Ford is the author of the Frank Corso and Leo Waterman series and a master at writing thrillers. Fans of Ford's writing might be disappointed when they find that he hasn't produced a new Corso story but Nameless Night is an excellent stand-alone, conspiracy thriller.

Paul Hardy has been a resident for seven years at Harmony House, a long-term care residential facility for physically and developmentally challenged adults. He had been found near death in a railroad card with the front of his head smashed in. He pushes another resident from the path of a distracted driver but is himself seriously injured. The wealthy driver feels guilty and pays for extensive reconstructive and plastic surgery. With the pressure on his brain relieved, Paul regains his cognitive and speech skills but not his memory. Except for a name, Wesley Allen Howard. Hellen Willis, the residency manager, decides to see what she can find out about Wesley Allen Howard and searches all the Internet search engines she can think of. And then things start to get weird.

The next morning several car-loads of men show up at Harmony House and proceed to terrorize the residents and threaten Hellen.They have badges and ID cards from "National somethingother." Given that they interecepted Helen's Internet searches it safe to assume that they are with the National Security Agency. They want to know why she was searching that particular name. They are also looking for someone but don't recognize Paul after his surgery. Unfortunately, one agent sees Helen mouthing the word "run" to Paul and the chase is on. Paul escapes and begins the search for his past.

You can find many news stories about the governments attempts to extend electronic surveillance you readers won't see the response to the Internet searches as a stretch. I sometimes wonder if government security agents read thrillers like this and consider that arrogance, threats, and bullying might not be the best approach to getting information. Fortunately for thriller writers it is still a workable formula (particularly if you fly). Ford is very good at peeling back the layers of Paul's past and revealing the nature of the conspiracy. The conspiracy itself is contemporary and not unrealistic