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Nameless
Chilling and taut, NAMELESS, introduces a fresh and exciting twist on the deadly game of cat and mouse. By virtue of one impulsive and deeply human, but all too grave mistake, a good and decent man finds himself pitted against the embodiment of evil and threatened with losing everything and everyone he loves and values; including the pristine reputation he has endeavored all his adult life to establish. FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Falcone unwittingly steps onto course for a head-on collision with a frighteningly brilliant psychotic serial killer, whose harrowing childhood abuse and neglect left him devoid of humanity and salivating for revenge. Framed for a brutal murder on a commercial cruise ship, and fighting for the right to raise his sons and clear his name, Falcone races against the clock and struggles to keep his eyes on the prize, even while his profound guilt and self-loathing threaten to destroy him faster than his maniacal adversary.
362 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
July 15, 2016
Fantastic book! When I started reading this, even though it sounded interesting, I did not have high hopes. I had never heard of the author (being this is his first book) and I am very picky about my thrillers. This is one of the best I have read is some time.
We have a nameless serial killer who does not exist in any record. He was not born in any hospital, never saw a doctor, never even left home growing up. Abused in every way possible as a child, he has a lot of resentment to certain people in life and is very perverse in his killings as he grows up. He sets his sights on a woman named Annie. His jealous nature gets the better of him for those who get too close. So while stalking her, he is also acting out various murders that are baffling the FBI.
When he sees FBI agent Daniel Falcone is close to Annie, his jealousy reaches boiling point as he sets of a chain of events that soon have the FBI on his trail and his on Daniel and his family. A true game of cat and mouse but one in which I kept wondering which is the cat.
The writing is nicely down. Very vivid descriptions (sometimes almost too vivid). I must say this book is not for the faint of heart. it has several gruesome, perverse scenes. The killer, Daniel and Annie are all very well created. So are other characters. The fear and reactions of the victims comes across so nicely. The inter-personal relations of the main characters realistic.
The one character I did not like is Deborah, Daniel's wife. She comes across as very needy, insecure and judgemental. Especially when she demands he hand over his cell phone for a full week, knowing he is working a serious case! Now this is not saying she is not well written, I just didn't like her.
I really liked how the author gave us backrounds on each main character throughout the story. It made them that much more real.
Like I said earlier, I am picky about my thrillers. This author has made a strong impact on my radar and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for his future books.
We have a nameless serial killer who does not exist in any record. He was not born in any hospital, never saw a doctor, never even left home growing up. Abused in every way possible as a child, he has a lot of resentment to certain people in life and is very perverse in his killings as he grows up. He sets his sights on a woman named Annie. His jealous nature gets the better of him for those who get too close. So while stalking her, he is also acting out various murders that are baffling the FBI.
When he sees FBI agent Daniel Falcone is close to Annie, his jealousy reaches boiling point as he sets of a chain of events that soon have the FBI on his trail and his on Daniel and his family. A true game of cat and mouse but one in which I kept wondering which is the cat.
The writing is nicely down. Very vivid descriptions (sometimes almost too vivid). I must say this book is not for the faint of heart. it has several gruesome, perverse scenes. The killer, Daniel and Annie are all very well created. So are other characters. The fear and reactions of the victims comes across so nicely. The inter-personal relations of the main characters realistic.
The one character I did not like is Deborah, Daniel's wife. She comes across as very needy, insecure and judgemental. Especially when she demands he hand over his cell phone for a full week, knowing he is working a serious case! Now this is not saying she is not well written, I just didn't like her.
I really liked how the author gave us backrounds on each main character throughout the story. It made them that much more real.
Like I said earlier, I am picky about my thrillers. This author has made a strong impact on my radar and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for his future books.
November 25, 2013
*** 3.5 SHEMY STARS***
Started off strong but the build up was rather long. In the end I was actually hoping the villain would prevail. Well, well, well..........
Started off strong but the build up was rather long. In the end I was actually hoping the villain would prevail. Well, well, well..........
June 29, 2013
I received an autographed copy of the book on a Goodreads give-away, and the author was kind enough to send the book quickly. The physical book is a large, well constructed paperback, with nice easy-to-read typeface, which is nice for those of us who are experiencing the effects of presbyopia. This is a story about an FBI agent and his quarry, an apparently omnipotent master criminal. One of the problems with the book is the rather profound lack of character development, as well as some of the more outrageous caricatures that are portrayed. To start with Shem, he's imbued magically with every talent known to a criminal. He needs a driver's license, credit card, passport, whatever... no problemo. Despite his abysmal beginnings, he gains, apparently through a few trips to the library and hanging out with street hoods, the financial perspicaciousness of Warren Buffet, the computer skills of Steve Jobs (who by the way was more of a marketer than a true computer nerd, but that's besides the point), better computer hacking ability than the Chinese government.... you get the point. He needs to break into an apartment - no sweat; he's imparted with the ability to do it. He needs to kill a subject who’s an avid diver – poof! He’s a master diver, with amazing abilities in the water. He needs to render people unconscious - no sweat, he's not only a master pharmacologist, but he has access to drugs which have never been invented (immediate predictable effects whether administered orally, or intravenously, for example). And of course Shem is a master phlebotomist, who can administer iv's to uncooperative subjects; no easy feat. A rather easy way to develop a master criminal; much TOO easy for the author. And the FBI, unfortunately, seems to be comprised of idiots who overlook even fundamental clues. Shem taunts them on a surveillance video by waving around a bottle of ether. One would think that in criminology 101 one should be able to trace the sales of ether, not to mention all of the other mystically potent anaesthetic agents which he uses in the commission of his crimes. Nope, the FBI isn't that smart. (Of course, these agents aren't readily available in the local drugstore). A crime scene is wiped clean of fingerprints by Shem; the FBI doesn't think that it's suspicious to find a ship cabin door, into which numerous people, from the cleaning staff, porters, etc. have access. Nope; they're all idiots, and consider the crime scene exonerated of any potential suspects. The idiots manning the FBI allow for the plot to proceed, but makes the whole thing something of an absurdity.
As far as Annie, the girl who never made it to the altar with the FBI agent hero, much to their chagrin in retrospect now that he’s gotten married and has kids, again she’s something of a caricature Not only is she inordinately attractive (which can be forgiven), but she's not only the sole person responsible for communications AND is head of security (for which she apparently was never given any formal law enforcement experience prior to getting this top job) of one of the largest corporations in the world. If one looks across the management teams of any large company, on would realize how absurd this is. In reality this is again something of a caricature: having a single person (even if she did go, of course, to Harvard law school, was elected to moot court and was at the top of her class - of course she was!). Similarly, Daniel, the FBI agent protagonist, is something of a Dudley Dooright, although perhaps a little bit more believable.
Some of the dialogue (for example, page 23 which is the most egregious, but not the sole example by any means) seems to be in the style of young adult fiction - think Hardy Boys, for example.
From the rave reviews, I take it that many of the readers are willing to go along with characters who don't have any real development, but have all of their traits fully formed. I suspect these are also people that enjoy the daytime soap operas, which share many of the same characteristics.
As far as Annie, the girl who never made it to the altar with the FBI agent hero, much to their chagrin in retrospect now that he’s gotten married and has kids, again she’s something of a caricature Not only is she inordinately attractive (which can be forgiven), but she's not only the sole person responsible for communications AND is head of security (for which she apparently was never given any formal law enforcement experience prior to getting this top job) of one of the largest corporations in the world. If one looks across the management teams of any large company, on would realize how absurd this is. In reality this is again something of a caricature: having a single person (even if she did go, of course, to Harvard law school, was elected to moot court and was at the top of her class - of course she was!). Similarly, Daniel, the FBI agent protagonist, is something of a Dudley Dooright, although perhaps a little bit more believable.
