"Strangers" (Forge,
$24.99) by multiple award-winning author Bill Pronzini is the 43rd book
in his popular series starring his Nameless Detective.
This time out, the semi-retired private detective and former cop is
out to help Cheryl, an old lover, who's now living in Nevada.
Her teen-aged son Cody has been accused of three rapes and is in
jail; Cheryl is sure he's innocent and contacts Nameless in San
Francisco.
Leaving his wife and adopted daughter, Nameless travels to the small
town of Mineral Springs. He stops and gets information from Cheryl,
discovering that she's being harassed by vindictive townspeople who are
sure that Cody is guilty.
The local sheriff has stopped looking for any other possible suspects and warns Nameless not to interfere with the case.
The district attorney in the case won't let Nameless talk to Cheryl's
son, even with Cody's inept lawyer present. The private eye digs
deeper, questioning Cody's friends and associates.
Few rush to Cody's defense, as the teenager has a bad reputation in
town. The nameless Detective tries to follow up on different leads but
gets minimal results. Soon, it becomes pretty obvious that someone is
out to stop him from discovering the truth.
Nameless tries to talk to the rape victims but has little success.
The sheriff is getting angrier - he feels he's got a slam-dunk case
against Cody.
The small town of Mineral Springs offers an intriguing background for
various assorted crimes; it's a haven for gambling and prostitution
with multiple gold mines in the area.
There's also a heavy-handed religious group, drug-trafficking and
Survivalists, so it's no surprise when tension rises and violence
flares: Nameless becomes a moving target.
Pronzini's Nameless Detective is one of the few crime characters that
have actually aged as the series has progressed. While it helps to
read the series in order, it's not essential, except for enjoying the
character's growth.
The author has won many major awards for his works in crime fiction,
including the 2008 Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of
America. He's edited 90 anthologies, published over 300 short stories
and has also written Western fiction.
This is a carefully-crafted, enjoyable crime novel rife with strong characters, flowing emotions and deadly action.
Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing’s Curious Book Shop,
has reviewed crime novels and Michigan books regularly since 1987.
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