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djr100's review against another edition
4.0
Well done to Mr Putnam, author and fellow GoodReads community friend. A well written, fast-paced crime novel with lots of action. I am looking forward to continuing the Bruno Johnson series.
lindamooreauthor's review against another edition
5.0
Putnam's debut novel presents an evolved example of the crime genre. Populated with characters who add new meaning to the "good cop-bad cop" dichotomy, Putnam creates a layered identity for each of the conflicted souls that inhabit the seedy settings of Los Angeles county. The good and ugly in each allow the reader to connect to them and turn the pages to learn their secrets and what consequences will result.
Putnam's background adds an authenticity to the events of the story that made me cringe at the same time it captivated me as though I was a fly on the wall listening in on the secret conversations between the cops. I suppose it's no surprise that law enforcement like every other field has bullies who cover up their deeds.That rage, brutality, kindness and compassion coexist in the main characters in this novel offers a compelling premise about contemporary urban society.
I planned to read this on a cross country flight, began the night before and nearly finished it before the plane took off. Terrific read!
Putnam's background adds an authenticity to the events of the story that made me cringe at the same time it captivated me as though I was a fly on the wall listening in on the secret conversations between the cops. I suppose it's no surprise that law enforcement like every other field has bullies who cover up their deeds.That rage, brutality, kindness and compassion coexist in the main characters in this novel offers a compelling premise about contemporary urban society.
I planned to read this on a cross country flight, began the night before and nearly finished it before the plane took off. Terrific read!
heychowda's review against another edition
5.0
First book read in June 2022. Actually, this one isn't my typical purchase, but the author happened to be signing books when I was at my local B&N recently, and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to meet and talk a minute. He was quite interesting, a former cop-turned-author of a series about Bruno Johnson. I enjoyed this book quite a bit and will check out #2 in the series soon.
tchien's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
DNF 47%. Writing and plotting were amateurish. Didn't care about any of the characters. Too much going on without any connection to each other. It may all connect at the end but the cheesiness of some of the dialogue and writing doesn't compel me to find out. A terrible first foray into the crime genre for me.
libraryjen's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
4.0
This book won't change your life or your political/religious opinions or provoke deep thoughts, but it will keep you reading! While I admire Bruno's goals and intentions, I'm still not sure I like him. But I'm definitely putting the next installment of the series on my tbr.
jpmrrtx's review against another edition
4.0
Bruno Johnson is an ex-cop who is now out on parole. He and his girlfriend are trying to protect some children the system failed while Bruno is having to deal with his former partner. This is supposed to be the first book in the series but I felt like there was a large backstory missing. I did enjoy the book and am interested in reading the next one in the series and hoping that I won't have that same feeling of parts of the story having already occurred but not being told as part of this book.
linda48's review
4.0
Disclaimer: I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
A former LA police officer, Bruno Johnson is now a parolee who served time for the murder of a gang member responsible for the overdose of Bruno's daughter and the death of one of his grandsons. Much like Liam Neeson's character, Bryan Mills, Bruno exacts revenge for those deaths and served time. Rather than coming out of the confinement as a criminal, drug user/pusher or involved in other criminal activity, Bruno has a mission - rescuing abused children by giving them a home. Some would say it's kidnapping, others would say it's saving them.
The book has twists and turns that make the reader pay attention. If you read it with half a mind, you will miss important events and parts of the backstory that point to Bruno's motivations. The book is fast paced and entirely engrossing -- you will find it hard to put down. After the 3/4 mark, don't even think of trying to get to sleep until you finish. The book is gritty with a cast of characters that the middle class reader will not normally be exposed to. It's crime writing at its best. Highly recommend.
A former LA police officer, Bruno Johnson is now a parolee who served time for the murder of a gang member responsible for the overdose of Bruno's daughter and the death of one of his grandsons. Much like Liam Neeson's character, Bryan Mills, Bruno exacts revenge for those deaths and served time. Rather than coming out of the confinement as a criminal, drug user/pusher or involved in other criminal activity, Bruno has a mission - rescuing abused children by giving them a home. Some would say it's kidnapping, others would say it's saving them.
The book has twists and turns that make the reader pay attention. If you read it with half a mind, you will miss important events and parts of the backstory that point to Bruno's motivations. The book is fast paced and entirely engrossing -- you will find it hard to put down. After the 3/4 mark, don't even think of trying to get to sleep until you finish. The book is gritty with a cast of characters that the middle class reader will not normally be exposed to. It's crime writing at its best. Highly recommend.
ashemoore's review against another edition
4.0
This was an interesting, fast-paced book. Ex-cop, Bruno Johnson, is out on parole and seems to be targeted by the police. He is involved in a few different things throughout the book, but it just keeps you reading to figure out how things will turn out. This was an entertaining book.
roxanne's review
3.0
This is not the type of book I normally read but I thought it was pretty good. It was faced paced and the suspense started right at the beginning. There's a lot of action and I found it a bit hard to keep track of the various threads and reveals of Bruno's life and history. At the beginning of the book his life is very chaotic and how he got to that place is revealed as we progress through the story. It's like there are two Brunos, the Bruno of the past and the Bruno of the present.
Although Bruno is an ex-cop, this still had a bit of the police procedural feel to it. His insider knowledge being an ex-cop made him able to predict what the police were going to do and what they'd be thinking. Most of the time he was accurate. I'm not a big fan of police procedural thrillers but I did like the twist of the trope. I can't remember or don't know if we're told when this story takes place but it felt late 80's/early 90's to me.
Overall, it was pretty good.
Although Bruno is an ex-cop, this still had a bit of the police procedural feel to it. His insider knowledge being an ex-cop made him able to predict what the police were going to do and what they'd be thinking. Most of the time he was accurate. I'm not a big fan of police procedural thrillers but I did like the twist of the trope. I can't remember or don't know if we're told when this story takes place but it felt late 80's/early 90's to me.
Overall, it was pretty good.
marcintheoc's review
5.0
This was a great read and Bruno Johnson is quite the character. The novel is dark, gritty, and fast-paced and definitely kept me engaged. I look forward to reading the other Bruno Johnson novels. Highly recommended.