Customer Reviews

Missing

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After several installments in the Harry Stoner series, Jonathan Valin has finally taken Stoner to the next step. The series had become somewhat stale and uneven, but this novel brought a breath of freshness to character that could have become a cliche. In contrast to past installments of the series, this novel is much about who Harry Stoner is rather than what he does. The novel covers Stoner's investigation into the suicide of troubled bi-sexual man and has him considering a new relationship with the man's girlfriend. It's the introspection of this novel that makes it interesting. If you like this novel, you may want to read Valin's "Extenueting Circumstances" which is grittier and darker.

Jonathan Valin has long been on my list of authors to read. The critics often compare him to Ross Macdonald, who is one of my favorite writers. I picked up a copy of Missing - Valin's most-recent (1995) novel - at my local library.

Missing focuses on Valin's series detective, Harry Stoner. Stoner lives in Valin's hometown of Cincinnati and the reader gets a nice sense of that area through reading the novel. In Missing, a woman (Cindy Dorn) hires Stoner to find her missing lover, a bisexual man named Mason Greenleaf.

Once he begins investigating, Stoner learns that Greenleaf has a questionable past and that much of his life has been hidden from Dorn. Unfortunately, no one - other than Stoner - is interested in finding out what really happened to Greenleaf. Valin is a talented writer with a great eye for detail. I enjoyed reading Missing, but somehow the book never "grabbed" me - it's a bit slow moving and most of the characters are suffering from middle-aged angst.

I agree with the other reviewer, who stated that Missing focuses on developing Stoner's character more than on action and plot. Through Missing, Valin has Stoner confront his demons and attempt to establish a meaningful private life. It's disappointing that Valin hasn't published any additional Stoner novels in the last fifteen years - perhaps he felt that the series had run its course.

Missing is a solid read by a talented writer, but I can't give it more than a lukewarm recommendation.