Cat's Paw — Bill Pronzini

A Nameless Detective mystery story that starts with the theft of exotic animals from San Francisco's Fleishhacker Zoo…and ends with murder.

Expensive and endangered animals are being stolen from the Felishhacker Zoo. At the behest of a previous client -- who also happens to be an animal enthusiast -- the Nameless Detective takes the case and finds himself patrolling the zoo after hours as a night watchman. He has one theory about the thefts already: the animals are being stolen by a collector or someone who knows their worth on the black market. However, as the Nameless Detective searches for answers, the clues begin to debunk his theory that the job was done by an outsider.…