near sufficing.
But that lack of detail does occasionally come back to haunt Putnam. In another of those personal confrontations that happen in a place where quiet is a necessity--this time outside of a suspect’s apartment building in the dead of night--Bruno has an encounter with an ex-lover who early on in the book is brought back into his orbit because of their respective jobs. Like most such exchanges, neither leaves satisfied. This is how she arrives:
“She got out [of the car] and eased her door closed so it clicked shut.”
This is how she leaves:
“She got in her car, started it up, and took off without turning on the headlights.”
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No.
How does she close the door? Does she ease it shut the way she did when she arrived? Does she just get in and drive away, not caring about the results she leaves behind? Does she slam it intentionally? Because she drives away without turning on her headlights we can assume she had some concern about Bruno remaining undiscovered, but I wanted to know in real time as the scene was playing in my head. I was jolted out of the novel.
All in all, though, Putnam delivers. He puts Bruno through a wide variety of emotions and situations, some expected and some surprising, and somehow Bruno finds a way to keep pushing forward. It left me wanting to know what most of Putnam’s fans already know. Thanks to only one sampling of his “Early Years,” I want to know who Bruno Johnson becomes.
Thin description leaves the reader feeling bewildered and nearsighted. Overdescription buries him or her in details and images. The trick is to find a happy medium. --Stephen King
When the environment is less real, the people you put into that environment become less believable, and less interesting. --John D. MacDonald
I often think about the two quotes above, as well as similar such advice from these two masters of storytelling, particularly as with each passing year, prose in general leans more and more toward pace and readability and away from mood and atmosphere. And detail. The creation of vivid scenes was always evident in the work of King and MacDonald, and when asked to expound on the subject they would each gladly elaborate. Judgements are not descriptions. An idea is not an image. Details bring a scene into focus, but the right details, in the right amount. As a reader I agree with them completely. Several pages into The Reckless, it is clear that David Putnam does not. Everything is a rug, an office, a van. Bruno Johnson, the protagonist, drives a Ford Ranger but how it is different from any other Ford Ranger on the streets of Los Angeles, I couldn't tell you. Does this make Putnam a hack? Certainly not. Does he lack the skill—-or the will--to produce a more detailed narrative? Not at all. It's a matter of philosophy. An art form, any art form, consists of thousands of ways to get it wrong and no one single way of getting it right. You have to find YOUR single way, a philosophy that works for you as an individual artist. Putnam's is to make the situations so real that only breathing, flesh-and-blood people can populate these pages.
The Reckless is classified as an “Early Years” novel but I couldn't tell you anything about that either. This is my first time meeting Bruno Johnson. A member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, he lives with his father and his two-year-old daughter, of whom he is a single parent. There is a story behind that. He is about to be reunited with Ned Kiefer, who also has a young daughter. There's a story behind that too. As there is as to why these two men haven’t seen each other in years. In fact, there's a lot of backstory in the first 20 pages or so. If you're flipping through this book in a store or have clicked on a preview link and your first thought is, info dump; it could honestly be argued either way. If that is your reaction, I suggest you power through. Once we get Bruno and Ned together, driving in a car and talking as friends, acting as if the last 4 years hadn't happened, the novel moves ahead at a solid, steady pace.
How Putnam goes about pacing The Reckless is interesting in itself. Bruno Johnson is currently assigned to the violent crimes unit, which in turn is about to be loaned out to the FBI. The first couple of assignments they draw promptly allow them to make fools of the Bureau, particularly the man put in charge of them, who is a pompous jerk and the closest thing you’ll find to a cliché in the book. There are humorous moments during this stretch but it is not played for comedy. Putnam is entertaining us while he sets up the characters and situations and emotions that will play out when things turn much more serious. Throughout the novel he makes great use of the unit’s need to remain clandestine. When emotional arguments erupt and the natural reaction is to be loud and boisterous, but the environment forces you to be subdued and contained, an extra level of drama plays out.
Like his lead character, David Putnam had policed LA in many capacities over his career. I suspect you have two agendas once you venture into the world of fiction and choose to write about your former profession. The first is obviously authenticity, particularly if the day-to-day details of your job have been repeatedly misrepresented across all media. For example, around-the-clock surveillance is reserved for high profile task forces with budgets to match. These cops tuck their suspect in at night and go home, and hope to be back in the morning before he goes out again. The author’s other goal is to fulfill the expectations of the genre. There is little point to authenticity if the reader leaves disappointed. He has to deliver murders and plot twists, reveals and betrayals. And Putnam serves both masters with his ending, providing a solution to a problem where the traditional solution will not come anywhere near sufficing.
But that lack of detail does occasionally come back to haunt Putnam. In another of those personal confrontations that happen in a place where quiet is a necessity--this time outside of a suspect’s apartment building in the dead of night--Bruno has an encounter with an ex-lover who early on in the book is brought back into his orbit because of their respective jobs. Like most such exchanges, neither leaves satisfied. This is how she arrives:
“She got out [of the car] and eased her door closed so it clicked shut.”
This is how she leaves:
“She got in her car, started it up, and took off without turning on the headlights.”
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No.
How does she close the door? Does she ease it shut the way she did when she arrived? Does she just get in and drive away, not caring about the results she leaves behind? Does she slam it intentionally? Because she drives away without turning on her headlights we can assume she had some concern about Bruno remaining undiscovered, but I wanted to know in real time as the scene was playing in my head. I was jolted out of the novel.
All in all, though, Putnam delivers. He puts Bruno through a wide variety of emotions and situations, some expected and some surprising, and somehow Bruno finds a way to keep pushing forward. It left me wanting to know what most of Putnam’s fans already know. Thanks to only one sampling of his “Early Years,” I want to know who Bruno Johnson becomes.
Disclaimer: This book was provided to me by the author with no obligation on my part. I usually write “no expectation or obligation” but almost certainly he expected a more timely review. Appropriate apologies are hereby tendered.
July 22, 2020
I told the story before on Good Reads about how the author enticed me to buy a copy of his latest novel. It was at a book signing table in Barnes and Noble and he was sitting with his agent at a card table. He saw me browsing new books nearby, and we were aware of each other. He spoke up and asked if I like Michael Connelly (I'm a big fan) and when I answered in the affirmative, he recommended his latest book, the latest in a series that featured his LA cop protagonist Bruno Johnson. I admired his chutzpah, went over to his table and talked to him and eventually walked away with his latest book and purchased it. His agent just sat there watching him work it. I'm sure the word "chutzpah" was going through her mind, too.
That was a couple years ago, and it finally took me until March of this year to start it, in the beginning days of the COVID-19 shutdown. I must say that this book quickly became an excellent diversion for me. Part police procedural, part comical cop-buddy story, part family drama, with a nice cast of characters and situations that were compelling and yet comfortably familiar. No big surprises, but the pages kept turning, even if my reading time really diminished during this historic epidemic we were living through.
The plot is a little slow to unfold, but then picks up quickly when needed, and the story jumps back and forth from "buddy cop" comedy to tragedy very quickly. What I liked best were the SoCal settings, not just the cliched LA street crime scenes and freeway chases (there are some of those, too), but more interesting locales on the outskirts of LA County and beyond. I appreciated the author bringing in a different feel of the surrounding communities. I mean, Chino? Pomona? Even Compton? Not glamorous areas, but definitely welcome to this jaded resident. The plot involves the usual: good cops, bad cops, FBI snobs, the protagonist's family drama and travails of the heart. Nothing that I haven't experienced before, but with a freshness that I found myself caught up in. Or maybe it was just the welcome relief from the current events that made me slow down and enjoy the distraction. So...Michael Connelly? Not quite, but definitely entertaining and compelling. Funny in places, dead serious in others. It could even be an excellent movie.
I will be looking for author David Putnam's signing table when B&N (and our world) opens back up.
That was a couple years ago, and it finally took me until March of this year to start it, in the beginning days of the COVID-19 shutdown. I must say that this book quickly became an excellent diversion for me. Part police procedural, part comical cop-buddy story, part family drama, with a nice cast of characters and situations that were compelling and yet comfortably familiar. No big surprises, but the pages kept turning, even if my reading time really diminished during this historic epidemic we were living through.
The plot is a little slow to unfold, but then picks up quickly when needed, and the story jumps back and forth from "buddy cop" comedy to tragedy very quickly. What I liked best were the SoCal settings, not just the cliched LA street crime scenes and freeway chases (there are some of those, too), but more interesting locales on the outskirts of LA County and beyond. I appreciated the author bringing in a different feel of the surrounding communities. I mean, Chino? Pomona? Even Compton? Not glamorous areas, but definitely welcome to this jaded resident. The plot involves the usual: good cops, bad cops, FBI snobs, the protagonist's family drama and travails of the heart. Nothing that I haven't experienced before, but with a freshness that I found myself caught up in. Or maybe it was just the welcome relief from the current events that made me slow down and enjoy the distraction. So...Michael Connelly? Not quite, but definitely entertaining and compelling. Funny in places, dead serious in others. It could even be an excellent movie.
I will be looking for author David Putnam's signing table when B&N (and our world) opens back up.
April 7, 2023
The anger from my inability to bring down the Darkman — years of pent-up anger and guilt continued to fester, creating a grim monster of regret. I couldn’t find him and knew I could if I only had a name to work with.
The Reckless was my introduction to LA detective Bruno Johnson, working with the Violent Crimes unit, a single-parent to young Olivia, living with his father, a post delivery man, in a less than salubrious part of LA. He’s black, smart and handsome and honest, but when he and three others are co-opted as marshals to assist the FBI solve a spate of bank robberies he is reunited with the FBI agent he once loved and saved his life (at the cost of her own advancement), and his ex-partner Ned, total loose-cannon, leads with his mouth and gets everyone offside.
Author David Putnam has a career and family in law enforcement and this was high-octane (I choose the word “cavalier”) policing – very different in style from the measured Bosch novels by Michael Connelly (a former crime journalist), where the detective lives in a house overlooking one of the canyons. Both authors draw on the LAPD/FBI relationship – toxic at times, and here the marshals take less than a week to take down two bank robbers that the FBI, hamstrung by procedure, was unable to capture. Which leaves a third: bank robberies committed by juveniles, under the guidance of a criminal mastermind.
I was in two minds about this one: apparently a “prequel” in the series. I really liked Bruno Johnson and dad, and accepted the first-person narrative that US authors seem to favour (drilled into me by my Eng. Lit. teacher at school: first person is for autobiography, not fiction); but here no one is exactly who they seem to be. It came across (to this reader) as overloaded on backstory, hidden agendas and enough action to fill two books. Full marks for the ‘poetic justice’ of the ending.
Ready to give Bruno Johnson another go and hopefully less frenetic.
The Reckless was my introduction to LA detective Bruno Johnson, working with the Violent Crimes unit, a single-parent to young Olivia, living with his father, a post delivery man, in a less than salubrious part of LA. He’s black, smart and handsome and honest, but when he and three others are co-opted as marshals to assist the FBI solve a spate of bank robberies he is reunited with the FBI agent he once loved and saved his life (at the cost of her own advancement), and his ex-partner Ned, total loose-cannon, leads with his mouth and gets everyone offside.
Author David Putnam has a career and family in law enforcement and this was high-octane (I choose the word “cavalier”) policing – very different in style from the measured Bosch novels by Michael Connelly (a former crime journalist), where the detective lives in a house overlooking one of the canyons. Both authors draw on the LAPD/FBI relationship – toxic at times, and here the marshals take less than a week to take down two bank robbers that the FBI, hamstrung by procedure, was unable to capture. Which leaves a third: bank robberies committed by juveniles, under the guidance of a criminal mastermind.
I was in two minds about this one: apparently a “prequel” in the series. I really liked Bruno Johnson and dad, and accepted the first-person narrative that US authors seem to favour (drilled into me by my Eng. Lit. teacher at school: first person is for autobiography, not fiction); but here no one is exactly who they seem to be. It came across (to this reader) as overloaded on backstory, hidden agendas and enough action to fill two books. Full marks for the ‘poetic justice’ of the ending.
Ready to give Bruno Johnson another go and hopefully less frenetic.
November 4, 2020
A good thriller, gripping and entertaining.
I liked the tightly knitted plot, the characters and the pace.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last..
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I liked the tightly knitted plot, the characters and the pace.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last..
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
February 9, 2019
Putnam's latest, The Reckless, is a masterwork. The author has received praise from both Michael Connelly and C.J. Box, and after reading The Reckless, I can understand why.
Bruno Johnson is a young black cop in South Central L.A., but in this book he and his team also work in the Inland Empire. Bruno is both dangerous and vulnerable, a good combination in a character.
Here are some of the compelling elements in this fabulous book:
*instead of a cartoon superhero, Bruno Johnson is flesh-and-blood human. He lives with his dad and little girl in Compton. Bruno is a young man who gets scared, grieves, bleeds, and loses from time to time. But also kicks ass.
*he thinks deeply. He's ethical but practical.
