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The Hidden Man: A Novel of Suspense
1915. A city emerges from the ashes . . . and so does a killer concealed in its shadows.
Nine years after San Francisco’s great earthquake and fires, the city is just beginning to be reborn and is full of possibility. The World’s Fair is opening to herald the completion of the Panama Canal and display exciting wonders and the promise of the new technological age.
Yet the primitive past haunts the city’s renaissance. Leaving a trail of brutality, a murderous fanatic secretly stalks one of the fair’s chief the brilliant mesmerist James “J. D.” Duncan. Homicide detective Randall Blackburn and his adopted son, Shane Nightingale, must combine their intuitive profiling skills deductive techniques to solve a murder that hasn’t happened yet . . . one that only its terrified intended victim can see coming.
Praise for Anthony Flacco’s The Last Nightingale
“Flacco imagines the chaos [of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake] in precise and vivid detail while contributing his own distinctive narrative touch.”
–The New York Times
“Gripping . . . [Flacco’s] screenwriting talent shines in this story of the earth’s destructive power and humanity’s moral depravity. . . . Dickens meets Hannibal Lecter. Brace yourself.”
–Booklist
“A frightening and haunting picture of a ruined city staggering back to reality.”
–The Washington Times
Nine years after San Francisco’s great earthquake and fires, the city is just beginning to be reborn and is full of possibility. The World’s Fair is opening to herald the completion of the Panama Canal and display exciting wonders and the promise of the new technological age.
Yet the primitive past haunts the city’s renaissance. Leaving a trail of brutality, a murderous fanatic secretly stalks one of the fair’s chief the brilliant mesmerist James “J. D.” Duncan. Homicide detective Randall Blackburn and his adopted son, Shane Nightingale, must combine their intuitive profiling skills deductive techniques to solve a murder that hasn’t happened yet . . . one that only its terrified intended victim can see coming.
Praise for Anthony Flacco’s The Last Nightingale
“Flacco imagines the chaos [of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake] in precise and vivid detail while contributing his own distinctive narrative touch.”
–The New York Times
“Gripping . . . [Flacco’s] screenwriting talent shines in this story of the earth’s destructive power and humanity’s moral depravity. . . . Dickens meets Hannibal Lecter. Brace yourself.”
–Booklist
“A frightening and haunting picture of a ruined city staggering back to reality.”
–The Washington Times
285 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
12 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Flacco
16 books53 followersAnthony’s background as a trained stage actor with over 2,000 performances under his Actors Equity membership provides the primary basis for his critically acclaimed ability to empathize with a wide cross-section of personalities. His screenwriting experience is also of great use in telling narrative stories that are visually compelling, whether for the “screen” of a reader’s imagination or the screen of a theatre or at home.
He was selected for the prestigious American Film Institute fellowship in Screenwriting, and received his MFA in writing there in 1990 after winning AFI’s Paramount Studios Fellowship Award for his script, The Frog's Legacy. He was then selected out of 2,000 entrants for the Walt Disney Studios Screenwriting Fellowship, and spent a year writing for the Touchstone Pictures division.
His first nonfiction book, A Checklist for Murder, was acquired in auction by Dell Books as a mass market paperback and turned in solid sales. Anthony adapted his book as a two-hour television movie script and sold it to NBC Studios for a movie of the week. For the next several years, he worked as a freelance script doctor and story editor.
Anthony was hired by the Discovery Channel to write a two-hour documentary entitled Deadly Spree, based on a true story. His true crime writing was also featured on a one-hour episode of The Prosecutors for Court TV.
Anthony served as a national Judge for the Illinois Arts Council, writing individual evaluations for over 100 screenplays for their 2003 Writing Awards. His screenplay, Tesla’s Best Secret, was a finalist in the Alfred Sloan Fellowship for Sundance.
In addition to his own writing, Anthony has served as a freelance editor for books and book proposals that have recently sold to Hay House, Vanderwyck & Burnham, Rodale Press, and Lyons Press. He has also written book proposals for other authors who have gone on to garner publication contracts with Rodale Press, Random House, and St. Martin’s Press.
