THE SCORNED

4.5 stars out of 5

It's hard not to love hard-scrapping former LAPD cop Bruno Johnson - even though he's killed way more than his share of bad guys, he's got a heart behind his shoulder holster. For the most part, that heart belongs to his family - at this point, he's got a very pregnant wife, Marie, an aging father who's dying of cancer and at least 10 youngsters of varying ages stashed away in a Costa Rica compound. He'd also go to the mat for his even scrappier buddy, Karl Drago, whose best friend is his uber-loyal dog Waldo.

As his local doctor friend and his wife assist with Marie's difficult birth of their son, the wife pulls Bruno aside to ask his help with bringing their college-age daughter Layla, who's being stalked and claims to be in danger, back from Los Angeles. Problem is, of course, Bruno is a wanted man in the states; if he's caught, it's a pretty sure bet he'll spend the rest of his life behind bars. But he's got a debt to settle with the doctor and his wife, so he agrees - with the doctor's good wife and his mostly estranged, con artist mother Bea - who has turned up in Costa Rica but wants to return to the good old US of A.

At this point, I'm quite sure I'd have told both women to buzz off and let me alone, but Bruno, being Bruno, agrees to their demands and off they go (with a promise to a groggy Marie that he'd be back in a couple of days). Once they get on U.S. soil, however, the entire dynamic changes; both mom and the doctor's wife disappear, and Bruno finds out that, among other things, Layla's mother came along so she could bring money to pay kidnappers for her daughter's return. When that plan falls apart - big surprise, the kidnappers want more - Bruno knows he needs to find Layla himself and calls Drago for help. That plan is fraught with danger as well, but they do find Layla alive and telling quite a different story; it's not a stalker she has, but a baby - and the notorious criminal baby daddy doesn't want to give him up.

And it is at that point that I must respectfully bow out; giving out more details would spoil the story for other readers. Suffice it to say that, as is the case with the other books in this very enjoyable series, bodies and body parts dot the landscape like fireflies in the early summer night sky. Almost no one save Bruno and Drago seems to tell the truth, so twists and surprises keep readers turning pages not only to find out who survived the latest go-round, but which, if any, can be counted on in a pinch (or sting).

As I alluded to earlier, it's hard for me to understand how Bruno can so easily rationalize away and even forgive the bad behavior of other people - once burned, twice shy and thrice gone from my life tends to be my motto. Still, the whole thing makes for a great, edge-of-your-seat story - and I've gotta love a pooch who can turn the nastiest of the nasties into slobbering globs of jelly almost with a glance in their direction. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of another of these gems!

The Scorned by David Putnam (Oceanview, February 2023); 353 pp.

THE GATEKEEPER

4 stars out of 5

Somehow it seems out of character to call a story with this much mayhem, murder and malicious monkey business  a "fun" read, but after finishing it, I can't come up with a better description. The near-superhero, Desmond Aloysius Limerick, or Dez, brought physical abilities and mental insights to the table, not the least of which is a sense of humor that elicited a giggle now and again. A retired mercenary with a side gig as a musician, he makes the whole thing work (and me eager to encounter him in the next go-round, assuming there is one).

As he's readying to leave his California hotel, he encounters a beautiful (of course!) damsel in extreme distress and quickly decides to take a short but bloody detour to save her. Turns out she's in distress for another reason: She's learned that someone at her father's uber-profitable company, Triton Expeditors (where she's gainfully employed), has been siphoning off billions of dollars but so far has escaped identification. Dez being between assignments at the moment (and Dez just being Dez), he agrees to help her find the culprit. He is, after all, a gatekeeper; he's the best at opening doors - actually, just about anything - and keeping them open as long as necessary.

What he finds, though, it far more complicated and dangerous (and, if I'm honest, more far-fetched, even though parts are ripped from the headlines). Dez encounters biased media, a clandestine militia operation that's intent on taking over and the threat of nuclear disaster - bulldozing his way through them all and leaving bloody messes in his wake as he looks for, and tries to bring down, the bad guys and gals. The ending is fairly predictable, but satisfying - including Dez's ride off into the sunset.

In short, only one thing nearly ruined the whole experience: I absolutely detest reading books written in the present tense. And no matter how good this one is, that got in the way and stomped on my enthusiasm. But that's just me; others, in fact, may find it a refreshing approach. In any event, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to get to know this character and author by way of a pre-release copy.

The Gatekeeper by James Byrne (Minotaur Books, June 2022); 330 pp.

FOR YOUR OWN GOOD

5 stars out of 5

When I reviewed another of this author's wonderful books last year, I said I wish I had a mind half as creative as hers. Well, folks, she just left me in the dust with this one. The official book description calls it a "sneaky thriller," and, with the possible addition of "wicked," I honestly can't come up with anything more appropriate and accurate. What an absolute delight from start to finish!

The story centers on Theodore (Teddy) Crutcher, an English teacher at a hoity-toity private high school - an "academy," don't you know. He loves teaching, with the goal of turning the self-centered, pampered kids who feel the world owes them a living because their parents have a ton of money into "better people" - all, of course, for their own good. Among his primary targets is Zach, whose father pitches a hissy fit when Teddy gives a B- to one of his son's reports.

Despite being disliked by most of his students and not being a graduate of the academy himself as many other beloved teachers are, Teddy has just won Teacher of the Year. He's elated (if disappointed that he's not getting more attention as a result) and looking forward to his presentation ceremony. But first, another teacher, Sonia, is being honored for 10 years of teaching. Teddy is resentful; he'd turn to his nurse-wife Allison for solace, but she's not around anymore. So, he takes matters into his own extremely capable but devious hands, with an unfortunate result: at Sonia's party, one of the school's staff members becomes ill and later dies.

In fact, it's not the first school-related death; the first headmaster committed suicide, and a memorial is held each year in remembrance (yet another thorn that threatens to prick the air out of Teddy's super-sized ego). As for the newest victim, the police identify a suspect - a student - who is subsequently arrested for the murder.

Teddy knows better. But now Sonia and other school personnel will be asked to testify against the young murderer; no one is happy about that, but it all becomes moot when yet another victim is murdered. And then another. After that, one of Teddy's former students is brought in to replace one of them - a woman who hates Teddy because he effectively killed her college and career plans years earlier. If anything, the intervening years have worsened the already strained relationship between the two, but now they must work together. Oh my, whatever will Teddy do now?

There's no shortage of other characters in play here, and the unbelievably complex and intricate balance among them is what makes this story so entertaining. Who will get accused of what, and who really did it? Who will go to jail, who will go free, and who will go dead? Readers will find out, all in good time.

The bottom line? Don't miss this one. I cannot thank the publisher, via NetGalley, enough for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Cue my thunderous applause!

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing (Berkley, July 2021); 379 pp.