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THE PROGRAM
A cold case. A hot gun. A charismatic convict with a story—if he can live long enough to tell it.
When Rudy Prada is pulled over for a traffic violation and a gun is found beneath the seat of his car, he risks his freedom—and even his life—by breaking the code of the streets and talking to the cops. And not just any “cops,” but the one who sent him to prison twice and shot him once in the process: L.A. Sheriff’s Homicide Detective Josefina Sanchez.
Josie and her partner Dickie Jones are already up to their holsters in unsolved murders when Prada is found with a gun. Josie is more than happy to send him back to the joint, but he convinces her that he’s innocent and that he has changed his life, leaving crime and gangs and his addiction to drugs and alcohol behind him.
But when the gun is found to have been used to murder an L.A. city councilman, all bets are off for the convict. Prada has no choice but to run, but it isn’t only the cops who are searching for him—someone else wants him dead.
The Program is book 7 in the highly acclaimed, best-selling, and award-winning Dickie Floyd Detective series. If you enjoy realistic police procedurals and unpredictable plot twists, you’ll love Danny R. Smith’s riveting crime novels.
When Rudy Prada is pulled over for a traffic violation and a gun is found beneath the seat of his car, he risks his freedom—and even his life—by breaking the code of the streets and talking to the cops. And not just any “cops,” but the one who sent him to prison twice and shot him once in the process: L.A. Sheriff’s Homicide Detective Josefina Sanchez.
Josie and her partner Dickie Jones are already up to their holsters in unsolved murders when Prada is found with a gun. Josie is more than happy to send him back to the joint, but he convinces her that he’s innocent and that he has changed his life, leaving crime and gangs and his addiction to drugs and alcohol behind him.
But when the gun is found to have been used to murder an L.A. city councilman, all bets are off for the convict. Prada has no choice but to run, but it isn’t only the cops who are searching for him—someone else wants him dead.
The Program is book 7 in the highly acclaimed, best-selling, and award-winning Dickie Floyd Detective series. If you enjoy realistic police procedurals and unpredictable plot twists, you’ll love Danny R. Smith’s riveting crime novels.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 2, 2023
45 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Danny R. Smith
16 books109 followersDanny R. Smith spent 21 years with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the last seven as a homicide detective. He now lives in Idaho where he works as a private investigator and consultant. He is blessed with a beautiful family and surrounded by an assortment of furry critters whom he counts among his friends.
Danny is the author of the Dickie Floyd Detective Novel series and the Rich Farris Detective series. He writes about true crime and other topics in his blog, The Murder Memo.
He has appeared as an expert on numerous podcasts and shows including True Crime Daily and the STARZ channel’s WRONG MAN series, and is the host of Unsolved Murders with Danny Smith on the Dr. Carlos Crime Network podcast.
Danny is a member of the Idaho Writers Guild and the Public Safety Writers Association.
Be sure to follow Danny on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/danny...
Danny is the author of the Dickie Floyd Detective Novel series and the Rich Farris Detective series. He writes about true crime and other topics in his blog, The Murder Memo.
He has appeared as an expert on numerous podcasts and shows including True Crime Daily and the STARZ channel’s WRONG MAN series, and is the host of Unsolved Murders with Danny Smith on the Dr. Carlos Crime Network podcast.
Danny is a member of the Idaho Writers Guild and the Public Safety Writers Association.
Be sure to follow Danny on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/danny...
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 11, 2022
Absolutely loved it. It was an honor to be one of the beta readers for Danny’s latest effort. He outdid himself in making the reader develop an emotional attachment to so many of the characters. I always like both Dickie and Floyd, but Josefina Sanchez is my new favorite character. Danny’s in depth development of her character in this episode of the franchise really made this book enjoyable.
June 30, 2025
The Program is another well written detective novel that explores the world of LA County Sheriff’s Murder Detectives while they navigate through an intricate web of gang members and get to the truth. Josie, Dicky, Floyd and Lopes take care of business once again! Thanks for another great read Danny R Smith!!
January 29, 2023
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author.
Danny R. Smith has another riveting Homicide Detective Novel! Dickie Jones’s partner, Josefina “Josie” Sanchez, is attractive, assertive and doesn’t suffer fools (or perpetrators) lightly. Josie crosses paths three times with one such perpetrator, Rudy Prada, over a fifteen-year span. Sergeant Sanchez is tough as nails yet has a soft heart. Anyone who, like me, loves a thrilling Homicide novel, will enjoy becoming totally immersed in finding how this story unfolds, seeing the special bonds and relationships that develop and ultimately how the crimes are solved.
