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Weiss & Bishop #3
Damnation Street
They are two sworn enemies with a single a woman on the run from them both. Scott Weiss is a private detective. John Foy is a professional killer. The woman is Julie Wyant, a hooker with the face of an angel.
Julie spent one night with Foy—a night of psychopathic cruelty that Foy called love. Desperate to get away from him, she vanished without a trace. And Foy wants her back.
There’s only one man who can find Weiss, the best locate operative in the business. She’s begged him not to look for her, fearing he’ll bring the killer in his wake. But Weiss can’t stay away.
Now, from a town called Paradise, through a wilderness that feels like hell, Weiss searches for Julie—and the killer follows, waiting for his chance.
They are two expert hunters matching move for move—until it ends on Damnation Street.
Julie spent one night with Foy—a night of psychopathic cruelty that Foy called love. Desperate to get away from him, she vanished without a trace. And Foy wants her back.
There’s only one man who can find Weiss, the best locate operative in the business. She’s begged him not to look for her, fearing he’ll bring the killer in his wake. But Weiss can’t stay away.
Now, from a town called Paradise, through a wilderness that feels like hell, Weiss searches for Julie—and the killer follows, waiting for his chance.
They are two expert hunters matching move for move—until it ends on Damnation Street.
319 pages, Hardcover
First published April 5, 2005
38 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Klavan
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
September 14, 2022
A great conclusion to Klavan's Weiss and Bishop trilogy. Klavan is a terrific writer. His mysteries are full of complex characters, fast-paced action, excellent plotting and just the right amount of clever humor. He is one of my favorite mystery writers.
March 10, 2023
The author, Andrew Klavan spoke in a first-person narrative, just as in the second book of the series, Shotgun Alley. Scott Weiss is a private detective. John Foy, the Shadowman is a professional killer. Foy met Julie Wyant, a hooker, spent the evening with her, and then she disappeared. Foy was obsessed with the woman. He had to find her. Weiss was determined to find Foy before Foy found Julie. Jim Bishop, an ex-operative of Scott Weiss’s detective agency, following his conscience, wanted to protect Weiss from Foy. Andrew Klavan, a new hire in Scott Weiss’s detective agency, posed as the narrator. Inexplicably, Andrew was hired to find the daughter of Patrick McNair, an English professor at Berkley. The daughter, Emma, a student at Berkley, who Andrew was in love with. In the end, they would all meet face to face. As before, the telling of the story is complex, poetic, dark, and very compelling as it draws you in. Outstanding.
June 9, 2022
Not a bad crime novel. The Shadow Man was a fascinating antagonist. His back story was purposefully vague; his persona, sinister. Weiss and Bishop are compelling characters. Several criticisms:
1. The character of Julie was thinly written. For such an important character, she's really a non entity. Also, I saw her twist 50 pages before it was revealed.
2. I didn't really need the narrator to be involved as a character. And when he's revealed as such, it's a bit awkward and feels taped on.
3. I found that the final Bishop sequence was a bit unnecessary and disrupted the flow.
Overall, a good story. Part of a trilogy. If you like crime novels, this might be one for you.
1. The character of Julie was thinly written. For such an important character, she's really a non entity. Also, I saw her twist 50 pages before it was revealed.
2. I didn't really need the narrator to be involved as a character. And when he's revealed as such, it's a bit awkward and feels taped on.
3. I found that the final Bishop sequence was a bit unnecessary and disrupted the flow.
Overall, a good story. Part of a trilogy. If you like crime novels, this might be one for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2022
I jumped straight into this book after reading Klavan's The Great Good Thing. I clearly missed something, however, since I didn't realize this was the third book of the series. Thankfully, it wasn't too hard to pick up where the other books left off, even if the book didn't leave me completely satisfied.
Weiss is an honorable and respected PI who always does the right thing. Bishop is a tough badass who's trying to stay on the straight and narrow. Julie is a hooker with a heart of gold. There's nothing original about this book's characters or about the plot itself, but it's a reasonably enjoyable read. At times I was excited to get back to the action, while at other times it felt like a chore. But, like Weiss, I powered through.
Weiss is an honorable and respected PI who always does the right thing. Bishop is a tough badass who's trying to stay on the straight and narrow. Julie is a hooker with a heart of gold. There's nothing original about this book's characters or about the plot itself, but it's a reasonably enjoyable read. At times I was excited to get back to the action, while at other times it felt like a chore. But, like Weiss, I powered through.
March 5, 2024
Damnation Street is the third in a trilogy about a pair of radically different SF private eyes who work together. I haven't read the first two in the series (this is my first book of Klavan's), but I didn't need to. As all good books do, it stood on its own. Klavan is a good writer and has a very strong sense of pace and suspense. My issue with the book was a first-person interlude that served as a sub-plot, which to quote Grandpa Simpson, "felt tacked on." I felt it's point was to lend some explanation to Klavan's own move toward conservative Christianity, and one of the characters was a stereotypical "anti hero" to the Christian movement. Still, even with that, it was a very solid read and I would definitely read more of Klavan's work.
April 2, 2025
Jumped into this 3rd installment of Weiss and Bishop so I did not have the history of the 2 private detectives. Seems like Weiss is trying to find a beautiful whore and protect her from a sadistical killer, the man who called himself John Foy. Bishop is trying to protect Weiss from the same killer. Then there is the substory of a women killed by hammer blows to the head, presumably by the women's husband who disappeared. The author chimes in every once in a while in the first person. Seems he's in love with a women on first sight, but gets distracted by an affair with a coworker. Anyway, fast paced and a mystery until the end.
December 24, 2017
Scott Weiss is a detective, trying to save a prostitute from a contract killer. As he looks for the woman, to save her, the killer is looking for them both. The narrator, an assistant at Weiss' agency, has his own tangled life, and his own small part in the story.
I really liked this story, but it is a "hard-boiled" detective story, and definitely not for everyone. The main characters are very flawed, an that gives the book a definite "R" rating, but their flaws are not praised.
I really liked this story, but it is a "hard-boiled" detective story, and definitely not for everyone. The main characters are very flawed, an that gives the book a definite "R" rating, but their flaws are not praised.
May 1, 2019
I don't normally like the last book in a series but this one was the best. The tension and the pacing are great. I couldn't put it down until I found out the truth about Julie Wyant. The only problem I had with "Damnation Street" was that out of all the Weiss and Bishop books, it does have more lewd scenes.
March 1, 2019
This was an outstanding read, very atmospheric with a certain amount of wry wit. The characters were original, well drawn and very sympathetic. A real noir feeling to the hero and the book as a whole. This author deserves much more attention than he has gotten!
April 5, 2024
I enjoyed this one more than the prior two in the series. The interactions between the heroes and the shadowman were quite good. And the way the mystery unraveled was satisfying. Be sure to read all the way to the end of the acknowledgements. Also satisfying.
April 21, 2025
Great end to an excellent trilogy!
Love Klavan’s work. Interesting characters, interesting twists in the story. Highly recommend for. Fun throw-back detective novel that keeps the reader wanting to read more.
Love Klavan’s work. Interesting characters, interesting twists in the story. Highly recommend for. Fun throw-back detective novel that keeps the reader wanting to read more.
August 12, 2017
One of the strangest mystery plot lines I've ever read.
Still a good read even if bizarre.
Still a good read even if bizarre.
January 7, 2020
Terrible writing, clunky and childish. Plus the writer is a misogynist, anti-feminist and it comes across quite strongly in how he writes about women.
Red flags guys, avoid this novelists books.
Red flags guys, avoid this novelists books.
November 19, 2021
Good fun.
January 20, 2022
ok - not great
March 16, 2022
Full of suspense from the first page to the last. Brilliant.
August 26, 2022
Read in 2007. Slam-bang contemporary crime thriller.
November 16, 2022
Great read
July 1, 2023
Hard-boiled crime novel.......good stuff!!
January 4, 2011
From ISawLightningFall.com
The conclusion of the matter is what seems to float or sink most story series. Even if previous installments are watertight, no one will much care if the ending is as shipshape as a sieve. ... Readers will forgive a lot -- everything from hackneyed characters to tired plots to familiar themes -- if you manage to engage them in some other way. But squander their time with a slapdash ending, and every writerly sin will transmute from venial to mortal in a heartbeat. A lot rides on a finale, and so I was nervous when I picked up Andrew Klavan's Damnation Street, the last Weiss and Bishop book. Would it consummate the plots of the previous two or end in a less than satisfying manner?
Weiss Investigations has gone out of business in everything but name. Strangled by bad publicity after rogue investigator Jim Bishop broke both contract and the law, the firm's flow of clients has wheezed to a near stop. But rather than attempt to drum up new business, owner Scott Weiss vanishes, simply disappears as though the earth had swallowed him up. Bishop thinks he knows where his former boss has gone -- after Julie Wyatt, a prostitute of nigh ineffable beauty. And that's a problem, because Weiss isn't the only one drawn to her. There's also the man who calls himself John Foy, a stone-hearted killer whose kindest deeds look like direst hate, a man who has sworn to claim Wyatt as his own.
