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Blind Side
A famous photographer--unable, due to a trauma, to photograph people--gets caught in a web of blackmail, romance and double-crosses in this taut psychological thriller by the bestselling author of Switch and Pattern Crimes.
321 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
About the author
William Bayer
57 books27 followersWILLIAM BAYER is the author of nineteen fiction and non-fiction books. Thirteen of his novels are now available in ebook and audiobook editions. His books have been published in fourteen foreign languages. Two of his novels, Switch and Pattern Crimes, were New York Times best sellers.
Bill was born in Cleveland, Ohio, son of an attorney-father and screenwriter-mother ( Eleanor Perry). He was educated at Phillips Exeter and Harvard where he majored in art history. His Harvard honors thesis was an analysis of a single painting by Paul Gauguin: “D’où venons-nous? Que sommes-nous? Où allons-nous?” For six years he served in Washington, Vietnam and New York as an officer with the U. S. Information Agency. He has been a grantee of The American Film Institute and The National Endowment of the Arts.
His novels have won the following awards: Peregrine (The Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel, aka “The Edgar”); Switch, (the French Prix Mystère de la Critique); Mirror Maze, (the French Le Grand Prix Calibre 38); The Magician’s Tale (The Lambda Literary Award for Best Mystery); The Dream Of The Broken Horses (the French Prix Mystère de la Critique).
His novel, Switch, was the source for seven television movies, including two four-hour mini-series. In all of them the main character, NYPD Detective Frank Janek, was played by the actor Richard Crenna. All seven movies were broadcast nationally by CBS in prime time.
Bayer is married to food writer, Paula Wolfert. They have lived in Paris, New York, Connecticut, Tangier (Morocco), and San Francisco. They currently reside in the Sonoma Valley, an area North of San Francisco which Jack London called “The Valley of the Moon.”
Bill was born in Cleveland, Ohio, son of an attorney-father and screenwriter-mother ( Eleanor Perry). He was educated at Phillips Exeter and Harvard where he majored in art history. His Harvard honors thesis was an analysis of a single painting by Paul Gauguin: “D’où venons-nous? Que sommes-nous? Où allons-nous?” For six years he served in Washington, Vietnam and New York as an officer with the U. S. Information Agency. He has been a grantee of The American Film Institute and The National Endowment of the Arts.
His novels have won the following awards: Peregrine (The Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel, aka “The Edgar”); Switch, (the French Prix Mystère de la Critique); Mirror Maze, (the French Le Grand Prix Calibre 38); The Magician’s Tale (The Lambda Literary Award for Best Mystery); The Dream Of The Broken Horses (the French Prix Mystère de la Critique).
His novel, Switch, was the source for seven television movies, including two four-hour mini-series. In all of them the main character, NYPD Detective Frank Janek, was played by the actor Richard Crenna. All seven movies were broadcast nationally by CBS in prime time.
Bayer is married to food writer, Paula Wolfert. They have lived in Paris, New York, Connecticut, Tangier (Morocco), and San Francisco. They currently reside in the Sonoma Valley, an area North of San Francisco which Jack London called “The Valley of the Moon.”
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 27, 2016
A pitch perfect noir entry.
And also,
an insightful look into the human psyche. How they would haggle and kill for so little, sometimes for money and sometimes even for so little money. Especially when they don't need it.
August 21, 2026
Traumatized after witnessing a Vietnam War atrocity (from which he took a photograph that made his career) and no longer able to photograph people, New York photographer Geoffrey Barnett meets a woman with whom he develops a strong relationship before drawing him into an evil plot that threatens to ensnare him.
Published in 1989, I bought my 1991 Coronet edition in Corfu in 1992 and read it on that holiday, but haven’t touched it since. So when I decided to revisit it, after 34 years (how can that be?!?), I didn’t remember anything about it. Which worked well, because it’s densely plotted and complicated but hugely good fun too. When Geoffrey meets slinky young actress Kimberly Yates, he’s attracted to her and she to him and, while taking photographs (and in between their love-making), he re-discovers his ability to take a portrait. Then Kim disappears, along with her room-mate, who is found murdered. It appears Kim was caught up in a sleazy S&M ring, filled with aspiring actresses, paid by a rich property developer whose kink includes breaking bones and Geoff is being implicated. Discovering a Cleveland number on his phone bill, he tracks down an old friend of Kim’s and then discovers his girl in Key West. Throw in Frank, Geoff’s old Special Forces buddy and the scene is set for an unpleasant end to a spot of blackmail. Told with a dry sense that echoes the film noirs of the forties Geoff introduces Kim to, this has a good pace, a nice sense of sleaze, a great sense of New York while it was still a bit wild and a good eye for location. Yes, it’s very well layered – one character says, “It’s so fucking Byzantine, Geof. Double crosses within double crosses within one enormous fucking double cross” – and, after a while, you don’t know who’s innocent and who isn’t. I really enjoyed this and, probably, won’t leave it 34 years before I re-read it! Very much recommended.
Published in 1989, I bought my 1991 Coronet edition in Corfu in 1992 and read it on that holiday, but haven’t touched it since. So when I decided to revisit it, after 34 years (how can that be?!?), I didn’t remember anything about it. Which worked well, because it’s densely plotted and complicated but hugely good fun too. When Geoffrey meets slinky young actress Kimberly Yates, he’s attracted to her and she to him and, while taking photographs (and in between their love-making), he re-discovers his ability to take a portrait. Then Kim disappears, along with her room-mate, who is found murdered. It appears Kim was caught up in a sleazy S&M ring, filled with aspiring actresses, paid by a rich property developer whose kink includes breaking bones and Geoff is being implicated. Discovering a Cleveland number on his phone bill, he tracks down an old friend of Kim’s and then discovers his girl in Key West. Throw in Frank, Geoff’s old Special Forces buddy and the scene is set for an unpleasant end to a spot of blackmail. Told with a dry sense that echoes the film noirs of the forties Geoff introduces Kim to, this has a good pace, a nice sense of sleaze, a great sense of New York while it was still a bit wild and a good eye for location. Yes, it’s very well layered – one character says, “It’s so fucking Byzantine, Geof. Double crosses within double crosses within one enormous fucking double cross” – and, after a while, you don’t know who’s innocent and who isn’t. I really enjoyed this and, probably, won’t leave it 34 years before I re-read it! Very much recommended.
July 4, 2012
This book was a very great read. You never knew who was lying in this story until the end. The crimes committed in the book were many. I won't give the story away, but it was a great story. The characters in the book were very good. The sexual situations in the book led to the crimes which were many. It was a very quick read for me and I am a slow reader but was able to finish it in two days. I loved this book and will probably read more books by this author.
December 20, 2024
Picked this book up in a cruise. Hated it in the beginning but kept on reading because I needed something to read by the pool. Ended was good. All the double crossing caught me off guard. Most of the characters sucked, but I think that was on purpose by the author which I can respect. I’d give this book more of a 3.5 because it got better as you read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2013
Very good book. Kept me on my toes.
March 6, 2011
I picked this out of my libray,,had it for years writhen 1989 .. till last night
really good....
blackmail..sex.. who's your friend...
Good reading.........keeps you in the ?????
Gene.......
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews