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The Last Nightingale
As a bloodthirsty serial killer stalks his victims in the fiery ruins of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, a police detective hunting him teams up with a pair of adolescent orphans.
Suspenseful · Chilling · Emotional · Historical Thriller · Detective Mystery
It’s 1906, and people from across the country are flocking to San Francisco, a growing center of industry and culture. But to some, the city is a place of unspeakable sin, and the Great Earthquake is seen as a day of reckoning for the immoral masses.
In the quake’s aftermath, another type of disaster strikes twelve-year old Shane Nightingale. Hiding in a closet for two days, he witnesses the violent deaths of his adoptive family at the hands of a twisted serial killer.
Sergeant Randall Blackburn is an honest police detective determined to track down the murderer. As Sergeant Blackburn’s work takes him through the ruins of the city, he spots the traumatized Shane Nightingale, and begins watching out for him. Soon Blackburn’s fate is linked with the cunning Shane and his scrappy orphan friend, ten year-old Vignette.
But despite Sergeant Blackburn’s protection, Shane is far from safe in the streets of the ravaged city. The killer is dead set on finishing the job—and won’t rest until the last Nightingale follows his family into the grave.
_____________________
Praise for New York Times bestselling author Anthony Flacco’s The Last Nightingale:
“…Dickens meets Hannibal Lecter. Brace yourself.” —Booklist
"...gripping and completely original…will raise the hair on the back of your neck.” —William Bernhardt, author of Capitol Threat
“Every historical mystery tries to hone in on the ideal setting at the perfect moment in time. Anthony Flacco succeeds on both counts in his first novel." —Marilyn Stasio, NY Times Book Review
"...leaves you anxiously awaiting the next installment." —The Freelance Star
"...offers an abundance of those page-turning pleasures readers seek in historical thrillers: a time-trip through a richly imagined past, a story that never loosens its suspenseful grip, and a fascinating look at the roots of modern forensic science." —Harold Schechter, author of The Serial Killer Files
“Atmospheric, chilling, and with more twists and turns than crooked Lombard Street. The Last Nightingale has it all. I couldn’t put it down.” —Cara Black, author of Murder On The Ile Saint-Louis
Suspenseful · Chilling · Emotional · Historical Thriller · Detective Mystery
It’s 1906, and people from across the country are flocking to San Francisco, a growing center of industry and culture. But to some, the city is a place of unspeakable sin, and the Great Earthquake is seen as a day of reckoning for the immoral masses.
In the quake’s aftermath, another type of disaster strikes twelve-year old Shane Nightingale. Hiding in a closet for two days, he witnesses the violent deaths of his adoptive family at the hands of a twisted serial killer.
Sergeant Randall Blackburn is an honest police detective determined to track down the murderer. As Sergeant Blackburn’s work takes him through the ruins of the city, he spots the traumatized Shane Nightingale, and begins watching out for him. Soon Blackburn’s fate is linked with the cunning Shane and his scrappy orphan friend, ten year-old Vignette.
But despite Sergeant Blackburn’s protection, Shane is far from safe in the streets of the ravaged city. The killer is dead set on finishing the job—and won’t rest until the last Nightingale follows his family into the grave.
_____________________
Praise for New York Times bestselling author Anthony Flacco’s The Last Nightingale:
“…Dickens meets Hannibal Lecter. Brace yourself.” —Booklist
"...gripping and completely original…will raise the hair on the back of your neck.” —William Bernhardt, author of Capitol Threat
“Every historical mystery tries to hone in on the ideal setting at the perfect moment in time. Anthony Flacco succeeds on both counts in his first novel." —Marilyn Stasio, NY Times Book Review
"...leaves you anxiously awaiting the next installment." —The Freelance Star
"...offers an abundance of those page-turning pleasures readers seek in historical thrillers: a time-trip through a richly imagined past, a story that never loosens its suspenseful grip, and a fascinating look at the roots of modern forensic science." —Harold Schechter, author of The Serial Killer Files
“Atmospheric, chilling, and with more twists and turns than crooked Lombard Street. The Last Nightingale has it all. I couldn’t put it down.” —Cara Black, author of Murder On The Ile Saint-Louis
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 12, 2007
85 people are currently reading
233 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 - 30 of 56 reviews
March 4, 2022
My first time reading this author and I was kept riveted. This book read very different than most other thrillers.