The first two Weiss and Bishop mysteries jerked readers back and forth genre-wise, shifting from over-the-top actioner to hardboiled fable. Damnation Street continues the trend, Klavan writing it as a gritty thriller largely stripped of previous romanticism. You know what? It works. Far from feeling jarring, the change to a meaner, more murderous story reconciles more than a few questions about Weiss' yearning for Wyatt and her toleration of his affections. Seems the angel-faced whore possesses motives that are less than holy, while the hangdog old PI is filled with darker stuff than just lovelorn longing. Not that the novel entirely lacks lighter moments. A passage wherein the narrator, a fictionalized version of Klavan himself, discovers a client's daughter has begun (gasp!) secretly attending a house church contains some of the funniest lines I've read in ages. A worthwhile conclusion to an engaging series.
The conclusion of the matter is what seems to float or sink most story series. Even if previous installments are watertight, no one will much care if the ending is as shipshape as a sieve. ... Readers will forgive a lot -- everything from hackneyed characters to tired plots to familiar themes -- if you manage to engage them in some other way. But squander their time with a slapdash ending, and every writerly sin will transmute from venial to mortal in a heartbeat. A lot rides on a finale, and so I was nervous when I picked up Andrew Klavan's Damnation Street, the last Weiss and Bishop book. Would it consummate the plots of the previous two or end in a less than satisfying manner?
Weiss Investigations has gone out of business in everything but name. Strangled by bad publicity after rogue investigator Jim Bishop broke both contract and the law, the firm's flow of clients has wheezed to a near stop. But rather than attempt to drum up new business, owner Scott Weiss vanishes, simply disappears as though the earth had swallowed him up. Bishop thinks he knows where his former boss has gone -- after Julie Wyatt, a prostitute of nigh ineffable beauty. And that's a problem, because Weiss isn't the only one drawn to her. There's also the man who calls himself John Foy, a stone-hearted killer whose kindest deeds look like direst hate, a man who has sworn to claim Wyatt as his own.
The first two Weiss and Bishop mysteries jerked readers back and forth genre-wise, shifting from over-the-top actioner to hardboiled fable. Damnation Street continues the trend, Klavan writing it as a gritty thriller largely stripped of previous romanticism. You know what? It works. Far from feeling jarring, the change to a meaner, more murderous story reconciles more than a few questions about Weiss' yearning for Wyatt and her toleration of his affections. Seems the angel-faced whore possesses motives that are less than holy, while the hangdog old PI is filled with darker stuff than just lovelorn longing. Not that the novel entirely lacks lighter moments. A passage wherein the narrator, a fictionalized version of Klavan himself, discovers a client's daughter has begun (gasp!) secretly attending a house church contains some of the funniest lines I've read in ages. A worthwhile conclusion to an engaging series.
August 14, 2007
DAMNATION STREET (Private Investigator-Calif, Arizona, Nevada-Cont) - VG+
Klavan, Andrew – 3rd in series
Harcourt, 2006- Hardcover
*** This is the third outing of Weiss and Bishop, narrated by a young Klavan. PI Scott Weiss realizes the only for beautiful prostitute Julie Wyant to ever be safe and stop running from the psychopathic killer called “Shadowman,” is to find Julie, knowingly leading the killer to her, and killing the killer first. When Jim Bishop, now estranged from Weiss, learns
”Shadowman” has a trick he is counting on Weiss not having planned for, Bishop is determined to find Weiss and save him. Add to this young Klavan, working in Weiss’ office. He finally has a case of his own following the daughter of the Berkeley professor who is concerned that she has suddenly become distant and staying out more. Unfortunately, the young woman is someone Klavan fell in love with after meeting once, but let her slip away when he become involved in an affair with an older woman who also works for Weiss.
*** Now for a bad analogy—this book made me think of figure stating with major sections of fast skating punctuated with daring jumps, occasional slower sections to alter the pace, an explosive crescendo and finally stopping and taking their bows and, as with figure skating, I loved it. The story is totally plot driven and does lean on coincidence but that doesn’t mean without character development. One could actually read it as a standalone, although it is better to read the whole series. The dialogue is sharp and the action gripping. There is brutality and profanity but appropriate, with exception to one character where I felt it was misplaced. There is humor and pathos which balance out the action and violence. You can tell author Klavan is a screenwriter as the story is very visual. I highly recommend this for the noir reader, and what a treat you’ll receive.
Klavan, Andrew – 3rd in series
Harcourt, 2006- Hardcover
*** This is the third outing of Weiss and Bishop, narrated by a young Klavan. PI Scott Weiss realizes the only for beautiful prostitute Julie Wyant to ever be safe and stop running from the psychopathic killer called “Shadowman,” is to find Julie, knowingly leading the killer to her, and killing the killer first. When Jim Bishop, now estranged from Weiss, learns
”Shadowman” has a trick he is counting on Weiss not having planned for, Bishop is determined to find Weiss and save him. Add to this young Klavan, working in Weiss’ office. He finally has a case of his own following the daughter of the Berkeley professor who is concerned that she has suddenly become distant and staying out more. Unfortunately, the young woman is someone Klavan fell in love with after meeting once, but let her slip away when he become involved in an affair with an older woman who also works for Weiss.
*** Now for a bad analogy—this book made me think of figure stating with major sections of fast skating punctuated with daring jumps, occasional slower sections to alter the pace, an explosive crescendo and finally stopping and taking their bows and, as with figure skating, I loved it. The story is totally plot driven and does lean on coincidence but that doesn’t mean without character development. One could actually read it as a standalone, although it is better to read the whole series. The dialogue is sharp and the action gripping. There is brutality and profanity but appropriate, with exception to one character where I felt it was misplaced. There is humor and pathos which balance out the action and violence. You can tell author Klavan is a screenwriter as the story is very visual. I highly recommend this for the noir reader, and what a treat you’ll receive.
October 3, 2011
DAMNATION STREET by Andrew Klavan is the third in the series featuring detectives Scott Weiss and Tim Bishop. I haven't read the previous two novels, but was easily able to jump into this one. There is some history between Weiss and Bishop as this novel opens. Weiss is on the trail of the Shadowman, a hired gun who is searching for a prostitute. Weiss is searching for the same woman, expecting a showdown between himself and the Shadowman. Bishop is feeling guilty over the events of the last book, and decides to help Weiss in his quest for the woman. Then, there is a third character, the narrator, a young man who works with Bishop, who has found the love his life. Now, only if he can become the man she wants him to be.
Klavan has had a long and successful career as a novelist and this book shows why. Its easily readable, and the characters are enjoyable, flaws and all. Each character kind of operates on their own, and at the end, their stories come together. Klavan seems to rely more on creating memorable characters than creating complex, twisty plots. For example, I'm not entirely sure why Weiss and the Shadowman couldn't just go after each other, instead of trying to find the woman first.
This is a good thriller that I highly recommend. However, if you've been reading Klavan's young adult Homelander series, you really shouldn't read his adult novels unless you understand they are filled with violence, swearing and sex. They are books for two totally different markets.
Klavan has had a long and successful career as a novelist and this book shows why. Its easily readable, and the characters are enjoyable, flaws and all. Each character kind of operates on their own, and at the end, their stories come together. Klavan seems to rely more on creating memorable characters than creating complex, twisty plots. For example, I'm not entirely sure why Weiss and the Shadowman couldn't just go after each other, instead of trying to find the woman first.
This is a good thriller that I highly recommend. However, if you've been reading Klavan's young adult Homelander series, you really shouldn't read his adult novels unless you understand they are filled with violence, swearing and sex. They are books for two totally different markets.
May 23, 2015
I am not much for anti-heroes, but with a noir mystery trilogy that comes with the package.
Yet I realized I don't like anti-heroes when their vices are praised as equally as their virtues. That was not the case here. The main characters were broken people. Flawed, but not without their virtues. Their brokenness was not praise-worthy, but understandable.
I have been super impressed with Klavan's characters. There is so much depth to them that I totally buy into them as persons. There were no "oh really?" moments as everything flowed together. This last of the trilogy concludes the story from the first novel in a convincing way and it certainly had me guessing. I especially enjoyed as the side character, the young man bent on a writing career taking a year off to see a side of the world in a private detective agency. His occasion role as narrator joins together the two main characters and was sort of a catalyst to the conclusions in the individual books. His role in this one was slightly more pronounced and this part of the story arc I very much enjoyed,
This story also concentrated more on Weiss and fleshed out his character even more. Bishop was certainly being Bishop in this one and the conclusion with these two was not what I was suspecting.
I very much enjoyed this trilogy with the caveat regarding some of the sexual content, which was not gratiiotous - but real aspect of the characters involved.
Yet I realized I don't like anti-heroes when their vices are praised as equally as their virtues. That was not the case here. The main characters were broken people. Flawed, but not without their virtues. Their brokenness was not praise-worthy, but understandable.
I have been super impressed with Klavan's characters. There is so much depth to them that I totally buy into them as persons. There were no "oh really?" moments as everything flowed together. This last of the trilogy concludes the story from the first novel in a convincing way and it certainly had me guessing. I especially enjoyed as the side character, the young man bent on a writing career taking a year off to see a side of the world in a private detective agency. His occasion role as narrator joins together the two main characters and was sort of a catalyst to the conclusions in the individual books. His role in this one was slightly more pronounced and this part of the story arc I very much enjoyed,
This story also concentrated more on Weiss and fleshed out his character even more. Bishop was certainly being Bishop in this one and the conclusion with these two was not what I was suspecting.
I very much enjoyed this trilogy with the caveat regarding some of the sexual content, which was not gratiiotous - but real aspect of the characters involved.
November 16, 2010
Three and a half stars, really, as the story involved was very, very suspenseful, about a professional killer, soulless, with no humanity, who falls into his own psycho version of 'love' with a prostitute. When she runs away from him, he goes after her, and after both of them is a private detective, one of three (more or less) main characters in the story. I liked the story; my problem with the novel is the characters, one of whom talks in the first person, is supposed to be the author when he is a young man, and although the character adds some lightheartedness to the story, he is totally unnecessary and feels like 'filler,' a way to pad an otherwise very short novel. The other two main characters are both detectives but are written almost as though they're superheroes, not believable and not really characters one can connect with in a meaningful way. But as I said, the story is great, and I will try others by the author.
July 14, 2012
I might not have read Damnation Street if it hadn’t been for the fact that I’d finished a book and it was the only one to hand. I’d started it three or four times to give up by page 5 or 6. I just found the style irritating – simple, staccato sentences and no great hook. Surrounded by a selection of books, the others just seemed more tempting. However, by page 10 or so it was starting to improve and by page 30 or so I was hooked. And a fine read it turned out to be – well crafted, enjoyable plot, good subplots, interesting characters, and solid show don’t tell writing. There might not have been too many surprises, and a whole raft of worn tropes and cliches are used, but as I’ve said before, at this stage, there seems little room for a fresh perspective on the PI genre; Klavan has produced a fine noir version that has enough twists and turns to keep the average crime reader more than happy.
September 6, 2016
Bought this second hand on holiday when I ran out of things to read. Great discovery. Not a huge fan of thrillers usually but really like this. It's hard boiled, almost to that point where you think you're gonna crack your teeth on it. I preferred the Weiss sections to the Bishop parts, although some of the Bishop tough guy stuff was funny, in a good way, just on the edge of what you can get away with, being that much of a cool hard case. Will be catching up on this writer.
July 15, 2008
PLOT LINE: A 50ish, overweight but intuitive San Francisco P.I. named Weiss is obsessed with finding and eliminating a professional killer known as The Shadowman, who considers himself to be "smarter under fire" than his adversaries. He, in turn, is obsessed with an unbelievably beautiful prostitute named Julie, who he once nearly killed, and now is determined to find her so he can finish the job. Got the picture?
There is also another individual in Weiss's office who has an obsession of his own and this lends a lot of humanity to the tale, not to mention themes such as loyalty, discovery and humor.
I did wince a couple of times at the brutality in certain chapters, but must admit I was never bored.
There is also another individual in Weiss's office who has an obsession of his own and this lends a lot of humanity to the tale, not to mention themes such as loyalty, discovery and humor.
I did wince a couple of times at the brutality in certain chapters, but must admit I was never bored.
October 1, 2020
Damnation Street is Klavan's conclusion to the Weiss & Bishop novels. This definitely isn't Klavan's Young Adult series and its filled with profanity and vulgarity, but Klavan definitely weaved a gripping, heart-pumping trilogy that I did not want to end. Don't ask which book I enjoyed the most because Klavan was masterful in all of them. I know he wanted to create a realistic plot that exemplifies true human depravity (and he did so successfully), but the language did feel unnecessary. Great plot, great character development, great trilogy, just unnecessary langauge.
June 27, 2012
Damnation Street is not great literature, but for me it was a lot of fun. This is a noire crime story, not really a novel. It's structured around a set of characters (depressed detective, narrator/wet-eared college kid, psychopath, and action hero) who hardly interact and certainly don't develop, but they form a sort of low-life still-life that mirrors the dark setting and criminal situation.
Warnings: profanity and stupid-liberal gags.
Warnings: profanity and stupid-liberal gags.
September 10, 2009
This is the third of the Weiss/Bishop series
and the best
You could read this one by itself, without having read the other "prequels" in the series.
You never "figure it out". The pace is exciting throughout. Characters get another layer added to them. Very very enjoyable book in this genre.
and the best
You could read this one by itself, without having read the other "prequels" in the series.
You never "figure it out". The pace is exciting throughout. Characters get another layer added to them. Very very enjoyable book in this genre.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews