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Road to Nowhere
For years the drifter haunted the background of American life, roaming the side streets and highways that crisscross this vast country. Cool and handsome, with a single teardrop scar and a knack for silence that keeps the world at bay, he is a man alone.
That all changes on a rainy night in Chicago, when he witnesses a brutal assault on a young woman. By the time he reaches her, the assailant is gone, leaving a trail that is all too easy to follow. But playing the good Samaritan may be more trouble than it’s worth, when his moment of conscience hurls him into a shadowy world of violence, intrigue and deception.
Caught between duty to his fellow man and the anonymity of life on the road, the Samaritan could walk away. But when his estranged teenage daughter is threatened, he will make his choice—and never look back. By turns violent and insightful, this suspenseful novel from acclaimed journalist and author Jim Fusilli introduces an unforgettable hero to the ranks of contemporary American fiction.
That all changes on a rainy night in Chicago, when he witnesses a brutal assault on a young woman. By the time he reaches her, the assailant is gone, leaving a trail that is all too easy to follow. But playing the good Samaritan may be more trouble than it’s worth, when his moment of conscience hurls him into a shadowy world of violence, intrigue and deception.
Caught between duty to his fellow man and the anonymity of life on the road, the Samaritan could walk away. But when his estranged teenage daughter is threatened, he will make his choice—and never look back. By turns violent and insightful, this suspenseful novel from acclaimed journalist and author Jim Fusilli introduces an unforgettable hero to the ranks of contemporary American fiction.
- GenresCrime
217 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2012
18 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Jim Fusilli
50 books47 followersJim Fusilli is the author of nine novels including “The Mayor of Polk Street” and “Narrows Gate,” which George Pelecanos called “equal parts Ellroy, Puzo and Scorsese” and Mystery Scene magazine said “must be ranked among the half-dozen most memorable novels about the Mob.”
Jim’s debut novel “Closing Time” was the last work of fiction set in New York City published prior to the 9/11 attacks. The following year, his novel, “A Well-Known Secret” addressed the impact of 9/11 on the residents of lower Manhattan. Subsequent novels include “Tribeca Blues” and “Hard, Hard City,” which Mystery Ink magazine named its Novel of the Year. “Closing Time,” “A Well-Known Secret” and “Tribeca Blues” were reissued by Open Road Media in October 2018. Lawrence Block provided a new foreword for “Closing Time.”
Jim has published short stories that have appeared in a variety of magazines as well as anthologies edited by Lee Child, Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman and other masters of the mystery genre. He edited and contributed to the anthologies “The Chopin Manuscript” and “The Copper Bracelet.” His “Chellini’s Solution” was included in an edition of the Best American Mystery Stories and his “Digby, Attorney at Law” was nominated for the Edgar and Macavity awards. The novel “Narrows Gate” was nominated for a Macavity in the Best Historical Fiction category.
The former Rock & Pop Critic of The Wall Street Journal and an occasional contributor to National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered,” Jim is the author of two books of non-fiction, both related to popular music. “Pet Sounds” is his tribute to Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys’ classic album. It was translated for a Japanese language edition by Haruki Murakami Combining his interests, Jim edited and contributed a chapter to “Crime Plus Music: Twenty Stories of Music-Themed Noir,” published in 2017.
His novel for young adults “Marley Z and the Bloodstained Violin” was published by Dutton Juvenile.
Jim is married to the former Diane Holuk, a global communications executive. They currently reside just north of New York City. Find out more about them at https://jimfusilli.com/.
Jim’s debut novel “Closing Time” was the last work of fiction set in New York City published prior to the 9/11 attacks. The following year, his novel, “A Well-Known Secret” addressed the impact of 9/11 on the residents of lower Manhattan. Subsequent novels include “Tribeca Blues” and “Hard, Hard City,” which Mystery Ink magazine named its Novel of the Year. “Closing Time,” “A Well-Known Secret” and “Tribeca Blues” were reissued by Open Road Media in October 2018. Lawrence Block provided a new foreword for “Closing Time.”
Jim has published short stories that have appeared in a variety of magazines as well as anthologies edited by Lee Child, Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman and other masters of the mystery genre. He edited and contributed to the anthologies “The Chopin Manuscript” and “The Copper Bracelet.” His “Chellini’s Solution” was included in an edition of the Best American Mystery Stories and his “Digby, Attorney at Law” was nominated for the Edgar and Macavity awards. The novel “Narrows Gate” was nominated for a Macavity in the Best Historical Fiction category.