Some of the dialogue (for example, page 23 which is the most egregious, but not the sole example by any means) seems to be in the style of young adult fiction - think Hardy Boys, for example.
From the rave reviews, I take it that many of the readers are willing to go along with characters who don't have any real development, but have all of their traits fully formed. I suspect these are also people that enjoy the daytime soap operas, which share many of the same characteristics.
May 28, 2020
If you like your mysteries deep, dark, gritty and suspensful, then you don't want to miss Nameless. This debut book is not for the faint of heart and is right up my blood-thirsty alley.
The premise of this book is based on a guilt-ridden FBI SAC, his relationships with wife and mistress, co-workers that he has passed on his way to the top and who is now facing a serial killer with a personal vendetta.
Make no mistake --- this is not your everyday monster. This one is smart and patient and one of the most vicious and cunning sources of evil I have ever seen between the pages of a book.
Nameless takes you into a realm involving many characters who are so well- fleshed out they could be your neighbors, co-workers, the gardner. The excitement starts on page 1 and doesn't let up until the nervous toe-tapping finish and trust me, this is not a book you will forget as soon as it's done ---- you'll continue thinking when the lights go out.
My only complaint is that Joe Conlan can't write as fast as I can read. I'm really hoping we see much more of his writing in the future.
He's not NAMELESS ... his name is Joe Conlan.
The premise of this book is based on a guilt-ridden FBI SAC, his relationships with wife and mistress, co-workers that he has passed on his way to the top and who is now facing a serial killer with a personal vendetta.
Make no mistake --- this is not your everyday monster. This one is smart and patient and one of the most vicious and cunning sources of evil I have ever seen between the pages of a book.
Nameless takes you into a realm involving many characters who are so well- fleshed out they could be your neighbors, co-workers, the gardner. The excitement starts on page 1 and doesn't let up until the nervous toe-tapping finish and trust me, this is not a book you will forget as soon as it's done ---- you'll continue thinking when the lights go out.
My only complaint is that Joe Conlan can't write as fast as I can read. I'm really hoping we see much more of his writing in the future.
He's not NAMELESS ... his name is Joe Conlan.
July 23, 2013
If you want to read a book that literally has you on the edge of your chair,not being able to concentrate on anything else because It's that good, then this Is the book for you. It has all the ingredients a thriller needs, a complex clever plot that has you trying to guess the killers next move but is always one step ahead of you.
You will go through every agony of FBI agent Daniel Falcone's quest to find a psychotic serial killer, not for the faint hearted.I might add there are some really gory scenes intricately described.That did not put me off though and i'm quite a squeamish person, I just needed to know what happened next.
I'm now a huge fan of this author and considering this Is his debut novel, I'm really impressed,cannot wait for the next novel.If I could give It ten stars I would.
You will go through every agony of FBI agent Daniel Falcone's quest to find a psychotic serial killer, not for the faint hearted.I might add there are some really gory scenes intricately described.That did not put me off though and i'm quite a squeamish person, I just needed to know what happened next.
I'm now a huge fan of this author and considering this Is his debut novel, I'm really impressed,cannot wait for the next novel.If I could give It ten stars I would.
October 18, 2016
This is one book that you will not be able to get out of your head for a long time. The most effective way for me to describe this book is Criminal Minds uncensored, unplugged and unglued! If you are looking for a suspenseful and gripping thriller, look no further! This book will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole way through.
Joe Conlan is a genius. Not many people can create and execute such gory and realistic portraits of his characters; yet still keep the plot and details of the story in place. This book is a true work of art. I love scary movies, now I am in love with scary books. This book gave me the goosebumps.. and maybe a small nightmare or two here and there (and not in my sleep)!
Shem... he is a serial killer. He is the product of a low-life prostitute. He has learned to survive on his own since he was a little child. Despite his lack of real name, semblance of any kind of upbringing, schooling, etc, he has managed to show that he has the mind of a genius. He is cunning, calculating, intelligent and successful in his endeavors. He stalks his prey. He is patient. He strategizes his kills. It is hard to remember that he is a work of fiction and not a real psychopath. He gets off on the kill itself. The feel of warm blood from his victims on his skin gets him off in ways that will make you sick, yet intrigued.
Daniel, FBI agent in charge of finding this psychotic serial killer... He is married with two boys. His life is mundane, but he loves his job. He portrayed as the typical law enforcement agent; married to his job. Enter his college sweetheart, the center of Shem's obsession. Joe Conlan does a good job at getting you into Daniel's head. To see things the way he sees them. To feel them the way he feels them.
Believe it or not, you will have a hard time figuring out who to root for in this book. One would think you should want the psycho to be caught and jailed, but it is hard. You get to know Shem so intimatiely, you almost feel sorry for him... maybe even empathy for him. It becomes hard to consider him the bad guy, even though he methodically stalks and hunts his prey, then kills them in such a gruesome manner. How can you not want him stopped? Well, in order to figure that out, you will have to read this book! It will be one of the best books you have read, ever! Nameless
Click the link to enter a giveaway of this book!
http://upallnightbookaddict.blogspot....
Joe Conlan is a genius. Not many people can create and execute such gory and realistic portraits of his characters; yet still keep the plot and details of the story in place. This book is a true work of art. I love scary movies, now I am in love with scary books. This book gave me the goosebumps.. and maybe a small nightmare or two here and there (and not in my sleep)!
Shem... he is a serial killer. He is the product of a low-life prostitute. He has learned to survive on his own since he was a little child. Despite his lack of real name, semblance of any kind of upbringing, schooling, etc, he has managed to show that he has the mind of a genius. He is cunning, calculating, intelligent and successful in his endeavors. He stalks his prey. He is patient. He strategizes his kills. It is hard to remember that he is a work of fiction and not a real psychopath. He gets off on the kill itself. The feel of warm blood from his victims on his skin gets him off in ways that will make you sick, yet intrigued.
Daniel, FBI agent in charge of finding this psychotic serial killer... He is married with two boys. His life is mundane, but he loves his job. He portrayed as the typical law enforcement agent; married to his job. Enter his college sweetheart, the center of Shem's obsession. Joe Conlan does a good job at getting you into Daniel's head. To see things the way he sees them. To feel them the way he feels them.
Believe it or not, you will have a hard time figuring out who to root for in this book. One would think you should want the psycho to be caught and jailed, but it is hard. You get to know Shem so intimatiely, you almost feel sorry for him... maybe even empathy for him. It becomes hard to consider him the bad guy, even though he methodically stalks and hunts his prey, then kills them in such a gruesome manner. How can you not want him stopped? Well, in order to figure that out, you will have to read this book! It will be one of the best books you have read, ever! Nameless
Click the link to enter a giveaway of this book!
http://upallnightbookaddict.blogspot....
August 7, 2013
I don’t know if it’s just because I’m entering my 30th year on this planet, or if I’m just being introduced to new authors through Amazon’s kindle daily deals but I’ve abandoned more books this year than I have my entire life thus far.
I am reading new authors,i've found a few gems and that isn’t a bad thing but this book seems to typify the issues with leaping into the unknown.This book isn't a gem by any means. I started off and the book was ok, it was interesting and seemed to be following along the lines of what other reviewers have said in terms of it being akin to a gruesome “Criminal Minds” plot. All was going well until I reached 30% (reading on Kindle no page numbers grrr) then all progress seemed to stop. The story began to float around the same issue and stagnate. Nothing seemed to move on for what felt like ages, I really lost my temper when Conlan added in a Wikipedia style definition of Interpol and VICAP that ran for a number of paragraphs. I thought, this guy doesn’t know his target audience, he hasn’t a clue. I fumed how dare he LECTURE me in this manner. I was very unhappy. Anyone who would be attracted to this story and its subject matter would know who Interpol are and what VICAP is and if they don’t they’ll look it up! I don’t need a detailed and patronising break in the story to “inform” me of this.
At this point I thought, I’m nearly 30…I’m nearly 1/3 of the way through my life. There are better books out there, better authors, why waste any more time on this. Life is too short and I want to explore literature and not get bogged down with reading this kind of trite.
As a screenplay it would work, a film or a mini-series on HBO or ITV it would work quite well. As a novel I think it is poor.
I will now put my soap box away for the time being.
I am reading new authors,i've found a few gems and that isn’t a bad thing but this book seems to typify the issues with leaping into the unknown.This book isn't a gem by any means. I started off and the book was ok, it was interesting and seemed to be following along the lines of what other reviewers have said in terms of it being akin to a gruesome “Criminal Minds” plot. All was going well until I reached 30% (reading on Kindle no page numbers grrr) then all progress seemed to stop. The story began to float around the same issue and stagnate. Nothing seemed to move on for what felt like ages, I really lost my temper when Conlan added in a Wikipedia style definition of Interpol and VICAP that ran for a number of paragraphs. I thought, this guy doesn’t know his target audience, he hasn’t a clue. I fumed how dare he LECTURE me in this manner. I was very unhappy. Anyone who would be attracted to this story and its subject matter would know who Interpol are and what VICAP is and if they don’t they’ll look it up! I don’t need a detailed and patronising break in the story to “inform” me of this.
At this point I thought, I’m nearly 30…I’m nearly 1/3 of the way through my life. There are better books out there, better authors, why waste any more time on this. Life is too short and I want to explore literature and not get bogged down with reading this kind of trite.
As a screenplay it would work, a film or a mini-series on HBO or ITV it would work quite well. As a novel I think it is poor.
I will now put my soap box away for the time being.
August 6, 2013
Predictable, needlessly long and I felt like I was treated like an idiot. Maybe I've just read too many crime novels but this was overly simplistic and had every tiny boring detail explained. The premise seemed engaging but I'm left deflated and disappointed. I'm not a fan of books that spell everything out for me; sadly this was one of them. I don't understand why this book has such good reviews, if anything it's nothing more than mediocre.
April 20, 2014
RIFE WITH SPOILERS. I finished Nameless a while ago and I was so enraged that I wrote a review right then. I decided not to publish it because it was scathing and I was angry and I do understand the amount of hard work that goes into writing a novel. So I left it, thinking I would return at a later stage, when the few pence I had paid for it didn’t seem like a king’s ransom in light of what I got.
It’s been a few weeks now and I don’t feel any different. I can quite easily say this is one of the worst books I have ever read. It’s inconsistent, overly indulgent, badly written, badly edited. It’s just a hot mess from start to finish.
Where to start? Nameless is about a serial killer named Shem (don’t ask) who starts a cat and mouse game with FBI Special Agent In Charge, Daniel Falcone. If you don’t remember the Special Agent in Charge bit don’t worry, Daniel reminds us every time he talks to someone. Daniel and everyone else in this book seem to suffer from some kind of grammatical quirk, or maybe it’s a hearing problem because they repeat themselves Ad Nauseum (“Hi, I’m Daniel, the FBI Special Agent in Charge. Did you get that? Oh don’t worry I’ll say it again. Hi, I’m Daniel…). They also really like to swear. It’s not the swearing that bothers me, it’s the fact that Joe Conlan can’t spell the swear words properly.
Anyway, we have Daniel, who had dreams of being Special Agent in Charge in a Martin Scorcese movie but found out at the last minute that Uwe Boll was taking over. So he talks like someone out of a 1980s mobster flick. He is handsome, intelligent, wonderful, he has an eight pack, yes an eight pack. He’s the absolute best FBI SAC who has ever graced the earth with his divine presence. Shem is depraved, disgusting, evil, intelligent (but not as intelligent as Daniel).
Daniel has a wife. She’s nice, she’s a mom. This is important because Deborah’s cipher-like presence is very deliberate.
And then there is Annie, the one that got away. Daniel’s OTP who he pines after like a lovesick schoolboy. Did I mention she beautiful, intelligent “compassionate”, sexy, amazing, understanding? Did I need to?
Oh and then there’s Shem’s mom, she just sucks and there’s nothing in the world she wouldn’t do for a quick fix.
Ok, so Shem is running around killing people and Daniel is trying to catch him, but Shem also has an obsession with Annie (of course he does). And that’s essentially the plot. You might not think a plot this simplistic could be riddled with holes big enough to drive a truck through. You’d be wrong. Also the inconsistencies within these characters is almost too much to bear.
My personal favourites include:
Shem has the worst mother in the world (everything in this book works in absolutes) yet after not being able to talk for 15 years it takes him a mere six years before I quote “he knew more about computers than Bill Gates.” He’s also a multimillionaire and can literally do anything. Deepsea diving? Check. Dog training? Check. He also knows everything about every religion and well, everything else. Shem is like the Superman of serial killers. No, Shem is Superman’s kryptonite but he could still overpower Superman without it.
Ok, my next gripe. So far the FBI have established that not only is Shem an employee on Annie’s ship (I love how Annie is the head of security on the ship but never actually has to be present on the ship) but he also seems to have a personal thing with Annie. After all, he kills her best friend and sends the ears to Annie’s boyfriend. He sends incriminating pictures of Daniel and Annie doing the nasty to Deborah. However, this does not stop Daniel Falcone, FBI Special Agent in Charge, taking his family away on a cruise on Annie’s ship even though he knows he is on Shem’s radar. Speaking of this I have to wonder at Shem’s apparent brilliance. He wants Annie, so I suppose it makes sense to send the photos to Deborah as it will mess up Daniel’s life. But surely for Shem the best outcome if he can’t murder Daniel is to get him back with his wife and kids. Not kill his wife so there is no one in the way between Daniel and Annie? I know the plan was to frame Daniel for the murder but why go to the trouble? Even he must realise that if even the tiniest bit of evidence does not stick he’s done nothing but send Daniel into Annie’s arms? Or he could just kill Daniel, he's done it to everyone else.
Still this does not have a patch on their actual affair. Annie invites Daniel for dinner at her home. He demurs but then goes anyway. So Annie tells her mom about her plans for Daniel (now my mom would have rightly boxed my ears to hear about my planned seduction of a married man but bad moms seem to be a theme in this book), then she cooks a fancy dinner, gets some expensive wine and dresses up in a clingy dress. Previously she's tried to get him to share a romantic meal with her numerous times behind his wife's back. Daniel meanwhile thinks to himself that if Annie is up for it he won't say no (then feels bad for considering taking advantage of Annie if she's upset, not bad that he'll be cheating on his family! As I said Deborah is a placeholder, intended only to c**kb***k her poor husband because how, how, how could she not be a Daniel/Annie shipper?).
In short, there was never a more planned seduction in the history of seductions. Never. But when the deed is done both Annie and Daniel are all "how could this have happened?", "we weren't thinking", "it just happened". Um no, you both planned this to the letter. Take some responsibility. And just to top it off, a few days later Daniel thinks to himself that he has to admit his feelings for Annie are not platonic. Um wow, Mr FBI Special Agent in Charge when did you come to this staggering realisation? When you were giving Annie those multiple orgasms (Daniel is of course the best lover)? For an FBI Special Agent in Charge I have to wonder if his mother didn't drop him on his head as a baby.
