Reviews (14)

Good, but a Little Letdown
Craft seems to have a penchant for placing Mark's closest associates in harm's way. I thought the political circumstances involved were a bit lofty and the dramatic conclusion was a bit theatrical. Nevertheless, this is enjoyable reading for Mark Manning fans, and certainly worth keeping up with Dumont doings.

Good Storytelling, Poor Mystery
Michael Craft is a great storyteller. Citing just three of his novels: (1) "Body Language," (2) "Boy Toy," and (3) "Hot Spot,"which should be read in this order for the best continuity, I found the novels less engaging as mystery novels and more delightful to read as well-drawn out expositions of life in the small town of Dumont, WI, where practically everyone is normal, even gays. The mysteries, qua mystery, lack the usual heightened suspense one expects from this genre. But, the diminution of suspense is more than compensated by good character development, well-structured plots, engaging personae, and a literate writing style. The fact that some of the characters are gay seems incidental and relatively unimportant, which in a idealistic fashion, is the way it ought to be. These are good people to whom the misfortune of crime occurs, and Mark Manning, the local newspaper editor and the central character, seems equipoised to solving the crime. There's no "mining" of the text with incredulous characters or situations to bring about the near-impossibility of solving the caper. Rather, through the use of intuition, inference, and critical thinking, Manning always seems to get to the core of the crime with a flair for being ordinary and going about matters in a normal sort of way in the sleepy Wisconsin hamlet. Those who enjoy up-and-close personal stories about "ordinary" people struck by "ordinary" misfortune with "mystery" as a somewhat subsidiary part of this ordinary existence will like these novels. There's nothing that is strikingly out of the ordinary. Those who want a "D'Vinci Code," on the other hand, will be sorely disappointed. I found the novels exceedingly likeable, and I was not disappointed that the mystery involved is in many ways subordinate to plot, character-development, and literate style.

Craft Hits One Home
Mark Manning is a detective not to everyone's taste, and if you start the series by reading HOT SPOT you will have missed some of the pertinent information and you'll wind up wondering how on earth Mark became the ward of Thad.But if you have read the revious five books you won't mind that some if not all of this information is being fed to you again--the series dilemma, I suppose.Mark is the editor of a smallish city newspaper and usually gets involved not because he's a snoop but to try to extricate someone who's dear to him who's being suspected of a crime.This crime is particularly difficult to solve and frankly, when I found out who the criminal was, I threw the book to the ground in disgust.I don't think even Michael Craft knew the answer to this one till he pulled the solution way out of left field.But it is a shocker!What a pity that poor long suffering Mark has only one more "case" after this one, in the fantasticly written final volume of the series.I remember meeting the late, great, venerable old Joseph Hansen author of the Brandstetter novels and asking him if there were any younger writers whose work he would recommend."Michael Craft," he said without missing a beat. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Gay    5. Manning, Mark (Fictitious char    6. Manning, Mark (Fictitious character)    7. Mystery & Detective - General    8. Mystery & Detective - Series    9. Mystery/Suspense    10. Politicians    11. Weddings    12. Wisconsin    13. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General   

Subjects:  1. Actors    2. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    3. Attorney and client    4. Crimes against    5. Fiction    6. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    7. Gay    8. Legal    9. Los Angeles (Calif.)    10. Mystery & Detective - General    11. Mystery/Suspense    12. Rios, Henry (Fictitious charac    13. Rios, Henry (Fictitious character)    14. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General   

Reviews (12)

Enchanting Tale of the Gay andSupernatural
Mark Roeder stands out as the leading contemporary writer of romantic fiction focused on gay youth coming of age. This book, one of the Gay Youth Chronicles, concocts a fast-paced action thriller out of a frothy brew of supernatural elements, imaginative and engaging characters, and a core message of gay pride and affirmation. The plot takes the reader on a dizzying series of twists and turns, juxtaposing the gay past and present in revealing contrast. This book holds true to Roeder's formula of presenting an appealing gay teen protagonist who struggles with the forces of homophobia, clearly presented as evil. While Roeder characteristically favors happy endings, the exotic supernatural motif and a quirky cast of characters in this book make for plenty of surprises. The book is enriched by Roeder's textured and evocative description of the setting for the drama, a 100-room 19th century mansion filled with secret passageways (worthy of Dark Shadows).
Oh, Brother
I really don't know how to even begin.
This Time Around
Riveting, emotionally charged tearjerker. I have just finished this eighth novel by Mark Roeder and would without a doubt recommend each and every one of his books to anyone with a HEART!! I have read all eight books in less than a month and a half and only wish there were eight more to read. Parents, LOVE your children...........no matter what. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Gay    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. General & Literary Fiction    6. Literature of special Gay interest   

Editorial Review

It would be hard to imagine a giddier good time than this campy first novel set in the gay meccas of New York and Provincetown, Massachusetts. When Robert, a single "good guy," hears that his wealthy, gorgeous, and sexually voracious friend Michael has finally met the man of his dreams, he can't believe it's true. Michael, after all, is a man whose bathroom towels read "His" and "Next." Despite his doubts and envy, Robert promises to help his friend plan the most sparkling, expensive wedding that Manhattan queerdom has ever seen. Fifteen hundred guests arrive in everything from Armani to complete drag. When it's Max, the chosen one, who leaves Michael at the altar, all hell breaks loose in the quiet world of Robert and his friends. And when Max is later found dead, the suspects seem all too obvious. A very funny mystery, full of pointless and amusing gags, Read more

Reviews (35)

Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad
This is one of the worst books I have ever read.I thought it would be a good beach read, but was I ever wrong.The characters are cliched gay stereotypes--the hot muscle god who lays everyone he sets eyes on, the pudgy best friend who never gets a piece, the sassy lesbian who's best friends with the pudgy guy but loathes the hot guy.The writing style awful.Stukas rushes through what could be interesting scenes--like when Michael seduces the rookie cop to extrat information from him--and spends multiple paragraphs describing how fabulous the various characters outfits/houses/sex lives are.This awful book makes me appreciate even mediocre writing.

This is Definitely Not a Drag!
This is an extremely funny, smart first mystery--published in 2001-- by Mr. Stukas. There are three main characters here, the rich and spoiled, handsome and very promiscuous Michael-- the towels in his fashionable bathroom are labeled "His" and "Next"-- there there is Robert, his ordinary best friend, an underpaid copywriter, who describes himself as a recovering Catholic, and their lesbian friend Monette. These three set out to find the killer of Michael's "boyfriend" although he doesn't get done in until the novel is well over half over.
Definitely not Chaucer.... thank goddess!!
David Stukas is such a charming man.I met him in passing awhile back.I lavished compliments and accolades upon him and I swear that he blushed."Someone Killed His Boyfriend", "Going Down For The Count" and "Wearing Black To The White Party" are bestsellers in my bookshop, and they have every right to be.Witty, clever, hilarious and sometimes potty-inducing, it was a cover to cover read for me.Few books capture my interest and I have to say this one never lost it.The dialogue flows so easily that one can almost see a movie version playing out (hint hint).There hasn't been a better trio of detectives since Nancy, George and Bess (well, I guess the name "Nancy" is kind of appropo for thess books :-)Make sure to start from book 1 and go in order.You really don't have to, but Stukas makes quite a few references back in the latter books.I am currently reading the uncorrected proof of the fourth book in the series, "Biceps of Death" (due out September 2004) and I must say, it is just as good as the rest.Keep the series going, David!You're fans want more of Robert, Michael and Monette!Hugs everyone ;-)Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Gay    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Mystery/Suspense    6. Crime & mystery    7. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General    8. Literature of special Gay interest   

Reviews (25)

A Good Introduction to Mark Manning
In Michael Craft's first volume in this series, he introduces the reader to Mark Manning, a Chicago newspaper reporter who for almost seven years has been writing about the mysterious disappearance of Helena Carter who apparently has more money than the Catholic Church but not if one priest has anything to do with it. When we first meet Mr. Manning, he has had a few unsatisfatory sexual encounters with women but during the course of the novel finds himself as he attempts to locate Ms. Carter. The male good guys, Mark and Neil, are ruggedly handsome; Roxanne, the attorney who cannot leave gay men alone, finally redeems herself; as a friend of mine says, Mr. Craft writes well about sex; he takes punches at the Religious Right; and the plot has great twists and turns and builds to a believable climax. In short, I want to know what happens to Mark and Neil in the next volume.
Slow Starter...Predictable Finisher
This is the first book in the series and it leaves something to be desired.The "mystery" is predictable, save the "twin brother" twist.Mark Manning's coming out is tortured; and what's with the Japanese Vodka?Neil, Mark's "loftmate" is not fully flushed out as a character.I hope the 2nd book in the series has more to offer.

A Bit of a Disappointment
Wealthy Chicago widow Helena Carter disappeared six years and nine months ago.In three months, Helena will be declared legally dead and her estate will be divided up amongst the charities listed in her will.Investigative journalist Mark Manning had covered Mrs. Carter's disappearance years ago and was one of the few who still believed that she was alive.He refused to follow the mainstream and make his articles match what every other newspaper was reporting until his editor gave him the ultimatum: either back up his story that Helena Carter was still alive or go find another job.Mark cannot believe that he is being tossed out after years of hard work and popular articles, but he is not going to leave without putting up a fight.Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Gay    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Mystery & Detective - Series    6. Mystery fiction    7. Mystery/Suspense    8. Crime & mystery    9. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General    10. Mystery    11. Thriller   

Reviews (1)

Previously released under pen name of Kevin J Porter
When I first read and reviewed this book three years ago, when it was released by the author under a pen name, I said that it was one of the most original, suspenseful and outright *terrifying* mystery novels I have ever read ... and that distinction still remains.The author is skilled at feeding the reader carefully-timed tidbits of information, before they become evident to those trying to solve the case, making the reader feel smart and leading to "obvious" conclusions. Unfortunately, what seems obvious in the last chapter is proved to be impossible in the next, and one is left frustrated and doubting how this will all be tied together somehow, but it is, masterfully.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. Gay    4. Mystery & Detective - General   

Reviews (1)

Hard Boiled Gay Detective from 1973
Sub-Title: A Dave Brandstetter Mystery
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Subjects:  1. Brandstetter, Dave (Fictitious    2. Brandstetter, Dave (Fictitious character)    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    5. Gay    6. Gay men    7. Insurance investigators    8. Los Angeles (Calif.)    9. Mystery & Detective - Hard-Boiled    10. Mystery & Detective - Series    11. Mystery/Suspense    12. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Hard-Boiled   

Reviews (2)

When stories collide
When the remains of a man's head and an elephant's body are found, police detectives Simpson and Delilah are called to investigate. It seems like a strange, yet straight-forward, homicide. Until Vighnesvara appears, and he's a version of the Hindu god Ganesh who appears with the body of a man and the head of an elephant. He, along with the suspected murderer who has a tendency to grow extra arms and some witnesses who testify in random languages, create havoc in the courtroom of Judge McEchern, who just wants to go back home. With the help of Simpson's boyfriend Sandip, maybe they all can figure out what's going on. "Once upon an Elephant" is a brilliant and whimsical retelling of Ganesh's creation from Hindu mythology. Flittering among the viewpoints of the characters, the story charms the reader, enlightening and delighting as it progresses.

Classic indian mythology hilariously revisited.
Author Ashok Mathur revisits the mythology surrounding the birth of Ganesh, the Hindu God portrayed as a human with an elephant head.The story is told in the guise of a contemporary mystery with Ganesh himself asboth murderer and victim. As the tale unravels, the reader is continuouslytransported between the mythology and the current events that have lead tothe investigation.Mathur's induction of the tale into contemporary timeis what makes the story both fascinating and hilarious. His clever use ofrecent past events, namely the miracle of the milk-drinking Ganesh statuesamongst indian communities all over the world, brings the reader evencloser to the story than if we had not already been given a taste of suchphenomena. The investigation of the alleged crime is a self-reflexivecomical romp in which neither traditional social mores or culturaldifferences are spared. I enjoyed the author's manipulation of the taleimmensely, laughed uproariously, and would recommend it to all readers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fantasy fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Ganesa (Hindu deity)    5. Gay    6. Gaòneâsa (Hindu deity)    7. Fiction / General   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Mystery & Detective - General    3. Mystery/Suspense    4. Popular American Fiction    5. Literature of special Gay interest    6. Modern fiction   

Reviews (1)

Better than a ride on a flying broomstick!

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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Espionage / Thriller    3. Gay    4. Mystery/Suspense    5. Suspense    6. Thrillers    7. Adventure / thriller    8. Fiction / Suspense    9. Fiction-Gay    10. Fiction-Thrillers    11. General & Literary Fiction   

Reviews (3)

better gay fiction out there
JohnPilot is the patriarch of a large extended family.His second wife, Frances Lorraine, is a trollop who wants half the family fortune if John divorces her.His nephew Shaun is commuting between Boston and Louisiana, going to cllege, and learning to run the plantation as well as his own business.John's children are in school in Europe, or married and living close by. (I think . . . I found it very difficult to keep track of all the relationships and connections, especially those of peripheral characters.)Dennis, John's former lover, is trying to help him get rid of Frances Lorraine without losing the plantationUncle Julian is one of the main characters, but (again) I'm not sure exactly how he is connected to John - a cousin, or an uncle, or what.
Soap opera quality
I read this book while on vacation, and this book is fine as a way to while away a few hours while traveling.It's billed as being "laden with secrets, scandals, deception, and betrayal," in other words as a soap opera, and if you approach it as you might approach As The World Turns, in other words willing to suspend disbelief and not being too demanding in terms of craft, The Man Pilot provides some entertainment and escape from reality.However, with dialogue that's a bit stilted and writing that does a bit too much telling instead of showing it's definitely a soap opera and not an Academy Award winning drama.That said, just as it's easy to get hooked on a TV soap opera, so could it be easy to get hooked on this series.

CAN"T WAIT FOR #3
I was so happy to finally read the second book from James Ridout. I feel like I know the family after reading his first book "Plantation Secrets" that when I read this book It was like visiting and catching up with old friends.Thanks - I hope there will be another to follow!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Gay men    4. Louisiana    5. Mystery & Detective - General    6. Plantation life    7. Sugarcane industry    8. Crime & mystery    9. General & Literary Fiction    10. Modern fiction    11. Sagas   

Reviews (2)

Abreu tells a too surreal, gimicky tale..
Caio Abreu has a interesting type of tale to tell, but it didn't quite work well.In his novel "Whatever Happened to Dulce Veiga?", a jaded journalist is send to cover a new musical group, and finds that one of them is the daughter of Dulce Veiga, who vanished over 20 years before.In between odd homoerotic fantasties and surreal images of a Brazilean cult, the journalist searches for Dulce and himself.The chapter are themed by days, and feature images of Brazilian cult "gods".I credit Abreu for his courage, but this isn't a good novel by any criteria

We need more translations of Caio's books.
Caio is known in Brazil by his short stories. Whatever Happened to Dulce Veiga is his first and only novel and it is wonderful. I started reading Caio when I was in College in Brazil and since then I have a extremely passion for his works. I read some of his stories more than five times because they are full of poetry and beauty. He creates a world at once familiar and fabulous. After reading all his short stories and his post mortem book, I read Dulce Veiga. I don't know how I took so long. It's witty and magical. I may say that I was truly sorry when the book ended. I wanted more and I wanted to call him and tell how much I did I enjoy it. It was too late. He had died a year before I read it. Nevertheless I am happy that the book will be released in the U.S. I do hope the American public can understand Caio and his stories. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. Gay    4. Mystery & Detective - Hard-Boiled    5. Crime & mystery    6. Fiction / General   

Subjects:  1. Albany    2. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    3. Fiction    4. Gay men    5. Mystery & Detective - General    6. Mystery/Suspense    7. New York (State)    8. Private investigators    9. Strachey, Donald (Fictitious c    10. Strachey, Donald (Fictitious character)   

Reviews (5)

Hunter Pens Another Enjoyable Romp
Fred Hunter brings back the detective team of Alex, Peter and Jean.This time Alex is working (reluctantly) in the offices of a senatorial canidate.It is often dangerous to be aound the Reynolds/Livesay crew and this is no different.The office is blown up killing the office manager.Unsure about whether this is a terrorist threat, crime of passion, job promotion, or something else, the trio gets involved in the investigation.
Wretched Writing
In "Government Gay" (1997), the first book in Fred Hunter's Alex Reynolds mystery series, Alex's lover Peter is kidnapped.In Chapter 15 of that novel, Alex finally rescues Peter from a locked hotel room by using his VISA card to pop the lock on a door off which the numbers had fallen, leaving only the shadows of said numbers on the grimy door.Alex explains to his readers that he had learned this simple break-in technique from a neighbor.
Politicians are just that...POLITICIANS!
What a sad commentary that the word POLITICIAN has become a pejorative, but NATIONAL NANCYS once again proves it.This offering by Mr. Hunter engages Alex, Peter, and Jean in a twisted story of political intrigue, back-stabbing, deception, fraud, and geriatric romance.Alex and crew are on the trail of what appears to be either a "political" assassination or a hate-crime.In the process, the uncover a host of "skeletons in the closet" and a fair number of self-important egotists.The action is swift and replete with surprises.I totally enjoyed this "episode" of the Alex Reynolds series and recommend.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Gay    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Mystery & Detective - Series    6. Mystery/Suspense    7. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General    8. Literature of special Gay interest    9. Modern fiction   

