The Vanished

Our anti-hero (the Nameless Detective) in the first sequel (of what is now a thirty-four book series) is a man of amazing tenacity and grit. He's kind of like John Wayne meets Columbo. It's only three months from the first book where he took twenty-seven stitches to his 'belly' from a knife wound, and he's running around the West Coast and West Germany with no ill effects. Normally this wouldn't be a problems except that our man is in his forties and suffering from respiratory distress from too much smoking. In this book he gets knocked over a few times and has a massive drag out fight with a moose of a farm hand (who has fists like mallets). The one thing that will always destroy the credibility of these stories, no matter how 'noir' they are, is the idea that anyone can take that kind of beating and not have to spend two weeks in a hospital. Anyone who has ever been in a fight (bare fisted) and been hit solidly in the face or head knows that your lucky if you only come out with a concussion. Keeping in mind that Pronzini was twenty-nine when he wrote this story, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but he doesn't know what it's like to be forty. The story itself is interested and well played out, except that by having him fall in love with the sister of one of his suspects almost demands that he be the killer. This is 'noir' after all. He does a good job at the atmospherics and descriptions (which have to been too detailed and overblown) for this type of story. If Nameless has called his client sweetheart or angel it would have been perfectly ok. The woman all need a man to make them whole and protect them from harm (or they're helpful down on their luck hookers) and all the men are 'two-fisted' even the bad ones. I'm looking forward to see how Pronzini's grows his characters in the future (like McBain did with the men of the 87th precinct) or if he'll just become a hack like the guys who wrote the 'pulp detective fiction' that his character likes to collect. Zeb Kantrowitz

THE VANISHED (Priv. Invest-"Nameless"-San Francisco-Cont) - Ex Pronzini, Bill - 2nd in series Random House, 1973, US Hardcover - ISBN: 394481704 First Sentence: January. Elaine Kavanaugh wants to hire a private investigator. Master Sergeant Roy Sands finished his 20-years in the military and they are engaged to get married. Now he has disappeared and Elaine wants to find out where he is. She doesn't have a photo, but does have a sketch. The investigation seems routine until the sketch is stolen and Elaine's life is threatened. Although I've read many of Pronzini's more recent books, I'd never read the series from the beginning. From the very first, and now second, book, Pronzini's prodigious talent is apparent. The plot is cleaver without being gimmicky; the sense of place is excellent, the dialogue crisp. It is also fascinating to see how much our lives have changed in 35 years. There are no cell phones, of course, but what really struck me is being able to call one day and get a seat on a plane to London and Germany the next day which no problem. Don't think that makes the book seem dated as the story is so well structured it transcends any impact the passing of time has made. If you've not yet read Pronzini's "Nameless" series, I can only ask: Why not?

In 1971, author Bill Pronzini was only 27 when he wrote The Snatch, building on a shorter and different version of the story that appeared in the May 1969 issue of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine under the same title. With the publication of this book, one of detective fiction's great characters was born with full fledged power and authenticity. If you have not yet read the Nameless Detective novels by Mr. Pronzini, you have a major treat ahead of you. Many of these are now out-of-print, so be sure to check your library for holdings in near-by cities.The Nameless Detective is referred to that way because Mr. Pronzini never supplies a name until late in the series, although he begins toying with the reader about this point in the fourth book in the series, Blowback. I won't reveal that name here.Mr. Pronzini presents a world in which many men take evil actions to further selfish interests, and many women and children suffer because of that selfishness. The police and private investigators suffer along with the victims, for evil-doing has painful consequences for everyone. Mr. Pronzini's plots are complex, yet he provides plenty of clues to help you identify the evil-doer on your own. Despite the transparency of many plots, he successfully uses plot complications to keep the action interesting and fresh.But the reason to read the books is because of the character development for the Nameless Detective. Nameless is a former police officer in San Francisco who collects pulp fiction about tough private detectives. Overcome by the evil he sees as a police officer and drawn to the complex imagery of the strong, silent hero who rights wrongs, Nameless tries to live that role as a private detective. But he has trouble getting clients, and operating as a one-man shop causes him to lead a lonely existence. In his personal life, his career keeps women at a distance. Like a medieval knight errant, he sticks to his vows and pursues doing the right thing . . . even when it doesn't pay. At the same time, he's very aware of art, culture and popular trends. And he doesn't like much of what he sees. At the same time, he's troubled by a hacking cough that cigarettes make worse . . . but doesn't really want to know what causes his phlegm to rise.The books are also written in a more sophisticated version of the pulp fiction style, employing greater style through language and plot. The whole experience is like looking at an image in a series of mirrors that reflect into infinity.These books are a must for those who love the noir style, and the modern fans of tough detectives with a heart of gold like Spenser . . . and can live without the wise cracks and repartee.In The Vanished, the second book in the Nameless Detective series, Elaine Kavanaugh hires Nameless to find her fiance, Master Sergeant Roy Sands, who mysteriously disappeared a few weeks earlier after mustering out of the service in San Francisco to wed her and live in California. The last clues to his

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.