NEW BLUE

In this Florida-set novel, a young police trainee gets firsthand experience in the unpredictable world of law enforcement.

Unlike many of his peers, Jerry Krone’s plans after high school don’t involve college. Instead, the 19-year-old enters Fortuna Beach Police Academy. He excels in the classroom and gets his first taste of what cops do every day when he joins a ride-along. There’s much to learn in the field, from radio codes to managing crime scenes. Jerry continues riding with different Field Training Officers even after he graduates from the academy. Though he handles multiple crimes, it’s his first, a burglary, that sticks with him. He periodically checks in on the victim, Nikki Wilson, much to the chagrin of the detective investigating the open case. But Jerry had become a cop to help people like Nikki, so he’s determined to identify the culprit. Readers get an early glimpse of the burglar—teenager Tyler Clifford. Drake and Kozak’s novel is largely episodic. Jerry, a stoic but likable lead, narrates the details of the job, including investigating a check scam and tracking an allegedly stolen plane. The burglary case, however, gives the novel cohesion, sometimes shifting narrative perspective to Nikki and Tyler. And the rookie’s romantic interest in a fellow trainee adds interest. The plain prose reads like a police report: “I grabbed my cuffs and managed to get one cuff on his right wrist. We were then able to cuff the other wrist so that he was partially immobilized.” Considering Jerry’s newbie status, a sequel is a definite possibility.

A straightforward, engaging story of a cop in the making.