Features

• Audiobook
• Unabridged

Reviews (139)

"If you can't fix it, you gotta stand it."
First published in the New Yorker magazine in 1997, this powerful short story won the National Magazine Award for Fiction and an O. Henry Award.Exploding the stereotype of the cowboy, author Annie Proulx creates a passionate love story between two young ranch hands who believe their love and relationship are unique.Both are nineteen, and neither will entertain the thought that he might be gay ("I'm not no queer...it's a one-shot thing.").
"Nobody's business but ours"
I read Annie Proulx's short story, Brokeback Mountain, after seeing the movie. I find it incredible that Proulx could convey such depth of emotion in a 55-page short story.Her words are haunting and the story paints a beautiful portrait even though it is kind of hard to shake the images of Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger and instead see the characters as just Ennis and Jack.If you liked the movie, you'll love the short story. It's such a quick and fulfilling read, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

HEATH LEDGER SHOULD HAVE WON THE OSCAR !!!!
As you (may) already know, "Brokeback Mountain" is the story of forbidden homosexual love in rural 60's Middle-America where homophobia and bigotry are (very) prevalent. This is an awesome love story because the love of Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar is pure, and genuine.
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Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Fiction/General    2. Audiobooks    3. Fiction    4. Gay    5. Movie-TV Tie-In - General    6. Mystery/Suspense    7. Short Stories (single author)    8. Unabridged Audio - Fiction/General    9. Fiction / General   

Reviews (7)

Absolutely Beyond Words
This book, oh, God, this book... Enchanting!
This is a lovely blend of mystery and romance. Nigel and Nicky one of the best...
Ok..lately I haven't found a great Gay mystery.So, I read some of the reviews and picked Love's Last Chance and boy I was I in for a treat.I just ordered some more of his books.Great story, well written...wow.. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Gay    4. Gay men    5. Mystery & Detective - General    6. Mystery & Detective - Series    7. Mystery fiction    8. Crime & mystery    9. Literature of special Gay interest    10. Mystery   

Reviews (9)

One tragedy after another
I would actually have given this book 2 and 1/2 stars, but I decided to round down. There are four main problems with this book, and the entire Ben Justice series in general; 1) the ridiculous ease in which Justice is able to get information out of people. Friends, colleagues, even strangers who are unwilling to talk to the police happily confess all to Justice, and it's a bit unbelievable. 2) The romance between Ben and another character is very hard to swallow, and very unconvincing. 3) So many tragedies occur to Ben Justice that it almost becomes a parody. I almost expected Ben to find out that he was adopted on the last page! 4) The resolution is rushed and unsatisfactory. It's one thing to leave some plotlines hanging and a few doors open, but at the end there are characters that literally disappear without any dramatic resonance. I'd give an example, but I don't want to spoil the book for anyone that hasn't read it. This book was a disappointing entry in the Justice series.

Mr. Wilson is a risk-taker!
If you are looking for a nice mystery where everything gets worked out almost mathematically in the end, this book is not for you. If, however, you are prepared to be blown away by a story that stetches the very limits of the mystery genre, then this one's for you. Mr. Wilson creates larger-than-life characters, many of whom you will care about desperately. And all the good guys don't win in the end. Sound like life? The novel ends with important questions not answered. Perhaps we'll get those answers in the next in this series if we find out whether or not Benjamin Justice is at risk. Solid Mystery
Intrigued after reading the previous reviews, I went and purchased this book first, even though I believe it is the 3rd of the series.I won't go into the plot but I will say that the author develops his characters in such a way that you feel as if you really know and care about what happens.Excellent pace to the story.Had me turning pages to find out what happened next.Enjoyed it so much I went and bought 2 of the other novels in the series.Recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Gay    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Mystery & Detective - Series    6. Mystery/Suspense    7. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General   

Editorial Review

John Morgan Wilson's Read more

Reviews (8)

Mr. Wilson and Mr. Justice Are Back!
In this the second of John Morgan Wilson mysteries, Benjamin Justice, the sometimes down-and-out writer who fell from grace after he wrote a Pulitzer winning series about a young man's dying of AIDS that was based more on fiction than fact, is back. And some of his friends we met in SIMPLE JUSTICE make return appearances: Maurice and Fred, Justice's gay landlords; Alexandra Templeton, the statuesque African American reporter and Harry Brofsky, Justice's former mentor before he lost his job at a good newspaper. All That Glitters...
Wilson continues his Benjamin Justice series of detective novels with this dynamic second entry, set, of course, in Hollywood, among the world of rapacious, do-anything-for-a-break screenwriters, a world Wilson himself apparently knows well from experience. "Justice has been Better"
I have to admit I haven't read the Benjamin Justice Mysteries in order.In fact, I read "Limits of Justice" first and have been backtracking.So I can honestly say this second mystery following "Simple Justice" is not my favorite. However, I really did enjoy the story because the author writes with a style that draws you in with a skill that makes you read right thru not wanting to stop till you get to the end. The story centers around a dead man, Raymond Farr, and how anyone at this Hollywood party might have wanted him dead.Justice begins to nose around and unearths a web of relationships, that finally lead him to the killer.I thought the story dealt very emotionally with Ben's feelings for AIDS stricken Danny Romero, a subject in the murder, and his effort to clear his name in the murder. The ending, yes, was a little obvious, and the murderer easy to figure out, but it's still an interesting read, and very enjoyable.I am glad I read this second mystery by John Wilson, and would recommend all four of his mysteries to anyone. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Gay    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Mystery & Detective - Series    6. Mystery fiction    7. Mystery/Suspense    8. Suspense    9. Fiction / Suspense   

Editorial Review

Conceived as a lone-wolf sleuth, prowling the fog-embraced hills and criminal redoubts of modern San Francisco, Bill Pronzini's Nameless Detective has evolved over the course of 29 novels into a semi-retired family man and mentor to two younger operatives, neither of whom seems any more capable of staying out of trouble than Nameless was in his prime. Fortunately, Read more

Reviews (6)

Now only another 29 books to catch up on...
First off - covers can be deceiving. The Nightcrawlers title, along with the hazy figure at the end of a dark tunnel, initially gave me the impression that this was a suspense series in the creepy, X-Files sort of vein. I was heading to the beach for the weekend, stopped at the store for snacks, and the cover caught my eye: it looked interesting, and I bought it on impulse, without even reading the blurbs on the back cover.
Like a cold shower
There's a certain style of writing that Bill Pronzini embraces. Some might call it harsh. Unlike the authors who describe the event or the perps in language more acceptable for readers, PC if you will, Pronzini calls a. . . well you get my drift.
Nghtvrawlers
"Nightcrawlers" is the 29th Nameless Detective novel by Bill Pronzini, one of the great mystery writers working today. This novel is actually a collection of 3 stories in which Nameless, his partner Tamara Corbin. and operative Jake Runyan all have separate cases. Nameless is summoned to the death bed of Russ Dancer, a former pulp writer who wishes Nameless to deliver a package to his mother-in-law, Cybil Wade after Dancer passes away. Jake Runyan investigates several cases of gay-bashing in the Castro district. One of the victims is lover of Jakes's son, Joshua. While on a routine stakeout, Tamara notices a man struggle with something that Tamara feels is a child. Tamara decides to snoop around the house, and is taken captive by a madman, Robert Lemoyne. He had kidnapped a little girl Lauren whom Lemoyne believed was his daughter. He takes them to a remote parcel of land in Nevada County with plans to kill them. This was not my favorite Nameless novel. The Tamara storyline, while exciting at the end, was really slow for me. Nameless (I still call him this even though we know his name is Bill) and the Russ Dancer storyline are for long time readers of this series, and new readers would need to go back to "Hoodwink" to understand all aspects of this storyline. Most of the actual detection was done by Jake Runyan with his working to find the gay-bashers in the Castro district. All the novels by Bill Pronzini are well written. I almost always give his novels 5 stars but this one lacked something. All in all, however, this is a very good book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Crimes against    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    5. Gay men    6. Mystery & Detective - General    7. Mystery & Detective - Hard-Boiled    8. Mystery & Detective - Series    9. Mystery/Suspense    10. Nameless Detective (Fictitious    11. Nameless Detective (Fictitious character)    12. Private investigators    13. San Francisco    14. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General