The Blind Devotion of Imogene - The Misadventures of Imogene Taylor by David Putnam
is the story of a 75 year old ex-con, finally out on parole and rebuilding her life. This follows alongside key events in American history, which timestanp Imogens time in prison and gives a luscious retro ambience to the read which I absolutely loved and which added an extra dimension to the quirks and eccentricities of the character.

Imogen did not waste her time in prison, she wrote letters to the president and wrote a novel, both of which gained attention from the Secret Service and rather more dubious characters

Imogen is a treat, the is tough, feisty and utterly hilarious

This one is going on my ppb shelf as she is a keeper. I am not sure how far a series can go, but it seems Imogen will keep raising hell well into her 90s

Thank you to NetGalley, Level Best Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles and David Putname for this glorious ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

3.5 The blurb is basically the whole book? Imogene just needed a break from everything bad that continued to happen in her life but I did like the story

I loved all the eccentric characters and can't wait to read the next book in the series. The book keeps you interested and entertained without making you feel like you can’t put it down. If you're looking for a character driven novel, with lovable, eccentric characters, this is the book for you.

This book was a complete surprise. I went in almost blind and came out enlightened!

It is 1973 and 75-year-old Imogene Taylor has a job to keep. After all, her parole officer could turn up any time. After spending 12 years in prison for the murder of her husband, Imogene now just wants to lie low. Should be easy for an old woman to lead a quiet life, shouldn't it?

The story starts slow but quickly builds up pace. I liked Imogene a lot - I keep liking old characters who are also badass and I see a pattern.

This is my first David Putnam book and I am surprised I have never heard of this author before. Note to self - need to spend some more time on GR.

4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Level Best Books for the ARC.

A quirky crime novel following the escapades of Imogene Taylor, a rambunctious 75-year old widow desperately trying not to violate her parole. To do this, she must hold down her job while gangsters threaten the shop, her best friend tries to avoid the manager’s advances and placate the President’s security team.

The storyline is engaging with all its branches, twists and turns, and I couldn’t help rooting for Imogene throughout. However, some elements (especially the humour) were too on-the-nose for me and I did find the pace slow at times.

I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys a more eccentric read with more hootin’ tootin’ gunslinging that your usual crime novel.

The Blind Devotion of Imogene, subtitled The Misadventures of Imogene Taylor by David Putnam is my second Putnam novel and the fourth reviewed in this blog. We have liked them all. This book is particularly intriguing, and I cannot remember any prior crime novel in which I so enjoyed the conversation among characters, and sometimes when the characters talked to themselves. While it’s a crime novel, it is a departure from Putnam’s stories about Bruno Johnson.

This book’s protagonist, Imogene Taylor, was somebody I cared about from the outset. A 75-year-old woman who has been released from jail on parole to a sadistic parole officer who has predicted Imogene will never survive on the outside of jail, will violate her parole, and will be reincarcerated. After 10 years in jail for murder, Imogene was determined to stay free of jail, and one condition of her parole was to keep a job. She becomes a cashier at a variety store (think K-Mart) that serves the desperately poor. There’s conflict with the store owner and other employees. Meanwhile, she does a good job watching the store and then going home at night and getting soundly drunk in an attempt to forget when she pulled the trigger of a gun that killed the love her life, Wayne. She never denied pulling the trigger, but she made a mistake which she thought should have qualified her for a manslaughter charge, not a murder charge.

In addition to wonderful dialogue, the plot was fantastic. There were unexpected surprises throughout. I recommend this novel highly – you won’t be disappointed. Now, I’m ready for more of Putnam’s work.

If I had a physical copy of The Blind Devotion of Imogene, it would likely have a dent in it. Then it could go into Imogene's store of dented goods. Sorry to say but I just could not get interested in this novel despite several tries. Author David Putnam captured me with his Bruno Johnson series, but this novel I could not even finish.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A very entertaining novel featuring a weird heroine on parole after being found guilty of murdering her husband. A neighbour who's a hoarder but could also be a killer as there's a dead woman under the mountains of things.
I had fun and thoroughly enjoyed the style of writing and the well plotted story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

It’s 1973 and 75 year old Imogene is on parole for murder. She called it an accident, but the judge and jury didn’t quite see it that way. As an ex-con, Imogene works at a can goods store called Dentco. Trouble seems to follow Imogene and she’s now being shadowed by her parole officer, a Secret Service Agent assigned to her case (after she sends threatening letters to the President) and an organized crime gangster. Imogene is quite the character and gets herself into some sticky, laugh out loud, situations. While this was an entertaining read, it would be better to go into this one blind as the synopsis gives too much away. Thank you to Level Best Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This book is a mess! The author, well-known as the creator of the eleven-book-long Bruno Johnson tough-guy cop/sleuth thrillers, ought to know better how to trim and prune repetitive dialogue, description, and general focus inconsistencies.