And poor Deborah, she's just a nothing, a blank slate with secondary sexual characteristics, biding her time until she's tossed aside for the real woman in Daniel’s life. Every single sentence about her is only to drive home that Daniel really doesn't love her. How very dare she expect him to stay faithful in the face of vampy Annie? She's really just cramping his style with all that breathing and stuff she does. Luckily Shem is there to kill her off because she has no purpose other than to be a uterus for Daniel’s kids and a sexual outlet for the man himself until, you know, Annie comes along. And yet somehow we are still supposed to believe Daniel when he claims to love her and wants their marriage to work.
And finally, the ending. Annie is kidnapped and abused by Shem but she has an elaborate plan to escape. A plan that is explained in miniscule detail. Letters and conveniently placed franking machines just add to the nowhere plot, when in actual fact, Annie could have just talked to the postman when he arrived. She knew he was on his way. Stand on the opposite side of the fence and say “Hello Mr Postman, would you please tell Daniel Falcone, FBI Special Agent in Charge - oh you’ve heard of him, wonderful - that I’m being held at this address by a psychopath. Thanks, have a good day.”
Yes, it’s bad and not even in a so bad it’s good way. You know it’s a problem when you hope the serial killer kills everyone in the story and then accidentally falls off a cliff. If Conlan is planning on a sequel I suggest he not only does a writing course but also does some work on understanding the basics of storytelling because there’s a real lack of that in Nameless.
It’s been a few weeks now and I don’t feel any different. I can quite easily say this is one of the worst books I have ever read. It’s inconsistent, overly indulgent, badly written, badly edited. It’s just a hot mess from start to finish.
Where to start? Nameless is about a serial killer named Shem (don’t ask) who starts a cat and mouse game with FBI Special Agent In Charge, Daniel Falcone. If you don’t remember the Special Agent in Charge bit don’t worry, Daniel reminds us every time he talks to someone. Daniel and everyone else in this book seem to suffer from some kind of grammatical quirk, or maybe it’s a hearing problem because they repeat themselves Ad Nauseum (“Hi, I’m Daniel, the FBI Special Agent in Charge. Did you get that? Oh don’t worry I’ll say it again. Hi, I’m Daniel…). They also really like to swear. It’s not the swearing that bothers me, it’s the fact that Joe Conlan can’t spell the swear words properly.
Anyway, we have Daniel, who had dreams of being Special Agent in Charge in a Martin Scorcese movie but found out at the last minute that Uwe Boll was taking over. So he talks like someone out of a 1980s mobster flick. He is handsome, intelligent, wonderful, he has an eight pack, yes an eight pack. He’s the absolute best FBI SAC who has ever graced the earth with his divine presence. Shem is depraved, disgusting, evil, intelligent (but not as intelligent as Daniel).
Daniel has a wife. She’s nice, she’s a mom. This is important because Deborah’s cipher-like presence is very deliberate.
And then there is Annie, the one that got away. Daniel’s OTP who he pines after like a lovesick schoolboy. Did I mention she beautiful, intelligent “compassionate”, sexy, amazing, understanding? Did I need to?
Oh and then there’s Shem’s mom, she just sucks and there’s nothing in the world she wouldn’t do for a quick fix.
Ok, so Shem is running around killing people and Daniel is trying to catch him, but Shem also has an obsession with Annie (of course he does). And that’s essentially the plot. You might not think a plot this simplistic could be riddled with holes big enough to drive a truck through. You’d be wrong. Also the inconsistencies within these characters is almost too much to bear.
My personal favourites include:
Shem has the worst mother in the world (everything in this book works in absolutes) yet after not being able to talk for 15 years it takes him a mere six years before I quote “he knew more about computers than Bill Gates.” He’s also a multimillionaire and can literally do anything. Deepsea diving? Check. Dog training? Check. He also knows everything about every religion and well, everything else. Shem is like the Superman of serial killers. No, Shem is Superman’s kryptonite but he could still overpower Superman without it.
Ok, my next gripe. So far the FBI have established that not only is Shem an employee on Annie’s ship (I love how Annie is the head of security on the ship but never actually has to be present on the ship) but he also seems to have a personal thing with Annie. After all, he kills her best friend and sends the ears to Annie’s boyfriend. He sends incriminating pictures of Daniel and Annie doing the nasty to Deborah. However, this does not stop Daniel Falcone, FBI Special Agent in Charge, taking his family away on a cruise on Annie’s ship even though he knows he is on Shem’s radar. Speaking of this I have to wonder at Shem’s apparent brilliance. He wants Annie, so I suppose it makes sense to send the photos to Deborah as it will mess up Daniel’s life. But surely for Shem the best outcome if he can’t murder Daniel is to get him back with his wife and kids. Not kill his wife so there is no one in the way between Daniel and Annie? I know the plan was to frame Daniel for the murder but why go to the trouble? Even he must realise that if even the tiniest bit of evidence does not stick he’s done nothing but send Daniel into Annie’s arms? Or he could just kill Daniel, he's done it to everyone else.
Still this does not have a patch on their actual affair. Annie invites Daniel for dinner at her home. He demurs but then goes anyway. So Annie tells her mom about her plans for Daniel (now my mom would have rightly boxed my ears to hear about my planned seduction of a married man but bad moms seem to be a theme in this book), then she cooks a fancy dinner, gets some expensive wine and dresses up in a clingy dress. Previously she's tried to get him to share a romantic meal with her numerous times behind his wife's back. Daniel meanwhile thinks to himself that if Annie is up for it he won't say no (then feels bad for considering taking advantage of Annie if she's upset, not bad that he'll be cheating on his family! As I said Deborah is a placeholder, intended only to c**kb***k her poor husband because how, how, how could she not be a Daniel/Annie shipper?).
In short, there was never a more planned seduction in the history of seductions. Never. But when the deed is done both Annie and Daniel are all "how could this have happened?", "we weren't thinking", "it just happened". Um no, you both planned this to the letter. Take some responsibility. And just to top it off, a few days later Daniel thinks to himself that he has to admit his feelings for Annie are not platonic. Um wow, Mr FBI Special Agent in Charge when did you come to this staggering realisation? When you were giving Annie those multiple orgasms (Daniel is of course the best lover)? For an FBI Special Agent in Charge I have to wonder if his mother didn't drop him on his head as a baby.
And poor Deborah, she's just a nothing, a blank slate with secondary sexual characteristics, biding her time until she's tossed aside for the real woman in Daniel’s life. Every single sentence about her is only to drive home that Daniel really doesn't love her. How very dare she expect him to stay faithful in the face of vampy Annie? She's really just cramping his style with all that breathing and stuff she does. Luckily Shem is there to kill her off because she has no purpose other than to be a uterus for Daniel’s kids and a sexual outlet for the man himself until, you know, Annie comes along. And yet somehow we are still supposed to believe Daniel when he claims to love her and wants their marriage to work.
And finally, the ending. Annie is kidnapped and abused by Shem but she has an elaborate plan to escape. A plan that is explained in miniscule detail. Letters and conveniently placed franking machines just add to the nowhere plot, when in actual fact, Annie could have just talked to the postman when he arrived. She knew he was on his way. Stand on the opposite side of the fence and say “Hello Mr Postman, would you please tell Daniel Falcone, FBI Special Agent in Charge - oh you’ve heard of him, wonderful - that I’m being held at this address by a psychopath. Thanks, have a good day.”
