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Long Beach Homicide #3
A Cold and Broken Hallelujah
On a sweltering September night, Long Beach Homicide Detective Danny Beckett is called to a grisly crime scene at the mouth of the Los Angeles River: A defenseless homeless man has been burned to death by three teenagers with gang ties.
The suspects are already in custody, and the evidence is overwhelming—but when one suspect’s brother is targeted for murder, Danny starts to think there may be more to this seemingly clear-cut case.
Obsessed with discovering the true identity of the victim, a gentle vagrant who may have been hiding a tortured past, Danny and his team start to uncover a high-reaching conspiracy that puts them all at risk—and threatens to open new wounds that could cut even deeper than Danny’s old ones.
The suspects are already in custody, and the evidence is overwhelming—but when one suspect’s brother is targeted for murder, Danny starts to think there may be more to this seemingly clear-cut case.
Obsessed with discovering the true identity of the victim, a gentle vagrant who may have been hiding a tortured past, Danny and his team start to uncover a high-reaching conspiracy that puts them all at risk—and threatens to open new wounds that could cut even deeper than Danny’s old ones.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2014
About the author
Tyler Dilts
9 books224 followersThe son of a policeman, Tyler Dilts grew up wanting to follow in his father's footsteps. Along the line, his career goals changed, but he never lost his interest in the daily work of homicide detectives. Now an instructor at California State University in Long Beach, his writing has appeared in "The Los Angeles Times," "The Chronicle of Higher Education," "The Best American Mystery Stories," and in numerous other publications. He is the author of the Long Beach Homicide series featuring Detective Danny Beckett, the most recent of which, "A Cold and Broken Hallelujah," is now available.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 412 reviews
August 4, 2014
On a hot late summer night in Long Beach, California, three teenage gang members chase down a homeless man, douse him with gasoline and burn him to death. They're captured within minutes of committing the crime and the case against them seems open and shut, especially since one of the three recorded the horrific crime on video.
Homicide detective Danny Beckett leads the investigation and is determined to build as strong a case as possible. The three young killers have lawyered up and refuse to offer any explanation for their action. Even when each of them is offered the possibility of a lighter sentence for giving evidence against the other two, they all refuse. What could they be hiding? An even more likely question: Who could they be so afraid of that they would maintain their wall of silence?
Beyond determining the motive for the crime, Danny is driven even more by the desire to identify the victim, who is known only by the street name, "Bishop," and to flesh out the events of his life. This will help personalize the victim for a jury and increase the chances of a conviction. But before long the quest to know "Bishop" becomes something of an obsession for Danny who will not rest until he has the answers he now feels compelled to seek. And the deeper he delves into the case, the more complex--and dangerous--it becomes.
This is a very well done police procedural, with authentic and sympathetic characters in an expertly-drawn setting. Dilts is a very good writer, and what sets this book apart from so many others is his--and Beckett's--concern for the victim. In so many crime novels, the victim is often the least important character in the story and is often virtually forgotten once the book is under way. But Dilts reminds us here that the victims may be the most important characters of all and that they need to be understood and respected, perhaps even more so than any of the rest of us.
Homicide detective Danny Beckett leads the investigation and is determined to build as strong a case as possible. The three young killers have lawyered up and refuse to offer any explanation for their action. Even when each of them is offered the possibility of a lighter sentence for giving evidence against the other two, they all refuse. What could they be hiding? An even more likely question: Who could they be so afraid of that they would maintain their wall of silence?
Beyond determining the motive for the crime, Danny is driven even more by the desire to identify the victim, who is known only by the street name, "Bishop," and to flesh out the events of his life. This will help personalize the victim for a jury and increase the chances of a conviction. But before long the quest to know "Bishop" becomes something of an obsession for Danny who will not rest until he has the answers he now feels compelled to seek. And the deeper he delves into the case, the more complex--and dangerous--it becomes.
This is a very well done police procedural, with authentic and sympathetic characters in an expertly-drawn setting. Dilts is a very good writer, and what sets this book apart from so many others is his--and Beckett's--concern for the victim. In so many crime novels, the victim is often the least important character in the story and is often virtually forgotten once the book is under way. But Dilts reminds us here that the victims may be the most important characters of all and that they need to be understood and respected, perhaps even more so than any of the rest of us.
March 21, 2023
Detective Danny Beckett has to be one of the most interesting and believable fictional characters that I have ever had the pleasure of encountering in a book. As a Long Beach California homicide detective, he is constantly placed in the most traumatic situations and circumstances where his very presence exacerbates anxieties and hopelessness. However, despite Danny’s own dark past and the demons that accompany him, he plays the banjo and actively seeks to find the benefits that a homeless John Doe provided his immediate surroundings. This is a police procedural murder investigation and I loved it because Danny Beckett is a philosopher when everything around him would have him be a bitter, jaded cop just seconds from swallowing his own gun. Beckett demonstrates empathy for the victims, and even finds a way to provide closure in the most positive way possible. This was the first time, I have ever read Tyler Dilts and by the end of this book, I was weeping. I loved it so much that I finished and opened the book to the beginning and read it a second time. I think that I connected with this character in a way that not everyone will, because I find that I philosophize and contemplate way more than I should. For him it is a strength.
