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jdcorley's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Pronzini's by-the-numbers detective story is elevated by a passion that shines through every line. The reason to love the Nameless Detective is that Pronzini loves him, and identifies with him, and can vividly see the world through his eyes. The Nameless Detective, like Pronzini, loves the early detective pulps. Pronzini has certainly heard the critique of Nameless delivered by the woman Nameless loves - that it's all fake, that loving those old detective stories, like the one Nameless is in, is just a way of maintaining adolescence, the same way that Nameless' inability or refusal to quit smoking is stupid in the face of old age and infirmity.
Even in the street-perfect descriptions of San Francisco, Pronzini shows us he loves this world and loves this guy, and so we fall in love with him too, and we want him to succeed at this, a lavish, lush, classic "rich family hires a down in the dumps private eye" pulp mystery. Yet this is more than pastiche. Pronzini reaches for the sadness and shabbiness at the heart of those old stories. Nameless doesn't get the girl, and the killer is pathetic, even though the ending is pitch perfect - a revelation you could slowly work out if you had time to think it through. It's empathy that makes Nameless work here, and Pronzini excites it expertly.
Fans sometimes don't make good writers (I know from personal attempts!) We are too close to what we love to really put our arms around it. Pronzini is one of the rare exceptions.
Even in the street-perfect descriptions of San Francisco, Pronzini shows us he loves this world and loves this guy, and so we fall in love with him too, and we want him to succeed at this, a lavish, lush, classic "rich family hires a down in the dumps private eye" pulp mystery. Yet this is more than pastiche. Pronzini reaches for the sadness and shabbiness at the heart of those old stories. Nameless doesn't get the girl, and the killer is pathetic, even though the ending is pitch perfect - a revelation you could slowly work out if you had time to think it through. It's empathy that makes Nameless work here, and Pronzini excites it expertly.
Fans sometimes don't make good writers (I know from personal attempts!) We are too close to what we love to really put our arms around it. Pronzini is one of the rare exceptions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, and Murder
bundy23's review against another edition
2.0
A completely by-the-number detective novel with the Nameless Detective being much too moral and perfect for me to continue this series. It doesn't help that peripheral characters are used to reinforce this at every opportunity. Jesus, just read this shit, "You’re too honest and too sensitive and too ethical, too affected by real corruption and real human misery to be the kind of lone wolf private eye you’d like to be."
Also, the final twist is obvious from the beginning and it's just annoying when the kidnapper is finally revealed.
Also, the final twist is obvious from the beginning and it's just annoying when the kidnapper is finally revealed.
librarylove4eva's review against another edition
2.0
I read this because the Nameless Detective series is so long. Unfortunately, I did not really get into this first book. Makes me wonder if the series is worth it....Have not checked out more.
psalmcat's review against another edition
4.0
What a step up from the first book I read. This one introduces Pronzini's current character, Nameless. He is so good at writing this series that, unless you are really paying attention, it's not noticeable that the main character is never addressed by name. Even 35 years later, this man still has no name.
The story here involves a kidnapped boy. The kidnappers want someone outside the family to deliver the ransom, so the father has hired this detective to do so. In the process of waiting for the final call from the kidnappers, Nameless discovers a lot is going on under the surface of the parents and employees around this household.
While delivering the ransom, Nameless is injured. His girlfriend walks out on him. He finds the boy, safe and sound. And eventually he figures out who was behind the kidnapping.
It's fun to watch Pronzini's writing skill grow.
The story here involves a kidnapped boy. The kidnappers want someone outside the family to deliver the ransom, so the father has hired this detective to do so. In the process of waiting for the final call from the kidnappers, Nameless discovers a lot is going on under the surface of the parents and employees around this household.
While delivering the ransom, Nameless is injured. His girlfriend walks out on him. He finds the boy, safe and sound. And eventually he figures out who was behind the kidnapping.
It's fun to watch Pronzini's writing skill grow.
guiltyfeat's review
3.0
Slow and steady start to a series I have never read before. Pronzini is highly regarded and I thought I would try to find out why. This is clearly a man who wears his love of the pulps on his sleeve going as far as having out nameless PI collect old magazines. The central kidnapping and murder is actually fairly weak. The detective does a little bit of detecting but only after several clues have walked right up to him and introduced themselves. The denouement is also fairly meh with the baddie realizing the magnitude of his own crimes and having a sobbing breakdown rather than firing the weapon he has pointed at our unarmed narrator and making a run for it.
I may seek out another, but it's also possible that this just isn't really for me.
I may seek out another, but it's also possible that this just isn't really for me.
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