His nonfiction book Tiny Dancer St. Martin’s Press was selected by Reader’s Digest as their Editor’s Choice for August, 2005 -- their 1,000th Commemorative Issue. The book has been internationally acclaimed, and as of 2007, received Best Seller status in Italy. Kansas City Star named Tiny Dancer “one of the 100 Most Noteworthy Books of 2005.”
Anthony also edited the first two manuscripts for a new series of humorous books written by gay and straight couples, called E-Musings, which have sold to Marabout for French translation.
Anthony’s first two novels of historical fiction are from Mortalis Books at Ballantine/Random House. The first, The Last Nightingale, was released in June of 2007, with the second, The Hidden Man, published in June of 2008.
An experienced public speaker, Anthony frequently gives seminars on crime writing (brief syllabus available). He is a featured speaker on writing for writers conferences and clubs.
He was selected for the prestigious American Film Institute fellowship in Screenwriting, and received his MFA in writing there in 1990 after winning AFI’s Paramount Studios Fellowship Award for his script, The Frog's Legacy. He was then selected out of 2,000 entrants for the Walt Disney Studios Screenwriting Fellowship, and spent a year writing for the Touchstone Pictures division.
His first nonfiction book, A Checklist for Murder, was acquired in auction by Dell Books as a mass market paperback and turned in solid sales. Anthony adapted his book as a two-hour television movie script and sold it to NBC Studios for a movie of the week. For the next several years, he worked as a freelance script doctor and story editor.
Anthony was hired by the Discovery Channel to write a two-hour documentary entitled Deadly Spree, based on a true story. His true crime writing was also featured on a one-hour episode of The Prosecutors for Court TV.
Anthony served as a national Judge for the Illinois Arts Council, writing individual evaluations for over 100 screenplays for their 2003 Writing Awards. His screenplay, Tesla’s Best Secret, was a finalist in the Alfred Sloan Fellowship for Sundance.
In addition to his own writing, Anthony has served as a freelance editor for books and book proposals that have recently sold to Hay House, Vanderwyck & Burnham, Rodale Press, and Lyons Press. He has also written book proposals for other authors who have gone on to garner publication contracts with Rodale Press, Random House, and St. Martin’s Press.
His nonfiction book Tiny Dancer St. Martin’s Press was selected by Reader’s Digest as their Editor’s Choice for August, 2005 -- their 1,000th Commemorative Issue. The book has been internationally acclaimed, and as of 2007, received Best Seller status in Italy. Kansas City Star named Tiny Dancer “one of the 100 Most Noteworthy Books of 2005.”
Anthony also edited the first two manuscripts for a new series of humorous books written by gay and straight couples, called E-Musings, which have sold to Marabout for French translation.
Anthony’s first two novels of historical fiction are from Mortalis Books at Ballantine/Random House. The first, The Last Nightingale, was released in June of 2007, with the second, The Hidden Man, published in June of 2008.
An experienced public speaker, Anthony frequently gives seminars on crime writing (brief syllabus available). He is a featured speaker on writing for writers conferences and clubs.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 20, 2009
The Hidden Man is the second book of historical fiction by Anthony Flacco. The first, The Last Nightingale, is where he introduced Detective Randall Blackburn and his adopted children Shane and Vignette Nightingale.
In the first book of this series, Flacco shows us the horrors that go on behind the scenes in San Francisco at the time of the great earthquake and fires. Nine years later in The Hidden Man, San Francisco is just beginning to recover from the devastation brought on by a cruel trick of nature.
It is against the backdrop of the preparations of the Worlds Fair that is adoptive children tangle with relationships and coming to terms with who they are in this new world. While trying to keep his family together and have a life of his own, Blackburn and Shane are summoned to the famous mesmerist James "J.D." Duncan to protect the great one from a threat only he can see.
Duncan is keenly aware that his threat could be anyone, an anonymous and innocuous passerby no one would notice. Duncan's special skills alert him the dangers of these non-descript people which lead him to hire the homicide detective to act as his personal bodyguard.
