"The Snatch" is the first Nameless Detective mystery, even though the series doesn't become known as the "Nameless Detective" series until some time later. Gary Martinetti, son of wealthy Louis Martinetti, is kidnapped. The kidnapper leaves a message that the ransom money of $300,000 be delivered by a third party. Martinetti hires Nameless to be the third party. When the next call comes Nameless takes the money and drives to an isolated spot where he is supposed to make the drop. As he leaves, he hears a terrible cry, goes back and finds a man, Paul Lockridge, murdered. Someone had also taken the ransom money. Nameless' mission is twofold; he must find Lockridge's murderer and find Gary Martinetti before it is too late. Pronzini is a master of suspense, and even though this is the first novel in the series (written in 1971), the plot is strong. No one can put the reader at the scenes with the detective like Bill Pronzini. I believe he is the best writer of mystery fiction working today.

Son of Gun in Cheek is in fact the second book of praise for the 'alternative' (read: bad) masters of crime fiction, but it can and does stand alone. In fact, Son of Gun in Cheek is actually superior to Gun in Cheek in many respects. This is a fabulously funny book - one in which Pronzini discusses, quotes, and even reprints some of the greatest pieces of unintentional humor and utterly amusing badness ever written in the mystery genre. Like its sister volume, Gun in Cheek, Son of Gun is a veritable fount of the kind of thing you're very grateful someone else read.

In this second book, Pronzini gets right down to brass tacks; there's much less history of the genre, and much more quirky, bad, or wonderfully weird extracts and plots. The 'alternative' examples in Son of Gun seem, to my eye, to be funnier than the ones used in the first book - though most of them are no worse. (There are a few exceptions, but for the most part, nothing could be worse than the works from the first book. Let's just say Son of Gun features ones equally bad.) So if you're looking for humor, this is definitely the book to read. Of course, if you're looking for a history or critical work, you'd probably be better off starting with Gun in Cheek.

Pronzini also does a much better job with format in this book. While Gun in Cheek attempted a more-or-less standard book format, Son of Gun has the 'Alternative Hall of Fame,' which has a separate entry for each book honored with admission. This makes the chapters less unwieldy and easier to read aloud. (And I definitely recommend you read this one aloud; hysteria shared is hysteria tripled, after all.) Another, more minor improvement comes in the chapters themselves, which are grouped around topics more compelling than in Gun in Cheek.

You don't need to be a mystery fan to appreciate Son of Gun in Cheek; the average mystery reader will not have heard of most authors and books featured here. (And good thing, too.) You only need a sense of humor and some rudimentary understanding of things like plot, structure, and common sense, which understanding, I might add, is apparently not shared by most of the authors mentioned. This book is deeply amusing and, as a bonus, will provide you with many mottos for your future use. (My favorite: "Tut, tut. Chaos is come again.") All in all, a wonderful read - don't let the scarcity of this book hold you back. Find it. Read it. It is a cure for what ails you.

Author Pronzini is a terrific mystery author. Starvation Camp is a reprint of a "western" from earlier in his career. In this book, a Mountie tracks down the killers of his lover. There's lots of action and I found the lead character fascinating. Starvation Camp would be a good read for fans of either westerns or mysteries. Or both.

This is the 2nd of the Nameless Detective novels, and it is still one of the best of the series. Roy Sands quits the service to return to California to marry Elaine Kavanaugh. A few hours after arriving, he disappears. Elaine hires Nameless to find Sands. Sands had sent a telegram to 3 of his army buddies from Eugene, Oregon. The only clue Nameless finds in Eugene is Sands' duffel bag abandoned in a Eugene hotel. The search leads Nameless to West Germany and a small village in Northern California. The excellent writing and sense of place are very strong here. This is an excellent novel by the master of suspense, Bill Pronzini.

So very inventive and wonderfully written. The author manages to present each character in three dimensions and true to form. This is a modern vesion of Gottfried Keller's "Clothes Make the Man", showing how outer appearances can create strong prejudice. And, sad to say, conformity is still a must in today's culture. In some European countries, police even set up a raster of neighborhoods, according to the motto: "You don't wear jeans, you are suspect". Big Brother is prejudiced.

Bill Pronzini, Shackles (Dell, 1988)

Bill Pronzini has been writing "nameless detective" mysteries for nigh on three decades, and I never picked one up until a got a bag of books from my mystery-loving mother a few months ago containing Shackles. Comitting the heresy of reading a series novel out of order, I decided to crack the cover and see what all the fuss was about, assuming there is any fuss surrounding a non-A-list mystery writer. There isn't, really, but in this case there probably should be.

Shackles has "nameless" abducted by an old enemy-- we're not sure who until the closing pages-- and spirited off to a remote cabin somewhere in the dead of winter, chained to the wall, and left with thirteen weeks' worth of food, some reading material, a dying space heater and radio, and a cheery warning that suicide is probably preferable to starving to death. Needless to say, this ain't your typical hardboied detective offering. Pronzini carries it off nicely, adapting readily to the slower pace that such a book is bound to have (no pun intended) and keeping the reader's interest nicely. The pages fly on this short novel (roughly 250 pages) as nameless spends his time alternately bemoaning his present state of affairs, trying to figure out who it was that stuck him in this mess, and accepting that the world has probably left him for dead. A fun little book, and a decided change of pace for mystery fans. Worth picking up. ***

I had read a bit of Bill Pronzini, but not one his "nameless detective" series until I picked up "Shackles." This is one great story, divided into two parts. Nameless is abducted by an old enemy, blindfolded, taken to a remote cabin in the Sierras in November, and there chained--though with some food and heat--to die slowly during the long winter months. In diary fashion Pronzini records the physical and emotional trials that "nameless" endures before he finally hits upon the way to freedom.
The second part of the book is how "nameless" goes about tracking down the bad guy. With sparse but hard-hitting prose, the reader can identify with the painstaking steps used to eventually find the would-be killer. This is one mystery which can stand a rereading for the tautness of the prose style and the empathy one has with the protagonist. Read it!

"Shackles" is the best novel I've yet read in Bill Pronzini's "Nameless" detective series. Some of the "Nameless" novels tend to be a bit by-the-numbers, but the plot here is truly ingenious. Namless is kidnapped and chained in a remote mountain cabin and left to slowly starve to death. His escape and search for the man who imprisioned him make for some of the best detective fiction ever. As a bonus, Nameless becomes introspective during his imprisonment and confesses much about his childhood and how he became who he is. This book is a MUST read for P.I. fiction fans.

Despite rumors that Pronzini's Nameless detective may be no more, Spook proves this wonderful character still has a lot of life in him. In fact, this story, written in a new style, opens the door for the series, thankfully, to go on and on and on.
Pronzini is a master, no, a grand master of the genre and certainly deserves a lot more recognition than he has received.
Spook is a taut story with excellent character development, and takes a serious look at issues in today's social environment.

Definitely a don't-put-it-down read.

What better way to start 2003 off than with a brand new Nameless Detective novel, especially since we all thought his last book was the end of the series. In "Spook", Nameless, along with his soon-to-be partner Tamara and new field operative Jake Runyon, are trying to track down the identity of a murdered homeless man. Interspersed throughout the story are personal episodes of all three main characters. Nameless, one of the world's most socially shy butterflies, is persuaded to attend a Christmas charity event with of all people his old friend Sharon McCone and in the bargain saves her from losing a case. Tamara is faced with a huge decision: her boyfriend is pressuring her to marry him and move back east but she isn't sure she wants to give up a job she loves. Jake is still brooding over the death of his wife and the antagonism of his son. All this gives a new and warm twist to the usual Nameless books. To further add to the twist, Nameless's real name is slipped into the story several times! "Spook" is one of Pronzini's best!

"Spook" is a very special novel to me. I had thought that Pronzini's last novel, "Bleeders", might have been his last "Nameless Detective" novel. Bill Pronzini is my favorite mystery writer working today, and I rejoiced when I found out that this wonderful series is continuing. Some changes have occcured in Nameless' agency. He has made his assistant, Tamara Corbin, his partner, and they have hired former Seattle cop Jake Runyon to do much of the leg work for the agency. Most of the novel is told by Nameless in the first person as always, but several chapters in which Tamara or Jake Runyon are featured are told in the third person. Pronzini makes this style work wonderfully. Steve Taradash hires the agency to find out the identity of a homeless man who was murdered outside his business. This man is known on the street as Spook, and he "talks" to people named Dot, Luke, and Mr. Snow. Jake Runyon does most of the leg work in Mono County, and finds out some very interesting facts. The reader learns about the private lives on both Tamara and Jake Runyon. I also enjoyed reading about Emily, the adopted daughter of Nameless and his wife Kerry. Sharon McCone, Marcia Muller's character, makes an appearance. Marcia Muller is Bill Pronzini's wife. "Spook" is highly recommended!

In "Nothing but the Night", Bill Pronzini tells a shrewd tale of misdirection. High style without being stylish, the author probes the pathos of disparate characters with a heck of a good plot mixed in. The story unwinds effortlessly and is impossible to put down. Its surprise ending resonates - a great book on many levels!

One thing for sure---this is not the kind of book to read when you want something light or cheery! Bill Pronzini spins a tale of two men, both of them harboring deep secrets and hurts from their pasts, who will come to meet in an absorbing tale of deception. Pronzini's prose is crisp, terse, and gripping. The characters of Cameron Gallagher, a man haunted by the tragic deaths of his parents, and Nick Hendryx, the husband of a woman comatose from a hit and run accident, are complex and very human. There are times when you're rooting for one character and then find yourself rooting for the other. The supporting characters are interesting too, particularly Cameron's sister, Caitlin, and Cameron's wife, Hallie. Nothing is what it seems as the plot flows effortlessly on, and by the end of the book, you're finding yourself surprised at how the twists work. A deep, dark, unsettling, but excellent read.

Michael Butts

Bill Pronzini is a highly prolific author in the mystery genre. IMHO he has not yet received the full recognition he so much deserves. Hopefully this book(as well as his two previous stand alones- Blue Lonesome and A wasteland of Strangers) will change that. Nothing But the Night has a short, simple plot yet so effectively carried out that the book cannot be put down! An alternative point of view adds to the suspense, as well as, the skilled portrayal of characters. I truly feel this is one of the best books written this year and it has my highest recommendations. Larry Gandle

Whether you're a veteran reader of P.I. novels or a neophyte who doesn't know his Hammett from his Chandler, you'll love the latest in Pronzini's "Nameless" series. This writer is a master, a benchmark against whom all the others compare themselves. A craftsman of both plot and language, Pronzini delivers each and every time. And in this way, he's that rarest of things: the sure bet. He knows how to deliver. He doesn't waste a detail or sling an extra word. "Bleeders" shows him at the pinnacle of his powers. Not only is it a fine mystery, thoroughly entertaining and beautifully paced, but his protagonist is entirely real. Nameless has aged and in this outing, he's feeling the weight of his cumulative history, the burden of all the pain and tragedy he's participated in over the course of 20+ books. Why fool with the latest flash-in-the-pan, when the king is still writing stories this engrossing and rewarding?

From the moment one reads the dedication of this Nameless mystery, one realizes what a special book BLEEDERS is. Bill Pronzini dedicates BLEEDERS to himself "without whom this series would never have been written."

As in the recent Nameless mysteries, Nameless is showing his age and his maturity. He is realizing that, while his work is important to him, there is more to life than merely running his PI agency. He is married now, of course, and he has an adopted daughter he acquired in the previous novel. His family responsibilities are becoming more and more important to him.

The plotline of this story involves a grifting scheme that leads to murders. It nearly costs Nameless his life, too. As with all Pronzini works, the book moves far beyond the mystery genre and addresses serious moral themes. As always, Pronzini is a moralistic writer in the best senses of the term.

The plot works fabulously, and the characters seem realistic. The interaction between everyone on stage couldn't work better. In the end, Nameless realizes his name is Daddy. It is bestowed on him by his adopted daughter, and he decides to make certain major life changes.

While it is suggested throughout the work that BLEEDERS may mark the end of this long-running series, I hope the series continues. Bill Pronzini, in my opinion, is the finest mystery writer of his generation. The influence of this series will long be felt in the mystery genre. His Nameless character may now be Daddy to a little girl, yet he has always been the father of the private detectives created by those of us who have begun our writing careers in recent years.

