Nightshades

Rating:
Summary: A Busman's Vacation with a Little Help from Kerry Wade
Review: 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 The Snatch, one of detective fiction's great characters was born with full fledged power and authenticity. If you have not yet read the 25 plus 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 Twospot, several books prior in the series, when police lieutenant Frank Hastings tells what his poker playing friends call Nameless, employing a first name. But it's never acknowledged by Nameless that this is his name . . . so it's probably a nickname. That name is not then used again until much later in the series in this book. You can learn about why Nameless has no name in an author's note in Case File, a collection of short stories that precedes this book.

Mr. Pronzini presents a world in which people take evil actions to further selfish interests, and many innocents struggle 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 of the early plots, he successfully uses plot complications to keep the action interesting and fresh. Beginning with Labyrinth, the plots became less simple.

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. Beginning with Hoodwink, he has a love interest, Kerry Wade, who is the daughter of two ex-pulp authors. 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. He's also skeptical about technology, and doesn't want to become a snooper using electronic gadgets. He's a proud Italian in his 50's, could stand to lose some weight, and is really messy. So there's an element of Don Quixote here, too.

The books are also written in a more sophisticated version of the pulp fiction style, employing a better writing style and greater range 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. Beginning with Scattershot though, the books increasingly contain witty references to early mysteries and their characters.

In Nightshades, we find a strong element of humor which provides a nice change of pace. While Nameless is often self-critical of his abilities as a detective, Nightshades brings that point to life by having Kerry Webb upstage him in handling witnesses and solving the mystery.

The book begins as Nameless is introduced to Musket Creek, an old Gold Rush mining town that was then known as "Ragged-A__ Gulch." There's a conflict, though. Nameless is due to go on vacation with Kerry Webb. The case seems simple enough. He's supposed to check out an accidental death before the insurance company pays off on the double indemnity policy. Kerry is open to the idea of coming along, and Nameless takes the case.

Arriving in the area, Nameless finds he's in the middle of a classic California conflict . . . land developers against the local, long-term residents of a beautifully unspoiled area. The accidental death has taken the life of the president of the land development company. The residents clearly hate the developers. Could the two situations be connected?

The residents don't want to have anything to do with Nameless, but Kerry is able to make progress by bending the rules. Nameless finds that he doesn't enjoy her "help" and their relationship begins to fray. The situation isn't at all what it seems, and as the danger builds Nameless finds himself in fear for both Kerry's and his life.

In many of the best books in the series, Mr. Pronzini develops a unique sense of place. Nightshades is one of his most successful books in that dimension. You'll feel like you're walking down the streets of the ghost town as the story develops.

The book also opens up a new story line about Kerry's ex-husband that you will enjoy over the next few books in the series.

After finishing the book, I was reminded of the French concept of the "juste mileau" (loosely translated as the right balance) and how often we create problems by trying to do too much . . . too fast.