*all of the characters in the book are multi-faceted. As with John Sandford's characters, the bad guys have a flicker of redemptive capability (maybe) and the good guys sometimes align with the bad. At least in principle.
*there are babies, children, mothers, dads, and love in this book.
*stupid cops and smart cops.
*honor. Always honor. Sometimes a character has to dig deep to find it within himself.
*heroism. Even if it comes from a couple of washed-up old guys or an auntie from the hood who'll never back down.
*compassion juxtaposed with murderous intent.
David Putnam was a law enforcement officer, and he says 80% of this book really happened. It's like a view into the mind of a law enforcement professional who has seen the worst, and comes out the other side still thoughtful. Then turns himself into a writer and not only tells us about it, he shows it to us, and we live it. The masterful ending of this book is staying with me, but the afterword is itself powerful. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.
Bruno Johnson is a young black cop in South Central L.A., but in this book he and his team also work in the Inland Empire. Bruno is both dangerous and vulnerable, a good combination in a character.
Here are some of the compelling elements in this fabulous book:
*instead of a cartoon superhero, Bruno Johnson is flesh-and-blood human. He lives with his dad and little girl in Compton. Bruno is a young man who gets scared, grieves, bleeds, and loses from time to time. But also kicks ass.
*he thinks deeply. He's ethical but practical.
*all of the characters in the book are multi-faceted. As with John Sandford's characters, the bad guys have a flicker of redemptive capability (maybe) and the good guys sometimes align with the bad. At least in principle.
*there are babies, children, mothers, dads, and love in this book.
*stupid cops and smart cops.
*honor. Always honor. Sometimes a character has to dig deep to find it within himself.
*heroism. Even if it comes from a couple of washed-up old guys or an auntie from the hood who'll never back down.
*compassion juxtaposed with murderous intent.
David Putnam was a law enforcement officer, and he says 80% of this book really happened. It's like a view into the mind of a law enforcement professional who has seen the worst, and comes out the other side still thoughtful. Then turns himself into a writer and not only tells us about it, he shows it to us, and we live it. The masterful ending of this book is staying with me, but the afterword is itself powerful. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.
March 8, 2019
First, I would like to thank Mr Putnam for the opportunity to read this book through the Goodreads giveaway program.
Loved this book. It is the first in the series I have read but the author nicely writes the book to serve as a stand-alone. Still I felt that I missed vital info that would make the most of the story. What did I miss? Should give me enough initiative to see what I missed and go back and pick up this series
Mr Putnam has a wonderful way of describing his characters and I liked Bruno and his dad immediately. I wasn’t so sure about Ned. It was non stop action, and I thought this book would be my evening, soak in the tub and read book. Instead the story was so engrossing, I could not put it down. I could see these characters as a great TV series.
Would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes great police procedural, great story telling books.
October 22, 2018
“The Reckless”is about an inexperienced LA county Deputy sheriff, Bruno Johnson who is living life as a single father with a 2 year old daughter Olivia, and his father a postman. Bruno works as a cop in the violent crimes unit with his impetuous partner Ned Kiefer when suddenly they are put on loan with the FBI on a special assignment. Why them? There’s a crime wave of bank robberies by a nefarious criminal called the Dark Man who uses teenage criminals. Somehow the FBI doesn’t want to get involved, but Bruno also knows that the Dark Man is also involved with a triple homicide. Many twists, a lot of excitement, a great book. Loved the relationship with his father and partner. Thank you Oceanview Publishing for the advance copy.
May 15, 2019
This is my first book by David Putnam, and I will certainly read more.
Bruno Johnson is a good cop with a lot on his mind: his daughter, ex-girlfriend, superiors, an unfinished case, his current partner’s attitude and domestic problems, and the case the FBI put him on.
Hold on to your hat, this story is a high-octane ride. Once the action starts it doesn’t let up. Things I love about this crime thriller: the relationship with his dad, the realistic look at the underbelly of LA, and his convincing portrayal of cops, villains, and those caught in the crosshairs.
A fantastic read that will quicken your pulse and have you turning the page or swiping your eReader.
Bruno Johnson is a good cop with a lot on his mind: his daughter, ex-girlfriend, superiors, an unfinished case, his current partner’s attitude and domestic problems, and the case the FBI put him on.
Hold on to your hat, this story is a high-octane ride. Once the action starts it doesn’t let up. Things I love about this crime thriller: the relationship with his dad, the realistic look at the underbelly of LA, and his convincing portrayal of cops, villains, and those caught in the crosshairs.