The former Rock & Pop Critic of The Wall Street Journal and an occasional contributor to National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered,” Jim is the author of two books of non-fiction, both related to popular music. “Pet Sounds” is his tribute to Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys’ classic album. It was translated for a Japanese language edition by Haruki Murakami Combining his interests, Jim edited and contributed a chapter to “Crime Plus Music: Twenty Stories of Music-Themed Noir,” published in 2017.
His novel for young adults “Marley Z and the Bloodstained Violin” was published by Dutton Juvenile.
Jim is married to the former Diane Holuk, a global communications executive. They currently reside just north of New York City. Find out more about them at https://jimfusilli.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 11, 2014
A man who sometimes calls himself Sam is on the road after a tragedy that destroyed his family and alienated him from his only child. He moves across the country, never staying very long in one place, a rootless man who is tethered only to the cell phone on which he hopes in vain that he will one day hear the voice of his daughter.
Then one rainy evening, while riding the elevated train through the streets of Chicago, he chances to look out the window and sees a young woman being assaulted in a parking garage. Instinctively, he leaves the train at the next stop and races back to the scene where he finds the woman unconscious on the floor of the garage. The assailant has fled, leaving in his wake a clue that gives “Sam” a pretty good idea of where the guy is headed.
After calling 911, Sam takes off after the attacker. There’s no reason for him to be involved, and for a long time now, he has made a habit of remaining uninvolved with the world as a whole. But his moral underpinnings have been outraged by the brutal attack, and almost instinctively he determines to mete out some justice, if at all possible.
Following the lead, Sam surprises the assailant and gives the thug a taste of his own medicine, but in doing so, he unwittingly inserts himself into a mysterious and very dangerous drama that is playing out between the victim of the original attack and the powerful forces that are arrayed against her. And once he has done so, he makes a target of himself and others as well.
What follows is an engrossing tale that plays out in unexpected ways. “Sam” is a very intriguing protagonist, and Jim Fusilli has placed him in a well-written, clever and compelling story. This is the first book in a new series from the author of the excellent Closing Time, and readers will look forward to the next installment in Sam’s story, Billboard Man.
Then one rainy evening, while riding the elevated train through the streets of Chicago, he chances to look out the window and sees a young woman being assaulted in a parking garage. Instinctively, he leaves the train at the next stop and races back to the scene where he finds the woman unconscious on the floor of the garage. The assailant has fled, leaving in his wake a clue that gives “Sam” a pretty good idea of where the guy is headed.
After calling 911, Sam takes off after the attacker. There’s no reason for him to be involved, and for a long time now, he has made a habit of remaining uninvolved with the world as a whole. But his moral underpinnings have been outraged by the brutal attack, and almost instinctively he determines to mete out some justice, if at all possible.
Following the lead, Sam surprises the assailant and gives the thug a taste of his own medicine, but in doing so, he unwittingly inserts himself into a mysterious and very dangerous drama that is playing out between the victim of the original attack and the powerful forces that are arrayed against her. And once he has done so, he makes a target of himself and others as well.
What follows is an engrossing tale that plays out in unexpected ways. “Sam” is a very intriguing protagonist, and Jim Fusilli has placed him in a well-written, clever and compelling story. This is the first book in a new series from the author of the excellent Closing Time, and readers will look forward to the next installment in Sam’s story, Billboard Man.
December 1, 2012
I don't give out one star ratings very often because it means I was dead wrong about a book. In fact, this is the only book in my current arsenal that has the privilige of being the one. I went into it thinking I found symbiosis with the likes of John Lock or Duane Swierczynski - a.k.a.rule breakers who are getting away with it and damned successful at it too. Not so with Mr. Fusilli. Music critic for The Wall Street Journal and National Public Radio's All Things Considered, Mr. Fusilli needs to rethink his approach to fiction and decouple himself from the mystery/thriller genre. If this is what I can expect in the future, he should stick to that which has already made him successful: criticizing the work of others. Clearly, this author is not writing for his readers nor does he understand what readers need: a coherent plot, a killer ending, a character we can relate too (excessive pronouns to pull off the gimmick of not naming it's hero just doesn't cut it), to actually know who the chapter is about, a basic understanding of human motivation, the cause and effect of emotive and rational influences that guide human actions and reactions. Need I go on?
Its saving grace is that it is a quick read and that this book's apt title is fair warning.
Its saving grace is that it is a quick read and that this book's apt title is fair warning.
December 30, 2012
Staccato rhythm. Machine gun fired sentences. Rabbit punches. Covered in white space. Slipping between characters. Bouncing between scenes. Nameless drifter. Open ending.
As I read ROAD TO NOWHERE, I thought I might have multiple personality disorder. The way the scenes faded in and out, the way the characters never seemed to take hold, along with the way the characters played off of one another. With the rapid pace of the novel, I felt like I was dangling on the edge of a cliff by my fingernails. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the ride, although I’m not really sure how I feel about the ending. But I am glad the book wasn’t much longer, otherwise I might have been forced to check myself into a hospital.
This was an adrenaline ride from the first page to the last, and the quick scenes and short sentences only ratcheted up the pace. Afterwards, you may feel like you need to have your head examined.
I received this book for free at Bouchercon.
As I read ROAD TO NOWHERE, I thought I might have multiple personality disorder. The way the scenes faded in and out, the way the characters never seemed to take hold, along with the way the characters played off of one another. With the rapid pace of the novel, I felt like I was dangling on the edge of a cliff by my fingernails. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the ride, although I’m not really sure how I feel about the ending. But I am glad the book wasn’t much longer, otherwise I might have been forced to check myself into a hospital.
This was an adrenaline ride from the first page to the last, and the quick scenes and short sentences only ratcheted up the pace. Afterwards, you may feel like you need to have your head examined.
I received this book for free at Bouchercon.
October 29, 2012
We have a nameless drifter, well nameless for most of the book, that gets involved when he sees a young woman being brutally beaten. he gets there just after the assailant leaves, calls 911, and looks for reasons why it happened. The purse was gone, but a key card for a hotel room was in her pocket. Knowing guest usually got two, he heads to the room and just beats the man ther, cold-cocking him with an iron.
A search of the room finds an thick envelope under the mattress full of cash and two smaller sealed envelopes.
Our Samaritan finds himself unwilling drawn into the young woman's life and problems. She disappears from her hospital room, just walking out.
There's a couple of unsavory characters involved, brothers, one of them the assailant. We get our friend's story a bit at a time, it involves a murdered wife and estrangement from his daughter, who gets threats he's not going to allow to happen.
Nicely paced little thriller here.
A search of the room finds an thick envelope under the mattress full of cash and two smaller sealed envelopes.
Our Samaritan finds himself unwilling drawn into the young woman's life and problems. She disappears from her hospital room, just walking out.
There's a couple of unsavory characters involved, brothers, one of them the assailant. We get our friend's story a bit at a time, it involves a murdered wife and estrangement from his daughter, who gets threats he's not going to allow to happen.
Nicely paced little thriller here.
December 21, 2017
I first started reading this novel back in May, but I put it on pause while I finished another series. I really liked it so far. At first it was confusing but the action is what hooks you. Pay attention and follow along and I think readers will be fine.
I started actively reading again in December and started from the beginning to refresh what unfolded thus far.
Taylor McHugh mentioned how she received the main character (real name unknown, or maybe known, who knows!) by Judy (the mother of the woman assaulted, name escaping me). Taylor called the main character "John," but Judy knows him as “Sam,” not “John Bleck.” This seemed like an unraveling feature because wouldn’t the women exchange the different names?
About halfway through, I was beginning to question why the main character didn’t toss his phone for a new one. But I quickly realized he was waiting for Pup to maybe connect.
Overall, a very, very good read. I had to read it slow and some parts again due to how it’s written. But it’s action packed and carries you all the way through the end. The ending - last 3-4 pages - was a little weak. They tied up loose ends but left cliffhangers for book 2.
4 out of 5 Stars
I started actively reading again in December and started from the beginning to refresh what unfolded thus far.
Taylor McHugh mentioned how she received the main character (real name unknown, or maybe known, who knows!) by Judy (the mother of the woman assaulted, name escaping me). Taylor called the main character "John," but Judy knows him as “Sam,” not “John Bleck.” This seemed like an unraveling feature because wouldn’t the women exchange the different names?
About halfway through, I was beginning to question why the main character didn’t toss his phone for a new one. But I quickly realized he was waiting for Pup to maybe connect.
Overall, a very, very good read. I had to read it slow and some parts again due to how it’s written. But it’s action packed and carries you all the way through the end. The ending - last 3-4 pages - was a little weak. They tied up loose ends but left cliffhangers for book 2.
4 out of 5 Stars
January 2, 2018
Started liking the spare language and Jack Reacher-like protagonist, unfettered by attachments through witness protection. Roaming the country, he observed and intervened in an assault and the chase was on. In the end, too many locations, too many annoying characters, and too many brutal scenes of assault that would normally end up in intensive care, but through which most received at most bruises and broken noses. Scanned the last 20 pages and finally didn't care. Meh.
July 4, 2024
I was sure Sam would be a hero despite being a vigilante. He is a hero but I kept losing track of what he was up to. I finished it feeling glad it was done. I may try a different title by this author but right now I’m ambivalent.
June 20, 2023
Should have been named Book to Nowhere.
