John Westermann is a retired Long Island police officer and the author of five crime novels, the most notable being EXIT WOUNDS, which was adapted for the screen by Warner Bros, starring Steven Seagal as Orin Boyd. John Westermann's short story "Trauma Bells Are Ringing," won the 1999 Blaggard Award from NewMystery Magazine. Two other short stories will be included in upcoming Otto Penzler anthologies. Mr. Westermann lives in Setauket, New York, is married and the father of two. He is at work on another novel.
When it came to record this book, there were about a dozen books by this name, so that I had to go down the list one at a time to find John Westermann's name. This is a book about a policeman who is a screw-up--he goes to a special camp to be rehabilitated, but he just seems to continue doing stupid things. His marriage is in the toilet, his five year old daughter hardly knows him, and he just doesn't really care. It is an interesting concept, and apparently John Westermann knows, or knew, policemen like Otis Boyd, the antihero.
An effective if somewhat inconsistent story, well written and believable but there was something missing from this for me, I just can't quite put my finger on it