Customer Reviews

Mourners: A Nameless Detective Novel (Nameless Detective Mystery)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Nameless Detective series was supposed to end with the character's retirement in 2002's "Bleeders." However, fans continued to clamor for more Nameless tales, and Pronzini has since treated fans to "Spook," "Nightcrawlers" and now "Mourners." Instead of quitting, Nameless -- who has now acquired a name, Bill -- has given more responsibility to his two operatives, Tamara and Jake. The books used to be all first person; now, we have alternating chapters told from several different characters' points of view.

A lot of mystery series get stale after a few installments, but Pronzini's new approach has freshened up the series, and I eagerly anticipate each new Nameless book. As Nameless has gotten more domestic, with wife Kerry and their adopted daughter, Jake has sort of become the moody loner that Nameless was when Pronzini started his long-running series.

In "Mourners," the wife of a financial consultant hires the agency to follow her husband, who has started acting very strangely and disappearing for long periods. The investigation leads Jake to go off on a tangent when he tries to solve the murder of a young woman whose sister reminds him of his late wife.

If you have the chance, read the whole series in order; it is one of the towering achievements in modern mystery fiction.

The "Nameless" agency team knows about separation and death. "Nameless" friend and partner committed suicide, Jake Runyon's wife died of cancer and Tamara's love has moved to Philadelphia. The agency has been hired, by his wife,to follow James Troxell. Rather than another woman, they find he is attending the funerals of women who have been raped and murdered. At a cemetery, Jake sees a young woman who reminds him of his late wife and who's sister was a victim. What is Troxell's connection to these victims?

Pronzini is such a fine writer. He takes, what could be, a basic mystery and layers it with text that deepens and enriches the plot. On the top level, this is a very good mystery. It leads the reader on a fascinating trail finding out exactly what the object character is up to. The sense of place, dialogue and suspense are all very well done. You become involved with all the characters and care about them. Even the minor, and somewhat unlikable, characters are ones you recognize. On a second level is the story of grief and mourning; it's many forms and the impact it has on various people's lives. I can't' say enough about this book. I am ready for the next in the series, and determinedly looking for the ones I'm missing. If you've not read this series, even with a few slight misses, start at the beginning and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!.

Mourners is Bill Pronzini's thirtieth entry in the Nameless P.I. series which has a bust in the Pantheon of P.I.s. Nameless (now going by "Bill") is probably in his 60s, married to Kerry, and has an adopted daughter Emily who is growing up too fast. His awkward fatherly "sex talk" with her is a classic scene. Yes, Nameless as a family man reveals a gentler, funnier side -- the result of mellowing age. In this case, the affluent financial consultant James Troxell attends all funerals of women who've died violently (thus the book's title). Naturally Troxell's wife is alarmed and hires Nameless to find out just why this erratic behavior. Nameless soon uncovers a women's brutal murder and her distraught sister. The P.I. firm's other two workers, Tamara Corbin and Jake Runyon, inject the subplots of their personal lives. Tamara is getting over her old boyfriend. Runyon does much of the heavy detective work, and his sections give the story its gritty, hardboiled flavor. The prose remains lean and vivid. I've read enjoyed reading all the titles, and Mourners is as good as any.

Bill Pronzini's MOURNERS receives Broadway acting veteran Nick Sullivan's experienced way with drama to spice another 'Nameless Detective' novel of intrigue. Here troubles at home with his wife lead to more troubles at the office, where he sees too much death and attends too many funerals. His sudden revelation that his problems may be interconnected brings with it uncertain knowledge that he may indeed know the killer. All are excellent leisure and study choices.

Bill Pronzini's latest Nameless Detective novel, "Mourners," addresses the grief that consumes men and women who have suffered crushing personal losses. Nameless, an ex-cop whose first name turns out to be Bill, is still mourning the death of his friend and partner, Eberhardt. A woman named Lynn Troxell has hired Bill's San Francisco-based detective agency to follow her husband, James, a successful financial consultant with an unusual death fetish. Three times in two days, Troxell has attended the funerals of women he apparently did not know, all of whom were victims of violent crimes. Lynn senses that something has been bothering James, but she has no idea what it is. She hopes that the private detectives tailing her husband can get to the bottom of his bizarre behavior.

Another mourner is field investigator Jake Runyon. His beloved second wife, Colleen, died ten months earlier from ovarian cancer. Jake is inconsolable and buries himself in work because he cannot face being alone with his morbid thoughts. A third mourner is Risa Niland, whose twenty-five year old sister, Erin, was raped and strangled. Risa is distraught over the fact that the police have no witnesses or physical evidence that might lead them to Erin's killer. She is desperate for the murderer to be caught and punished, so that she can move on with her life.

Bill Pronzini should teach a master class in how to write sparely. In a time when many bloated books become best sellers, it is a distinct pleasure to read such clean, clear, and effective prose. The author changes points of view, sometimes telling the story in the first person through Bill's eyes, and in other chapters, segueing into the third person. This approach is a bit distracting, although it provides us with a broader perspective than we would have if the book were written entirely in the first or third person.

"Mourners" is an involving and suspenseful mystery with a diverse and well-developed cast of characters. In addition to those mentioned earlier, worth noting are Bill's wife Kerry, who harbors a dark secret that she is reluctant to reveal, and Bill's sassy colleague, Tamara, who is deeply hurt and furious when her boyfriend of five years abruptly dumps her over the phone.

Pronzini explores grief in all of its forms. People mourn not only for their dead friends and relatives, but also for their crushed hopes and dreams. Despair, frustration, and bitterness may lead them to commit violent acts against others or even themselves. The cliffhanger ending is excellent-one small surprise, but refreshingly free of gimmicky twists and turns. For Pronzini, life is fascinating enough without resorting to artifice to dress it up.

The subtitle of this book could be "Love Is All There Is." Yet the characters in Mourners struggle without love. In the absence of love, they become brittle, unhappy, and bitter.

Like Nightcrawlers, this novel is about the three detectives in Nameless's agency, Nameless, Tamara Corbin, and Jake Runyon. Nameless is dealing with a suddenly cold and remote Kerry, his wife. Tamara Corbin is in agony over her lost boy friend. Jake Runyan is still in mourning for his second wife and in emotional pain due to his estrangement from his son, Joshua.

They are asked to trail a successful investment manager, James Troxell, how has taken to ignoring his work and his wife. It soon becomes apparent that Troxell is addicted to attending funerals and visiting grave sites. What's that all about?

The answers reveal some very dark secrets that are not easily brought to light for safe consumption.

You'll be haunted by this book and its powerful references to the noir tradition of detection. You'll also feel closer than ever to the characters in the book as you share their hurt through reading about their pain.

At the end, you'll come away with a deeper appreciation for the good things in your life. You won't want to trade your life with anyone in this book.

I always look forward to the release of a new Pronzini book. This one did not disappoint.