Short, choppy writing. I honestly don't really know what happened in this book. Good thing I was under 200 pages.
Short, choppy writing. I honestly don't really know what happened in this book. Good thing I was under 200 pages.
December 31, 2013
This was a fast paced novel, descriptions stripped bck to allow the punches and twists to hit faster and make you want to read the next chapter, expecially as they were short. In theory that is what makes a fantastic thriller.
In practise I think it was stripped back to far.
--Lots of back and forth dialogue with no handle to say who said what. After a page of that you became fuzzy to the good and bad guy situation.
--Fast changing plots, some of which were lost on me. A paragraph of introspection here of there could have cured this.
--A protagonist with no name, and little background, making it hard to connect at times.
--Each scene – often only 3 pages, from a different character, it was often hard to figure out which character and left me re-reading some scenes once I had figured it out.
And yet… I found myself regularly reaching for my kindle to read another scene. The mystery, while feeling confused and convoluted, drove me forward, as did a desire to know who this travelling man really was inside, and who were the good guys.
I doubt I would read another of this author's work, but it had enough good moments for me to give it a 3
In practise I think it was stripped back to far.
--Lots of back and forth dialogue with no handle to say who said what. After a page of that you became fuzzy to the good and bad guy situation.
--Fast changing plots, some of which were lost on me. A paragraph of introspection here of there could have cured this.
--A protagonist with no name, and little background, making it hard to connect at times.
--Each scene – often only 3 pages, from a different character, it was often hard to figure out which character and left me re-reading some scenes once I had figured it out.
And yet… I found myself regularly reaching for my kindle to read another scene. The mystery, while feeling confused and convoluted, drove me forward, as did a desire to know who this travelling man really was inside, and who were the good guys.
I doubt I would read another of this author's work, but it had enough good moments for me to give it a 3
January 6, 2013
[I received an ARC of this novel at Bouchercon - along with every other registrant.]
There are a lot of references to Child and Jack Reacher in the other reviews - some positive, some negative.
The comparison is inevitable, and I suppose opens Fusilli up to criticism, good and bad.
I will compare Fusilli's prose to Child's in this respect:
I have not been glued to a story so completely since the last Reacher book I read. I'm a fan of sparse prose generally, and Child certainly delivers. I found Fusilli's prose even leaner, and a great pleasure to read.
I did not think the preface did its job, however.
Altogether, I was thrilled to read this, and look forward to the sequel later this year.
There are a lot of references to Child and Jack Reacher in the other reviews - some positive, some negative.
The comparison is inevitable, and I suppose opens Fusilli up to criticism, good and bad.
I will compare Fusilli's prose to Child's in this respect:
I have not been glued to a story so completely since the last Reacher book I read. I'm a fan of sparse prose generally, and Child certainly delivers. I found Fusilli's prose even leaner, and a great pleasure to read.
I did not think the preface did its job, however.
Altogether, I was thrilled to read this, and look forward to the sequel later this year.
November 27, 2012
A man and his teen daughter are in the witness protection program after he testifies. The girl takes off and he "escapes" the protection program and wanders the country, alone and anonymous until he witnesses an attack on a woman in a garage. He gets involved in what turns out to be very complicated situation. I am still not sure who set-up who and what they were after. He is interesting but I found some of it confusing.
November 11, 2013
I read the 2nd one in this new series first. They're both a bit uneven but an uneven Jim Fusilli is still better than 99.99% of all ofther crime/detective fiction. And this gives the insight into the reason why John Bleak has become who he is -- the quintessential drifter/loner set of by the annihilation of a loved one by evil forces.
March 14, 2013
Hard to get into but an interesting premise about a man who has disappeared once after losing everything. He rescues a damsel in distress or has he? When the dust all settles- has he remembered how to forget or does he have to learn all over/
Great plot twists.
Great plot twists.
March 29, 2013
I was attracted by the title, a nowhere place. In the beginning the plot was vague, however, as more I read more the plot illustrates the main character personality. Got to understand his misery, moral code. By the end, I was surprised by the content of the two small envelopes.
November 5, 2012
Terse thriller with nameless, quirky protagonist.
December 2, 2012
I was recommended this book because it is like the Jack Reacher series. Not so much. It's not bad on its own, but it tries too hard.
October 3, 2014
Wonderful read! Talented author.
September 3, 2014
I like his style of writing ...except for the abrupt ending - indeed the title is fitting.
April 3, 2015
Sometimes confusing, but always entertaining thriller. A man with nothing left to lose wanders the country, only to get involved in a young woman's troubles.
November 3, 2015
Interesting book. I really liked the premise of the story. Interesting character development.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews