Undercurrent

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 the fifth book in the series, Twospot, 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. He's been afraid of doctors since he saw them operating on wounded men during World War II. 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 Undercurrent, the third book in the Nameless Detective series, a new bride, Judith Paige, asks Nameless to find out what her husband is doing on his extended weekend "business" trips that

Bill Pronzini is my favorite mystery writer working today. "Undercurrent" is the third installment in the Nameless Detective series. Newlywed Judith Paige hires Nameless to find out if her husband is having an affair. Nameless follows Walter Paige to a motel room in Cypress Bay, where Paige is murdered. Nameless must found out who murdered Paige, and investigates. As he investigates, the list of suspects grows. This novel is not one of Pronzini's best-known books, but it is well worth reading, especially if you're planning to read all the Nameless Detective mysteries.