Yes, it’s bad and not even in a so bad it’s good way. You know it’s a problem when you hope the serial killer kills everyone in the story and then accidentally falls off a cliff. If Conlan is planning on a sequel I suggest he not only does a writing course but also does some work on understanding the basics of storytelling because there’s a real lack of that in Nameless.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2013
Update! Watch out for the blog tour with Joe Conlan starting May 27th which I will be participating in. This review PLUS! an Excerpt of Nameless and an Interview with the author will be posted on My Blog on May 29th. See you there!
Intensely Terrifying! Spine Tingling! Gripping! Can't continue, can't stop!
Nameless by Joe Conlan gets you from the first page. It can trap you in the world of a psycho so twisted and evil, it is hard to escape the mind of the serial killer. The detailed and intimate relationship that develops between the words of the author and his readers is intense.
The Blurb:
Chilling and taut, NAMELESS introduces a fresh and exciting twist on the deadly game of cat and mouse. By virtue of one impulsive and deeply human, but all too grave mistake, a good and decent man finds himself pitted against the embodiment of evil and threatened with losing everything and everyone he loves and values; including the pristine reputation he has endeavored all his adult life to establish. FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Falcone unwittingly steps onto course for a head-on collision with a frighteningly brilliant psychotic serial killer, whose harrowing childhood abuse and neglect left him devoid of humanity and salivating for revenge. Framed for a brutal murder on a commercial cruise ship, and fighting for the right to raise his sons and clear his name, Falcone races against the clock and struggles to keep his eyes on the prize, even while his profound guilt and self-loathing threaten to destroy him faster than his maniacal adversary.
Our thoughts....
Stop! Warning to readers: Spoiler contents ahead!
I have to confess that after reading the first chapter I shut off my Kindle and set it aside, looking at it from a distance. I was scared. Plain and simple, I was terrified. I did not get to pick it up until my curiosity drove me to open the book once more and just made sure I was sitting with my kids playing with their PC games while I continued to read it. I have lost count of the times I had to shut my own mouth from screaming.
I have never, ever! reacted this way to a thriller before.
Joe Conlan is a master of the descriptive word. He has a strange talent in making and describing such a graphic novel into something beautiful. It is picturesque yet crisp, leaving just enough to get a clear view into the movie playing in his head. The story line is well worked and it was a surprise to find out this is his debut!
On the first chapter, I screamed the book shut in fright. By the second chapter, the readers may already have a list of several suspects of who might have framed Daniel Falcone, apart from that very overt hint of a name that jumps out from nowhere.
The only thing that bothers me is how the serial killer developed from an illiterate abused child to an expert who knows how to read, write, and do excellent research. Ten years of educating yourself would not be enough if you had to start from scratch. Plus, such abuse would tend to make a person underdeveloped both mentally and physically. Yet, Nameless is exceptionally intelligent and strong. Hmmm...
Now for my criticisms....
Mind you, these do not, in any way, reflect on the writing ability of the author Joe Conlan, but these do need to be mentioned. Take note that I am reviewing from an ARC copy and if these have been corrected in the final editing, then please disregard.
1. I feel the book is well-written but sloppily edited. I hope corrections can be made, as it's too good a story to flop because of a few inconsistencies and typos.
2. I noticed 3 blatant inconsistencies:
A. The author describes how Glamorosa Champagne was killed in the beginning yet when the body was found, the placement of the cut off penis went from the ass to the mouth. Although the mouth placement would be more believable. Was this a typo?
B. Nameless disguised himself with black hair and a full beard to eavesdrop on Daniel and Annie yet straight from the scene morphs into a blond god to pick up a gay john to murder.
C. The cell phone was off in a safe yet the message Leland sent was marked "received?" May be received but NOT opened?
3. Finally, I can't figure out how no one asked about the surveillance tapes in the ship and linked the connection to the last murder on board when the cameras went out at a very opportune time.
Final Words....
Joe Conlan has the ability to get his readers' heartbeats on a constant suspense-filled staccato beat. So here, I have to warn readers: BEWARE! If you do not want to get ensnared in a beautifully described world of good vs. evil, if you don't want to risk your getting out of breath from the endless thrill, action and suspense that is the whole book, then this is not for you.
Review based on an ARC sent by Netgalley.
Intensely Terrifying! Spine Tingling! Gripping! Can't continue, can't stop!
Nameless by Joe Conlan gets you from the first page. It can trap you in the world of a psycho so twisted and evil, it is hard to escape the mind of the serial killer. The detailed and intimate relationship that develops between the words of the author and his readers is intense.
The Blurb:
Chilling and taut, NAMELESS introduces a fresh and exciting twist on the deadly game of cat and mouse. By virtue of one impulsive and deeply human, but all too grave mistake, a good and decent man finds himself pitted against the embodiment of evil and threatened with losing everything and everyone he loves and values; including the pristine reputation he has endeavored all his adult life to establish. FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Falcone unwittingly steps onto course for a head-on collision with a frighteningly brilliant psychotic serial killer, whose harrowing childhood abuse and neglect left him devoid of humanity and salivating for revenge. Framed for a brutal murder on a commercial cruise ship, and fighting for the right to raise his sons and clear his name, Falcone races against the clock and struggles to keep his eyes on the prize, even while his profound guilt and self-loathing threaten to destroy him faster than his maniacal adversary.
Our thoughts....
Stop! Warning to readers: Spoiler contents ahead!
I have to confess that after reading the first chapter I shut off my Kindle and set it aside, looking at it from a distance. I was scared. Plain and simple, I was terrified. I did not get to pick it up until my curiosity drove me to open the book once more and just made sure I was sitting with my kids playing with their PC games while I continued to read it. I have lost count of the times I had to shut my own mouth from screaming.
I have never, ever! reacted this way to a thriller before.
Joe Conlan is a master of the descriptive word. He has a strange talent in making and describing such a graphic novel into something beautiful. It is picturesque yet crisp, leaving just enough to get a clear view into the movie playing in his head. The story line is well worked and it was a surprise to find out this is his debut!
On the first chapter, I screamed the book shut in fright. By the second chapter, the readers may already have a list of several suspects of who might have framed Daniel Falcone, apart from that very overt hint of a name that jumps out from nowhere.
The only thing that bothers me is how the serial killer developed from an illiterate abused child to an expert who knows how to read, write, and do excellent research. Ten years of educating yourself would not be enough if you had to start from scratch. Plus, such abuse would tend to make a person underdeveloped both mentally and physically. Yet, Nameless is exceptionally intelligent and strong. Hmmm...
Now for my criticisms....
Mind you, these do not, in any way, reflect on the writing ability of the author Joe Conlan, but these do need to be mentioned. Take note that I am reviewing from an ARC copy and if these have been corrected in the final editing, then please disregard.
1. I feel the book is well-written but sloppily edited. I hope corrections can be made, as it's too good a story to flop because of a few inconsistencies and typos.
2. I noticed 3 blatant inconsistencies:
A. The author describes how Glamorosa Champagne was killed in the beginning yet when the body was found, the placement of the cut off penis went from the ass to the mouth. Although the mouth placement would be more believable. Was this a typo?
B. Nameless disguised himself with black hair and a full beard to eavesdrop on Daniel and Annie yet straight from the scene morphs into a blond god to pick up a gay john to murder.
C. The cell phone was off in a safe yet the message Leland sent was marked "received?" May be received but NOT opened?
3. Finally, I can't figure out how no one asked about the surveillance tapes in the ship and linked the connection to the last murder on board when the cameras went out at a very opportune time.
Final Words....
Joe Conlan has the ability to get his readers' heartbeats on a constant suspense-filled staccato beat. So here, I have to warn readers: BEWARE! If you do not want to get ensnared in a beautifully described world of good vs. evil, if you don't want to risk your getting out of breath from the endless thrill, action and suspense that is the whole book, then this is not for you.
Review based on an ARC sent by Netgalley.
September 6, 2013
Having entered for and won Nameless as a Giveaway I was grateful to receive a signed copy and communication with Joe Conlan was convivial, so I was looking forward to reading the book.
Sadly I am less positive about the experience and was left frustrated by so many aspects of Nameless.
It is clear this genre has appeal and there is a market for easy terror which relies upon base fears and graphic detail for impact. I wasn't expecting so much gore from Nameless, the manner in which successive murders is portrayed, and with so much detail, there is little room left for the power of suggestion. Not only is every despicable act by our serial killer entirely predictable they are often inexplicably telegraphed to the reader in advance ensuring any possibility for dramatic suspense is eradicated.
The book is overly and unnecessarily lengthy yet still manages to rush connecting scenes inviting the reader to ignore eye rolling events and the ludicrous super powers of Mr Nameless not least the ability to leave not even a microscopic trace of his presence having drugged and brutally slaughtered three people in a ship's cabin and left the room so swimming in blood and gore that hardened agents could not stomach the scene.
I ploughed on out of sense of duty and to be fair there are sections of the book which roll nicely, which are technically well written, and suddenly the pages turn nicely for a while, only for the story to descend again into ridiculousness not least the final scenes which had me wondering why I had allowed myself to get this far; if it was TV I would have switched channels long before.
The all too obvious ending of course sets us up for a sequel.
Mr Conlan can write, of that there is no doubt so if there is to be a Nameless 2 I hope for his readers he constructs a better story, with more believable happenings and rather better developed characters than those to be found in Nameless.
I can't recommend what potential readers should do other than read the reviews which are quite polarised and then decide if Nameless is likely to be your thing, it could have been mine in theory but in practice just left me as cold as one of Shem's victims.
Sadly I am less positive about the experience and was left frustrated by so many aspects of Nameless.
It is clear this genre has appeal and there is a market for easy terror which relies upon base fears and graphic detail for impact. I wasn't expecting so much gore from Nameless, the manner in which successive murders is portrayed, and with so much detail, there is little room left for the power of suggestion. Not only is every despicable act by our serial killer entirely predictable they are often inexplicably telegraphed to the reader in advance ensuring any possibility for dramatic suspense is eradicated.
The book is overly and unnecessarily lengthy yet still manages to rush connecting scenes inviting the reader to ignore eye rolling events and the ludicrous super powers of Mr Nameless not least the ability to leave not even a microscopic trace of his presence having drugged and brutally slaughtered three people in a ship's cabin and left the room so swimming in blood and gore that hardened agents could not stomach the scene.
I ploughed on out of sense of duty and to be fair there are sections of the book which roll nicely, which are technically well written, and suddenly the pages turn nicely for a while, only for the story to descend again into ridiculousness not least the final scenes which had me wondering why I had allowed myself to get this far; if it was TV I would have switched channels long before.
The all too obvious ending of course sets us up for a sequel.
Mr Conlan can write, of that there is no doubt so if there is to be a Nameless 2 I hope for his readers he constructs a better story, with more believable happenings and rather better developed characters than those to be found in Nameless.
I can't recommend what potential readers should do other than read the reviews which are quite polarised and then decide if Nameless is likely to be your thing, it could have been mine in theory but in practice just left me as cold as one of Shem's victims.
August 4, 2013
While this novel managed to achieve the 'edge of your seat' thrills and was in all respects a good story, this book let me down in a number of ways.
Firstly the characterisations are pretty much polarised and way too one dimensional. You have the unnaturally super intelligent psychopath with endless riches as your supervillain. You have your driven but tortured supercop, an urbane beautiful successful woman with commitment issues and so on. The cast list reads more like a comic than a book.
The twists are predictable and the endless escapes by the villain start to grate after a while. But what really niggles is the endless prose doled out to procedural elements of the story as though it was trying to teach the reader how they worked but by the same token skipping merrily lightly over things that you know would have driven huge holes through the plot.
For instance you have a sketchy inference that he purchased an immigration official uniform and badge from an online store (but later removes the fact that he did over three weeks later) has nobody ever heard of daily backups? Not the least that usually officials don't just stroll up newly minted into an area, they are usually well known to staff and new people are usually introduced by existing officials.
The action was great, the suspense great too but there are far too many irritations for me to want to chase down the next one.
If you like comic book action interspersed with education about court procedures, and with your difficult bits glossed over then this is for you. If you want something a little more believable, go elsewhere
Firstly the characterisations are pretty much polarised and way too one dimensional. You have the unnaturally super intelligent psychopath with endless riches as your supervillain. You have your driven but tortured supercop, an urbane beautiful successful woman with commitment issues and so on. The cast list reads more like a comic than a book.
The twists are predictable and the endless escapes by the villain start to grate after a while. But what really niggles is the endless prose doled out to procedural elements of the story as though it was trying to teach the reader how they worked but by the same token skipping merrily lightly over things that you know would have driven huge holes through the plot.
For instance you have a sketchy inference that he purchased an immigration official uniform and badge from an online store (but later removes the fact that he did over three weeks later) has nobody ever heard of daily backups? Not the least that usually officials don't just stroll up newly minted into an area, they are usually well known to staff and new people are usually introduced by existing officials.
The action was great, the suspense great too but there are far too many irritations for me to want to chase down the next one.
If you like comic book action interspersed with education about court procedures, and with your difficult bits glossed over then this is for you. If you want something a little more believable, go elsewhere
April 18, 2013
Sometimes a child is born unloved, neglected, uncared for and suffering from physical, sexual and emotional abuse which sets them off on a dark and chilling journey of obsession, death and destruction. So we have NAMELESS, Joe Conlan’s skillfully woven thrilling plot , which follows Daniel Falcone, a guilt ridden FBI Agent , who must pit his wits against a dark, evil, psychotic killer ...
NAMELESS is a pulse raising, fast paced, action packed thriller full of suspense, tension, gripping characters and an adrenaline fuelled rush that lasts from the first to the last page. This thriller has it all. Hunter and hunted, pursuit and flight, love, obsession, good and evil and the ability to keep you on the edge of your seat through the whole, exhausting roller coaster of a ride to a nail biting climax.
It is amazing to think that this is Joe Conlan’s debut as an author. A brilliant first and I for one can’t wait for the next one. NAMELESS comes highly recommended.
NAMELESS is a pulse raising, fast paced, action packed thriller full of suspense, tension, gripping characters and an adrenaline fuelled rush that lasts from the first to the last page. This thriller has it all. Hunter and hunted, pursuit and flight, love, obsession, good and evil and the ability to keep you on the edge of your seat through the whole, exhausting roller coaster of a ride to a nail biting climax.
It is amazing to think that this is Joe Conlan’s debut as an author. A brilliant first and I for one can’t wait for the next one. NAMELESS comes highly recommended.
July 17, 2013
It’s an awesome read, I can tell you that much! And it’s almost like you are reading a movie! Yes I said it! I was sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time, rooting for Daniel! And man, Joe really got to me, he did something I did not think he would. I don’t even know how to review this book without giving away anything. It starts out really good and gets better. I kind of got to understanding the killer, but I still don’t like him. But one cannot help but admire certain traits of him. To me Daniel seems to be the All American Hero, but then he stumbles and you get reminded that he’s just a human man.
