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Dave Beckett #1
A Fearsome Moonlight Black
Dave Beckett is a wide-eyed young man when he joins the police department in a small town in Southern California. His naivete allows him to believe in his world, a vision where the cops are the good guys championing the rights of the wronged. He learns quickly that crime is not black and white, and the bad guys aren’t always the ones committing the crimes. This is the story of a victim turned predator, a young man who grows up too fast and becomes an apt pupil in the pursuit of criminals on both sides of the fence.
322 pages, Paperback
Published October 18, 2022
9 people are currently reading
7841 people want to read
About the author
David Putnam
20 books2,036 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 117 reviews
December 13, 2022
A Fearsome Moonlight Black
by David Putnam
Very good, very enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. It's 1979 when we meet Dave Beckett. He is twenty one and in his probationary year with a small town police department. He wants to learn, to do a good job, and to get past this time when he has to put up with the abuse rained down on the lowest man in the force. When his year is up, there will be a new rookie, and he'll be out of the target zone of the harassers.
About the time we meet Dave, there is more action than usual and somehow Dave seems to be too close each time. Dave has gone from wet behind the ears to getting about the roughest education he can get as a rookie. At the same time, he has connected with a high school crush and things are looking good despite the stress at work but then he's attacked and we flash forward to eight years later.
It's now 1988 and Dave has an ugly scar on his face. He also has a five year old daughter and a failing marriage. He wants to get back with his wife and daughter more than anything else but she want's nothing to do with him. His anger issues and his hard drinking past have caused irreparable damage. He works at a different place now and he has a bad reputation. Where he used to be so naïve, he's cynical and willing to walk a crooked line. It seems he's come full circle in some ways though. The murders that plagued his probationary year are coming back to haunt him and he can't let the trail go, even if it means the end of his career. It seems like Dave is going to finish his path to ruin with the dogged determination of a man who is willing to throw everything away, even what is most dear to him.
Pub Oct 18, 2022
Thank you to Level Best Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
by David Putnam
Very good, very enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. It's 1979 when we meet Dave Beckett. He is twenty one and in his probationary year with a small town police department. He wants to learn, to do a good job, and to get past this time when he has to put up with the abuse rained down on the lowest man in the force. When his year is up, there will be a new rookie, and he'll be out of the target zone of the harassers.
About the time we meet Dave, there is more action than usual and somehow Dave seems to be too close each time. Dave has gone from wet behind the ears to getting about the roughest education he can get as a rookie. At the same time, he has connected with a high school crush and things are looking good despite the stress at work but then he's attacked and we flash forward to eight years later.
It's now 1988 and Dave has an ugly scar on his face. He also has a five year old daughter and a failing marriage. He wants to get back with his wife and daughter more than anything else but she want's nothing to do with him. His anger issues and his hard drinking past have caused irreparable damage. He works at a different place now and he has a bad reputation. Where he used to be so naïve, he's cynical and willing to walk a crooked line. It seems he's come full circle in some ways though. The murders that plagued his probationary year are coming back to haunt him and he can't let the trail go, even if it means the end of his career. It seems like Dave is going to finish his path to ruin with the dogged determination of a man who is willing to throw everything away, even what is most dear to him.
Pub Oct 18, 2022
Thank you to Level Best Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
August 14, 2022
From the pen of David Putnam, author of the hugely popular ‘Bruno Johnson’ series, comes book 1# in the new Dave Becket series, ‘A Fearsome Moonlight Black’.
The storyline begins with an introduction to Dave Becket, a rookie cop. He’s just a kid with a badge, a gun, and a fast car, working the streets of a small town in Southern California, just trying to keep his nose clean until his probationary period is over, but (though he doesn’t know it yet) Dave is in for one helluva life, and we’re going along for the ride!
Initially, his naivety, and inexperience shows. In Dave’s world the criminals are the ones on the street - they’re the bad guys, but he soon discovers that life isn’t that cut and dried, and some of the criminals are his own colleagues.
We follow Dave through his career and his progression to seasoned Detective.
There are some great cases for him to crack, and the author provides some unforeseen twists and turns, with particular praise given for his excellent use of smoke and mirrors. It’s gritty, gripping, with superb development of the main protagonist - but it’s when you read the author’s note at the end of the book, that it really hits you between the eyes, and makes what you just read, even more special. I’ll say no more, other than this is a terrific read!
*I was invited to read ‘A Fearsome Moonlight Black’ by the publisher and have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
The storyline begins with an introduction to Dave Becket, a rookie cop. He’s just a kid with a badge, a gun, and a fast car, working the streets of a small town in Southern California, just trying to keep his nose clean until his probationary period is over, but (though he doesn’t know it yet) Dave is in for one helluva life, and we’re going along for the ride!
Initially, his naivety, and inexperience shows. In Dave’s world the criminals are the ones on the street - they’re the bad guys, but he soon discovers that life isn’t that cut and dried, and some of the criminals are his own colleagues.
We follow Dave through his career and his progression to seasoned Detective.
There are some great cases for him to crack, and the author provides some unforeseen twists and turns, with particular praise given for his excellent use of smoke and mirrors. It’s gritty, gripping, with superb development of the main protagonist - but it’s when you read the author’s note at the end of the book, that it really hits you between the eyes, and makes what you just read, even more special. I’ll say no more, other than this is a terrific read!
*I was invited to read ‘A Fearsome Moonlight Black’ by the publisher and have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
November 8, 2022
EXCERPT: 'Then what?'
Johnny calmed, his tone lowered. 'Twice cuffed me after Lieutenant Womack put his hand on my shoulder and told me to take it easy. I gotta lot of respect for Womack. Butler took me up to the interview room.' He shook his head. 'And I tell ya, kid, I had no idea what it felt like sitting on the other side of that desk until Butler read me my rights while my hands were cuffed behind my back. I couldn't breathe. There wasn't enough air left in the world.'