August 7, 2014
Not what I expected
I have never read anything by this author, so I was unaware of his writing style and characters, if they have been in earlier novels. Sometimes when you read a book about characters in a series, as a reader, you miss so much of the background that the earlier books had provided. This was not the case in this novel. I was not at a loss at any point during this story.
Most importantly, this is not a crime thriller. Until the last page of the book, there is no point that you are glued to the story with a pounding heart. After reading every Tess Gerritsen novel, this is hardly a thriller.
What this story is, and what makes it so enjoyable is that it is an entire investigation from the vantage point of the lead detective on a homicide investigation. There are points that are slow, and leads that do not go anywhere, which I am sure is true in any actual investigation. More importantly even, is the fact that we learn about and get to know a very real and believable main character who genuinely wants to solve the case and a very real and very flawed victim, each of whom unfold as the story progresses.
This book is very well written and if you are not expecting something to explode or someone to die every other chapter, and you enjoy character development and the time it takes for these characters to unfold as they are discovered through the eyes of a detective, this will be a great story for you to read. I really thought it was well done.
I have never read anything by this author, so I was unaware of his writing style and characters, if they have been in earlier novels. Sometimes when you read a book about characters in a series, as a reader, you miss so much of the background that the earlier books had provided. This was not the case in this novel. I was not at a loss at any point during this story.
Most importantly, this is not a crime thriller. Until the last page of the book, there is no point that you are glued to the story with a pounding heart. After reading every Tess Gerritsen novel, this is hardly a thriller.
What this story is, and what makes it so enjoyable is that it is an entire investigation from the vantage point of the lead detective on a homicide investigation. There are points that are slow, and leads that do not go anywhere, which I am sure is true in any actual investigation. More importantly even, is the fact that we learn about and get to know a very real and believable main character who genuinely wants to solve the case and a very real and very flawed victim, each of whom unfold as the story progresses.
This book is very well written and if you are not expecting something to explode or someone to die every other chapter, and you enjoy character development and the time it takes for these characters to unfold as they are discovered through the eyes of a detective, this will be a great story for you to read. I really thought it was well done.
August 5, 2014
A fun read. Not deep, no complicated twists, just an entertaining, swiftly moving crime story with likable characters.
August 9, 2014
Fast read- loved the ending!
August 15, 2014
One star too many
One star too many
trying to be kind. this book is definitely not engrossing. I read the first few chapters. then the story went downhill. I read the last two chapters to get it over with. and, I still don't care what happened in between.
One star too many
trying to be kind. this book is definitely not engrossing. I read the first few chapters. then the story went downhill. I read the last two chapters to get it over with. and, I still don't care what happened in between.
August 7, 2014
I'd rate this 4.5 stars.
Long Beach Homicide Detective Danny Beckett has more than his share of demons to wrestle. Struggling with chronic, often intense pain from an injury he sustained in the line of duty, still dealing with the psychological trauma of losing his wife tragically, he fully immerses himself in his job, and other than one friend, tends to spend most of his time with colleagues.
"I know I'm better at investigating murders than I have ever been or will ever be at anything else. It's the only thing I've ever been good enough at to make me forget my chronic pain and my grief and to engage me so fully and completely that I'm lost to anything else."
Beckett and his partner, Detective Jen Tanaka, draw a gruesome case—a homeless man was burned to death by three teenagers, ostensibly to bolster their reputation with gang members. For reasons he cares not to dwell on, Beckett is determined to find the identity of the murder victim, and figure out whether there was a reason he was killed, or if he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The deeper Beckett and Tanaka dig into the murder, the more they realize the situation is more complicated than they first suspected, and more dangerous. They are driven to protect the brother of one of the accused murderers, and more and more, Beckett finds himself beginning to idealize the murder victim. At the same time, he is being forced to confront a situation outside of his personal comfort zone, and he isn't sure he's ready.
Tyler Dilts may very well be one of the best crime writers you've never heard of, and you should remedy that. Danny Beckett is a terrific character, complex and complicated, and Dilts' series of books featuring him (this is the third), is really terrific. While all of the books in the series are dark given Beckett's character, A Cold and Broken Hallelujah is a little darker than the first two. If you like crime novels, give Tyler Dilts a try. You'll be drawn in by his writing ability, and you'll find yourself wanting more.
Long Beach Homicide Detective Danny Beckett has more than his share of demons to wrestle. Struggling with chronic, often intense pain from an injury he sustained in the line of duty, still dealing with the psychological trauma of losing his wife tragically, he fully immerses himself in his job, and other than one friend, tends to spend most of his time with colleagues.
"I know I'm better at investigating murders than I have ever been or will ever be at anything else. It's the only thing I've ever been good enough at to make me forget my chronic pain and my grief and to engage me so fully and completely that I'm lost to anything else."