I could not help not liking the wife. Am I saying that right? The thing is, I liked her just fine and then she got stupid. And yes yes, I know she’s the victim here, just read the book and we can chat about that. And the murderer. What an ingenious son of a beep!!! This was a really good written and thought out story. I loved it and I think you should give it a try too!
I could not help not liking the wife. Am I saying that right? The thing is, I liked her just fine and then she got stupid. And yes yes, I know she’s the victim here, just read the book and we can chat about that. And the murderer. What an ingenious son of a beep!!! This was a really good written and thought out story. I loved it and I think you should give it a try too!
September 25, 2013
FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Falcone, framed for a brutal murder, finds himself pitted against the embodiment of evil and threatened with losing everything and everyone he loves. The baddie is downright disturbing and with plenty of the story told from his point of view, you follow his warped journey in a terrifyingly intimate way. The back stories of the main characters are all vividly drawn in the first few chapters and as you begin to see how their paths will all intersect, the tension mounts. This book will elicit emotions of terror, anger and sadness and there are plenty of parts where your pulse will be racing. Be warned: this is not a cozy thriller - there are many truly graphic scenes. It may be gruesome but it is certainly captivating.
August 19, 2013
I need to stop buying books just because they are cheap on Amazon. Can't believe I wasted several days reading this rubbish. It was so bad I actually skimmed the last hundred pages or so to get to the end. And what a ridiculous, cop out of an ending it was.
I'm not sure which was the worst part of this book, the cardboard cutout characters, the unbelievable and stilted dialogue, the excessive gore which was an obvious attempt to shock, the endless and pointless detail which just further extended the pain of reading this turkey, or that terrible ending.
It's safe to say this is one of the worst books I have ever had the misfortune of reading. Avoid like the plague.
I'm not sure which was the worst part of this book, the cardboard cutout characters, the unbelievable and stilted dialogue, the excessive gore which was an obvious attempt to shock, the endless and pointless detail which just further extended the pain of reading this turkey, or that terrible ending.
It's safe to say this is one of the worst books I have ever had the misfortune of reading. Avoid like the plague.
April 16, 2013
Absolutely brilliant!! Edge of your seat stuff. I loved it beginning to end. About a very clever man who is quite gruesome to be honest-not for the faint hearted, I felt at times e was too clever, i loved every second of this book an cant wait for when white fades to black.
May 22, 2013
** I was given a free copy from the Publisher in an exchange for an honest review**
WOW!!!! This was an awesome adrenaline ride! Nameless has so many thrilling parts that it will leave you wanting more! If you like gore and fictional crime then this is the perfect book for you!
I really enjoyed how the storyline puts the reader into the mindset of the serial killer. It really made Shem very real and very twisted. I have never read of a person masturbating with blood before. (Very twisted!) I think this was a very interesting characteristic to add to this character because it distinguished him and it also made him stand out in the reader's mind. I have read many true crime books and in most cases, it is a known fact that some serial killers are remembered by their name because of their unique crimes and twisted characteristics. I think this is the case with Shem. Since he was such a bizzare and odd individual, he will be a character that I will remember for a while. All of the characters in the story are very well developed and have detailed personalities. I really disliked Annie as a person though. She made me mad with her seducing ways towards Daniel. I did feel sorry for her towards the end though for what happens to her! (Oh no!)
The story itself is about a serial killer who develops an obsession with a woman and an FBI agent Daniel who makes a mistake in his marriage and it ultimately puts him in a killers path. Shem the serial killer was a very scary and horrific character. There were many times in the story where I was horrified at his actions and could not believe what I was reading. This of course just made me want to keep reading more. Even during the days when I did not have the time I wanted to read more of the book, I pushed myself at night to get more pages in, and when I did I just could not put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. This is one book that a reader can obsess over. It was simply terrific!!! I loved it and highly recommend it to everyone reading this review!
WOW!!!! This was an awesome adrenaline ride! Nameless has so many thrilling parts that it will leave you wanting more! If you like gore and fictional crime then this is the perfect book for you!
I really enjoyed how the storyline puts the reader into the mindset of the serial killer. It really made Shem very real and very twisted. I have never read of a person masturbating with blood before. (Very twisted!) I think this was a very interesting characteristic to add to this character because it distinguished him and it also made him stand out in the reader's mind. I have read many true crime books and in most cases, it is a known fact that some serial killers are remembered by their name because of their unique crimes and twisted characteristics. I think this is the case with Shem. Since he was such a bizzare and odd individual, he will be a character that I will remember for a while. All of the characters in the story are very well developed and have detailed personalities. I really disliked Annie as a person though. She made me mad with her seducing ways towards Daniel. I did feel sorry for her towards the end though for what happens to her! (Oh no!)
The story itself is about a serial killer who develops an obsession with a woman and an FBI agent Daniel who makes a mistake in his marriage and it ultimately puts him in a killers path. Shem the serial killer was a very scary and horrific character. There were many times in the story where I was horrified at his actions and could not believe what I was reading. This of course just made me want to keep reading more. Even during the days when I did not have the time I wanted to read more of the book, I pushed myself at night to get more pages in, and when I did I just could not put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. This is one book that a reader can obsess over. It was simply terrific!!! I loved it and highly recommend it to everyone reading this review!
October 6, 2013
One of the best thrillers I have read in ages.
A boy was born into a house of abuse and neglect to a mother who couldn't even be bothered to name him. Being left for days had its advantage, this nameless boy starts to explore the local area. He gets involved with the local gangs and there starts his first lessons in crime. At 15 he takes the ultimate revenge and starts a life for himself. He teaches himself to read and to become an expert in everything from capitalising on investments to technology. He is methodical and patient, and has an ultimate disgust for all women; all women that is except for Annie Byron! She is special.
Annie Byron is investigating a death/missing person aboard one of her cruise ships. Surely it can not be foul play? there is after all no body and the only other anomaly is a missing crew member by the name of Damien Drysdale? Her neighbour has gone missing, she heard movement in her flat...is it possible she is being stalked?
FBI agent Daniel has skeletons in his closet which have driven him forward to be the best agent he can be. He ultimately finds himself staggering around a cruise ship, covered in blood, holding a meat cleaver and a gun.
Really enjoyed this book, the serial killer was sickening, the Crimes were revolting. The characters had so much baggage it would have held up Heathrow for a week. Okay....yes if you analyse it into how realistic it is some of it is far fetched - how he became an expert in everything, why on earth would you accept the cruise? etc but I think you would be very hard pushed to find a thriller that is "realistic". Overall a very good read that kept me reading and reading to see if "Nameless" could get away with the perfect murders!
A boy was born into a house of abuse and neglect to a mother who couldn't even be bothered to name him. Being left for days had its advantage, this nameless boy starts to explore the local area. He gets involved with the local gangs and there starts his first lessons in crime. At 15 he takes the ultimate revenge and starts a life for himself. He teaches himself to read and to become an expert in everything from capitalising on investments to technology. He is methodical and patient, and has an ultimate disgust for all women; all women that is except for Annie Byron! She is special.
Annie Byron is investigating a death/missing person aboard one of her cruise ships. Surely it can not be foul play? there is after all no body and the only other anomaly is a missing crew member by the name of Damien Drysdale? Her neighbour has gone missing, she heard movement in her flat...is it possible she is being stalked?
FBI agent Daniel has skeletons in his closet which have driven him forward to be the best agent he can be. He ultimately finds himself staggering around a cruise ship, covered in blood, holding a meat cleaver and a gun.
Really enjoyed this book, the serial killer was sickening, the Crimes were revolting. The characters had so much baggage it would have held up Heathrow for a week. Okay....yes if you analyse it into how realistic it is some of it is far fetched - how he became an expert in everything, why on earth would you accept the cruise? etc but I think you would be very hard pushed to find a thriller that is "realistic". Overall a very good read that kept me reading and reading to see if "Nameless" could get away with the perfect murders!
July 16, 2022
Good god this was hard going. The storyline was good and some of the characters were likeable (though generally pretty unbelievable) but the writing was just atrocious to the point it became distracting. I read this on Kindle so it’s possible there are issues with that version re punctuation but many of the issues were just to do with poor writing.
Common mistakes like stationary instead of stationery, there/they’re etc but also hugely over-descriptive sentences explaining unnecessary detail (we don’t need several paragraphs explaining processes or how a computer system works and readers of this genre should already be up to speed with the likes of VICAP etc or at least capable of looking it up themselves) and just some generally shoddy writing. One stand-out sentence for me was a reference to “the nipples on her breasts” - they were hardy likely to be on her back.
The murders themselves were described in a LOT of detail. I’m not sure I’ve ever read anything with quite the level of detail this went into. I didn’t find it offensive but I also didn’t feel it was completely necessary for the level of gore.
Ultimately I finished it because I wanted to know how it ended (though that was pretty unspectacular anyway) but it was like wading through treacle.
Feel like with a really decent edit and some proofreading this could have been a 3/4* book.
Common mistakes like stationary instead of stationery, there/they’re etc but also hugely over-descriptive sentences explaining unnecessary detail (we don’t need several paragraphs explaining processes or how a computer system works and readers of this genre should already be up to speed with the likes of VICAP etc or at least capable of looking it up themselves) and just some generally shoddy writing. One stand-out sentence for me was a reference to “the nipples on her breasts” - they were hardy likely to be on her back.
The murders themselves were described in a LOT of detail. I’m not sure I’ve ever read anything with quite the level of detail this went into. I didn’t find it offensive but I also didn’t feel it was completely necessary for the level of gore.
Ultimately I finished it because I wanted to know how it ended (though that was pretty unspectacular anyway) but it was like wading through treacle.
Feel like with a really decent edit and some proofreading this could have been a 3/4* book.
October 19, 2013
The reviews were great, the price was cheap and it sounded an interesting tale. I did try with it but only got to 29% and packed it in. It had too many idiotic mistakes in it for me.
Apostrophe errors abound especially (and annoyingly, as the first time it was correct and then wrong at every other mention) with Alexanders when it was meant to be Alexander's.
The abbreviation "fuck'n" was oft-repeated and I could understand if it was one person's way of speaking but not everyone's. That was odd. I'm sure Dunkin' Donuts spell their name like this and not Doughnuts, too.
Lie awake was used when it should have been laid and coiffed is not spelt quaffed. They'll be was in place of there'll be, shutter instead of shudder and my proverbial straw was "love at first site". These are really daft mistakes and really should have been picked out at any proofreading exercise.
Definitely not for me and I'll not be recommending it, either. I find it so horribly disappointing when a good story is marred in this way.
Apostrophe errors abound especially (and annoyingly, as the first time it was correct and then wrong at every other mention) with Alexanders when it was meant to be Alexander's.
The abbreviation "fuck'n" was oft-repeated and I could understand if it was one person's way of speaking but not everyone's. That was odd. I'm sure Dunkin' Donuts spell their name like this and not Doughnuts, too.
Lie awake was used when it should have been laid and coiffed is not spelt quaffed. They'll be was in place of there'll be, shutter instead of shudder and my proverbial straw was "love at first site". These are really daft mistakes and really should have been picked out at any proofreading exercise.
Definitely not for me and I'll not be recommending it, either. I find it so horribly disappointing when a good story is marred in this way.
April 27, 2020
There is nothing wrong with the plot and the ideas behind this book . I really enjoy crime thrillers, am forgiving of minor discrepancies and I certainly wasn’t looking for a literary masterpiece here. However, the character of the villain, Shem is just too unbelievable. To have been a virtually feral child and to transform into a master villain with untold skills in every aspect of life plus amass a fortune in 10 or 12 years was just stretching things too, too far. Gory crime scenes are part and parcel of this genre but there are too many in this book to the point that I began to switch off . The fate of the hero is also stretching things to the unbelievable. The author seems to have taken every single thought he has about murder, gore, seriously damaged individuals, sexual deviance and crime novel genre and put it all into one book. This should have been a really good read if it had been properly edited .
Lots of people liked it according to the reviews but there are better reads out there.
Lots of people liked it according to the reviews but there are better reads out there.
June 30, 2022
Disapointing.
This book started off really well but just after half way in, it went seriously down hill from there on in. The storyline became pitiful. I know it's fiction but seriously, you still want it to be believable. I am a massive fan of crime fiction/thriller but unfortunately, it's all left me feeling very disappointed due to inconsistencies in the story, unbelievable characters and the use of too many 'big' words that didn't make much sense. Sorry Joe but It would need a big change in style before I would be tempted to read another of your books. Good luck with your future work though.
This book started off really well but just after half way in, it went seriously down hill from there on in. The storyline became pitiful. I know it's fiction but seriously, you still want it to be believable. I am a massive fan of crime fiction/thriller but unfortunately, it's all left me feeling very disappointed due to inconsistencies in the story, unbelievable characters and the use of too many 'big' words that didn't make much sense. Sorry Joe but It would need a big change in style before I would be tempted to read another of your books. Good luck with your future work though.
November 18, 2013
Got Nameless by Joe Conlan as part of goodreads.com first read program.
Prior to receiving this book I have never heard of the author Joe Conlan, by page twenty five I was googling `Joe Conlan`. Not only is Nameless well written, the plot is intense and gripping. If you are a fan of crime novels this is a must read. The scenes are very detail and vivid. Joe Conlan did a good job of taking readers in the mind of a serial killer. Amazing book and I really hope there will be another book soon.
Prior to receiving this book I have never heard of the author Joe Conlan, by page twenty five I was googling `Joe Conlan`. Not only is Nameless well written, the plot is intense and gripping. If you are a fan of crime novels this is a must read. The scenes are very detail and vivid. Joe Conlan did a good job of taking readers in the mind of a serial killer. Amazing book and I really hope there will be another book soon.
May 12, 2014
Very disappointing novel with a couple of major flaws that spoil an otherwise good idea. How a boy who was abused til 16, illiterate and not existing in the system can teach himself to speak, read, write then become a computer whizz and make millions on the stock market is way too far fetched. The other mistake is the way the hero gets fitted up by the serial killer and the FBI with all their technical wizardry and skills for tiny details misread this and let him go to death row is poor writing.
May 5, 2013
An interesting story that could have benefited from some proof-reading. I also found the villain too implausibly clever and skilled at everything - from building a powerful computer to scuba diving to medical knowledge - it just ended up annoying me. Finished the book more out of stubbornness than real enjoyment.
July 19, 2013
A book that really annoyed me! It is just insulting to the reader and assumes you are gullible and stupid and would believe in the killer and the fact that luck is ALWAYS on his side and that he always comes up smelling of roses! AVOID!
September 1, 2014
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but I was pleasantly surprised.
This was a terrific " edge of your seat" thriller with lots of blood and gore.
There were some slow parts and the ending seemed a bit rushed. Overall
a great read!
This was a terrific " edge of your seat" thriller with lots of blood and gore.
There were some slow parts and the ending seemed a bit rushed. Overall
a great read!
September 11, 2013
I could not put this book down, a very well written thriller, very violent tho, definitely not for the feint hearted....
September 9, 2013
Has to be one of the most badly written books I have ever read. I'm giving it one star because it managed to get into print. couldn't finish it by the way.
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