Bill Pronzini is by far my favorite mystery writer. Every time I hear that he has a new Nameless Detective novel coming out, I get excited in anticipation of reading it. "Bleeders" is the 27th novel in the series. Nameless helps his client Carolyn Dain recover $75,000 that her husband, Jay Cohalan, has obtained from scamming her. When he goes to return the money, he is met by a bald man who takes the money from him and tries to kill him. Luckily for Nameless, the gun jams and he is spared. He later finds his client dead on her bed from a gunshot wound. He begins his quest in pursuit of the bald man. "Bleeders" has a strong plot, and Pronzini is a master at placing the reader at the scene of the action. Nameless and Kerry, his wife, now have an adopted daughter, Emily (from "Crazybone"). That storyline is heart-warming and adds a dimension to the series that had not been there before. I noticed that the novel was dedicated to Bill Pronzini, and that there were references made to Nameless' possible retirement. I really hope that Nameless has at least a few more cases left in him. If not, thank you, Bill Pronzini for providing me with many hours of enjoyable reading!

I've liked most all the "Nameless" series of the prolific Bill Pronzini, and as the character has aged and the circumstances of his own life become more prominent in the plots, have liked the books even more. His past problems with his partner made for surprising and tense books; his ongoing relationship with Kerry, his own aging, his life in Sanfrancisco are all of a texture that make all the books' generally limited plots enjoyable. Here the "mystery" is not much of one, the action of the search for a solution as to why an insurance settlement is refused is pretty predictable and the outcome summary; but the domestic part of the book, a young child drawn into Kerry and "Nameless'" life makes for real emotion. So, it's a good book, about the same as most in the series. But what is increasingly less enjoyable in these books (and those by several other writers) is what I call the Travis McGee/John D. McDonald syndrome: lots and lots of social comment, mostly bleak reflections on the decline of American culture into the abyss: lamentations on modern architecture, art, strip malls, juvenile behavior, and on and on. I suppose it's in part an attempt to give the books social substance. It may be a unconscious tribute to Raymond Chandler--but if it is that, it misses the point. Chandler observed the world around him; Nameless and kin are grumpy old curmudgeons, whining about what they don't have, have lost, or don't want. Nor do I like a lot of the emblems of the modern age that they skewer and resent, but muttering and mewling without humor, balance, or, really, relation to the plot at hand is at best distracting, at worst rather pathetic. These are thin books, quick reading; they needn't be so sour.

The Nameless Detective is handed an unusual assignment in this book;at the behest of an insurance company he is seeking to persuade a widow ,whose husband has died in an automobile accident, to change her mind and accept a fifty thousand dollar insurance settlement that she has refused.They feel such an action would result in their receiving favourable publicity.
The woman is Sheila Hunter ,and she is characterised by the local realtor as a sexually voracious adulteress.Nameless finds her a frightened and insecure woman deathly afraid of someone or something she calls "Crazybone".She flees the area ,taking her 10 year old child Emily having refused the money for fear it would attract publicity and tip off Crazybone to her whereabouts
Nameless uncovers the fact that she and her late husband were involved in a scam involving a low rent loan shark "Cotter",the eponymous Crazybone from whose vengeance she is seeking to escape
She soon turns up dead and the book then concerns itself with the solution of the case and the fate of her child the winsome Emily.The unravelling is polished and professional and the writing clear and uncluttered
There is a subplot involving the death of an elderly resident at a retirement community but this seems tacked on.
Pronzini is a writer whose books always deliver and this is polished and proficient.As ever it is the character of Nameless ,a decent compassionate man ,that helps the book stand out from the crowd.He despairs at the dumbing down of society,which in his view has reached epidemic proportions,and has sharp words about the way we all seek to deny individual responsibilty in favour of litigation and blame

Well plotted and deftly written as it is I still have a couple of worries and they can be summed up in what seems to me to be the creeping"Spencerisation "of the series.His relationship with his advertising executive wife is looking worryingly like Spencer's affiliations to the tiresome Susan in the Robert B Parker books and it is stromgly hinted that they will adopt Emily
Domestic bliss is bad for the PI.See Chandler and the fate of Marlowe for the best(worst!)example.I just donrt want it to get mushy,
Good solid book and fans of the P.I genre will appreciate it

When I started reading Bill Pronzini's Nameless Detective series earlier this year, 27 books seemed like an awful lot to plow through. When I finally finished "Crazybone," though, I wished there were 27 more! I feel like I know "Nameless" and Kerry better than some of my own relatives! Happily, "Crazybone" is one of the best entries in this series; I loved the subplot with Nameless' mother-in-law (author of a private eye series starring tough-guy detective Samuel Leatherman) trying to snoop into the suspicious death of one of her elderly neighbors. I heartily recommend going back to "The Snatch" and reading all 27 Nameless books in order; what a wonderful thing Bill Pronzini has accomplished by writing this series.