Beckett and his partner, Detective Jen Tanaka, draw a gruesome case—a homeless man was burned to death by three teenagers, ostensibly to bolster their reputation with gang members. For reasons he cares not to dwell on, Beckett is determined to find the identity of the murder victim, and figure out whether there was a reason he was killed, or if he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The deeper Beckett and Tanaka dig into the murder, the more they realize the situation is more complicated than they first suspected, and more dangerous. They are driven to protect the brother of one of the accused murderers, and more and more, Beckett finds himself beginning to idealize the murder victim. At the same time, he is being forced to confront a situation outside of his personal comfort zone, and he isn't sure he's ready.
Tyler Dilts may very well be one of the best crime writers you've never heard of, and you should remedy that. Danny Beckett is a terrific character, complex and complicated, and Dilts' series of books featuring him (this is the third), is really terrific. While all of the books in the series are dark given Beckett's character, A Cold and Broken Hallelujah is a little darker than the first two. If you like crime novels, give Tyler Dilts a try. You'll be drawn in by his writing ability, and you'll find yourself wanting more.
August 3, 2014
A Cold and Broken Hallelujah by Tyler Dilts is the third book in the Long Beach Homicide series, following the earlier two books A King of Infinite Space and The Pain Scale. In Long Beach Homicide Detective Danny Beckett, Long Beach, California-based writer Tyler has crafted an extremely compelling character. The story is realistic, definitely enjoyable, and it is one of the best detective stories in a very long time.
In A Cold and Broken Hallelujah, Detective Danny Beckett walks through the drama, suspense and action with élan as he probed the horrific death of a homeless man at the hands of three teenagers who doused him with gasoline from a giant 7-Eleven soda cup and set him on fire. The man exploded into flames. With the suspects in custody, the case should have been solved and closed. But the plot thickens as Danny delves deeper and discovered a convoluted web of conspiracy behind the gruesome killing of a drifter.
Tyler Dilts is fast emerging as a great writer of detective stories. The ease with which he turned a simple murder story into a fine and thrilling crime mystery is proof of his creativity. His superb handling of Danny Beckett and the planting of other secondary characters into the twisted plots with never-ending surprises along the way make A Cold and Broken Hallelujah an entertaining read.
In A Cold and Broken Hallelujah, Detective Danny Beckett walks through the drama, suspense and action with élan as he probed the horrific death of a homeless man at the hands of three teenagers who doused him with gasoline from a giant 7-Eleven soda cup and set him on fire. The man exploded into flames. With the suspects in custody, the case should have been solved and closed. But the plot thickens as Danny delves deeper and discovered a convoluted web of conspiracy behind the gruesome killing of a drifter.
Tyler Dilts is fast emerging as a great writer of detective stories. The ease with which he turned a simple murder story into a fine and thrilling crime mystery is proof of his creativity. His superb handling of Danny Beckett and the planting of other secondary characters into the twisted plots with never-ending surprises along the way make A Cold and Broken Hallelujah an entertaining read.
June 8, 2017
I haven't read many "crime" novels, and this was my introduction to Tyler Dilts writing. It is the third book in this series, but I never felt like there were pieces missing. First of all, great title. I love Cohen's "Hallelujah" and several of the covers over the years, so the resonance of the title put me in the perfect mood for this mournful, yet hopeful story. I appreciated how Detective Danny Beckett identified with the victim and the personal loses he himself had suffered. His conflict with trying to put a name and history to a homeless victim and desire to care for everyone injured throughout the case - it could have come off hokey or sappy, but it felt honest. I appreciate that the case unravels slowly and the revelations are not made through car chases and stand-offs, but through contemplation and tenacity. Not every loose end gets resolved. The romantic plot line is complex and sweet. The entire story woven with sadness and strength. Solving this case does not make him whole again, but it makes a difference. In all ways the story stays true to itself and the note perfect title.
September 10, 2015
Meh. Maybe it is too realistic for a crime "thriller", too much like real life in that it plods along, gets hung up on small everyday details. I appreciate the detective's concern for the victim and his drive to discover the identity, not sure I agree with his handling of DNA results but I guess that is what makes the world go round. The writing is crisp and clear the plot about average so I will probably not be going back for the first two in the series. I often wish there were a 3.5 star category since that is where this is. Often that would deserve a nudge up to four but this one just did not move for me.
February 2, 2023
A decent police procedural with Danny Beckett and Jen Tanaka picking up the case when 3 adolescents douse a homeless man in petrol and set him alight.
October 9, 2014
I think I have found a new favorite mystery series. A Cold and Broken Hallelujah tells the story of a homeless man killed by three gangbangers in Long Beach. Homicide Detective Danny Beckett is the star of Tyler Dilts's Long Beach Homicide Series.
We know at the beginning who killed the homeless man. What is unknown is the identity of the victim. Juries tend to soft-pedal sentences when the victim is a homeless John Doe, so Danny and his colleagues try to find out who it was who was killed and why. In the end, they put together all the pieces into a satisfying whole.
I think I will soon be reading more of Dilts. I like the cut of his jib.
We know at the beginning who killed the homeless man. What is unknown is the identity of the victim. Juries tend to soft-pedal sentences when the victim is a homeless John Doe, so Danny and his colleagues try to find out who it was who was killed and why. In the end, they put together all the pieces into a satisfying whole.
I think I will soon be reading more of Dilts. I like the cut of his jib.
August 19, 2014
My first book from this author and what a pleasant surprise. Part of Amazon's First Program.
This book started out reminding me very much of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series. Danny Beckett is a homicide detective in Long Beach, California. Like Bosch, he shows empathy for the victim. In this case he goes out of his way to discover just who the victim was, as he was burned beyond recognition when murdered.
As this is the third of the series, there is a lot of interaction with other homicide detectives that require a back story. It gives me a perfect excuse to go back and read the first two.
This book started out reminding me very much of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series. Danny Beckett is a homicide detective in Long Beach, California. Like Bosch, he shows empathy for the victim. In this case he goes out of his way to discover just who the victim was, as he was burned beyond recognition when murdered.
As this is the third of the series, there is a lot of interaction with other homicide detectives that require a back story. It gives me a perfect excuse to go back and read the first two.
August 20, 2014
Thoroughly ENJOYED this book! I love thrillers, mysteries, detective stories and Tyler Dilts added another element that truly made this A Cold and Broken Hallelujah a delight for me. The storyline is the horrific murder of a homeless man, set on fire by 3 adolescent gang members and the solving of the crime. What sets Tyler Dilts writing apart from others is his style of "fleshing out" the characters, making them so human, especially Detective Danny Beckett. We listen to his thoughts, his struggles (both personal and professional), and how he deals with the compassionate side of policework. So glad I was awarded this book by GoodReads!
August 13, 2016
This was a really quick read for me, and I enjoyed it for the most part. The characters were interesting, and I felt drawn into their stories. The characters felt a little familiar and put me in mind of a Michael Connelly (Bosch) book.
I liked the premise of the plot. There were a couple of times I felt that the plot was too compressed and/or there wasn't enough information or detail as to how they arrived at a certain point. Twice I found myself thinking that I must have skipped ahead somehow and missed something (on my Kindle) because I thought the story could have used a little more meat.
All in all, I'd probably give it a 3.5, wishing there was a bit more to the plot/story.
I liked the premise of the plot. There were a couple of times I felt that the plot was too compressed and/or there wasn't enough information or detail as to how they arrived at a certain point. Twice I found myself thinking that I must have skipped ahead somehow and missed something (on my Kindle) because I thought the story could have used a little more meat.
All in all, I'd probably give it a 3.5, wishing there was a bit more to the plot/story.
October 6, 2014
Enjoyable book, with crisp, efficient writing that melted away the more I read. Generally, I'm continually aware of an author's writing to some degree, but with this novel I found myself just concentrating on the story. It also has an authentic feel as a police procedural. I may be wrong, but it seemed more accurate than others I've read. And the Long Beach locale is interesting. I hope to read the other books in this series.
December 18, 2019
I listened to the audio book and I just couldn't get into the story. Some bits just didn't make sense. Some parts seemed a bit too rushed as well and I would have liked the story to have more meat on it.
September 22, 2015
A COLD AND BROKEN HALLELUJAH BY TYLER DILTS, BRILLIANCE AUDIO, 2014, $9.99, READ BY PATRICK LAWLOR, 1 MP3 CD, RUNNING TIME 7 HOURS 48 MINUTES
A COLD AND BROKEN HALLELUJAH by Tyler Dilts in the third book in the Long Beach homicide series. Detective Danny Beckett draws a difficult and gruesome case. An elderly man, a vagrant, has been attacked by a group of youths and burned to death. This carries terrible resonances for Beckett who is still grieving over the death of his wife who burned to death in a car accident. He is also in constant pain from an injury received in the course of duty.
The case is challenging. Beckett and his partner Detective Jennifer Tanaka, do not even know the identity of the victim, and though the suspects are in custody and the case seems open and shut, the attempted murder of the brother of one of the suspects suggests the case is more complex than first realised. Beckett finds himself more and more drawn towards the victim, the more he finds out about the homeless man.
This is a dark book – the darkest of the three in this series. Dilts is a fine writer who creates vivid settings, situations and characters. The plot is quite linear. There are no major surprises in the course of the investigation – any reader of mysteries will know that the murder isn’t going to be the simple act of teenage vandalism it first appears, even if the fictional detectives are not allowed to be so aware in the initial stages. However, Dilts recreates the world of Danny Beckett, both his professional world and his dark personal world vividly in a way that engages the reader. The narrative doesn’t need the overly-complex plot twists that some thrillers present.
The prologue – and why do so many writers of crime fiction these days write prologues? What is wrong with ‘Chapter 1’? – presents the reader with uncomfortable truths that Beckett has learned to face in the course of his life, and then gives a shocking and graphic account of the crime. The books is divided into chapters, each of which is headed by a list of the victim’s possessions as found in the shopping trolley he took around with him. This makes for useful signposting in the audio book, and is also a clever shorthand device for fleshing out the character of the victim. For the book to work, the reader needs to identify with the victim, and react against the arrogant cruelty of the teenage perpetrators.