A fantastic read that will quicken your pulse and have you turning the page or swiping your eReader.
February 8, 2019
David Putnam's protagonist Bruno Johnson is an iconic LA cop, but he's also the single parent of a young daughter. In The Reckless he balances his responsibility for Olivia with chasing very bad criminals in the Violent Crimes Unit with absolute loyalty to his friend Ned. The outcome is emotional and violent and unpredictable. For anyone who loves crime fiction, this is the author for you. The Reckless is part of a series, but this series can definitely be read out of order as a standalone.
November 15, 2018
I really enjoyed this book, and fell inlove with its characters. There were many LOL moments, a few heart dropping moments, and some plot twists. Solid 5 stars for me
February 12, 2019
I have read a few of David’s books and always find them to be suspenseful, believable and insightful. His characters will pull you in emotionally giving you a view into the minds of criminals and the good men and women who protect us against them. David also shows you how some of those good people make mistakes with far reaching consequences that will break your heart. Don’t worry about reading Reckless out of order. It is great as a standalone. I will definitely be reading more books by David Putnam.
March 22, 2019
I've read the whole Bruno series and this is my favorite. It's a prequel, the second, so the reader gets to know Bruno as a young man juggling a job with the violent crimes team and fatherhood. Putnam's writing style is so close to the character that you are on a ride-along into Bruno's world. Fast read, twists galore, and I always learn something. One common thread with the Bruno series that I deeply appreciate is that Bruno has a big heart for kids who have fallen through the cracks. I'd read anything Putnam wrote.
March 19, 2021
First of all I want to say I have to say it’s rare I read the authors note. I am glad I read this one! If you read The Reckless I would encourage you to do the same!
This is the first of David Putnams books that I’ve read and it won’t be the last! His writing style is awesome & he kept me wanting to continue till I finished the book! I liked his character. I’m looking forward to my next read
This is the first of David Putnams books that I’ve read and it won’t be the last! His writing style is awesome & he kept me wanting to continue till I finished the book! I liked his character. I’m looking forward to my next read
January 4, 2019
In the latest prequel, Bruno Johnson faces some tough situations. This book is full of emotion and portrays Bruno as a person trying to balance work and career, while the 2 intersect In unforeseen ways. There is a bad guy to catch, but along the way, we learn a lot about Bruno and his dad.
October 26, 2021
Plenty of action, leavened with themes relating to loyalty and trust and insights into various crime-adjacent echelons of society
December 4, 2021
Exciting & Unpredictable Story
This story presents as a simple police procedural murder mystery, but that would a gross devaluation of a highly complex story.
This story presents as a simple police procedural murder mystery, but that would a gross devaluation of a highly complex story.
December 10, 2018
This was a new author to me, so now I want to go back and read his other books! I really liked the character development. I’m a fan of police procedural books and mysteries and this fit the bill. It took me a few chapters to get into the story, but then I couldn’t put the book down! I recommend this book!
November 12, 2019
Absolutely loved this police procedural. This is a fast past crime story with a great plot twist. I loved the main character and could picture him very clearly. Definitely clear the author has real life experience in the field. Looking forward to reading more in this series.
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway but the opinions expressed are solely my own.
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway but the opinions expressed are solely my own.
October 26, 2022
"The Reckless" is the 6th in the Bruno Johnson series, but its clearly an Early Bruno prequel to his earlier books.
In The Reckless, Bruno is a deputy sheriff assigned to the LA County Violent Crimes Unit. He gets teamed up with his old partner and assigned to work with the FBI on a few cases they've been unable to solve. Of course Bruno, using old school methods, his street smarts, and intuition, wraps up the first couple in record time. The Feebs then throw him an almost impossible task: break up a bank robbery group led by a criminal who recruits underage teenagers to do his dirty work. Complicating the situation is the presence of Bruno's ex-girlfriend FBI agent who'd returned to LA after being posted to the Agency's equivalent of Siberia, South Dakota. Bruno et al make progress on identifying the arch-criminal pied piper leader of the teen bank robbers, with a bonus that Bruno also suspects he's The Darkman, a killer who'd murdered an entire family years in the past and had never been caught.
Putnam's writing is fine and The Reckless proceeds at a frenetic pace from beginning to end. The dialogue is stilted at times and the ending is a little fairytale-ish, but all things considered it's an exciting addition to the series. If you're looking for CSI-type police work, Bruno Johnson isn't your guy. However, if realism is what you're after, check out this series.
In The Reckless, Bruno is a deputy sheriff assigned to the LA County Violent Crimes Unit. He gets teamed up with his old partner and assigned to work with the FBI on a few cases they've been unable to solve. Of course Bruno, using old school methods, his street smarts, and intuition, wraps up the first couple in record time. The Feebs then throw him an almost impossible task: break up a bank robbery group led by a criminal who recruits underage teenagers to do his dirty work. Complicating the situation is the presence of Bruno's ex-girlfriend FBI agent who'd returned to LA after being posted to the Agency's equivalent of Siberia, South Dakota. Bruno et al make progress on identifying the arch-criminal pied piper leader of the teen bank robbers, with a bonus that Bruno also suspects he's The Darkman, a killer who'd murdered an entire family years in the past and had never been caught.
Putnam's writing is fine and The Reckless proceeds at a frenetic pace from beginning to end. The dialogue is stilted at times and the ending is a little fairytale-ish, but all things considered it's an exciting addition to the series. If you're looking for CSI-type police work, Bruno Johnson isn't your guy. However, if realism is what you're after, check out this series.
January 11, 2023
This was my favorite book so far. I like the story to just roll out as it happens, not jump back and forth. But stating the year at the beginning is helpful. It establishes what is happening at that time in the world.
This story the best except for the losses. But that is part of living too. The bad things happening are not what you want to hear, but it is what happens in real life. Read the book. It's worth the time it takes.
This story the best except for the losses. But that is part of living too. The bad things happening are not what you want to hear, but it is what happens in real life. Read the book. It's worth the time it takes.
September 2, 2020
Wish I could give this 10 stars
Engrossing and gut wrenching . This one will leave you haunted. I was extremely close to Bruno, cheering him on, and sending my support, while wondering what the next page would bring. Bruno is seriously- the man!
Engrossing and gut wrenching . This one will leave you haunted. I was extremely close to Bruno, cheering him on, and sending my support, while wondering what the next page would bring. Bruno is seriously- the man!
May 12, 2020
Just can’t put it down!! This series is amazing; it pulls you in and doesn’t let go!! BZ, David Putnam!
September 23, 2019
I really enjoy the Bruno Johnson series. It's authenticity and the fact that the story is based on real experiences show Bruno to be a hero, albeit a bit tarnished on some days.
In The Reckless, Bruno meets up with some old friends. Ned's sudden reappearance on Bruno's team in Violent Crime Force of the LAPD and their subsequent partnership with the FBI is not exactly what it appears to be. The second friendship renewal is with Chelsea, a former lover and FBI agent who also has appeared out of the blue.
Bruno's family--his father and his daughter Olivia, are the focus of his life. His friends and colleagues are also important.
The story leads through paths of betrayal, subversion, narcotics, bank robbery, confidential informants, and even child abuse. There are a few deaths/murders along the way as well.
The story is engaging and is a fast read--because I couldn't put it down, couldn't wait to see what happened next!
In The Reckless, Bruno meets up with some old friends. Ned's sudden reappearance on Bruno's team in Violent Crime Force of the LAPD and their subsequent partnership with the FBI is not exactly what it appears to be. The second friendship renewal is with Chelsea, a former lover and FBI agent who also has appeared out of the blue.
Bruno's family--his father and his daughter Olivia, are the focus of his life. His friends and colleagues are also important.
The story leads through paths of betrayal, subversion, narcotics, bank robbery, confidential informants, and even child abuse. There are a few deaths/murders along the way as well.
The story is engaging and is a fast read--because I couldn't put it down, couldn't wait to see what happened next!
November 24, 2018
Realistic characters and quick moving- kept me reading! Well put together, good storyline. I received this book free, and am glad I gave it a chance even though I don’t normally read police story’s! The main character is very believable and his dad is great-ya can’t help but like them! Thank you David Putnam for the opportunity to read your work!
March 7, 2019
I was lucky enough to win a signed copy of this book and wow, what a great read it is. Believable characters, fast paced storyline, gritty environment. This is part of a series and although there were references to events in the past, I at no time felt disadvantaged for not having read the other books. I’ll certainly be seeking them out now though.
February 12, 2022
This book was very interesting. There is a good story involved in the investigation, but also involved family and other aspects. This can be read as a stand alone book even though it is part of a series. You get to know the characters, and there are some you like and some you don't.
October 30, 2018
Kept my interest throughout
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