ABOUT 'A FEARSOME MOONLIGHT BLACK': Dave Beckett is a wide-eyed young man when he joins the police department in a small town in Southern California. His naivete allows him to believe in his world, a vision where the cops are the good guys championing the rights of the wronged. He learns quickly that crime is not black and white, and the bad guys aren’t always the ones committing the crimes.
MY THOUGHTS: The story starts early in the winter of 1979 in the City of West Valley, Southern California. Dave Beckett is a twenty-one-year-old probationary police officer about to encounter his first death.
I loved the feel, the ambiance of A Fearsome Moonlight Black. It reminded me of the pulp crime fiction that my dad used to read, that I would sneak off his bedside table to read and carefully replace before he got home.
Initially Dave is inexperienced and naive, but he has an innate instinct that serves him well. Death in all it's illegal forms seems to be attracted to him and he cops more than his fair share of bodies. Some of them are cases that will continue to haunt him, and cause him grief in more ways than one.
There is also a romantic thread that runs through this story and, surprisingly, it works well tied in as it is to a missing person case.
A Fearsome Moonlight Black was an easy and entertaining read. There are some surprising developments scattered throughout, both in Dave's professional and private lives. Dave has to grow up fast and learn to watch his back and trust his instincts. The bad guys aren't always on the other side.
The author's note at the end is enlightening and deserves to be read - but not until after you've finished the book as it contains spoilers.
I enjoyed the little nods to Stephen King in the text: references to Full Dark, No Stars, and Dr Death.
My favourite line: 'You gotta keep your perspective. In the big scheme of things, in this infinite universe of ours, we amount to nothing more than a popcorn fart.'
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#AFearsomeMoonlightBlack #NetGalley
I: @davidputnambooks @levelbestbooks
T: @daveputnam @levelbestbooks
#crime #detectivefiction #friendship #historicalfaction #policeprocedural #romance #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Best-selling author David Putnam comes from a family of law enforcement. During his career, he did it all: worked in narcotics, served on FBI-sponsored violent crimes teams, and was cross-sworn as a US Marshall, pursuing murder suspects and bank robbers in Arizona, Nevada, and California. Putnam did two tours on the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s SWAT team. He also has experience in criminal intelligence and internal affairs and has supervised corrections, patrol, and a detective bureau. In Hawaii, Putnam was a member of the real-life Hawaii Five O, serving as Special Agent for the Attorney General investigating smuggling and white-collar crimes.
Putnam lives in Southern California with his wife, Mary.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Level Best Books (IBPA) via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Fearsome Moonlight Black by David Putnam for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Johnny calmed, his tone lowered. 'Twice cuffed me after Lieutenant Womack put his hand on my shoulder and told me to take it easy. I gotta lot of respect for Womack. Butler took me up to the interview room.' He shook his head. 'And I tell ya, kid, I had no idea what it felt like sitting on the other side of that desk until Butler read me my rights while my hands were cuffed behind my back. I couldn't breathe. There wasn't enough air left in the world.'
ABOUT 'A FEARSOME MOONLIGHT BLACK': Dave Beckett is a wide-eyed young man when he joins the police department in a small town in Southern California. His naivete allows him to believe in his world, a vision where the cops are the good guys championing the rights of the wronged. He learns quickly that crime is not black and white, and the bad guys aren’t always the ones committing the crimes.
MY THOUGHTS: The story starts early in the winter of 1979 in the City of West Valley, Southern California. Dave Beckett is a twenty-one-year-old probationary police officer about to encounter his first death.
I loved the feel, the ambiance of A Fearsome Moonlight Black. It reminded me of the pulp crime fiction that my dad used to read, that I would sneak off his bedside table to read and carefully replace before he got home.
Initially Dave is inexperienced and naive, but he has an innate instinct that serves him well. Death in all it's illegal forms seems to be attracted to him and he cops more than his fair share of bodies. Some of them are cases that will continue to haunt him, and cause him grief in more ways than one.
There is also a romantic thread that runs through this story and, surprisingly, it works well tied in as it is to a missing person case.
A Fearsome Moonlight Black was an easy and entertaining read. There are some surprising developments scattered throughout, both in Dave's professional and private lives. Dave has to grow up fast and learn to watch his back and trust his instincts. The bad guys aren't always on the other side.
The author's note at the end is enlightening and deserves to be read - but not until after you've finished the book as it contains spoilers.
I enjoyed the little nods to Stephen King in the text: references to Full Dark, No Stars, and Dr Death.
My favourite line: 'You gotta keep your perspective. In the big scheme of things, in this infinite universe of ours, we amount to nothing more than a popcorn fart.'
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#AFearsomeMoonlightBlack #NetGalley
I: @davidputnambooks @levelbestbooks
T: @daveputnam @levelbestbooks
#crime #detectivefiction #friendship #historicalfaction #policeprocedural #romance #thriller
THE AUTHOR: Best-selling author David Putnam comes from a family of law enforcement. During his career, he did it all: worked in narcotics, served on FBI-sponsored violent crimes teams, and was cross-sworn as a US Marshall, pursuing murder suspects and bank robbers in Arizona, Nevada, and California. Putnam did two tours on the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s SWAT team. He also has experience in criminal intelligence and internal affairs and has supervised corrections, patrol, and a detective bureau. In Hawaii, Putnam was a member of the real-life Hawaii Five O, serving as Special Agent for the Attorney General investigating smuggling and white-collar crimes.