Also, why was this set in 1973? There was no reason I could discern that it needed to be in, or benefited from, such a setting. Given when this character's alleged murder takes place, for example, I'd think she would shy away from writing a novel about a presidential assassination. Not only was she locked up the year Kennedy was shot, she's writing her novel during the famously Trumpian vengeance-seeking Nixon's reign of terror.

You'd do well to stay off either one's radar.

Stick to the Bruno Johnson series.

Imogene Taylor is 75 years old and on parole from serving time in prison for the murder of her husband. When she and her next door neighbor discover a body in the neighbor's garage, Imogene decides to bury the body rather than taking a chance on having her parole revoked. While trying to keep her nose clean, Imogene finds herself battling the mafia, trying to keep her job, and avoiding her parole officer. It's a cute book and I enjoyed it, but I don't highly recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

An interesting piece of modern Americana fiction. Imogene works in a low-rent shop in a poor town where day to day issues drag on and fill people's lives. A series of escalating events reveal her past and shape her future

This is an interesting book because of the characters. they are just crazy enough to be real and entertaining. the story has several story lines but it all comes together in the end! I really enjoyed this book

I loved this book, and after reading it, seeing the story behind it, I liked it even more...
Poor Imogene! I did not like the title, and I still don't.,,, but it is one of the best books I have read in a few years.
I loved the humor, the unbelievable "plot" and really loved the characters. It would make a wonderful movie I think.
I think this book is for everyone, not just mystery fans. I know I must read more from this author!!! I enjoyed his "style".

I was so intrigued by the description of this book. Unfortunately, I found myself having to reread an entire chapter the next day since I didn't remember any of it. After 5 days I was still only on chapter 2. That's when I decided that this book just wasn't for me and I declared it a DNF.
I received a digital ARC of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

This is a tongue-in-cheek thriller about Imogene, who just came off a 12-year stint for murdering her husband, whom she deeply loves and misses. Imogene has a sad little job and lives in a sad, little apartment, but she still manages to find trouble and keep excitement in her life. From her friends next door in the cat house, to the neighborhood thug, to various friends and not-so-friends who cross Imogene’s path, she just can’t seem to live a boring life, which is bad when you’re on parole.
I enjoyed the plot of this story but found it difficult to follow along with the characters. This book would make a fun comedy crime movie, and I hope someone considers that. But I couldn’t stay focused on the story.
Thanks so much to IBPA, Members’ Titles for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is July 9, 2024.

A 75-year-old protagonist recently released from prison for killing her husband? Imogene is out on parole working at Dentco. Yes, it sells dented goods and she needs this job.

Imogene is one of those people who seem to attract mayhem. Part of the problem stems from the time she spent in prison penning threatening letters to POTUS, eventually writing a book she called Peekaboo POTUS. It got their attention and a coveted place on the “crazy” list.

Separate is the introduction to “The Cigar”, a local street thug bent on providing “protection” to those already struggling shop owners in the grimy strip center. Imogene has several friends, her next-door neighbor, and Ange, her erstwhile philosophical bunkmate in prison who still intrudes often in Imogene’s ear.

This thing goes over the top more than once, but it provides some hilarious scenes, quirky characters, outrageous dialogue, unexpected twists, and pure escapism when you need it most. Lighten up and enjoy.

1970s, septuagenarian, ex-cons, situational-humor, verbal-humor, snarky, secrets, gangsters, survivors, noir, spoof, mystery, bodies, historical-fiction****

Laughed my sox off!
In 1973, in the rundown part of town, the lived an odd little old woman on parole who worked in a discount store and hung out with the disadvantaged and dodged the creeps running the protection racket. And then she got involved with some crazy stuff. Good fun and not totally unbelievable.
I requested and received an EARC from Level Best Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles via NetGalley. Thank you!
#TheBlindDevotionofImogene #NetGalley

Enjoyed the humor in this story of Imogene, Suz and Ange! A quick read, well developed characters and unusual events that kept getting better and better. Such tragic situations for a 75 yr old woman to have to experience. Accidents happen and sometimes forgiveness is warranted, but not for Imogene. Her emotional well-being must just be a wreck, to love someone and then not being there to love. She is a survivor and spunky enough to stand up for herself !! Though, Imogene needs to cut back on the Marlboros!!! Really enjoyed the Author's Note, too!! Thanks Net Galley for a wonderful read!!!

I was intrigued by the premise of the story but it failed to hold my attention. I struggled to make my way through it. This one just wasn’t for me.
Thank You to NetGalley, Level Best Books and David Putnam for the invitation to read this ARC.