I really enjoyed this partially true story of a young cop and his first months on the job. I also enjoyed the second half of the story that solves the mystery. I loved Dave and how he showed what a young policeman went through in his first months on the job. I loved the mystery also. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will. ( )

A Fearsome Moonlight Black by David Putnam is a very highly recommended police procedural set in two timelines, 1979 and 1988, and presented in two parts.

In 1979 Dave Beckett is a 21 year-old rookie on probation with a police department in West Valley, a small town in Southern California. Dave tries his best to do a good job and is proud to be a cop, but then he get several of the toughest cases in the department. He also reconnects with Beth, a woman that he had a crush on in high school. During the last case in the 1979 time period, he is attacked and the timeline jumps forward to part two of the book set in 1988. Now Dave is a homicide detective in the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s department. His marriage to Beth is in jeopardy and he has a five-year-old-daughter. He also understands now that everything isn't always cut and dried and that those thought to be the good guys aren't always good. Dave ends up going back in time when he was a rookie and taking a closer look at some of the cases he had.

Dave is a realistically portrayed character and there is definitely growth in his character simply due to time. The writing is very good as Putnam follows multiple complicated cases in an intricate plot that has an authenticity that will hold your attention throughout the novel. This is a gritty look behind the public image.

Book one is an even paced look at the life of a rookie cop while book two becomes a much more intense and complex investigation undertaken by a more seasoned investigator. Book one is interesting but book two is much more compelling due to Dave's experience and insight. Apparently book one is closer to the real life experiences of author David Putnam while book two is fiction. Putnam does a good job depicting the life of a law enforcement officer while presenting an investigation that enters thriller territory in the second part. There is a satisfying conclusion to the narrative.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Level Best Books via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/10/a-fearsome-moonlight-black.html ( )

A digital ARC of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and Level Best Books. The opinions are my own and freely given.

The book is told in two parts. Book One is set in 1979 and follows a rookie cop, Dave Beckett. He is in his probationary period and has been released to patrol alone. He experiences his first dead body and has to navigate his way through the "hazing" from the other cops. Book Two is in 1988. Dave moves to San Bernadino County Sheriff's department where he is a homicide detective. Book One is like watching a marathon of old school Cops. Dave chases down suspects, and charges suspects like a bull and puts himself in danger. Book One sets up the whole story. There are murders and suicides, and it shows what kind of a cop Dave really is. In Book Two, the stories from the beginning come together. I was waiting for the action to ramp up and when it did, I kept thinking "no, no, no, no!" Not because of what was happening but who it was happening with/too. Book One is not boring but kind of slow if you are really expecting something big to happen; however, now I understand why it was written that way. If you go into this knowing that, you will really enjoy this book. I would definitely recommend if you like watching the original Cops and like reading books about the detectives who don't necessarily follow rules but get the bad guys off the streets. ( )

The Bone Detective, a Dave Beckett novel, book #1

Taking from the author’s own experiences as a law enforcement official “A Fearsome Moonlight Black” brings us, the first part of the novel, to the rookie years of David Beckett when he worked the beat in a small town in Southern California. He is naïve and has a vision that cops are advocate there to help the wronged. Facing deadly situations, he learned quickly that crime is not cut and dry. In the second part, we have a mature David in pursuit of criminals on both side of the fence. This story is part true and part fictional.

Following David through his career cracking great cases such as murders and suicides was exciting and show what kind of cop Dave turned out to be. The development moved at a steady pace: smooth and slow but the action never stopped. I found it refreshing this glimpse into the life of a rookie cop as well as how Mr. Putman gave true feelings to his narrative. The later years, as a homicide detective David opened a can of worms investigating the wrongful conviction of his mentor by doing so this slow moving drama became a fast pace mystery and a compelling depiction of life as a law enforcement officer. We have between the lines a loose thread of love and the heartbreaking disclose of what happened to a long missing partner.

This story is smooth and seamless to read, has a storyline with a personal touch and peppered with characters hard not to love. Well-done.

I received this ARC from Level Best Books (IBPA) via Netgalley for my thoughts. ( )

Captivating and thrilling from start to finish!

I have nothing but praise for David Putnam’s latest work, A Fearsome Moonlight Black. If you are looking for a police crime thriller look no further than the career of Dave Beckett. A captivating story of a young man in the police force and his journey up to a detective filled with love, heart, and rising tension with each page turn. Brilliantly developed and complex characters. A beautifully crafted world is established in the first book and the second is nonstop action as the pieces come together over years of detective work. At times I couldn’t put the book down. Just one more page, one more line, one more word! Cheers to another sensational accomplishment. ( )