Flacco's ability to use historical fiction to take us on a ride with him is indeed exceptional. We get to see and feel what was new to those before us. His unique skill at infusing his characters with complicated personalities and unexpected response make them that more real. Flacco draws us in as we are surprised to learn that Duncan has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease by Dr. Alzheimer himself. This unexpected twist only adds to the drama and renews interest when we think we have the plot all figured out.
While The Hidden Man can stand on its own, it is that much more meaningful if one reads The Last Nightingale first. However, it is not necessary.
I highly recommend "The Hidden Man" for anyone who loves mystery, thriller, historical fiction or just a good read.
In the first book of this series, Flacco shows us the horrors that go on behind the scenes in San Francisco at the time of the great earthquake and fires. Nine years later in The Hidden Man, San Francisco is just beginning to recover from the devastation brought on by a cruel trick of nature.
It is against the backdrop of the preparations of the Worlds Fair that is adoptive children tangle with relationships and coming to terms with who they are in this new world. While trying to keep his family together and have a life of his own, Blackburn and Shane are summoned to the famous mesmerist James "J.D." Duncan to protect the great one from a threat only he can see.
Duncan is keenly aware that his threat could be anyone, an anonymous and innocuous passerby no one would notice. Duncan's special skills alert him the dangers of these non-descript people which lead him to hire the homicide detective to act as his personal bodyguard.
Flacco's ability to use historical fiction to take us on a ride with him is indeed exceptional. We get to see and feel what was new to those before us. His unique skill at infusing his characters with complicated personalities and unexpected response make them that more real. Flacco draws us in as we are surprised to learn that Duncan has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease by Dr. Alzheimer himself. This unexpected twist only adds to the drama and renews interest when we think we have the plot all figured out.
While The Hidden Man can stand on its own, it is that much more meaningful if one reads The Last Nightingale first. However, it is not necessary.
I highly recommend "The Hidden Man" for anyone who loves mystery, thriller, historical fiction or just a good read.
Currently reading
November 27, 2008Just picked this up today, and won't get to it for awhile, but in skimming a few pages I get nervous. I don't expect historical fiction to be exact in every detail, but there are a lot of words and phrases that smack of 1990-2008 rather than 1915, and I'm a little put off that the author can't seem to get the name of his central attraction correct. The 1915 San Francisco World's Fair was known as the Panama Pacific International Exposition--NOT the Pan-Pacific International Exposition(as the author refers to it). The Panama Canal having opened the year before. I'll reserve judgement, however, until I actually read this.
March 28, 2022
This second installment in the Nightingale Detective series finds Randall assigned to protect a mesmerist who not only has reason to fear for his life, is battling his own personal demon using a new and powerful drug prescribed by a famous doctor. While Randall and Shane work to keep the mesmerist alive, Vignette takes on her own investigation into Randall’s fiancé. This story is filled to the brim with action, intrigue, and enough twists to keep you hooked until that very last page, and what an ending it is. I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and chose to provide my review.
April 4, 2022
The concept for this book had so much potential but I really struggle with finding a rating for this review. I have read the first book in this series and wanted to give the series more of a chance after reading that installment. Unfortunately I have the same issues with this book that I had with that one. In my opinion, there is just too much unnecessary detail that drags down what could have been a good story. I kept thinking, “just tell the story - investigate and leave out all the excess detail and ruminating!” The author writes well, has developed unique characters and has come up with interesting storylines. Sadly, that hasn’t been enough to keep my interest.
May 28, 2017
liked that the story took place in SFO during a world fair type of exposition in 1915. characters were a little flat & not very interesting to me.
but since this bk is apparently the 2nd in a 3 part or so series which is not clear until after the story has begun, maybe it would have helped to have read book 1.
disappointed in the main character's eventual lack of integrity as a policeman & that the story was not as original or clever as the setting. but did enjoy small touches such as the character's reactions to the new technology of telephones.
but since this bk is apparently the 2nd in a 3 part or so series which is not clear until after the story has begun, maybe it would have helped to have read book 1.
disappointed in the main character's eventual lack of integrity as a policeman & that the story was not as original or clever as the setting. but did enjoy small touches such as the character's reactions to the new technology of telephones.
March 1, 2022
While I enjoy historical mysteries,
I hate stories written in the third person view.
It starts with a decent concept.
The character has a thought, then explores every possible way that thought can go.
The author cannot even get the name of the event correct
I made it through two chapters of confusion and called it enough.
I hate stories written in the third person view.
It starts with a decent concept.
The character has a thought, then explores every possible way that thought can go.
The author cannot even get the name of the event correct
I made it through two chapters of confusion and called it enough.
April 14, 2022
An excellent historical mystery, gripping and highly entertaining. It kept me hooked and guessing till the end.
I liked the well researched and vivid historical background, the fleshed out characters, and the solid mystery
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I liked the well researched and vivid historical background, the fleshed out characters, and the solid mystery
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
April 11, 2022
Detective Randall gets an assignment that isn’t so easy. With his failing health , he’s going to try to solve the problem. Definitely an intriguing story that will have you rereading it again.
April 24, 2022
Detective Randall Blackburn has been given an assignment he thinks is beneath him: bodyguard work for the famous mesmerist James "J.D." Duncan. Duncan is one of the main attractions at The Panama-Pacific International Exposition, set in a resurgent San Francisco in 1915. But not only is Duncan hiding secrets about his health that threaten to derail his career, he is being stalked across the city by a non-descript man with a deeply personal vengeance. Randall, along with his adopted son Shane Nightingale, must keep Duncan safe while grappling with corruption within his department and struggles with his new fiancé Janine and strong-willed adopted daughter Vignette. As the story unfolds, secrets are uncovered and no one's safety is guaranteed.
I really enjoyed the characters and setting of this story. The Exposition is a fun backdrop to the various plots and a personal area of interest for me. Told from multiple points of view, the dialogue for some characters can get repetitive, but overall the format works well knitting all the perspectives together.
I really enjoyed the characters and setting of this story. The Exposition is a fun backdrop to the various plots and a personal area of interest for me. Told from multiple points of view, the dialogue for some characters can get repetitive, but overall the format works well knitting all the perspectives together.
August 4, 2008
Every day we pass hundreds of people on our way through life. Some we notice and remember, but most we just pass by, forgetting them they second they disappear from our line of sight. The Hidden Man knows this, and takes advantage of being as non-descript as possible.
Famous mesmerizer James "JD" Duncan knows the dangers of these non-descript people, and hires homicide detective Randall Blackburn to act as his personal bodyguard as he settles to spend 10 months in San Francisco during the World Fair of 1919. Detective Blackburn is confused – why hire a detective to do a job that requires more brawl than brain? And why is JD in a state of panic over an attack or assassination attempt that he can’t – or won’t – tell the detective anything about?
Meanwhile Randall Blackburn has problems of his own. In the 9 years that have passed since The Last Nightingale, his two adopted children have grown up and Randall wonders if as a single father he gave especially his strong-minded daughter the direction she needed. It doesn’t help that she shows an instinctive dislike against his fiancée, whom he was otherwise counting on helping on giving his daughter the motherly advice he himself couldn’t.
Revealing any more of the plot would be a shame, as Anthony Flacco has a definite talent for spinning yarns and keeping his readers interested in the characters and universe he unfolds before them. His descriptions of Randall Blackburn and his two children were intriguing and made the characters worth of further investigation.
He would, however, have benefited from a more critical editor, as the sentences would sometimes get knotted up in themselves and require several read-throughs to untangle, and the pacing of the novel varied wildly – rushed in some places and dragging in others. Especially the three-page, very detailed description of somebody burning to death was unnecessarily drawn out. As it was the only graphical scene in the book, it could easily have been shortened or removed altogether to accommodate the more squeamish of Flacco’s readers.
Despite this The Hidden Man is still worth being picked up by anybody interested in historical suspense, and while it is the second book in a series, one can easily read it without having read The Last Nightingale.
Famous mesmerizer James "JD" Duncan knows the dangers of these non-descript people, and hires homicide detective Randall Blackburn to act as his personal bodyguard as he settles to spend 10 months in San Francisco during the World Fair of 1919. Detective Blackburn is confused – why hire a detective to do a job that requires more brawl than brain? And why is JD in a state of panic over an attack or assassination attempt that he can’t – or won’t – tell the detective anything about?
Meanwhile Randall Blackburn has problems of his own. In the 9 years that have passed since The Last Nightingale, his two adopted children have grown up and Randall wonders if as a single father he gave especially his strong-minded daughter the direction she needed. It doesn’t help that she shows an instinctive dislike against his fiancée, whom he was otherwise counting on helping on giving his daughter the motherly advice he himself couldn’t.
Revealing any more of the plot would be a shame, as Anthony Flacco has a definite talent for spinning yarns and keeping his readers interested in the characters and universe he unfolds before them. His descriptions of Randall Blackburn and his two children were intriguing and made the characters worth of further investigation.
He would, however, have benefited from a more critical editor, as the sentences would sometimes get knotted up in themselves and require several read-throughs to untangle, and the pacing of the novel varied wildly – rushed in some places and dragging in others. Especially the three-page, very detailed description of somebody burning to death was unnecessarily drawn out. As it was the only graphical scene in the book, it could easily have been shortened or removed altogether to accommodate the more squeamish of Flacco’s readers.
Despite this The Hidden Man is still worth being picked up by anybody interested in historical suspense, and while it is the second book in a series, one can easily read it without having read The Last Nightingale.
February 18, 2009
I do enjoy good Historical fiction, which the author discusses as part of the Mortalis book feature, but I felt the author had a little stronger storyline in his first book. This is the 2nd book in the Blackburn/Nightingale Family mystery series, and the setting is 9 years later, as San Francisco prepares for the Pan-Pacific exposition -- reminiscent of the Devil in the White City. However, the plot which has gone at a pretty even pace, suddenly takes a dark turn. I thought the death descriptions a bit graphic beyond necessary to understand the storyline. Wonder what others thought!
April 20, 2022
The Hidden Man is a very good second book in the series. There's mystery, deceit, and crime, but above all, there is the plain recognition by Blackburn that his small family is under threat and it remains to his actions to avoid the worst to happen. I really enjoyed reading about the discoveries and new products that are brought to the reader's attention, and how they seemed to be so awesome and are now so trivial. Good historical and crime/mystery reading!
I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.
I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.
April 25, 2022
The Hidden Man (Nightingale Detective Series Book 2), my second read from author Anthony Flacco. 320 pages of Historical Mystery/Thriller & Suspense Fiction. An enjoyabele follow-up to The Last Nightingale (Nightingale Detective Series Book 1), picking up 9 years after the end of that book. I was given a Kindle and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I look forward to reading Vengeance For All Things (Nightingale Detective Series Book 3). (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
no
January 9, 2013Apparently this is a sequel. I'm having trouble getting into it, so I'll hold off judgment until I've tried the first book. After reading the first book, I don't have any interest in finishing this one.
October 11, 2009
I tried...I really tried to finish this and to get into it because the whole preface of the book is what I really enjoy. History, mystery and strong women characters. However, I surrendered at page 200...just did not care and I have so many good things I want to read.
August 22, 2013
Like Flacco's writing. San Francisco 1915. That's cool. But now there are two characters that are disturbing, not just one as in The Last Nightingale. That's too many pages spent with with unattractive personalities. I read about 40% of the book before I quit.
July 28, 2022
Worth reading
The story had a tendency to drag on in the beginning. But I was glad I stuck with it. The last 3/4 of the story was excellent. It had a lot of excitement and real good writing. I going to get the next one in the series. I am sure I will enjoy it.
The story had a tendency to drag on in the beginning. But I was glad I stuck with it. The last 3/4 of the story was excellent. It had a lot of excitement and real good writing. I going to get the next one in the series. I am sure I will enjoy it.
May 25, 2009
Enjoyed having this novel set at the turn of the century in SF. Engaging characters. Only one twist I didn't pick up on.
April 13, 2022
Great read
Such an interesting period in America and the world's history. A really wonderful insight into those times and Sam Francisco. Heartwarming story.
Such an interesting period in America and the world's history. A really wonderful insight into those times and Sam Francisco. Heartwarming story.
April 12, 2017
Really hard to get into and it was hard to get to like the characters .
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews