The Sinister by David Putnam
Here’s what we learn in the first 10 pages of David Putnam’s The Sinister (Oceanview), the latest in his thriller series featuring ex-cop, ex-con Bruno Johnson:
- Johnson and his wife have been hiding out in a fancy Los Angeles hotel for about two months and have racked up a bill in excess of $33,000.
- He is wanted by the authorities.
- They are trying to catch a flight to Costa Rica.
- They have 12 children.
- His daughter is dead.
- Another child, Bosco, seems to be dead.
- He has killed a man.
- His now-pregnant wife is responsible for having shot two people.
- The FBI is knocking on their hotel-room door.
- Fifty-five federal agents are trying to find a young girl and her nanny who were kidnapped two weeks ago — an assignment that typically would require only a handful of agents.
But don’t worry, the action picks up. Readers of Putnam and fans of Bruno Johnson are in for another treat.
AN IRRESISTABLE ASSIGNMENT
The knock at the hotel room door happens to be FBI Deputy Director Dan Chulack, a friend of Bruno’s and past partner in an as-yet-unclear assignment. Apparently, the young girl that was kidnapped is Dan’s granddaughter.
Readers familiar with Bruno know he is regarded as one of the best at hunting down those responsible for despicable crimes against unsuspecting victims. Yet Bruno, still recovering from recent incidents, had sworn to his wife Marie that this phase of his life was over.
But Marie sees the writing on the wall even before Bruno does — she knows he will help Dan track down the kidnappers. When it comes to anyone preying on children, Bruno — and Marie — cannot turn away.
Unusual dude, this Bruno fellow. He and Marie had taken 12 children from toxic homes in Los Angeles and sheltered them in Costa Rica. Their intentions are noble, but technically they may be facing several counts of kidnapping.
VIVID CHARACTERS WITH GRIT AND HEART
Author Putnam, now retired after a long career in law enforcement, writes of what he knows and creates vivid characters from his life experiences. Are his characters modeled after specific people? “Yes, but not one individual,” he says. “Usually they are an amalgamation of several colorful folks who I had the pleasure or displeasure to meet.”
He is a master of developing characters and not afraid to show their warts. But it’s all in the name of authenticity, getting inside their heads, and watching them grow, as is the case with Bruno from book to book.
Putnam is gaining great traction and distinction with his recurring protagonist, who has been described as a passionate mix of Alex Cross and Charlie Hood. Bruno is one of those characters who on the outside is in the thick of solving violent crimes with “mean streets” characters and on the inside shows a range of sensitivity and emotion.
“I write by MAR (Motivation, Action, Reaction),” says Putnam, “which means for every motivation there has to be an equal action and reaction from the character. I try to strike a balance between his personal life and the plot — how the plot impacts his personal life as it pertains to MAR. The action is only the catalyst for the emotion or how Bruno and his family react to the action.”
The Sinister is a thriller in the truest sense, a first-rate story with the grittiness of its characters coming to life, with the spectrum of their thoughts and emotions on full display. It is highly recommended.
Learn more about David Putnam on his BookTrib author profile page.