Putnam lives in Southern California with his wife, Mary.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Level Best Books (IBPA) via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Fearsome Moonlight Black by David Putnam for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 16, 2022
Dave Beckett is 21 and a probationary police officer with a small town police department. He can hardly wait to get this year behind him when he'll no longer bear the brunt of all the abuse and pranks dished out by the senior officers. He certainly seems to run into more than his fair share of action in the first part of the book. We then jump forward 8 years and things have really changed for Dave but some of those cases from the early years still haunt him.
This book is well written, very authentic with realistic characters and I was totally involved with the story. I especially loved Dave's mom. Too bad she wasn't in the story more. If this is the start of a new series I'll definitely be watching for the next book. Recommended reading. Be sure to read the author's note at the end. It's very enlightening.
My thanks to Level Best Books via Netgalley and Lisa from Swell Media for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: October 18, 2022.
This book is well written, very authentic with realistic characters and I was totally involved with the story. I especially loved Dave's mom. Too bad she wasn't in the story more. If this is the start of a new series I'll definitely be watching for the next book. Recommended reading. Be sure to read the author's note at the end. It's very enlightening.
My thanks to Level Best Books via Netgalley and Lisa from Swell Media for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: October 18, 2022.
October 22, 2022
This book reads like a memoir, and for a while I really though that I was what I was reading. Turns out, the author drew from his own experiences as a young cop in the late 1970’s.
Our hero, David Beckett, is 21 when this book begins in 1979. He is a young, fresh faced, rookie cop, working his first assignment as a beat cop in Southern California. His eyes are opened fairly quickly to the realities of law enforcement and he is on the scene of 4 rather life changing murders. His view on the world starts to change, the more bad he sees. In part 2, Dave is now a homicide detective, still working too much.
It was an interesting story based on the truth of being a cop at this time. Not always an easy read, but Dave was a character that you wanted to do well.
Thanks to Level Books and and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published October 18th.
Our hero, David Beckett, is 21 when this book begins in 1979. He is a young, fresh faced, rookie cop, working his first assignment as a beat cop in Southern California. His eyes are opened fairly quickly to the realities of law enforcement and he is on the scene of 4 rather life changing murders. His view on the world starts to change, the more bad he sees. In part 2, Dave is now a homicide detective, still working too much.
It was an interesting story based on the truth of being a cop at this time. Not always an easy read, but Dave was a character that you wanted to do well.
Thanks to Level Books and and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published October 18th.
September 30, 2022
Dave Beckett is a wide-eyed young man when he joins the police department in a small town in Southern California. His naivete allows him to believe his world, a vision where the cops are the good guys championing the rights of the wronged. He learns quickly that crime is not black and white, and the bad guys aren't always the ones committing the crimes. This is the story of a victim turned predator, a young man who grows up too fast and becomes an apt pupil in the pursuit of criminals on both sides of the fence.
This story has two timelines - 1979 and 1988. We follow the protagonist through his career as an American policeman, and the effect it has on his life and relationships. The first half of this book, we follow rookie cop Dave Beckett whilst he's on duty. Dave makes some mistakes along the way. The second half is about when Dave is a detective in a Sheriff's office and his marriage is in the rocks. This story is based on the authors own experiences as a law enforcement officer as he cracks some fantastic cases. This is a well written book that held my attention throughout. The conclusion was satisfying.
I would like to thank #Netgalley #LevelBestBooks and the author #DavidPutnam for my ARC of #AFearsomeMidNightBlack in exchange for an honest review.
This story has two timelines - 1979 and 1988. We follow the protagonist through his career as an American policeman, and the effect it has on his life and relationships. The first half of this book, we follow rookie cop Dave Beckett whilst he's on duty. Dave makes some mistakes along the way. The second half is about when Dave is a detective in a Sheriff's office and his marriage is in the rocks. This story is based on the authors own experiences as a law enforcement officer as he cracks some fantastic cases. This is a well written book that held my attention throughout. The conclusion was satisfying.
I would like to thank #Netgalley #LevelBestBooks and the author #DavidPutnam for my ARC of #AFearsomeMidNightBlack in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2022
Engrossing
I'm not able to say enough of how this book was so good, a page turner. This is very well written. The descriptions of each character, the surroundings, and events are written just enough to picture and in my minds eye I inserted myself as if I was actually there.
At first I didn't think I'd enjoy this as much as his Bruno Johnson character and am pleasantly surprised. Kudos to David Putnam. Keep writing.
I'm not able to say enough of how this book was so good, a page turner. This is very well written. The descriptions of each character, the surroundings, and events are written just enough to picture and in my minds eye I inserted myself as if I was actually there.
At first I didn't think I'd enjoy this as much as his Bruno Johnson character and am pleasantly surprised. Kudos to David Putnam. Keep writing.
July 28, 2022
I loved the Bruno Johnson series by Mr. Putnam so I was thrilled to receive this ARC. Once again, Mr. Putnam introduces realistic, well written characters and great dialogue.
I love the writing style; it puts me on location with the boys. Looking forward to this series.
I love the writing style; it puts me on location with the boys. Looking forward to this series.
August 8, 2022
I've been the lucky recipient of several Bruno Johnson ARC's and was very happy to hear that I'd also receive this novel. That the first part of it was based on David Putnam's early career and cases made it even more real for me. I wasn't sure what to expect of the "Bone Detective". I was thinking it was something along the lines of Jefferson Bass and the Body Farm but found out in the second part of the novel that "bone detective" meant more of a cold case assignment given as a sort of punishment. David Beckett manages to make the most of it, and the action doesn't stop. I'm not sure if we'll get more of this storyline, but I'll be looking forward to it.
