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Max Thursday and Austin Clapp #2
Guilty Bystander
A kidnapped boy!
A terrified blonde!
A fortune in stolen pearls!
Hardboiled Max Thursday, one-time private eye, had given up being a detective. But when the kidnapped boy turned out to be his own son and the frightened blonde his beautiful ex-wife, Max went into action with blazing fury in his heart. In four of the most hectic and hazardous days of his career Max got himself shot at, beaten up, and accused of murder before he caught a kidnapper, solved a puzzle in pearls and dealt out justice to a guilty bystander!
A terrified blonde!
A fortune in stolen pearls!
Hardboiled Max Thursday, one-time private eye, had given up being a detective. But when the kidnapped boy turned out to be his own son and the frightened blonde his beautiful ex-wife, Max went into action with blazing fury in his heart. In four of the most hectic and hazardous days of his career Max got himself shot at, beaten up, and accused of murder before he caught a kidnapper, solved a puzzle in pearls and dealt out justice to a guilty bystander!
- GenresMystery
Paperback
First published March 1, 1947
6 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Wade Miller
135 books12 followersSee also Bob Wade
Wade Miller is a pen name of two authors, Robert Allison “Bob” Wade (1920-present) and H. Bill Miller (1920-61). The two also wrote under several other pseudonyms, including Whit Masterson and Will Daemer.
Received the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 1988.
Wade Miller is a pen name of two authors, Robert Allison “Bob” Wade (1920-present) and H. Bill Miller (1920-61). The two also wrote under several other pseudonyms, including Whit Masterson and Will Daemer.
Received the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 1988.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 15, 2017
There never was a Wade Miller. The name is a pseudonym used by an
amalgamation of two writers, Robert Wade and H Bill Miller. Together
they wrote more than thirty novels under the names Whit Masterson
and wade Miller. This particular piece is a solid PI novel very typical of
the era. The writing is tight and the reader isn't lost in endless
descriptions. The best prose is the beginning which describes the hotel
room that PI Max Thursday has been reduced to living out of and his
exwife's reaction to it. Their child has been kidnapped and Thursday
has to put the clues together to find the kid before he outlives his
usefulness. Seven men must die before the plot is unfurled. Mobsters,
sleazy blondes, and hit men complete the picture. It is not a
remarkable book but worth your time If this is your subject matter.
amalgamation of two writers, Robert Wade and H Bill Miller. Together
they wrote more than thirty novels under the names Whit Masterson
and wade Miller. This particular piece is a solid PI novel very typical of
the era. The writing is tight and the reader isn't lost in endless
descriptions. The best prose is the beginning which describes the hotel
room that PI Max Thursday has been reduced to living out of and his
exwife's reaction to it. Their child has been kidnapped and Thursday
has to put the clues together to find the kid before he outlives his
usefulness. Seven men must die before the plot is unfurled. Mobsters,
sleazy blondes, and hit men complete the picture. It is not a
remarkable book but worth your time If this is your subject matter.
February 16, 2022
After watching the low budget, indie film of this on TCM's Noir Alley with Eddie Muller recently, I wanted to read the novel the film was based upon.
"Wade Miller" was Robert Wade and Bill Miller. They did over 30 novels in their career togather, under a number of psuedonyms, including Whit Masterson. They met at the age of 12 at violin lessons, went to college and the military (AF) together. They worked together until 1961, when Miller died of a heart attack. Wade mostly worked in TV and film after that.
Their books have not been excitedly rediscovered, like many other forgotten Noir writers, but S&S's Prologue Books offers a number of them as $4 ebooks.
This is the first of 6 titles that featured alkie former cop Max Thursday in San Diego. There is a decent, if not great, feel for the city. Some geographic/street/harbor/military references.
The book has a LOT more going on in it than the film - more action, characters, and events. Some of it feels unnecessary - like the car dealer. Angel plays a much bigger role. The "brother" in the novel is the 2nd husband here. This just scrathes the surface of the differences. Like Leo, the gangster brother, who "likes 'em young" - although 20 is not so young, really.
Pretty decent - there is better Noir/Tough Guy fiction out there, but this will fill in the gap for new material between your rereadings of Hammett, Thompson and Goodis. I'll read at least a couple more in this series, although reviews have some others as overall just plain bad.
"Wade Miller" was Robert Wade and Bill Miller. They did over 30 novels in their career togather, under a number of psuedonyms, including Whit Masterson. They met at the age of 12 at violin lessons, went to college and the military (AF) together. They worked together until 1961, when Miller died of a heart attack. Wade mostly worked in TV and film after that.
Their books have not been excitedly rediscovered, like many other forgotten Noir writers, but S&S's Prologue Books offers a number of them as $4 ebooks.
This is the first of 6 titles that featured alkie former cop Max Thursday in San Diego. There is a decent, if not great, feel for the city. Some geographic/street/harbor/military references.
The book has a LOT more going on in it than the film - more action, characters, and events. Some of it feels unnecessary - like the car dealer. Angel plays a much bigger role. The "brother" in the novel is the 2nd husband here. This just scrathes the surface of the differences. Like Leo, the gangster brother, who "likes 'em young" - although 20 is not so young, really.
Pretty decent - there is better Noir/Tough Guy fiction out there, but this will fill in the gap for new material between your rereadings of Hammett, Thompson and Goodis. I'll read at least a couple more in this series, although reviews have some others as overall just plain bad.
October 19, 2024
The Guilty Bystander by Wade Miller (Robert Wade and Bill Miller), published in 1947, introduces San Diego down & out detective Max Thursday in a series of seven books. This first book finds Thursday approached by his ex-wife to find their kidnapped son...The book overall is well written with plenty of action...Thursday receives his share of lumps, and gives it right back...there is some serious tough-guy stuff going on. The only issues I had with the book is there's too many characters, and some of them are introduced near the end of the book...other words, it could have used some editing. I liked The Guilty Bystander enough where I would read another in the series hoping it improves because this book was not far from being really good...so, I guess that's a moderate recommendation...3 outta 5 stars...and the 3 is on the high side...
February 24, 2020
Guilty Bystander is my second Wade Miller title and it is a quantum leap in maturity. This is the first story that featured Max Thursday a private eye that had let himself go after his divorce. Until his ex-wife comes to him to find his son, who has been kidnapped.
I liked the action and the mystery was not "solved" until nearly the end. Though this is the first novel that features Max Thursday, the police chief of homicide, Austin Clapp, was in the first Wade Miller book.
I liked the action and the mystery was not "solved" until nearly the end. Though this is the first novel that features Max Thursday, the police chief of homicide, Austin Clapp, was in the first Wade Miller book.
March 29, 2025
A great hard-boiled sophomore novel from the writing team of Wade Miller aka Whit Masterson. There is plenty of heavy drinking and choloral hydrate use, and the central character gets severely beaten several times, as is required for the genre. I look forward to a rewatch of the film noir of the same name based on this.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews