The Scorned: A Bruno Johnson Novel

Putnam’s hard-hitting 10th Bruno Johnson novel (after 2022’s The Sinister) finds Bruno and his pregnant wife, Marie, in their idyllic Costa Rican home with the 10 abused children he rescued from South Central Los Angeles. When their obstetrician, Aleck Vargas, sees Marie through a life-threatening birth, the gratitude Bruno feels leads him to agree to accompany the Vargas’s daughter, Layla, back to L.A., where she’s a college student—and rescue her from Johnny, a vicious gang leader who exploits women and children. In addition, Bruno agrees to his father’s request to take his long-estranged mother to the States. Once back in Los Angeles, Bruno learns that Jonny has taken the baby he had with Layla. With the aid of his anti-biker man-mountain buddy, Karl Drago, and Drago’s monstrous Rottweiler, Waldo, Bruno searches for Layla’s baby. Driven by hatred for human traffickers and love for those nearest and dearest to him, Bruno surmounts all obstacles with grim wit. Breathless action and a deeply humane hero help make up for unlikely coincidences and reversals. Those seeking a mix of action and dark humor will be satisfied. Agent: Mike Farris, Farris Literary. (Feb.)