David Putnam's The Heartless is terrific—a smart, well-written, relentless account of a battle against evil, fought by a protagonist who has a real man's flaws, but also shows us the kind of heroism that's real.” —Thomas Perry, New York Times best-selling author
“David Putnam knows the mean streets and the characters who inhabit them better than anyone writing crime fiction. In The Heartless, Putnam is at the top of his game. Fans of Bruno Johnson will rejoice at this latest offering.” —Alan Russell, New York Times best-selling author
“The Heartless will conquer the hardest of hearts. Gritty cop Bruno Johnson tracks down a sociopath while struggling with his teenaged daughter’s growing pains. Seamless prose, realistic characters, and you-are-there authenticity. Unique, entertaining—a total keeper.” —K. J. Howe, international best-selling author and winner of ITW’s Thriller Award
Praise for the Bruno Johnson Crime Series “I really loved The Disposables. It’s raw, powerful, and eloquent. It's a gritty street poem recited by a voice unalterably committed to redemption and doing the right thing in a wrong world. I'll be first in line for the next one from David Putnam.” —Michael Connelly, New York Times best-selling author
“This is a police procedural that dazzles with authenticity, sharply-drawn characters, crackling dialogue, and insider details that only a real cop could bring to the page. Putnam can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Joseph Wambaugh and Michael Connelly.” —Lee Goldberg, New York Times best-selling author
“Dark, disturbing, and all too believable, this is the tale of one man’s quest for atonement in a world where innocence is a liability.” —T. Jefferson Parker, New York Times best-selling author
“Putnam puts his years of law enforcement experience to good use in The Squandered, a shocking and intense tale of brotherly love and redemption realized in the midst of moral decay. It’s a raw and gritty story I couldn’t put down.” —C. J. Box, New York Times best-selling author
“Reading a novel by David Putnam is almost as good as riding shotgun in a patrol car. He writes what he knows and what he knows is that justice on the mean streets isn't always black and white. Gritty and dark, The Reckless is a realistic and highly entertaining police procedural.” —Robin Burcell, New York Times best-selling author
2019-11-10
An ex-cop struggles to raise his rebellious teen daughter but knows no limits when it comes to protecting her.
Former LA County deputy Bruno Johnson (The Reckless, 2019, etc.), now working as a bailiff, gets a distressed call from his 15-year-old daughter, Olivia, during the murder trial of psycho killer Louis Borkow. A frightened Olivia reports that she and her boyfriend, Derek Sams, are in a house with a bunch of armed people—she's not sure exactly where—and they're threatening to kill Derek. After Bruno rescues her, she reverts to rebelliousness and passionately defends Derek. Bruno's girlfriend, deputy district attorney Nicky Rivers, tries to warn him against taking too harsh an approach with his daughter. Meanwhile, Borkow, bent on revenge against his own lawyer, Gloria Bleeker, engineers a daring prison escape, with henchwoman Lizzette adding muscle. Once Olivia's safely home, Bruno tracks down Derek, grabs him and puts him on a bus home, hoping his father will drive some sense into the boy. Then Bruno's called abruptly to the courthouse, where Judge Connors plays a tape in which Borkow agrees to kidnap Olivia in payment of a substantial debt to "dem boys on Pearl." One of his flunkies comes to warn Borkow that unstoppable Bruno is after him, but the escaped con is unimpressed. Olivia, meanwhile, has taken refuge with Nicky, who manages to negotiate a temporary peace between the remorseful father and his daughter. Olivia tearfully adds that Derek is missing; can Bruno find him? The news of Gloria's murder just adds one more item to Bruno's to-do list.
Blunt and compelling, Putnam's seventh franchise installment makes up in pace and punch what it lacks in finesse.
