I;m a fan of this series , which I've read out of order. This is fine as a standalone and likely will entice the reader to pick up others. Thanks to netgalley for the arc.

Dog Heavy

This novel goes dark and darker but includes enough humanity and levity to keep it out of darkest as it delves into the inner workings and failings of modern police work and the frailties of humans on both sides of the law. At its heart is Bruno, carefully reared and with a strong moral compass but a barely controlled temper in the face of injustice, something that can set him at conflict with his calling as a sheriff. However, the story starts out as almost a romantic farce, with his ex-girlfriend dumping his weeks-old daughter--of whose existence he had been completely unaware--into his arms before disappearing. So now we can throw nascent fatherhood into the mix of conflicting priorities!

You won't know until "the last reel" which are the good guys and which the bad--and for some you may still not be sure. The intensity will pull you along despite misgivings about the moral center of a number of the players, and rationalizing bad decisions seems to be the order of the day.

Many levels in this book! Who do you trust if your life and the lives of your family depend on it? The protagonist LA Sheriff Detective Bruno Johnson is faced with this question at every turn! The story draws the reader in and keeps you hooked until the end. Great set up for a sequel! 4.5/5 stars!

I'm clearly in the minority, but, for me, this story was a mess.

Right at the opening, Bruno's ex-girlfriend shows up at his house and shoves a two-week-old baby at him, saying it's his and she doesn't want the kid. Then she leaves. This should be dramatic. A huge deal. But it's not. She could have been dropping off a turtle or a load of laundry for all the trouble it caused him. At no time does Bruno shop for baby stuff. The car seat, crib, diapers, formula, clothing, etc., must have appeared magically, paid for with Monopoly money. He never misses work. His social life doesn't suffer. He doesn't check in, arrange child care, worry about pediatrician appointments or vaccines or colic or diaper rash or sleepless nights. He just does what he wants. He supposedly loves this child and worries, though I don't know exactly when this connection happens. I certainly didn't feel it.

Bruno's father immediately takes over child care, no questions asked, which either makes him a saint or an idiot. He hires a full-time nanny right away, because, as any working parent knows, that's simple and inexpensive. (Yes, that was sarcasm.) Then either Bruno moves in with his father or just hangs out there when he visits his kid. I don't know, because it was all unclear.

The baby issue was far more of a distraction for me than for Bruno. As the story moved on, I kept wondering about the baby. Who has her? Why doesn't Bruno ever check in? Does he even think about custody issues? A court order? Something! The whole baby angle was a pointless part of the plot that simply didn't work.

Then we have Bruno's job, which is a high-octane game of cops and robbers. Bruno's career goes at lightning speed. Dirty cops and questionable shootings and no one ever sleeps.

There isn't a lot of character development. Bruno comes off as immature. He flies off the handle at his superiors.

And what about the baby?

We spend a whole lot of time and detail on stake-outs and shoot-outs and take-downs. Every little nuance of these situations is covered.

But what about the baby?

The baby didn't matter. Not even in the end. So what was the point of it all? I don't know.

This book was a revelation. Fast paced, action featuring the LA Sherrif's office. Bruno is about to begin working in the coveted newly formed unit with a legend as his superior officer. It goes haywire from then on. He learns he is the father of a newborn daughter, he is tasked to work undercover in a second unit and he becomes the target of corrupt individuals in his department. Well written

This was a enjoyable story but was too far fetched in places for a higher rating.

I wanted to like this book so much more then I did. Doing some research after the fact I see that some people say this is book five in a series, maybe that is what I was missing. It wasn't a terrible book but I felt lost in the character development and too many things were thrown around in the start.

This is a prequel to the previous Bruno Johnson books.

It is 1988, with Bruno is ready to start a new job as a LA County Sheriff Violent Crimes detective. But before Bruno can leave home on the first day of this assignment, he answers the door to find an ex-girlfriend who hands him a baby girl. Stunned and terrified, Bruno has to juggle his new complex home life. Bruno soon figures out his new boss, Lieutenant Wicks, and his colleagues have no problems bending the rules. He is then approached by Wicks and the deputy chief for a special assignment to infiltrate an elite narcotics team that may be involved in a murder-for-hire scheme.

Ricky Blue and Thibodeaux are the cops under suspicion. Their focus is on carrying out borderline legal operations to get to drug kingpin MoMo. But Bruno is not sure who is telling the truth and who he can trust.

This was a thrilling read and strong entry in the Bruno Johnson series.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

This book is about Deputy Sheriff Bruno Johnsons personal life and about him going undercover to work out if there is corruption in the force. This is really well written with a lot of action packed in. I really like that this is written by someone who knows what they are talking about. Bruno is a likeable character with morals and I would definitely read another book about him.

DNF - absolutely boring and not at all interesting.

The Innocents is a riveting police tale from an author who knows the scene. I read it straight through. It was convincing with lots of interesting incidents. The characters were well-drawn. Recommended.
Thanks, NetGalley for the ARC.

How would most people react to finding out out of the blue that they have a baby child they know nothing about?

This is what happens to the main character of this action/ thriller novel, Bruno Johnson. The mother is unable to cope and turns up with the child at a most inopportune moment. Fortunately, Johnson bonds instantly. But it changes his priorities in an instant. Johnson is young, aspiring cop, still proving himself in a world that is still very biasses against Blacks. Then his boos makes him an offer he can't refuse.

He is asked to go underground within a new department, to unmask a corrupt syndicate within the police force. Certain suspects are somehow accidentally on purpose shot down in the line of duty than need be. Bruno is to find that no one can be seen as beyond suspicion and the suspense on who the real mastermind of this syndicate might be is maintained pretty much u til the end.
Meanwhile, the new father is to discover that the bad guys will stop at nothing to incriminate those he loves.

The Innocents is fast-paced and often ugly in tone, with the kind of simmering violence described by Bruno towards his new 'colleagues.' These are frequently thuggish in behaviour and palpably hostile towards the newcomer. Bruno himself has his faults, being quick to anger and lash out whenever pushed into a corner. Putnam the writer explains in his postscript that the kind of corruption he describes are similar to what he once encountered himself as an idealistic rookie.

Putnam may have his own axe to grind - for the reader, this means a story of realism, with characters many rookies might prefer to to have as mentors. The world at large can be a disillusioning place. The reader will also have to figure find out for themselves if Bruno's child will actually have a living parent that will be around to bring him up.

this is an exceptional thriller because the characters are so realistic. They are not super beings and struggle with all the problems that beset us all. The dialogue is also realistic and makes the story seem much more real. I have read so many books in this genre, so it is a real pleasure to find one that is different in many ways. The style of writing is simple and very straightforward, making it an easy read, but very engrossing. It is easy to relate to Bruno and the problems he is facing. His father is an outstanding character and provides the steadiness needed to keep things on track. I know you will enjoy this book.

Bruno Johnson #5. Bruno Johnson, a newly minted LA County Sheriff Violent Crimes Detective, gets the worst assignment possible - infiltrate a Sherriff's narcotic team that may be involved in murder for hire. He needs to gain their trust and be brought into the scheme . If he succeeds, he will have to arrest and testify against his fellow deputies - if he lives that long. Before Bruno leaves home on his first day of his assignment, he answers the door to find an ex-girlfriend. Without explanation she hands him a baby girl who is only weeks old. The child is his. Stunned and terrified, he now faces immediate fatherhood as well as the traitor - like charge to take down his colleagues.

This is a gripping read and an insight to the younger Bruno Johnson. It is full of suspense, action packed with lots of twists to keep you guessing. The cover is a little misleading though. The characters are complex, of which some will get under your skin. This is a well written police procedural.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Oceanview Publishing and the author David Putnam for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bruno Johnson is a new detective with the LA Co Sheriff's special violent crimes unit. The same day there is a knock at the door and suddenly he is a father taking care of a small unnamed baby which he had not known about. Thank goodness for his father and the help he can provide. After only a couple of days Bruno finds himself undercover with a narcotic group. This is an up & down situation. Who is doing "assassin for hire" work on the side. They are using the job to get close to part time job and Bruno is not sure who is on which side. Can he follow this to the conclusion and keep his family safe? That is the question.

There is no problem with the plot or flow of this book, it just isn't for me. I can't justify a 5-star, because ratings are personal, but don't want to give it lower than 4 just because I didn't love it.

I really enjoyed reading this book I thought it was gritty and realistic.I liked the main character he wasn't perfect he had anger management issues but I could relate to that in his position so would I.The book was clever and kept me guessing ,the plot was good with plenty going on and it could have crossed the line and become too macho but it didn't it kept me invested I don't like macho superhero types but this book while providing a good story with interesting and believable characters had a realistic main man.I wasn't surprised to learn that the author was an experienced cop it showed in the authenticity of the writing and was all the better for it.I would recommend this book it stands out from the crowd and I am grateful to the publishers and netgalley for an ARC

“The Innocents” by David Putnam is part of his Bruno Johnson series, but it is not necessary to have read the other books to enjoy this one. Those who have not read the previous books can jump right in without any problem. In fact, this is the perfect place to start for a new reader because it is a prequel, set in 1988.

Bruno Johnson is a new detective on the L. A. County Sheriff’s Violent Crimes Team, and this book is his first person narrative. This book is filled with action and drama that starts with a surprising revelation in chapter one, and goes on to chronicle all that Johnson has to deal with over the next few days in his personal and professional life.
The action is non-stop and runs the gamut from the mundane to the incredibly complex. It is hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys, especially since some people are both. Johnson has to juggle training a new partner, dealing with unreliable coworkers, uncovering possible corruption in the department, and solving violent crimes all in a few days. Oh, wait! We must not forget that little personal complication that cannot be ignored.
The book is narrative driven, and we learn about the cast of characters as Johnson sees them. We share Johnson’s thoughts, question, and fears in every situation. The conversations are realistic and revealing. Page after page is filled with suspense, action, and non-stop twists and turns. Johnson has a busy few days that come to a surprising end.
I received a copy of “The Innocents” from David Putnam, Oceanview Publishing, and Net Galley in exchange for an impartial review. This is a book filled with realistic conflicts, complicated relationships, and non-stop action. I highly recommend it.

The Innocents is a top-notch fast paced action-filled tale of police corruption, backstabbing, double-dealing and trust and distrust. Putnam has given us a tale that starts with a slight comedic bent and simply pours on the action fast and furious with the twists and turns coming so fast Deputy Bruno Johnson has no idea which way to turn or who to trust. Drop Frank Serpico into Lynwood and into the Sheriff's Department and you have a taste of this tale. Bring on the rest of the series!

David Putnam uses his decades of law enforcement experience to write authentic police thrillers. This fantastic novel is based on real life accounts that Putnam experiences early on in his career. This is the first book I have read in the Bruno Johnson series, and it did not disappoint. Bruno Johnson is all set to begin his career as a detective in the LA County Sheriff's Violent Crimes Division. On his first day he receives a bombshell as his daughter, which he knew nothing about, is dumped on his doorstep. But Bruno's problems are just beginning. The department brass develop a plan to use Bruno to infiltrate a narcotics team that is infected with dirty cops.

Along the way Bruno encounters some dangerous people and situations, and his dad and daughter are always in the back of his mind as he performs his job. Bruno soon senses that things aren't quite right when it comes to the details that have been shared with him. He struggles to make sense of the investigation as he figures out who exactly he can trust in this game.

This book has a complex cast of characters. Some will definitely rub you the wrong way, and others you will find yourself rooting for. The nature of the work that Bruno is tasked with and the characters combine to keep the tension ratcheted high, leading to an explosive conclusion that you won't see coming. I will eagerly anticipate the next installment in this series as it is sure to pack the action and suspense that this book delivers.

I would recommend this book to fans of police procedurals, thrillers, and suspense. I received this as a free ARC from Oceanview Publishing on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.