This book just didn’t grip me. After getting almost a quarter way through, kept skipping from what I thought would become the main story line to another. Ended up putting the book down.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I am struggling to put into words how I feel about this one. I liked the story and the characters enough but something was missing. I struggled to finish in the end.

A Lonesome Blood Red Sun
Publication Date: 17 October 2023
Publisher: Level Best Books

When a dog digs up a human bone, it’s no big deal for deputy sheriff Dave Beckett, who operates in a world where shallow graves in the desert are an all-too-common occurrence. That bone ends up being the discovery which almost ends his career and his life – while at the same time, taking him in directions which just may offer a spark of redemption on the horizon.

I’ve read many crime novels and police procedurals over time. As a Brit, it’s easy to resonate with those which are set in the landscape I’ve grown up with and instinctively understand. When, as in the case of this novel, the focus shifts to the lawless deserts of southern California, it becomes a whole new culture of law enforcement to delve into, learn and understand.

Dave Beckett, who rails against the departmental rules and regulations against a backdrop of a personal life in turmoil, could have very easily slid sideways into well-trodden stereotypes. It’s the authenticity that author David Putnam brings to the narrative from his own law enforcement experience which keeps the story pacy, original and engaging.

The second outing in the Bone Detective series, Beckett’s first-person narrative draws the reader nicely into the story; his sometimes sparse phrasing, littered with accents of his emotional damage, characterise particularly well. I felt as if I could hear Beckett’s voice, sense his frustrations, and feel his permanently present exhaustion. While it’s set in the 1980’s, the timestamp is touched upon organically without any heavy-handed signalling to time and place that can often happen.

It's a great read which efficiently builds pace and plot, leaving me wondering what’s next in store for Dave Beckett. I’ll definitely be heading back to find out.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy!

Thank you to Netgalley, David Putnam and Level Best Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second novel in the Bone Detective trilogy. For a complete understanding of the intended story, I highly recommend reading A Fearsome Moonlight Black, the first novel in the series. I have not read the first novel, and I feel like I would have had a better idea of the back story and Dave’s character if I had.

This is not my usual novel genre, but I wanted to try it. There were times I couldn’t connect with the characters. However, this is probably because this lifestyle is so far removed from mine. It is very interesting to see how the author incorporates his real-life experiences into his writing. We get to see from the inside what it is like to hold a job few of us could handle or would want to do.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fast-paced, action-packed cop story.

I’m seeing mixed reviews for this book and I have to say I’m a bit in the middle with it.
I don’t usually publish a review for a book I’d consider a 3 star or below because I know it’s all a matter of taste. A lot of people will like books I don’t.
But this is a strange one for me
It’s a great story.
The characters are good.
That should be enough
But I just didn’t engage with it, and I honestly don’t know why.

Brilliant novel that grabs the reader and doesn't let go until the final page. Exceptional writing and explosive story combine to excite and thrill the reader. Impossible to put down with twists and turns that shock and surprise. Accolades to David Putnam for this remarkable novel that is well worth of five stars.

A well written, but ultimately boring to me book.

I did not particularly like or enjoy any of the characters. I felt they were very flat; they did not have any particular qualities that caught my fancy.

The pacing was very slow-while that’s not my cup of tea, this can be enjoyed by others who enjoy this type of pacing. I felt the story could have included some action I would have cared about. I can see if you enjoy these characters, this book would be an enjoyable read. It just wasn’t for me.

This book had a good twist at the end. This is not necessarily a book I’d normally go for. It just didn’t really hold my attention.
Thank you NetGalley, David Putman and Level Best Books for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

David Bennett is a police officer in the high desert in the USA. He likes nothing better than the chase and capture of the bad guys. He is a tortured soul his family life laid bare, his best friend and police colleague disappears, he is divorced from his wife and his wayward father comes in and out of his life. His aspiration to be a homicide detective dented because he doesn’t play by the rules and often raises the ire of his police commanders. Especially Cordova who is seriously out to get him and his new police woman friend Jimmy Poe sacked.

This is a fast paced book both in word and deed and often the jargon is difficult to keep up with. The book is in 2 parts almost a before and after . In the second part Dave Bennett has fulfilled his dream of homicide however his nature as ever puts him on a collision course with his commanding officers and he is delegated to the task of identifying the bones of the many victims found in the desert. One day he makes a horrific discovery and his whole police career is put on the line. He needs to find out who the victim is , how they died and who did it and fast .
A good mystery crime read 4 stars

2.5 stars. Received an electronic ARC from NetGalley for review.
A Lonesome Blood-Red Sun is a detective story set in the high desert of Southern California in the mid-1980s. Dave Beckett is a patrol officer aiming for homicide detective. He's not afraid to bend the rules in service of putting away the bad guys, and that's what gets him in trouble with the brass.

Lots of "cop jargon", which makes sense as the author is retired police, but it got to be a little too much at times. And per the author's note at the end, a lot of the scenes in the book were taken from his own history and modified to suit the story.

Cop drama with quite the attitude. Characters with depth and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Beckett is a hard-hitting, take no crap, barely follows the rules himself, kind of cop. That is what makes him so good at what he does, a book that makes you feel like you're along for the ride.

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Not sure this was my sort of book. I found it a difficult read and found it very slow to get to the crux of the book. There was a good twist at the end.

David Beckett is a cop who thinks— and acts— outside the box. While it boosts his close rate on cases it also gets him into trouble with law enforcement administration. This latest case is no exception and we find Beckett in hot water with Lieutenant Cordova. He continually pokes the bear by calling him Lieutenant Cordoba and getting away with it as only Beckett can. A fast paced cop thriller with well developed characters and realistic dialog. I enjoyed this book so much I immediately bought this author’s previous Dave Beckett novel. Thank you NetGalley for introducing me to this author and giving me an advanced review copy.

Let me start with the title. It is quite a mouthful. I wouldn't be able to tell the full tittle without reading it out from the text. I wouldn’t even remember the title if someone asks me which book I read last.

The author has done a good job pooling in his real life experiences to create some very interesting scenes. But I didn't enjoy it overall as much I expected from a detective novel. The solution for the murder mystery seems to be left to chance, with things falling into place without proper evidence.

I understand the Hero's issues with authority and the way he goes about showing his anger. However, it pushed the actual murder mystery to the background. There are too many detective stories with such troubled cop as the Lead Character and I am not a fan. But I usually persevere and have liked reading detectives like Harry Bosch, Kurt Wallander as it is easy to ignore their personal story. Here it is hard to ignore because the detective is personally involved in the whole thing.
There are loose ends leaving it wide open to atleast 2 more books. And I am sure they will be successful. But unfortunately, this series is not for me.

<i> Thanks to NetGalley, the Publisher and the Author for the ARC</i>

This second book in the Dave Beckett series takes you through a slice of life of a US Police officer and doesn’t hold back. You are treated to an insider’s view of a job that few of us could do and fewer still would want to do. The narrative felt true right from the start. Not just the situations that Beckett finds himself in but the dialogue, the animosity among colleagues, the cliques, the rule bending, the entire read smacks of authenticity. Given that this is written by an ex-officer you might say that’s no surprise but the two things are not mutually exclusive. The story gathers pace for the last quarter of the book and I just couldn’t tear myself away.

Not only a very strong and unfiltered read but a solid story replete with characters that feel three dimensional and flesh and blood. Highly recommended.

I loved this.
I loved Dave Beckett, I loved the fact that I was sucked in by his seemingly day to day nonchalant breaking of rules which eventually turned to something much darker. I loved the fact there were real life elements to the book (which I didn't realise until I'd finished it) This was the first David Putnam book I've read but it won't be the last.

I truly believe that this series should be a movie. The way it is written I can 'see ' the characters and the plot being done. David Beckett is finally a homicide detective. It has been a long hard struggle, but he has made it...kind of. It seems his way of doing things rubs the upper crusts too much, so while he is still a homicide detective, he is given 'bone cases' that are found in the desert. The bottom of the barrel as far as homicide was concerned. He has earned himself the nickname of "The Bone Dick". But when a bone turns out to be from one of their own, Beckett is out to find the killer--at any cost. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book, looking forward to another one in this series...please!

A Lonesome Blood-Red Sun was a book that I was afraid I wouldn't finish. In the beginning it moved very slowly. At first it was about deputy sheriffs Dave Beckett and Ben Siderite's antics. It wasn't until sheriff Jimmie Poe was killed that it got anywhere near interesting. I like books that are exciting and gripping. This book was neither. In fact it was rather lackluster. But I will sit at the murder livened it up a bit.

It seems that in the old days Jimmie was involved with the Disciples of Hate thugs. But she saw the error of her ways and broke away from the group. Three years after her murder, Dave took it upon himself to solve it. He tracked down her sister, Jennifer, and got more information from her. It wasn't long before he figured out who killed her.

I won't say that I didn't like the book, but it really didn't hold my attention. I gave it two stars.

This was the first book by David Putnam that I have read. I initially struggled with the pace of the book but once I got to the core story of the book I had a hard time putting the book down. This book follows a cop who is trying to get into homicide as we begin the book and after a time time he has made it and the first third part of the book becomes more important. This was the part of the book I had difficulty with the pacing and why I was reading as it felt there was no defined plot. Boy, was I wrong. I may not have been as invested in the characters or story if I hadn’t read this part of the book. The story was interesting and intriguing at its core and I look forward to reading more about this character and from this author. I would recommend this book to friends who like crime thrillers.