Best-selling author of the Bruno Johnson Crime Series Ex-cop, Ex-con, Committed Vigilante . . . With a Soft Spot for Kids Bruno Johnson, a tough street cop, member of the elite violent crimes task force, feared by the bad guys, admired by the good, finds his life derailed when a personal tragedy forces him to break the law. Now he’s an ex-con and his life on parole is not going well. He is hassled by the police at every opportunity, and to make matters even more difficult, his former partner, Robby Wicks, now a high-ranking detective, bullies him into helping solve a high profile crime—unofficially, of course. Bruno’s girlfriend, Marie, brings out the good, the real Bruno, and even though they veer totally outside the law, he and Marie dedicate themselves to saving abused children, creating a type of underground railroad for neglected kids at risk,  disposable  kids. Caught between police brutality, the demands of his rogue ex-partner, and the precarious circumstances of the children, Bruno is forced into a brutality of his own as he pulls out every stop to save these children from a warped system of justice. Perfect for fans of Robert Crais and Michael Connelly While all of the novels in the Bruno Johnson Crime Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is: The Disposables The Replacements The Squandered The Vanquished The Innocents The Reckless The Heartless The Ruthless The Sinister The Scorned The Diabolical  (coming 2024)  “I really loved  The Disposables . It’s raw, powerful, and eloquent. It’s a gritty street poem recited by a voice unalterably committed to redemption and doing the right thing in a wrong world. I'll be first in line for the next one from David Putnam.” —Michael Connelly,  New York Times  best-selling author “ The Disposables , a dark and disturbing insider’s novel that may not make you feel safer on the mean streets of L.A. Dark, disturbing, and all too believable, this is the tale of one man’s quest for atonement in a world where innocence is a liability.” —T. Jefferson Parker,  New York Times  best-selling author Praise for the Bruno Johnson Crime Series “[ The Sinister ] Riveting, scary, but with plenty of wit and humanity, author David Putnam brings ex-cop Bruno Johnson’s world alive in a way that only another ex-cop could. In Putnam’s capable hands, the characters jump off the page—even the dog.” —Janet Evanovich, #1  New York Times  best-selling author “Reading a novel by David Putnam is almost as good as riding shotgun in a patrol car. He writes what he knows and what he knows is that justice on the mean streets isn't always black and white.” —Robin Burcell,  New York Times  best-selling author “David Putnam's  The Heartless  is terrific—a smart, well-written, relentless account of a battle against evil, fought by a protagonist who has a real man's flaws, but also shows us the kind of heroism that's real.” —Thomas Perry,  New York Times  best-selling author “This is a police procedural that dazzles with authenticity, sharply-drawn characters, crackling dialogue, and insider details that only a real cop could bring to the page. Putnam can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Joseph Wambaugh and Michael Connelly.” —Lee Goldberg,  New York Times  best-selling author “Putnam is a master of the gritty realism of law and order at street level. I guarantee that  The Ruthless  will grab you by the throat, shove you against the wall, and won’t release you until the final, satisfying page.” —William Kent Krueger,  New York Times  best-selling author “David Putnam knows the mean streets and the characters who inhabit them better than anyone writing crime fiction.” —Alan Russell,  New York Times  best-selling author “David Putnam provides an insider's knowledge of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. His characters and settings are rich and authentic, and his dialogue is spot on accurate.” —Robert Dugoni,  New York Times  best-selling author “Starting fast and keeping the accelerator floored, Putnam deftly keeps readers—and Bruno—on the edge with clever twists and intense action scenes. Loaded with insider details on police procedure and tactics.” —Glen Hamilton, Anthony and Edgar Award-winning author During his career in law enforcement, best-selling author David Putnam has done it all: worked in narcotics, violent crimes, criminal intelligence, hostage rescue, SWAT, and internal affairs, to name just a few. He is the recipient of many awards and commendations for heroism. The Disposables is his debut novel and the first of the acclaimed and best-selling Bruno Johnson Crime Series. Putnam lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Mary. The Disposables A Novel By David Putnam Oceanview Publishing Copyright © 2014 David Putnam All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-60809-164-5 CHAPTER 1 The bell above the door jangled. I looked up from the open Wall Street Journal on the scarred, grimy cou