Danny R. Smith has another riveting Homicide Detective Novel! Dickie Jones’s partner, Josefina “Josie” Sanchez, is attractive, assertive and doesn’t suffer fools (or perpetrators) lightly. Josie crosses paths three times with one such perpetrator, Rudy Prada, over a fifteen-year span. Sergeant Sanchez is tough as nails yet has a soft heart. Anyone who, like me, loves a thrilling Homicide novel, will enjoy becoming totally immersed in finding how this story unfolds, seeing the special bonds and relationships that develop and ultimately how the crimes are solved.
January 10, 2023
The program by Danny R. Smith. Find your favorite seat and strap yourself tightly. You will be headed for one wild and emotional ride.
I enjoy reading and I particularly enjoy police thrillers, both nonfiction and fiction. I believe Smith's books are currently the best police procedural thriller novels that are currently published.
THE PROGRAM is Smith's seventh book in the Dickie Floyd Detective series. In my opinion it is the best. In fact, THE PROGRAM is the best book I read in the last several years.
THE PROGRAM involves a cold case homicide of a Los Angeles City Supervisor, which occurred 17 years ago. There are many subplots that intertwined perfectly with the plot that made this book impossible to put down.
THE PROGRAM is dark and gritty. One particular homicide is very graphic. There are many twists and turns in this story. There is an incredible surprising ending. In fact, if the reader's pulse is not beating rapidly and not breathing heavily while reading this ending, someone better call the paramedics.
Smith truly captured how cops think, act, and all of their idiosyncrasies,
I enjoy reading and I particularly enjoy police thrillers, both nonfiction and fiction. I believe Smith's books are currently the best police procedural thriller novels that are currently published.
THE PROGRAM is Smith's seventh book in the Dickie Floyd Detective series. In my opinion it is the best. In fact, THE PROGRAM is the best book I read in the last several years.
THE PROGRAM involves a cold case homicide of a Los Angeles City Supervisor, which occurred 17 years ago. There are many subplots that intertwined perfectly with the plot that made this book impossible to put down.
THE PROGRAM is dark and gritty. One particular homicide is very graphic. There are many twists and turns in this story. There is an incredible surprising ending. In fact, if the reader's pulse is not beating rapidly and not breathing heavily while reading this ending, someone better call the paramedics.
Smith truly captured how cops think, act, and all of their idiosyncrasies,
February 2, 2023
I received an advance review copy from the author at my request and this is my honest opinion. This is another one in the win column for Sheriff's Homicide Detective turned amazing author, Danny Smith. Because of his experience, all of the details that can either make or break a police procedural hit right on the money. He knows the world he writes about and it shows.
This novel is a bit different in my opinion than his other novels. While the plot of the story is focused on the resolution of a murder, the reader is allowed a more thorough inside view of the life of a gangbanger who is trying to go "straight" and the detective who has been intimately (only professionally) involved in his life for many years. The juxtaposition of these two views creates a depth and almost touching aspect to the story. But don't think it is all psychobabble and feelings. This is Danny Smith, after all. There is plenty of action and suspense to keep the reader glued to the story, page after page. I highly recommend any and all of Mr. Smith's books and suggest you check them out as soon as possible.
This novel is a bit different in my opinion than his other novels. While the plot of the story is focused on the resolution of a murder, the reader is allowed a more thorough inside view of the life of a gangbanger who is trying to go "straight" and the detective who has been intimately (only professionally) involved in his life for many years. The juxtaposition of these two views creates a depth and almost touching aspect to the story. But don't think it is all psychobabble and feelings. This is Danny Smith, after all. There is plenty of action and suspense to keep the reader glued to the story, page after page. I highly recommend any and all of Mr. Smith's books and suggest you check them out as soon as possible.
August 22, 2023
You might be able to tell from other reviews that I read a lot of novels by former cops - call it research. Cops (speaking from experience) are not necessarily the most gifted writers because they are ingrained in writing "just the facts" in police reports for their entire career. (If you know, you know.) The cops I have reviewed transcend this and Danny R. Smith is no exception. I picked up this book after hearing Danny on a podcast and I was intrigued by his story. My only regret with this book is I didn't start earlier in the series to get some of the backstory, although it certainly can be read as a stand-alone book. For example, I kept looking for the Dickie Floyd character since this is book #7 in the series; Alas, those are two different characters, Dickie and Floyd, and I'm guessing were original before the protagonist in this story came along. In this case, Josie Sanchez is a tough but lovable detective sergeant working homicide with Dickey and Floyd - you will enjoy the ride - trust me. Great story, characters and police insight.
January 8, 2023
The Program is the seventh book in the Dickie Floyd crime thriller series.
This book delves into deeper into Josie Sanchez’s life and thoughts while she and the team work their case, one involving someone from Josie’s past. The investigator’s thought processes are an interesting look into the mind of a homicide detective. Rudy Prada’s musings and angst about gang life and The Program are emotional and thought-provoking.
This author’s police background is evident in every chapter as he brings the characters and story to life. With his hard-hitting and expressive descriptions, you can almost see, hear, and smell the surroundings as the story unfolds.
I loved this book and am looking forward to the next book in this series.
I read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book with no obligation.
This book delves into deeper into Josie Sanchez’s life and thoughts while she and the team work their case, one involving someone from Josie’s past. The investigator’s thought processes are an interesting look into the mind of a homicide detective. Rudy Prada’s musings and angst about gang life and The Program are emotional and thought-provoking.
This author’s police background is evident in every chapter as he brings the characters and story to life. With his hard-hitting and expressive descriptions, you can almost see, hear, and smell the surroundings as the story unfolds.
I loved this book and am looking forward to the next book in this series.
I read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book with no obligation.
January 11, 2023
Far too many reviews for cop-books use the same old tired descriptors, i.e.; "A ride-a-long like no other!", or "Feels like you're on patrol with the characters!"
This time, those descriptors are true.
This book is nothing less than a literary triumph; a noir crime novel for the new millennium. The characters literally breathe and leap off the pages at the reader. I love how the author seamlessly weaves back stories into the main theme so that the reader has just enough information without being overwhelmed. What makes these kind of books, and most other books, for that matter, is the dialogue. It has to be crisp, well-paced, and believable. The author hits the bullseye in this book with all three. The scene descriptions are vivid, and the story is shown, not told.
Well done, Mr. Smith. Bravo!
This time, those descriptors are true.
This book is nothing less than a literary triumph; a noir crime novel for the new millennium. The characters literally breathe and leap off the pages at the reader. I love how the author seamlessly weaves back stories into the main theme so that the reader has just enough information without being overwhelmed. What makes these kind of books, and most other books, for that matter, is the dialogue. It has to be crisp, well-paced, and believable. The author hits the bullseye in this book with all three. The scene descriptions are vivid, and the story is shown, not told.
Well done, Mr. Smith. Bravo!
December 5, 2022
Bold, strong, tender, and altruistic, such is this story of people entangled together in unthinkable ways. Written from the view of a man who has lived through every page. Danny R. Smith has woven the ideal story once again. An author who knows how to put pen to paper and create a book filled with characters who jump off the page and into your heart. Outstanding.
Very Highly Recommended.
Very Highly Recommended.
March 7, 2023
Good mystery, police report style
A well-plotted mystery, with a bit of sub-plotting. Likable protagonists and a few clever anecdotes. Only drawbacks were a few proofreading slips, and the style tending toward police reporting. But what else to expect from a veteran detective? I’ll read another by him.
A well-plotted mystery, with a bit of sub-plotting. Likable protagonists and a few clever anecdotes. Only drawbacks were a few proofreading slips, and the style tending toward police reporting. But what else to expect from a veteran detective? I’ll read another by him.
February 8, 2023
Another great book by Danny Smith
I was not disappointed in my anticipation of this latest installment of the Dickie Floyd series. Great characters and insight into the lives of those on both sides if the law.
I was not disappointed in my anticipation of this latest installment of the Dickie Floyd series. Great characters and insight into the lives of those on both sides if the law.
February 17, 2023
Book 7 in the series
The story revolves around detective Josie Sanchez. Dickie, Floyd, and Lopes are also involved. There is a different approach to one of the gangbangers; he is sincerely trying to get straight. Lots of twists and turns in the plot. A great read.
The story revolves around detective Josie Sanchez. Dickie, Floyd, and Lopes are also involved. There is a different approach to one of the gangbangers; he is sincerely trying to get straight. Lots of twists and turns in the plot. A great read.
February 5, 2023
Too much right wing garbage. Don't need to read mystery writers politics. Stay to the mystery writing and keep your politics a mystery. No longer following
February 7, 2023
Best that I’ve read in a long time.👍
February 14, 2023
Excellent modern police procedural written by a professional retired homicide detective.
February 18, 2023
Anything Danny writes is gripping, funny and totally enjoyable. I hated for this one to end.
April 26, 2023
satisfying read!
I inhale mystery novels….a true guilty pleasure. This one was fantastic! Unexpected twists and turns…likable characters. Highly recommend this book.
I inhale mystery novels….a true guilty pleasure. This one was fantastic! Unexpected twists and turns…likable characters. Highly recommend this book.
February 21, 2023
Loved this story ! It was great to catch up with Josie again - along with all the group. Such a memorable cast of characters in these Dickie Floyd books.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews