Review: Johnny Careless: A Novel by Kevin Wade

 

Jeep Mullane has seen more than a thing or two in his long law enforcement career. He is older, wiser, and far more jaded about people and the world as he comes back home to Long Island’s North Shore. Back in the day, he never did fit in as the son of a NYPD cop. Now he is the Bayville Police Chief and it is a personally brutal Sunday morning as Johnny Careless: A Novel by Kevin Wade begins.

 

The body on the shore is of a guy Jeep has known for decades. John “Johnny” Payson Chambliss, aka, Johnny Careless, is from a wealthy family. Jeep most certainly is not. They were running buddies in no small part because they both were the best on their elite league lacrosse team and tore it up on and off the lacrosse fields. They did a lot of things back in the day, not all of them good, and had a very tight bond.

 

Until they didn’t.

 

All these years later, and after very few conversations in between, Johnny is very much dead on the beach. Detective Ron Arbogast of the Nassau County PD is the lead and does not want Jeep and his people involved. Jeep isn’t going to let that happen. Especially when the good detective does not know the family, the ex-wife, or any of the history that Jeep does. Not only that, the good detective doesn’t see some obvious signs at the scene either. He isn’t necessarily a bad cop. He just doesn’t know the victim and he doesn’t see things as they are.

 

Jeep does and is soon fully involved in finding out what happened in an increasingly complicated case. It isn’t the only case he has either and the bosses aren’t happy with any of it.

 

Parlaying his extensive work on the CBS TV show, Blue Bloods, and a slew of contacts, Kevin Wade has created an incredible debut novel with Johnny Careless. Part police procedural, part homage to the perils and stupidity of youth, the book pulls the reader in quickly and does not let go.

 

As a standalone, the read is very good. As the foundation of a possible series, the read is very good. Amazon has it listed as the first book of the series, so I very much hope this is true. Either way, if you like police procedurals that have depth to the characters involved, this is one of those books you must read.

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3HwLKx4

 

 

Make sure you read Lesa’s review from earlier in the year. It is because of her review; I put the book on hold at the library.

 

My reading copy came by way of the North Oak Cliff Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025