The narrative follows the investigation and also the personal life of Beckett himself who cannot come to terms with the death of his wife, and who struggles to form other relationships. Dilt’s Beckett is a character in the tradition of the hard-boiled detective of noir fiction, and well-rounded enough the carry the first-person narrative of the book, but there is a sense in places that Dilts has slightly over-egged the darkness of Beckett’s life. It would be good to see this character move on a bit in the next book in the series, as, though this works very well in A COLD AND BROKEN HALLELUJAH, it has the potential to get tedious as the series goes on.
The audio book is read by Patrick Lawlor – the CD claims it is ‘performed’ by Patrick Lawlor, but this is not a dramatisation, it is an audio book and publishers need to be aware that there is a distinction. Lawlor reads well. This is a first person narrative, so the voice he gives us is that of Beckett. The reading is clear. Lawlor gives the listener colour and pace, but does not over-interpret. This is a worthy addition to any audio library, and should win new readers to the series.
A COLD AND BROKEN HALLELUJAH by Tyler Dilts in the third book in the Long Beach homicide series. Detective Danny Beckett draws a difficult and gruesome case. An elderly man, a vagrant, has been attacked by a group of youths and burned to death. This carries terrible resonances for Beckett who is still grieving over the death of his wife who burned to death in a car accident. He is also in constant pain from an injury received in the course of duty.
The case is challenging. Beckett and his partner Detective Jennifer Tanaka, do not even know the identity of the victim, and though the suspects are in custody and the case seems open and shut, the attempted murder of the brother of one of the suspects suggests the case is more complex than first realised. Beckett finds himself more and more drawn towards the victim, the more he finds out about the homeless man.
This is a dark book – the darkest of the three in this series. Dilts is a fine writer who creates vivid settings, situations and characters. The plot is quite linear. There are no major surprises in the course of the investigation – any reader of mysteries will know that the murder isn’t going to be the simple act of teenage vandalism it first appears, even if the fictional detectives are not allowed to be so aware in the initial stages. However, Dilts recreates the world of Danny Beckett, both his professional world and his dark personal world vividly in a way that engages the reader. The narrative doesn’t need the overly-complex plot twists that some thrillers present.
The prologue – and why do so many writers of crime fiction these days write prologues? What is wrong with ‘Chapter 1’? – presents the reader with uncomfortable truths that Beckett has learned to face in the course of his life, and then gives a shocking and graphic account of the crime. The books is divided into chapters, each of which is headed by a list of the victim’s possessions as found in the shopping trolley he took around with him. This makes for useful signposting in the audio book, and is also a clever shorthand device for fleshing out the character of the victim. For the book to work, the reader needs to identify with the victim, and react against the arrogant cruelty of the teenage perpetrators.
The narrative follows the investigation and also the personal life of Beckett himself who cannot come to terms with the death of his wife, and who struggles to form other relationships. Dilt’s Beckett is a character in the tradition of the hard-boiled detective of noir fiction, and well-rounded enough the carry the first-person narrative of the book, but there is a sense in places that Dilts has slightly over-egged the darkness of Beckett’s life. It would be good to see this character move on a bit in the next book in the series, as, though this works very well in A COLD AND BROKEN HALLELUJAH, it has the potential to get tedious as the series goes on.
The audio book is read by Patrick Lawlor – the CD claims it is ‘performed’ by Patrick Lawlor, but this is not a dramatisation, it is an audio book and publishers need to be aware that there is a distinction. Lawlor reads well. This is a first person narrative, so the voice he gives us is that of Beckett. The reading is clear. Lawlor gives the listener colour and pace, but does not over-interpret. This is a worthy addition to any audio library, and should win new readers to the series.
September 20, 2020
Another great Danny Beckett Long Beach homicide detective novel by Tyler Dilts! This was well read by the narrator as a WhisperSync KindleUnlimited read.
Danny Beckett has most of the perps behind the burning death of a local homeless man but not the motive or the identity of the victim. He will use technology, interview techniques and experience to find out the missing details and close the case. He also has a teenage witness to protect and a possible love interest to juggle.
It’s very clear from the descriptions of the area and the issues that Dilts brings up throughout the novel that he is very familiar with Long Beach and the surrounding areas.
I loved the backstory behind the title and how he brought the homeless community to life. He also really wants to play that banjo and not have to deal with a low-flow shower head which are just some of those character traits that bring him to life.
There are no fake thrills or weird serial killer twists which I appreciate. This is straight police work and chasing down leads which feels more authentic and relatable.
4 stars
Danny Beckett has most of the perps behind the burning death of a local homeless man but not the motive or the identity of the victim. He will use technology, interview techniques and experience to find out the missing details and close the case. He also has a teenage witness to protect and a possible love interest to juggle.
It’s very clear from the descriptions of the area and the issues that Dilts brings up throughout the novel that he is very familiar with Long Beach and the surrounding areas.
I loved the backstory behind the title and how he brought the homeless community to life. He also really wants to play that banjo and not have to deal with a low-flow shower head which are just some of those character traits that bring him to life.
There are no fake thrills or weird serial killer twists which I appreciate. This is straight police work and chasing down leads which feels more authentic and relatable.
4 stars
August 12, 2014
Finally, after suffering through some mediocre crime novels in my reading stack, a new champion has surfaced. Tyler Dilts, in “A Cold and Broken Hallelujah,” has put together a book that is well written, has a believable story without outlandish activity, and that contains likeable main characters. His approach to crime procedurals is realistic.
The narrator is a broken-up war veteran, Danny Beckett, who endures a lot of pain as he goes about his business of homicide investigation. But Dilts doesn’t make the anguish central to his story. Beckett accepts his fate with resignation, dulling both physical and mental trauma with a combination of booze, medication, and steely resolve. He could be an alcoholic. The author, wisely, lets us form our own opinion.
Beckett’s always active mind is filled with fanatical dedication to the task at hand, memories of a wife who was burned to death in a vehicle accident, and the endless reminder of a pain-racked body. However, there’s no request for pity and the reader cheers him on in his search for a righteous life. .
His partner, Jennifer Tanaka, a whole person with exceptional dedication and ability, is sometimes crippled by her concern for Danny. There’s no attempt to give solace with her body but her performance is sometimes clouded by the attention she feels she must give to ease her partner’s struggle. Her ability to know when she needs to zero in on his difficulties or back off to prevent malfeasance in her own performance is expertly handled by the author.
The story isn’t a complex mélange of criminal plots that overwhelm the reader. It’s a simple story of a homeless man who is hideously murdered by three young men. Their crime is easily discovered but their motive remains murky. While most in the police department think it’s a slam dunk case, Beckett and Tanaka uncover new information that makes the act more sinister as it seems to involve more people. Largely empathetic to some of the suspects, they doggedly continue to uncover more and more back story until the explosive conclusion of the case is reached.
Dilts is a master at presenting his story in a clear and convincing narrative that draws the reader to his central characters. I was engrossed with his storyline and his ability to get me involved with the search for answers as conducted by Beckett and Tanaka. I will be reading more of Dilts’s work.
The narrator is a broken-up war veteran, Danny Beckett, who endures a lot of pain as he goes about his business of homicide investigation. But Dilts doesn’t make the anguish central to his story. Beckett accepts his fate with resignation, dulling both physical and mental trauma with a combination of booze, medication, and steely resolve. He could be an alcoholic. The author, wisely, lets us form our own opinion.
Beckett’s always active mind is filled with fanatical dedication to the task at hand, memories of a wife who was burned to death in a vehicle accident, and the endless reminder of a pain-racked body. However, there’s no request for pity and the reader cheers him on in his search for a righteous life. .
His partner, Jennifer Tanaka, a whole person with exceptional dedication and ability, is sometimes crippled by her concern for Danny. There’s no attempt to give solace with her body but her performance is sometimes clouded by the attention she feels she must give to ease her partner’s struggle. Her ability to know when she needs to zero in on his difficulties or back off to prevent malfeasance in her own performance is expertly handled by the author.
The story isn’t a complex mélange of criminal plots that overwhelm the reader. It’s a simple story of a homeless man who is hideously murdered by three young men. Their crime is easily discovered but their motive remains murky. While most in the police department think it’s a slam dunk case, Beckett and Tanaka uncover new information that makes the act more sinister as it seems to involve more people. Largely empathetic to some of the suspects, they doggedly continue to uncover more and more back story until the explosive conclusion of the case is reached.
Dilts is a master at presenting his story in a clear and convincing narrative that draws the reader to his central characters. I was engrossed with his storyline and his ability to get me involved with the search for answers as conducted by Beckett and Tanaka. I will be reading more of Dilts’s work.
September 18, 2014
Let me break it down real quick:
- Detectives Danny Beckett & Jennifer Tanaka are called to a grisly crime scene where a homeless man was immolated by 3 gangster wannabes
- It's a stifling hot day in Long Beach
- They have no way to ID the vic
- Turns out, there was a 4th kid who was supposed to be there
- Danny's wife was also killed by fire after a car accident
- He (Danny) inadvertently flirts with a rookie cop
- His arm hurts
- He suffers insomnia
- He plays the banjo
- He has a handful of friends
- The fourth kid is a good kid, but doesn't know anything. Despite that, people are trying to kill him
- It's a hot day in Long Beach
- Danny's arm hurts
- He suffers insomnia
- He plays the banjo
- His has a handful of friends he eats a lot of deli sandwiches with
- The 4th kid's dad is murdered
- Danny's arm hurts
- He likes the water pressure in his shower
- He suffers insomnia
- They figure out the man behind the killing, but they can't link him to the investigation
- They figure out who the homeless man was
- Danny's arm hurts
- He suffers insomnia
- He goes on a date
- He prematurely ejaculates
- He suffers insomnia
- and it goes on and on and on...
This is what chaps my ass about the book and why I'm willing to commit the unspoken sin of giving a fellow author a poor review: BECAUSE HE CAN DO BETTER! Tyler Dilts can write. That's why I held on for so long despite the fact that I knew four chapters into it that this book would be a painful and long unfurling to the end. He's got the writing chops, pithy one-liners and an attention to detail that I respect.
But, OH MY GOD... PLEASE PLEASE for all that skill, the pacing, the storyline and the character arcs were just so damn boring, I couldn't make it through five pages each night without passing out. I kind of want to read one more book of his to see if it's worth the investment but to be honest, I'm on the fence after that long, painful drudge through this last one. His developmental editor should be replaced by someone who's more tough-love.
Consensus: Dilts can write... but that doesn't make this particular story worth reading.
- Detectives Danny Beckett & Jennifer Tanaka are called to a grisly crime scene where a homeless man was immolated by 3 gangster wannabes
- It's a stifling hot day in Long Beach
- They have no way to ID the vic
- Turns out, there was a 4th kid who was supposed to be there
- Danny's wife was also killed by fire after a car accident
- He (Danny) inadvertently flirts with a rookie cop
- His arm hurts
- He suffers insomnia
- He plays the banjo
- He has a handful of friends
- The fourth kid is a good kid, but doesn't know anything. Despite that, people are trying to kill him
- It's a hot day in Long Beach
- Danny's arm hurts
- He suffers insomnia
- He plays the banjo
- His has a handful of friends he eats a lot of deli sandwiches with
- The 4th kid's dad is murdered
- Danny's arm hurts
- He likes the water pressure in his shower
- He suffers insomnia
- They figure out the man behind the killing, but they can't link him to the investigation
- They figure out who the homeless man was
- Danny's arm hurts
- He suffers insomnia
- He goes on a date
- He prematurely ejaculates
- He suffers insomnia
- and it goes on and on and on...
This is what chaps my ass about the book and why I'm willing to commit the unspoken sin of giving a fellow author a poor review: BECAUSE HE CAN DO BETTER! Tyler Dilts can write. That's why I held on for so long despite the fact that I knew four chapters into it that this book would be a painful and long unfurling to the end. He's got the writing chops, pithy one-liners and an attention to detail that I respect.
But, OH MY GOD... PLEASE PLEASE for all that skill, the pacing, the storyline and the character arcs were just so damn boring, I couldn't make it through five pages each night without passing out. I kind of want to read one more book of his to see if it's worth the investment but to be honest, I'm on the fence after that long, painful drudge through this last one. His developmental editor should be replaced by someone who's more tough-love.
Consensus: Dilts can write... but that doesn't make this particular story worth reading.
October 2, 2014
EDIT: upping this to 4stars. I still think of this book long after I've read it. And that should count for something.
I like my crime stuff a bit more hardboiled, and this is more NPR-boiled. Still, I enjoyed it just fine, even though it wrapped up too quickly. F'rinstance, the guys who didn't crack suddenly cracked, and there's always a clue no one saw before. But that's ok, because that's how these books go. One thing that I had a hard time buying is .
I remember when I lived in San Francisco -- 10 years ago or so -- Belmont Shores was found to be the most racially diverse community in the US. That didn't go over well up there, believe me.
While I really liked the chapter headings, they never really tied into the narrative. Still, they reminded us of Bishop.
I like my crime stuff a bit more hardboiled, and this is more NPR-boiled. Still, I enjoyed it just fine, even though it wrapped up too quickly. F'rinstance, the guys who didn't crack suddenly cracked, and there's always a clue no one saw before. But that's ok, because that's how these books go. One thing that I had a hard time buying is .
I remember when I lived in San Francisco -- 10 years ago or so -- Belmont Shores was found to be the most racially diverse community in the US. That didn't go over well up there, believe me.
While I really liked the chapter headings, they never really tied into the narrative. Still, they reminded us of Bishop.
September 23, 2014
Nothing astounding here, but as others have noted, this is an enjoyable and quick read. While everything sort of wraps itself up quickly: dude who has no reason to spill his guts, spills his guts out of nowhere; kind of bizarre rationale for a ton of expensive violence; it is nonetheless fun. While apparently the third in a series, which can be gathered by some offhand narration here and there (if you didn't notice it is Long Beach Detective #3 or something like that), it wasn't a tedious rundown of things that had happened in the previous books or reliant on the previous novels to fully understand the characters. I liked it enough to consider reading another in this series, but not enough to actually buy another book in the series.
As a random note: One thing that I found disappointing was the chapter titling. Dilts did a nifty thing by beginning each chapter with an item from the personal effects of the victim. This was a neat idea and opened up all sorts of interesting possibilities, but this was not developed. Too bad.
As a random note: One thing that I found disappointing was the chapter titling. Dilts did a nifty thing by beginning each chapter with an item from the personal effects of the victim. This was a neat idea and opened up all sorts of interesting possibilities, but this was not developed. Too bad.