Sergeant Blackburn and Shane Nightingale. Two unlikely partners when it comes to solving crimes. Shane Nightingale is only 12 and the sole survivor and witness to the brutal killings of his adoptive family.
Thank you NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Full review on:
https://bookwormbombreviews.blogspot....
Sergeant Blackburn and Shane Nightingale. Two unlikely partners when it comes to solving crimes. Shane Nightingale is only 12 and the sole survivor and witness to the brutal killings of his adoptive family.
Thank you NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Full review on:
https://bookwormbombreviews.blogspot....
February 7, 2016
The strengths of "The Last Nightingale" by Anthony Flacco are not what you'd expect from a murder mystery based around a serial killer named "The Surgeon." The two greatest advantages this book has are its period setting (the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire) and the relationship between two of the main characters, Sergeant Randall Blackburn and Shane Nightingale, a 12-year old boy who becomes the unexpected target of the killer's next thrill. The relationship that develops between the two loners-Sergeant Blackburn and Shane-is the real heart of the story. Each helps the other out in a city of wandering ghosts, people so devastated by what has happened to the city and their lives that they can hardly look beyond their own grief and ruined lives to help another.
Author Anthony Flacco makes a big impression with his opening descriptions of the 1906 quake and subsequent fires. He tells this so convincingly that, as readers, we can begin to imagine what the city and the earthquake's chaos must feel like. The first attack by "The Surgeon" is set amidst this chaos, and Shane Nightingale is there to witness the horror, unbeknownst to the killer. This, of course, makes him a target later in the story. Through Shane's eyes we see the individual heartache that both the serial killer and the earthquake have wrought.
Through the eyes of Sergeant Blackburn, we see the city's problems at the administrative level: coping with the physical destruction, the loss of life, raging fires, the possibility of the spread of disease, and the continuing challenges of policing a wayward city. His quest is one man's journey to do his job to the best of his ability while entrenched in his own grief.
Shane and the Sergeant meet under the most unusual of circumstances, but we feel it's fated from the beginning of the story. This relationship is very strong and the most interesting one in the story. The serial killer was a lot less interesting by comparison. Although the author throws a few twists and turns in the story in an attempt to jolt us with the unexpected, for me, it felt a little flat.
Those who know and love San Francisco (I used to live there) will find themselves following along familiar streets and neighborhoods in the story. The description of the earthquake and its aftermath are powerfully done as well. However, I think that the weakest link in the story is that of the serial killer. There's still much to enjoy about the book, and it's a quick (if gruesome) read.
Author Anthony Flacco makes a big impression with his opening descriptions of the 1906 quake and subsequent fires. He tells this so convincingly that, as readers, we can begin to imagine what the city and the earthquake's chaos must feel like. The first attack by "The Surgeon" is set amidst this chaos, and Shane Nightingale is there to witness the horror, unbeknownst to the killer. This, of course, makes him a target later in the story. Through Shane's eyes we see the individual heartache that both the serial killer and the earthquake have wrought.
Through the eyes of Sergeant Blackburn, we see the city's problems at the administrative level: coping with the physical destruction, the loss of life, raging fires, the possibility of the spread of disease, and the continuing challenges of policing a wayward city. His quest is one man's journey to do his job to the best of his ability while entrenched in his own grief.
Shane and the Sergeant meet under the most unusual of circumstances, but we feel it's fated from the beginning of the story. This relationship is very strong and the most interesting one in the story. The serial killer was a lot less interesting by comparison. Although the author throws a few twists and turns in the story in an attempt to jolt us with the unexpected, for me, it felt a little flat.
Those who know and love San Francisco (I used to live there) will find themselves following along familiar streets and neighborhoods in the story. The description of the earthquake and its aftermath are powerfully done as well. However, I think that the weakest link in the story is that of the serial killer. There's still much to enjoy about the book, and it's a quick (if gruesome) read.
September 10, 2008
Stars out well enough, but rapidly degenerates. The writing is clumsy and trite, and the big bad villain is ridiculously mincing and melodramatic - far too so to actually take seriously. The main character, Sgt. Blackburn, I have no quarrel with. And the secondary hero and title character, Shane Nightingale, is also fine. But with the exception of the orphan girl Shane befriends and a few of the padres at the Mission, every other character is flat, 2-dimensional, stereotypical, and worst of all, boring. Flacco left a few things unfinished, as well, and I really detest loose threads. If you're going to introduce a detail or plotline, fully explore it and finish it. Don't just toss it at me because you think it'll be horrifying. Even red herrings need to be wrapped up. I'd call this more a novel of when-the-hell-will-it-end more than one of suspense. I won't bother with another of Flacco's books.
March 10, 2022
By turns horrifying and heart rending, this powerful novel is hard to put down. While the plot and characters are interesting, the torture & murder scenes were a bit graphic for my taste…downright gruesome, in fact. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.
November 10, 2009
it was just intriguing enough to keep reading but it was
boring
boring
March 12, 2022
This is a book that is being re-released by the fine folks at Severn River Publishing (and being on Andrew Watt's Advance Review team certainly helps), and I was contacted (along with other members of the ARC team) and provided the opportunity to read the book prior to it being re-released and to provide an editorial review of the book as well as point out any potential areas of concern.
This book is an exciting police/crime thriller set in 1906 in the environs of the Sam Francisco earthquake, where the reader is introduced to and sees the attempts to catch a serial killer, known as The Surgeon.
The chief investigator is a beat cop (Sergeant Blackborn), working the graveyard shift along the Barboury Coast (which I assume is the part of San Franciso located down around the docks/harbourfront). As an aside, this novel briefly describes how how the "political" nature of the job had its hooks in how shift assignments were doled out (those officers with the right connections did not work the "bad" shifts and those who did not know the right people were given the shifts in the dangerous parts of town).
Sgt. Blackborn is a beat cop working the graveyard shift and is brought to the attention of his superiors after solving the murder of a connected socialite, freeing from imprisonment his mistress and helping to convict his wife, with the assistance of a twelve year old from the local orphanage (utilizing the power of a unique insight).
This twelve year old comes to the attention of the sergeant following the grisly murder of the family of a local merchant.
The twists and turns of this book would definitely be enjoyed by crime readers of all stripes, as this book is set in the environs of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.
When it came to giving this book a review, I decided that based upon the introduction of strong characters and taking into account the era that it was set in (which I really enjoyed), that this book would be worthy of a strong 4.25 stars out of 5 (which with Goodreads.com rounds down to a 4).
As with all reviews, this is just my five cents worth.
This book is an exciting police/crime thriller set in 1906 in the environs of the Sam Francisco earthquake, where the reader is introduced to and sees the attempts to catch a serial killer, known as The Surgeon.
The chief investigator is a beat cop (Sergeant Blackborn), working the graveyard shift along the Barboury Coast (which I assume is the part of San Franciso located down around the docks/harbourfront). As an aside, this novel briefly describes how how the "political" nature of the job had its hooks in how shift assignments were doled out (those officers with the right connections did not work the "bad" shifts and those who did not know the right people were given the shifts in the dangerous parts of town).
Sgt. Blackborn is a beat cop working the graveyard shift and is brought to the attention of his superiors after solving the murder of a connected socialite, freeing from imprisonment his mistress and helping to convict his wife, with the assistance of a twelve year old from the local orphanage (utilizing the power of a unique insight).
This twelve year old comes to the attention of the sergeant following the grisly murder of the family of a local merchant.
The twists and turns of this book would definitely be enjoyed by crime readers of all stripes, as this book is set in the environs of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.
When it came to giving this book a review, I decided that based upon the introduction of strong characters and taking into account the era that it was set in (which I really enjoyed), that this book would be worthy of a strong 4.25 stars out of 5 (which with Goodreads.com rounds down to a 4).
As with all reviews, this is just my five cents worth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2022
The Last Nightingale by Anthony Flacco is a wonderful book, taking place during the San Francisco earthquake in the early twentieth century. Its two main characters are a police sergeant, Randall Blackburn, whose career had stalled for some reason and he was relegated to the night shift in the worst part of town; the other important character is a twelve-year-old, Shane Nightingale, the only survivor of a family presumed to have been killed in the earthquake. Only Shane, and one other know that was not the case. It had been murder. This read is not for the faint-hearted. There are some things that are described that are gut-wrenching and well as totally immoral, but Flacco handles them with ease. Shane comes to Blackburn's attention when he sends the solution to a murder case on a piece of paper torn from the newspaper. Blackburn then needs to explore who this person is. He learns a lot.
I am not sure why I connected so strongly with the book. It was a decent mystery, although we saw the crime from varying points of view. It was full of fear, and some serious mental illness, not to mention profiteering at its worst. Flacco built strong characters without over sharing. There was some serious larceny in one of the characters but she became endearing as well. The funniest part was when a woman manipulated her "jailer" and upon her release turned him in for his part in the scenario. I loved this book.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Last Nightingale by Severn River Publishing, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine! #netgalley #severnriverpublishing #anthonyflacco #thelastnightingale
I am not sure why I connected so strongly with the book. It was a decent mystery, although we saw the crime from varying points of view. It was full of fear, and some serious mental illness, not to mention profiteering at its worst. Flacco built strong characters without over sharing. There was some serious larceny in one of the characters but she became endearing as well. The funniest part was when a woman manipulated her "jailer" and upon her release turned him in for his part in the scenario. I loved this book.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Last Nightingale by Severn River Publishing, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine! #netgalley #severnriverpublishing #anthonyflacco #thelastnightingale
March 19, 2022
The Last Nightingale is a 12 year old boy, Shane, adopted by the Nightingale family from a home for orphans and delinquents run by a less than honorable Friar and his helpers. The novel opens in 1906 as the Great Earthquake devastates San Francisco. Shane is shut up in the pantry while a crazy man violently tortures and murders his adoptive mother and sisters, chattering the whole time and leaving their bodies under furniture so that it looks like the earthquake got them. Neither of them know this, but Shane has a momentous encounter with Sergeant Blackburn and a series of odd and unexpected events with throw them together in the city just moving along day to day in the aftermath of devastation. Shane was traumatized by the murders and by his own failure to come out of hiding and trying to save his family. Flacco creates a wonderful group of characters remaining in the decimated police department. Blackburn is the guy who makes others bad by actually working hard at his job, so he is forced to work midnights in the unsavory Barbary Coast neighborhood. No one is sure how the various acts of graft and corruption will continue. A wealthy orphan with some very strange proclivities is planning his next moves against perceived enemies.. A girl from the orphanage remembers Shane and now knows he survived. Can she find him? The underbelly of the city comes alive as do the necessary machinations for those in power to right the system and restore the status quo. The writing is atmospheric and paints a fascinating story of loss and poverty and crime that goes on because it is opportunistic to accelerate when no one is watching. Great story, well plotted. Stayed up till 3 am to finish on Day Light Savings night. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
February 28, 2022
I enjoyed reading The Last Nightingale and I hope there will be the next book to continue telling the story of Blackburn, Shane, and Vignette, now, together as a family. The beginning of the story describes the big earthquake that almost completely destroyed San Francisco, and the writing just left me flabbergasted. Flacco's experience in the movies certainly helped to put that scene together in words! The story is full of dead-end leads, twists, and turns until the culprit is found. Shane's and Vignette's characters are endearing and they mix childish and grown-ups traits which might be real provided one had to live under such difficult conditions as they did in this story. If you enjoy reading historical novels, with lots of action, familial love, and search for an assassin, this is a book to buy and enjoy!
March 15, 2022
April 18, 1906 and Sgt. Blackburn of the SFPD has more than he can handle. It is the day of The Great San Francisco earthquake and there is a serial killer on the loose. Finding order through all the chaos, will not be easy. Among those that lost loved ones that day was 12 yr old Shane Nightingale, whose adopted family. They were murdered. Their deaths were attributed to the earthquake. Shane funds his way to a mission, so he is safe, for now. When former Navy Captain Harlin Sullivan is murdered, his mistress is immediately arrested. Reading the account in the paper, Shane doesn’t think so. He shares his idea with Sgt Blackburn and the real murderer is caught. Can Shane help catch the serial killer too? This was an excellent story and a very enjoyable read!.
March 15, 2022
The Last Nightingale is my first exposure to Anthony Flacco’s writing, and after reading this story I’m looking forward to reading the next offering in this series. Me Flacco crafted a story around the San Francisco earthquake and a serial killer who takes advantage of the confusion to ply his trade. Along with the serial killer, there are a cast of characters who are well developed and easily believable, each subject to their own personal issues. If you enjoy detective stories that involve misdirection, flawed characters and a story line that will keep you engrossed in the story, grab a copy, and settle in for an enjoyable session. I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher and chose to provide this review.
March 11, 2022
San Francisco. The police have been chasing a killer they have named The Surgeon because of what she does to the victims. But now the city has been devastated by the 1906 earthquakes. In the aftermath a killer invades the home of the Nightingales, and tortures and kills the occupants except for the hiding Shane. Soon Sergeant Randall Blackburn and orphan Shane help each other. Can the killers been caught.
A slow-paced and entertaining historical mystery with its likeable main characters. A good start to this new series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A slow-paced and entertaining historical mystery with its likeable main characters. A good start to this new series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2022
The Last Nightingale (Nightingale Detective Series Book 1), my first read from author Anthony Flacco. 304 pages of Historical Mystery/Thriller & Suspense Fiction. A bit slow to start, but picked up the pace over the early pages leaving you wanting more bu book's end. I was given a copy of The Hidden Man (Nightingale Detective Series Book 2) and wanted to read book 1 first so I went to Kindle Unlimited & got it, and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I look forward to reading more from this author(RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
January 29, 2023
Disturbing and heinous!
The book starts very interestingly about the 1906 earthquake and subsequent inferno! I felt able to experience the energy from the quake, the terror and aftermath!
However the vile nature of the serial killer and his depraved actions revolted me! The descriptions were unnecessarily vivid! SPOILER, especially the plague!
The children and the policeman was very interesting and really made the story worthwhile!
I was very disappointed after reading all the rave reviews! I usually enjoy historical fiction, but I wish I could unread The Last Nightingale!
The book starts very interestingly about the 1906 earthquake and subsequent inferno! I felt able to experience the energy from the quake, the terror and aftermath!
However the vile nature of the serial killer and his depraved actions revolted me! The descriptions were unnecessarily vivid! SPOILER, especially the plague!
The children and the policeman was very interesting and really made the story worthwhile!
I was very disappointed after reading all the rave reviews! I usually enjoy historical fiction, but I wish I could unread The Last Nightingale!
February 13, 2022
I really enjoyed the setting of The Last Nightingale by Anthony Flacco. I grew up in the Bay Area and worked in San Francisco, so I knew some described areas. The mystery was done well and sometimes hard to read. What was tedious about the book was the amount of exposition. It seemed to drag the story along at times.
Overall, The Last Nightingale kept my interest for the most part and had a good mystery and story to tell. I would consider reading more from this author.
#TheLastNightingale #NetGalley
Overall, The Last Nightingale kept my interest for the most part and had a good mystery and story to tell. I would consider reading more from this author.
#TheLastNightingale #NetGalley
March 14, 2022
The setting of the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake was interesting and the characterization of the the two main characters (Shane and Blackburn) was good. The storyline of hunting a serial killer in the chaos of post earthquake San Francisco was also good. It was just too wordy and had detail that ended up being unnecessary to further the story. This causes a story to drag and not hold the reader’s attention as it should. I would consider this to be a good book that could have been better by eliminating unnecessary detail.
March 30, 2022
The 1906, Great San Francisco earthquake starts this novel off. The description of the earthquake was very realistic. The story of a serial killer, a child witness to murder of his adopted family, and a veteran Sam Francisco police Sergeant who had been pursuing the serial killer, named "The Surgeon" since before the earthquake.
Once all the characters had been introduced in the story the general outcome of the story was easy to predict. How the author took the story to the end was an interesting twist to read.
Once all the characters had been introduced in the story the general outcome of the story was easy to predict. How the author took the story to the end was an interesting twist to read.
July 6, 2018
The Last Nightingale is set in San Francisco at the time of the Great Earthquake. A serial killer is roaming the streets and the police believe it is a female prostitute exacting revenge upon the johns. Two children are caught up in the serial killer's diabolical plans which are thwarted by the boy and a dedicated police officer.
The book covers the historical San Francisco while delivering a solid plot and mystery that is worth taking the time to read. Good book.
The book covers the historical San Francisco while delivering a solid plot and mystery that is worth taking the time to read. Good book.
March 15, 2022
Fascinating! This well written story opens with the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the gruesome aftermath. Shane Nightingale witnesses the brutal slaying of his family but among the wreckage their deaths are attributed to the earthquake. Sergeant Blackburn whose beat is the crime filled Barbary coast is chasing a serial killer dubbed the Surgeon. These two wonderfully written characters cross paths and the results are startling to say the least. This novel has it all; greed, corruption, suspense and a truly creepy serial killer.
March 15, 2022
The night the Nightingale women were killed, Shane could only hide, his fear was overwhelming. Still, he felt guilty because these were the very people who adopted him, how could he not help? Tommie Kimborough was a sadist, a transvestite, a monster. Sgt. Blackburn lived only for work - he lost his wife and baby daughter when the baby was born. This is a whirlpool of madness, grief and, finally, hope. Highly Recommended.
March 15, 2022
I enjoyed the story. Set in 1906 after the great earthquake in San Francisco, a serial killer is killing people and making it look like the earthquake was at fault. I liked Sergeant Blackburn and Shane, the only witness to murder. they found each other and team up to stop the killer. This setting was well researched and added to the story. I received a free advance copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving my review.
November 23, 2020
Una historia que mantiene el interes mientras muestra la durisima vida del joven protagonista en los albores del siglo pasado. El joven Shane logra ayudar con mucha intuicion y nada de tecnologia a resolver una serie de crimenes al lado de su fiel amigo el Sargento Blackburn.
April 15, 2022
Well written
The author created a good story but it became bogged down with too much trivia. Unlike Ben Porter’s action in False Assurances, Threat Bias, Subversive Addiction and I just received book four, Vital Deception!!!
The author created a good story but it became bogged down with too much trivia. Unlike Ben Porter’s action in False Assurances, Threat Bias, Subversive Addiction and I just received book four, Vital Deception!!!
May 15, 2022
It was very slow at the beginning. At the half way mark it got very good. I liked the interaction between the police officer and the children. I'm going to give the second volume a shot. This one is well worth the read.
Want to read
October 28, 2019Synopsis: San Francisco, 1906. The Great Earthquake. At the same time, 12-year-old Shane witnesses the murder of his family by a serial killer.
March 15, 2022
An amazing suspenseful, scary story that will keep you intrigued. A serial killer with blood on his mind. How will he be found and how will everyone survive this. A superb beginning to a new series.
April 5, 2022
A great story that was suspenseful, bizarre, a kind soul and desperate children. I’ll be following this author
June 26, 2024
A pretty creepy bad guy.
February 27, 2017
I really liked the two main characters in Anthony Flacco's novel, The Last Nightingale: 12 year old Shane Nightingale and police sergeant Blackburn. And I liked his historical descriptions of San Francisco during and after the Great Earthquake of 1906. However, my low rating is due to the extreme discomfort I experienced every time a child was tortured and killed in his story. If I had known in advance of his detailed descriptions of slow and sadistic murders of such innocents, I would not have purchased this book.
February 28, 2010
---A Cop, A Kid, and An Earthquake---
Anthony Flacco’s The Last Nightingale is the first installment in a historical suspense series featuring San Francisco’s policeman Randall Blackburn and a 12 year old orphan named Shane Nightingale, that together match minds to catch a serial killer terrorizing the town during the heyday era of the city’s infamous shady section called the Barbary Coast.
While the city shivers and shakes during it’s worst earthquake in 1906, adopted Shane Nightingale is hiding in a pantry closet. He is not there to protect himself from the quake, he is silently imprisoned, frightened to breathe as an unknown killer is just outside that door hideously murdering his family. For almost two days Shane is held captive behind the door, afraid to come out due to his own fear that the murderer is still there, and out of shame for not coming to the rescue as his mother and sisters were brutally slain. But as the earthquake’s fires creep up to Shane’s home, he is forced to leave the shelter of his pantry closet and venture out, do or die before he is trapped in the flames.
Sergeant Randall Blackburn is on a serious murder case, attempting to hunt and track down the elusive Surgeon, a perp that appears to be a woman hell-bent on slicing and dicing the good men of San Francisco. Told by his superiors to find this killer or else, circumstances have Blackburn introduced to the adorable and charming Shane Nightingale, a boy with talented deductive skills that would have Sherlock Holmes turning on his heels in wonder.
The complex plot that offers up unforeseen twists and turns that involve who the murderer is, the strange motive, and the shocking truth as to how Shane is related, allows this fabulous suspense novel to keep the reader glued to the page from start to finish without coming up for air. There is not a lot of action here, and I wouldn’t say the level of suspense was of the “on the edge of your seat” variety, yet this is still an excellent novel offering up a ingenious story of crime blended with a history lesson of early San Francisco and a cast of loveable characters that will return in the sequel The Hidden Man. I found this literary mystery both frightening and charming, and I eagerly await reading the next installment. Full ranking of five stars!
Anthony Flacco’s The Last Nightingale is the first installment in a historical suspense series featuring San Francisco’s policeman Randall Blackburn and a 12 year old orphan named Shane Nightingale, that together match minds to catch a serial killer terrorizing the town during the heyday era of the city’s infamous shady section called the Barbary Coast.
While the city shivers and shakes during it’s worst earthquake in 1906, adopted Shane Nightingale is hiding in a pantry closet. He is not there to protect himself from the quake, he is silently imprisoned, frightened to breathe as an unknown killer is just outside that door hideously murdering his family. For almost two days Shane is held captive behind the door, afraid to come out due to his own fear that the murderer is still there, and out of shame for not coming to the rescue as his mother and sisters were brutally slain. But as the earthquake’s fires creep up to Shane’s home, he is forced to leave the shelter of his pantry closet and venture out, do or die before he is trapped in the flames.
Sergeant Randall Blackburn is on a serious murder case, attempting to hunt and track down the elusive Surgeon, a perp that appears to be a woman hell-bent on slicing and dicing the good men of San Francisco. Told by his superiors to find this killer or else, circumstances have Blackburn introduced to the adorable and charming Shane Nightingale, a boy with talented deductive skills that would have Sherlock Holmes turning on his heels in wonder.
The complex plot that offers up unforeseen twists and turns that involve who the murderer is, the strange motive, and the shocking truth as to how Shane is related, allows this fabulous suspense novel to keep the reader glued to the page from start to finish without coming up for air. There is not a lot of action here, and I wouldn’t say the level of suspense was of the “on the edge of your seat” variety, yet this is still an excellent novel offering up a ingenious story of crime blended with a history lesson of early San Francisco and a cast of loveable characters that will return in the sequel The Hidden Man. I found this literary mystery both frightening and charming, and I eagerly await reading the next installment. Full ranking of five stars!
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