August 14, 2022
Loved this book! Right from the get go, the character's voice sucked me right in and I immediately was rooting for him. As the book progresses, we see the effects of being a cop on him and his life, and a case he's working has ties back into those beginnings. No spoilers here though. It's such a great insight into being a cop and I felt like I was with Dave Beckett the entire way.
Get the book. Read the book. You will love it!
Get the book. Read the book. You will love it!
December 15, 2022
Nicely done. Page turner. The reader can tell the first half is autobiographical because of the "feel" of passages.
August 13, 2022
This is based on the true life of the author. It gives the reader a glimpse of the life of a rookie police officer and his life on the force. A very compelling book that will have you glued to the pages. Highly recommend! I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
October 3, 2022
Book Review
A Fearsome Moonlight Black
David Putnam
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
Walk in the shoes of Dave Beckett, a somewhat naive young man of twenty-one who Is given a badge, a patrol car and a gun. Although still in his probationary period, he is still living the dream of his life. He’s successfully completed the sheriff’s academy and is ready to embark on his great adventure.
He has had two ninety-day stints with probationary training officers Johnny Maslow and Mike Smith, with distinctly different styles and philosophies of police work. He quickly learns that there are good and bad cops, just like there are good and bad souls on the street. There are those out for adventure, others who want to help people, and those who just want a paycheck. Cops are like everyone else with regular emotions, and have to contend with envy, hate, love, guilt and pettiness. He quickly realizes how accurate the academy description of police work is hours of boredom interspersed with moments of pure terror.
Of course there were the mundane, the traffic violations and ticketing, shoplifting, burglaries, car thefts, traffic collisions, but domestic disturbances were the most dangerous. Emotions run hot and blur the line between common sense and temporary insanity. A car stop was like a treasure hunt, you never knew what you were going to find. Tt could turn into a life and death situation.
A “simple” welfare check morphs easily into a suicide. Dave anxiously knocks on the door without an answer. He enters to find a kitchen table laid out with papers, last will and testament and funeral instructions. He investigates and eventually pulls open the garage door to find what’s left of Mr Shearer, sitting in a pool of his own blood with his head missing. This image would forever be embedded in his memory. He would soon answer a radio dispatcher’s call delivering him to a hotel room. A young woman trussed up like a steer would be found on a bed with a pillow over her head, momentarily hiding the bullet hole in her skull.
Brutal murders like this cannot help but shift beliefs, result in loss of innocence and firmly establish the presence of true evil. An officer always had to deal with the unintended consequences of events bombarding his everyday events. Even during a traffic crash, you had to deal with the ghouls trying to catch a glimpse of human carnage. Dan Howard killed a few short blocks from his house. He would never again pull into his driveway, walk into his house, kiss his wife, or grab a beer out of the fridge. Today, he would be the nightly news.
Ride along in the shoes of Officer Dave Beckett, as he daily experiences and contends with violence and mayhem, and sense how it shapes and molds his life and future.
In the second half of the book, nine years later, Dave is married, estranged from his wife and working as a highly successful homicide detective in the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s department. After he learns his beloved trainer, Johnny Maslow, was convicted of murdering the women he found as a rookie in the hotel, his world is shattered, and he realizes not everything is black and white. He finds himself working multiple cold cases to provide well deserved closure.
Putnam proves to be a masterful storyteller as he weaves multiple plot lines into a startling narrative with unexpected twists and reveals. This gritty street tale unfolds in a cascade of intricate and convoluted intertwining events that benefits from a cast of multidimensional characters. The finely honed protagonist of Dave Beckett is firmly ingrained in your memory after the last page is turned. The tale is told obviously through the eyes of one who has lived the life. David Putnam has had a long and storied career in law enforcement. This compelling police procedural that escalates into an immersive mystery thriller is obviously an authentic depiction of life in law enforcement. Hopefully, Putnam will continue to add to the lore and life of Detective Dave Beckett, rivaling his finely crafted Bruno Johnson series.
..... Published at Mystery and Suspense Magazine ....
A Fearsome Moonlight Black
David Putnam
reviewed by Lou Jacobs
readersremains.com | Goodreads
Walk in the shoes of Dave Beckett, a somewhat naive young man of twenty-one who Is given a badge, a patrol car and a gun. Although still in his probationary period, he is still living the dream of his life. He’s successfully completed the sheriff’s academy and is ready to embark on his great adventure.
He has had two ninety-day stints with probationary training officers Johnny Maslow and Mike Smith, with distinctly different styles and philosophies of police work. He quickly learns that there are good and bad cops, just like there are good and bad souls on the street. There are those out for adventure, others who want to help people, and those who just want a paycheck. Cops are like everyone else with regular emotions, and have to contend with envy, hate, love, guilt and pettiness. He quickly realizes how accurate the academy description of police work is hours of boredom interspersed with moments of pure terror.
Of course there were the mundane, the traffic violations and ticketing, shoplifting, burglaries, car thefts, traffic collisions, but domestic disturbances were the most dangerous. Emotions run hot and blur the line between common sense and temporary insanity. A car stop was like a treasure hunt, you never knew what you were going to find. Tt could turn into a life and death situation.
A “simple” welfare check morphs easily into a suicide. Dave anxiously knocks on the door without an answer. He enters to find a kitchen table laid out with papers, last will and testament and funeral instructions. He investigates and eventually pulls open the garage door to find what’s left of Mr Shearer, sitting in a pool of his own blood with his head missing. This image would forever be embedded in his memory. He would soon answer a radio dispatcher’s call delivering him to a hotel room. A young woman trussed up like a steer would be found on a bed with a pillow over her head, momentarily hiding the bullet hole in her skull.
Brutal murders like this cannot help but shift beliefs, result in loss of innocence and firmly establish the presence of true evil. An officer always had to deal with the unintended consequences of events bombarding his everyday events. Even during a traffic crash, you had to deal with the ghouls trying to catch a glimpse of human carnage. Dan Howard killed a few short blocks from his house. He would never again pull into his driveway, walk into his house, kiss his wife, or grab a beer out of the fridge. Today, he would be the nightly news.
Ride along in the shoes of Officer Dave Beckett, as he daily experiences and contends with violence and mayhem, and sense how it shapes and molds his life and future.
In the second half of the book, nine years later, Dave is married, estranged from his wife and working as a highly successful homicide detective in the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s department. After he learns his beloved trainer, Johnny Maslow, was convicted of murdering the women he found as a rookie in the hotel, his world is shattered, and he realizes not everything is black and white. He finds himself working multiple cold cases to provide well deserved closure.
Putnam proves to be a masterful storyteller as he weaves multiple plot lines into a startling narrative with unexpected twists and reveals. This gritty street tale unfolds in a cascade of intricate and convoluted intertwining events that benefits from a cast of multidimensional characters. The finely honed protagonist of Dave Beckett is firmly ingrained in your memory after the last page is turned. The tale is told obviously through the eyes of one who has lived the life. David Putnam has had a long and storied career in law enforcement. This compelling police procedural that escalates into an immersive mystery thriller is obviously an authentic depiction of life in law enforcement. Hopefully, Putnam will continue to add to the lore and life of Detective Dave Beckett, rivaling his finely crafted Bruno Johnson series.
..... Published at Mystery and Suspense Magazine ....
October 14, 2022
In 1979, a rookie cop, Dave Beckett, began his career in Southern California at only 21 years old. With his morals in check and a sweet mom buying his groceries, he takes us along with him fighting criminals. His first cases are controversial and extreme leaving him with countless nightmares and questions. He falls in love with a girl, Beth who worked in one of the markets he frequents. She pleads to him for help finding her boyfriend that has been missing for two years.
In 1988, Dave is fighting to win his wife and 5 year old daughter back. He moved his way up to a homicide detective, but his experiences have changed him and the criminals appear to be on the same side of the blue line as him.
This is based on the author’s own experience in law enforcement, locker room smack, and his colleagues who lose their moral compass by all the corruption that singes their lives.
An excellent story with characters you can relate to and a look at the fine blue line. Thank you NetGalley and Swell Media for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
In 1988, Dave is fighting to win his wife and 5 year old daughter back. He moved his way up to a homicide detective, but his experiences have changed him and the criminals appear to be on the same side of the blue line as him.
This is based on the author’s own experience in law enforcement, locker room smack, and his colleagues who lose their moral compass by all the corruption that singes their lives.
An excellent story with characters you can relate to and a look at the fine blue line. Thank you NetGalley and Swell Media for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 22, 2022
Whoosh!
I can finally breathe again!
The end of Putnam’s story came none too soon as I was gripping onto the edge of my seat, wondering where this story was going to take me next! Part true story, part fictional, you can taste the realism in this author’s words. He’s LIVED this! If you’ve always wanted to go on a ride-along with a street cop, pick up this book and fasten your seatbelt! Things are going to get hairy fast! This book is an experience you don’t want to miss!!
I can finally breathe again!
The end of Putnam’s story came none too soon as I was gripping onto the edge of my seat, wondering where this story was going to take me next! Part true story, part fictional, you can taste the realism in this author’s words. He’s LIVED this! If you’ve always wanted to go on a ride-along with a street cop, pick up this book and fasten your seatbelt! Things are going to get hairy fast! This book is an experience you don’t want to miss!!
September 14, 2022
The first half of this book is an exhilarating, extended ride-along with a rookie cop in a small Southern California town. The second half is a fast-paced murder mystery thriller, featuring that same rookie cop who, 8 years later, is now a seasoned homicide detective. The whole is a compelling, authentic depiction of life and law enforcement in the late 1970s and the 1980s which also illustrates how the professional and personal lives of a cop are inextricably entangled. A first rate read which is highly recommended.
November 1, 2022
I have no doubts that Fearsome Moonlight Black is partly a memoir of David Putnam, who joined the Police also at a young age, full of dreams, and then became a hardened cop working to maintain the law and put criminals behind bars. The story is beautifully written, especially, in part One, where dreams still are upfront and sum up with the young guy's naivety. Good story, great characters, and a book that differs from others by this author.
August 26, 2022
Dave Beckett is a probationary police officer in the West Valley Police Department, California in 1979. His hope is to survive the six month period to become a full fledged officer. Unfortunately, cases he was involved in included four deaths which resulted increased visibility in the department and the displeasure of some of the officers.
Forward nine years and Dave is now a homicide detective in San Bernardino. When he visits a former mentor who is in jail on a murder conviction, the mentor asks Dave to investigate the wrongful conviction. As Dave's investigation circles back to cases he handled as a probationary officer, he realizes that the cases were not investigated sufficiently - what did he miss? Is a man sitting in jail for a murder he didn't commit?
#AFearsomeMoonlightBlack #NetGalley
Forward nine years and Dave is now a homicide detective in San Bernardino. When he visits a former mentor who is in jail on a murder conviction, the mentor asks Dave to investigate the wrongful conviction. As Dave's investigation circles back to cases he handled as a probationary officer, he realizes that the cases were not investigated sufficiently - what did he miss? Is a man sitting in jail for a murder he didn't commit?
#AFearsomeMoonlightBlack #NetGalley
October 10, 2022
I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This story begins and introduces David Beckett who is on his probationary period with the West Valley Police Department. It covers several periods as he is called to various scenes and describes the efforts that he had to go through as a result. It brings into lite the personal life that David had and how he ultimately got together with Beth, a crush from when he was in school.
The second part of the story had David now working for the Sheriff's dept. and how he once again gets involved with those cases described in the first section. It lays out what Davis did as he again began relooking into them and discovering what was missed. His interactions with Beth once more came into play. The ending is one that you will not be expecting and is worth reading. You won't be disappointed.
This story begins and introduces David Beckett who is on his probationary period with the West Valley Police Department. It covers several periods as he is called to various scenes and describes the efforts that he had to go through as a result. It brings into lite the personal life that David had and how he ultimately got together with Beth, a crush from when he was in school.
The second part of the story had David now working for the Sheriff's dept. and how he once again gets involved with those cases described in the first section. It lays out what Davis did as he again began relooking into them and discovering what was missed. His interactions with Beth once more came into play. The ending is one that you will not be expecting and is worth reading. You won't be disappointed.
December 17, 2022
3.5★s
A Fearsome Moonlight Black is a novel by best-selling American author, David Putnam. In the first month of his probationary period with the City of West Valley PD in California, twenty-one-year-old patrolman Dave Beckett is faced with five dead bodies, and that experience takes him from being uncertain he has the emotional strength to fire his gun, to emptying six shots into the fifth killer. In that time he also wins the respect of many of his colleagues, and the heart of the woman he’s fallen for.
Eight years on, he’s with the San Bernadino Sheriffs Department and has gained a reputation as the cop others come to when they want a job done that might not cross all the t’s or dot all the i’s. His marriage is in trouble for his neglect of family, and his most recent action sees him relegated to being the Bone Detective in lieu of suspension. The desert around an San Bernadino is commonly used for body disposal, and it’s his job to check out any finds.
With the extra free time this gives him, he fulfils an obligation to visit a former colleague now imprisoned for murder. The man pleads with Dave to prove his innocence, which involves re-examining a West Valley cold case. But is his claim of innocence just a ploy?
The author’s former career as a policeman certainly informs his work and the first part reads more like a memoir than a novel: a string of apparently unrelated incidents that pepper Dave’s work life when he’s just out of training, many of which, as in real life, have no instant resolution. The bullying, hazing and jealousy ring true, as does the unprofessional behaviour of some of his colleagues and the care and mentoring of others.
If Dave is likeable for his earnest attitude at the start, he is a bit less so by the second half, a more soured and cynical cop whose decisions are sometimes baffling. There’s plenty of good detective work in this police procedural, and lots of action building up to a nail-biting climax. Putnam’s sociopath isn’t entirely convincing, and there are some continuity issues that may have been picked in the final version. Very readable American crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Level Best Books.
A Fearsome Moonlight Black is a novel by best-selling American author, David Putnam. In the first month of his probationary period with the City of West Valley PD in California, twenty-one-year-old patrolman Dave Beckett is faced with five dead bodies, and that experience takes him from being uncertain he has the emotional strength to fire his gun, to emptying six shots into the fifth killer. In that time he also wins the respect of many of his colleagues, and the heart of the woman he’s fallen for.
Eight years on, he’s with the San Bernadino Sheriffs Department and has gained a reputation as the cop others come to when they want a job done that might not cross all the t’s or dot all the i’s. His marriage is in trouble for his neglect of family, and his most recent action sees him relegated to being the Bone Detective in lieu of suspension. The desert around an San Bernadino is commonly used for body disposal, and it’s his job to check out any finds.
With the extra free time this gives him, he fulfils an obligation to visit a former colleague now imprisoned for murder. The man pleads with Dave to prove his innocence, which involves re-examining a West Valley cold case. But is his claim of innocence just a ploy?
The author’s former career as a policeman certainly informs his work and the first part reads more like a memoir than a novel: a string of apparently unrelated incidents that pepper Dave’s work life when he’s just out of training, many of which, as in real life, have no instant resolution. The bullying, hazing and jealousy ring true, as does the unprofessional behaviour of some of his colleagues and the care and mentoring of others.
If Dave is likeable for his earnest attitude at the start, he is a bit less so by the second half, a more soured and cynical cop whose decisions are sometimes baffling. There’s plenty of good detective work in this police procedural, and lots of action building up to a nail-biting climax. Putnam’s sociopath isn’t entirely convincing, and there are some continuity issues that may have been picked in the final version. Very readable American crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Level Best Books.
October 14, 2022
A Fearsome Moonlight Black by David Putnam is a very highly recommended police procedural set in two timelines, 1979 and 1988, and presented in two parts.
In 1979 Dave Beckett is a 21 year-old rookie on probation with a police department in West Valley, a small town in Southern California. Dave tries his best to do a good job and is proud to be a cop, but then he get several of the toughest cases in the department. He also reconnects with Beth, a woman that he had a crush on in high school. During the last case in the 1979 time period, he is attacked and the timeline jumps forward to part two of the book set in 1988. Now Dave is a homicide detective in the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s department. His marriage to Beth is in jeopardy and he has a five-year-old-daughter. He also understands now that everything isn't always cut and dried and that those thought to be the good guys aren't always good. Dave ends up going back in time when he was a rookie and taking a closer look at some of the cases he had.
Dave is a realistically portrayed character and there is definitely growth in his character simply due to time. The writing is very good as Putnam follows multiple complicated cases in an intricate plot that has an authenticity that will hold your attention throughout the novel. This is a gritty look behind the public image.
Book one is an even paced look at the life of a rookie cop while book two becomes a much more intense and complex investigation undertaken by a more seasoned investigator. Book one is interesting but book two is much more compelling due to Dave's experience and insight. Apparently book one is closer to the real life experiences of author David Putnam while book two is fiction. Putnam does a good job depicting the life of a law enforcement officer while presenting an investigation that enters thriller territory in the second part. There is a satisfying conclusion to the narrative.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Level Best Books via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/1...
In 1979 Dave Beckett is a 21 year-old rookie on probation with a police department in West Valley, a small town in Southern California. Dave tries his best to do a good job and is proud to be a cop, but then he get several of the toughest cases in the department. He also reconnects with Beth, a woman that he had a crush on in high school. During the last case in the 1979 time period, he is attacked and the timeline jumps forward to part two of the book set in 1988. Now Dave is a homicide detective in the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s department. His marriage to Beth is in jeopardy and he has a five-year-old-daughter. He also understands now that everything isn't always cut and dried and that those thought to be the good guys aren't always good. Dave ends up going back in time when he was a rookie and taking a closer look at some of the cases he had.
Dave is a realistically portrayed character and there is definitely growth in his character simply due to time. The writing is very good as Putnam follows multiple complicated cases in an intricate plot that has an authenticity that will hold your attention throughout the novel. This is a gritty look behind the public image.
Book one is an even paced look at the life of a rookie cop while book two becomes a much more intense and complex investigation undertaken by a more seasoned investigator. Book one is interesting but book two is much more compelling due to Dave's experience and insight. Apparently book one is closer to the real life experiences of author David Putnam while book two is fiction. Putnam does a good job depicting the life of a law enforcement officer while presenting an investigation that enters thriller territory in the second part. There is a satisfying conclusion to the narrative.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Level Best Books via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/1...
October 28, 2022
Dave Beckett is a wide-eyed young man when he joins the police department in a small town in Southern California. His naivete allows him to believe in his world, a vision where the cops are the good guys championing the rights of the wronged. He learns quickly that crime is not black and white, and the bad guys aren’t always the ones committing the crimes. This is the story of a victim turned predator, a young man who grows up too fast and becomes an apt pupil in the pursuit of criminals on both sides of the fence.
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
August 3, 2022
Okay, so one of the things I loved about this book was the fact that you learn that the cases that the character worked on are actually real and cases he worked on when he worked in law enforcement. Some how for me, that just made this book even cooler, especially as it is not written as a memoir or a bio, but with his cases mixed in with some he has made up for the purposes of this being a work of fiction.
The writing style took me a couple of chapters to get used too, but once I had I found it smooth and seamless to to read. I liked the character, how he starts off so innocent or naïve I should say, and then after a brief time skip, he is much more jaded by his job.
This was an intense book, once things start to get laid 0ut and you can see where they are going, you can not help but feel sorry for the main character and his wife.
I do hope there is a sequel to this book to come.
The writing style took me a couple of chapters to get used too, but once I had I found it smooth and seamless to to read. I liked the character, how he starts off so innocent or naïve I should say, and then after a brief time skip, he is much more jaded by his job.
This was an intense book, once things start to get laid 0ut and you can see where they are going, you can not help but feel sorry for the main character and his wife.
I do hope there is a sequel to this book to come.
October 17, 2022
In 1979, at the age of twenty-one, Dave Beckett had a gun and a fast car as he set out on what he hoped would be the adventure of a lifetime. After graduating from the police academy he was now beginning his probationary period as a real police officer. On his first call out to make a welfare check on a possibly suicidal man he found a body. It was a suicide by shotgun to the head and Beckett was unprepared for the bloody scene. He had watched all of the cop shows and it was never like this on television. That was just the first of the horrific scenes that he confronted in his early days. Beside the suicide there was the young woman murdered in a motel room and the disappearance of a teenage girl who he later found murdered. Despite the effects of those discoveries and the hazing that he faced from some of his fellow officers, Beckett was determined to prove himself.
Eight years later David Beckett is a much different officer. He is now working homicide and the job has taken a toll on his marriage. He is no longer the naive rookie and has learned to rely on his instincts. An interview with the cop who was eventually convicted of the motel murder leaves him questioning those early cases. As he looks back into the files he begins to find connections that were easily missed in the past. It becomes a race against time to discover who was behind the events before Beckett becomes another victim.
David Putnam takes you behind the scenes in the station and places you in the patrol cars as the police confront daily events. He looks at how this job can change the people over time as they work in this field. Using some of the events that he was actually involved in, he brings the story to life. This is so much more than what is presented on a television screen and it leaves you with a greater appreciation of what this life entails. It also provides a complicated mystery that will have you guessing to the end. I would like to thank NetGalley and Level Best Books or providing this book for my review
Eight years later David Beckett is a much different officer. He is now working homicide and the job has taken a toll on his marriage. He is no longer the naive rookie and has learned to rely on his instincts. An interview with the cop who was eventually convicted of the motel murder leaves him questioning those early cases. As he looks back into the files he begins to find connections that were easily missed in the past. It becomes a race against time to discover who was behind the events before Beckett becomes another victim.
David Putnam takes you behind the scenes in the station and places you in the patrol cars as the police confront daily events. He looks at how this job can change the people over time as they work in this field. Using some of the events that he was actually involved in, he brings the story to life. This is so much more than what is presented on a television screen and it leaves you with a greater appreciation of what this life entails. It also provides a complicated mystery that will have you guessing to the end. I would like to thank NetGalley and Level Best Books or providing this book for my review
September 19, 2022
The name of the book is A Fearsome Moonlight Black by David Putnam. I really liked this book and I learn a little about what cops on patrol go through. Dave Beckett is a rookie that works for the West Valley Police Dept in 1979. His first call was a welfare check on a man named Shearer. The victim had committed suicide. He also saw a murdered woman in a motel. Most rookies didn't normally get those kinds of calls. He also saw a woman he had a crush on when he was in high school named Beth at a grocery store. She had a boyfriend name Cole whom he later found out was missing When they started dating she wanted him to find out what happened to Cole. Dave didn't want to because he had fallen hard for her. He finds out that he might have left town but didn't know where. Dave was very happy on his job until one day changed everything. He was going to get something to eat when he was told that a orange car was seen in this remote area out of town. He went to investigate and got hit by a shovel and thrown into a trench with a missing teen named Jessica DeFrank where this man tried to bury him with the girl, He shot at him about five times which saved his life. The pert got away. After that he left West Valley and he join the Sheriff office as a detective at Riverside County. He got a nickname named Dogman because he was good at his job. He was married and had a kid. His marriage to Beth was on the rocks because of his work. He finds out that she had spent $20000 to hire PI to find Cole. His trainer Johnny Maslow was convicted of killing the woman he found in the motel. He went to see him and at first he didn't believe him when Johnny said he didn't do it. He got a chance to see the report on the Shearer and the murdered woman and found out their cases were related and realized there's a serial killer on the loose.
August 26, 2022
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
This gives a realistic view of the US police force in the late 80's and 90's.
It starts with a Fresh Officer straight out of the Academy and having to mix with experienced guys.
Later on it shows him as a hardened officer struggling with all his experiences.
A really good read.
This gives a realistic view of the US police force in the late 80's and 90's.
It starts with a Fresh Officer straight out of the Academy and having to mix with experienced guys.
Later on it shows him as a hardened officer struggling with all his experiences.
A really good read.
October 19, 2022
I received this book and decided to jump right in. I usually read strictly horror novels and I wanted to change it up a bit. I ended up reading it in one sitting.
I was kept interested throughout the entire book and the author was kind enough to sign the copy for me.
Definitely recommend! Gripping, thrilling, mysterious, action, all of the things that make a good read.
I was kept interested throughout the entire book and the author was kind enough to sign the copy for me.
Definitely recommend! Gripping, thrilling, mysterious, action, all of the things that make a good read.
August 21, 2022
An excellent book, the evolution of a man from rookie to detective. Gripping, well plotted, and entertaining.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
September 16, 2022
A digital ARC of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and Level Best Books. The opinions are my own and freely given.
The book is told in two parts. Book One is set in 1979 and follows a rookie cop, Dave Beckett. He is in his probationary period and has been released to patrol alone. He experiences his first dead body and has to navigate his way through the "hazing" from the other cops. Book Two is in 1988. Dave moves to San Bernadino County Sheriff's department where he is a homicide detective. Book One is like watching a marathon of old school Cops. Dave chases down suspects, and charges suspects like a bull and puts himself in danger. Book One sets up the whole story. There are murders and suicides, and it shows what kind of a cop Dave really is. In Book Two, the stories from the beginning come together. I was waiting for the action to ramp up and when it did, I kept thinking "no, no, no, no!" Not because of what was happening but who it was happening with/too. Book One is not boring but kind of slow if you are really expecting something big to happen; however, now I understand why it was written that way. If you go into this knowing that, you will really enjoy this book. I would definitely recommend if you like watching the original Cops and like reading books about the detectives who don't necessarily follow rules but get the bad guys off the streets.
The book is told in two parts. Book One is set in 1979 and follows a rookie cop, Dave Beckett. He is in his probationary period and has been released to patrol alone. He experiences his first dead body and has to navigate his way through the "hazing" from the other cops. Book Two is in 1988. Dave moves to San Bernadino County Sheriff's department where he is a homicide detective. Book One is like watching a marathon of old school Cops. Dave chases down suspects, and charges suspects like a bull and puts himself in danger. Book One sets up the whole story. There are murders and suicides, and it shows what kind of a cop Dave really is. In Book Two, the stories from the beginning come together. I was waiting for the action to ramp up and when it did, I kept thinking "no, no, no, no!" Not because of what was happening but who it was happening with/too. Book One is not boring but kind of slow if you are really expecting something big to happen; however, now I understand why it was written that way. If you go into this knowing that, you will really enjoy this book. I would definitely recommend if you like watching the original Cops and like reading books about the detectives who don't necessarily follow rules but get the bad guys off the streets.
August 30, 2022
Thank you Mary for my ARC copy. I didn’t know until I read the author’s note that this was largely a memoir, but I knew from reading David’s other books that he writes from experience. Truth is stranger than fiction!
This is the story of rookie cop, Dave Beckett as he navigates his first few weeks out solo on the job. Dave is young and a little naive and awkward as he tries to find his place among his colleagues and with the girl of his dreams. We are taken through his work and home life experiences and there’s plenty of action.
And then I turned the page and read Book Two - eight years later. I actually said “Noooooo!” out loud! I didn’t want to leave this young guy, I desperately wanted to know what happened next. I was so caught in the story I didn’t want to be transported to the future. That’s how good this novel is.
Anyway Book two is just as good. Things have obviously moved on and Dave is a successful officer, but the events of his early days continue to haunt him and he is compelled to relook into some of his old cases. Most of the questions are answered towards the end, but I would still love to read more. If you are a fan of crime novels, be sure to check this one out.
This is the story of rookie cop, Dave Beckett as he navigates his first few weeks out solo on the job. Dave is young and a little naive and awkward as he tries to find his place among his colleagues and with the girl of his dreams. We are taken through his work and home life experiences and there’s plenty of action.
And then I turned the page and read Book Two - eight years later. I actually said “Noooooo!” out loud! I didn’t want to leave this young guy, I desperately wanted to know what happened next. I was so caught in the story I didn’t want to be transported to the future. That’s how good this novel is.
Anyway Book two is just as good. Things have obviously moved on and Dave is a successful officer, but the events of his early days continue to haunt him and he is compelled to relook into some of his old cases. Most of the questions are answered towards the end, but I would still love to read more. If you are a fan of crime novels, be sure to check this one out.
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