August 10, 2014
Another one of those free Amazon books and another good book. This one is in my favorite genre, and I thought the characters were well developed and explained and the actual investigation moved along at a good pace also. If you like the genre (Mystery/Detective) then this is a book for you.
March 1, 2015
Good crime thriller. I enjoyed the characters - the novel reminded me of a Michael Connelly Bosch novel but a little more uplifting. Would recommend to anyone looking for a quick crime novel read. I was able to download this through the Kindle First program and was pleasantly surprised.
August 3, 2014
Really terrific book, liked the narrator and the main character. Well done!
September 22, 2014
Straight-up mystery with interesting characters. Most satisfying. It's always so cool to find a new author one enjoys, no?
May 16, 2018
This is the third in the Long Beach P. D. series of novels featuring Homicide Detective Danny Beckett and although I enjoyed it, I found that it didn’t grip me quite as much as the previous two stories.
A homeless man is set on fire and burned to death by three ‘would be’ gangbangers who are arrested and caught by the Police, just shortly after committing the crime. However there’s no apparent obvious motive and the victim is initially unidentified. So Danny has the culprits in custody but has to find out who the deceased is and why he was murdered.
The novel features the familiar characters from the previous novels and there is the usual gallows humour, shared by the team of detectives but I felt there was something missing from this novel compared to the previous two. Maybe it was the grief and the physical pain suffered by Danny, that featured so prominently in the other books, that is tempered somewhat this time around and this leads to a lack of intensity. This time Danny feels drawn to the John Doe and feels he needs to build a picture of the man’s life, not only to assist the case but also to satisfy a need in himself.
Dilts always seems to get a Springsteen reference or two mentioned in his novels and this one is no exception but there are also a few other literary and musical references, not least the title of the novel which is taken from the lyrics of Leonard Cohen’s song Hallelujah.
I’ve gave this 3 stars but it’s more a 3 and a half and I’m still looking forward to reading the two further Dilts novels I’ve already downloaded.
A homeless man is set on fire and burned to death by three ‘would be’ gangbangers who are arrested and caught by the Police, just shortly after committing the crime. However there’s no apparent obvious motive and the victim is initially unidentified. So Danny has the culprits in custody but has to find out who the deceased is and why he was murdered.
The novel features the familiar characters from the previous novels and there is the usual gallows humour, shared by the team of detectives but I felt there was something missing from this novel compared to the previous two. Maybe it was the grief and the physical pain suffered by Danny, that featured so prominently in the other books, that is tempered somewhat this time around and this leads to a lack of intensity. This time Danny feels drawn to the John Doe and feels he needs to build a picture of the man’s life, not only to assist the case but also to satisfy a need in himself.
Dilts always seems to get a Springsteen reference or two mentioned in his novels and this one is no exception but there are also a few other literary and musical references, not least the title of the novel which is taken from the lyrics of Leonard Cohen’s song Hallelujah.
I’ve gave this 3 stars but it’s more a 3 and a half and I’m still looking forward to reading the two further Dilts novels I’ve already downloaded.
October 4, 2018
I really struggled to connect with this one. I was expecting the plot to somehow coalesce into something more, particularly after a very strong opening.
Alas, it just never seemed to happen. The protagonist, Det. Danny Beckett, is a likable enough character, but his obsession with discovering a homeless man’s (known only as “Bishop”) identity following his brutal murder, presumably to strengthen what is already an open & shut case, emerges as the main story. This really seems less a crime novel than a sort of missing persons saga, as Danny works to discover “Bishop’s” true name and history.
The author seems to spend too much time describing insignificant elements in an effort to create a sense of locale (Long Beach), but seems to do so haphazardly. He creates a potentially interesting romantic relationship for Beckett, but simply drops that thread just when it became interesting.
Overall, I just felt there was a missed opportunity here, and an effort by Mr. Dilts to capture the spirit of Michael Connolly— but come up short. A generous 3 stars despite my wanting to like it more.
Alas, it just never seemed to happen. The protagonist, Det. Danny Beckett, is a likable enough character, but his obsession with discovering a homeless man’s (known only as “Bishop”) identity following his brutal murder, presumably to strengthen what is already an open & shut case, emerges as the main story. This really seems less a crime novel than a sort of missing persons saga, as Danny works to discover “Bishop’s” true name and history.
The author seems to spend too much time describing insignificant elements in an effort to create a sense of locale (Long Beach), but seems to do so haphazardly. He creates a potentially interesting romantic relationship for Beckett, but simply drops that thread just when it became interesting.
Overall, I just felt there was a missed opportunity here, and an effort by Mr. Dilts to capture the spirit of Michael Connolly— but come up short. A generous 3 stars despite my wanting to like it more.
May 27, 2020
This was a different read from the usual detective murder mystery story. This was really more a character development involving the victim and the detective's need to "see" this homeless person. I hadn't realized there are previous books, but I didn't feel lost as to who was who; the author included enough information to let me know these characters and what had happened previously. Also enjoyed the musical references, including the title which leads back to Cohen's Hallelujah. So, a good read, and enjoyable. I will probably look for other books involving this detective.
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