Hardcase

Nameless, Pronzini's veteran private eye, finally ties the knot with his longtime love, Kerry. Happiness is tempered with danger when a case involving an adopted child who wants more information about her birth parents becomes complex, with the discovery of serial murder and terrible secrets. Pronzini produces, as usual, an engrossing mystery while creating and sustaining complex characters. At first, John Michalski's narration is almost overwhelming: booming and brusque. As the listener becomes accustomed to his style, and he settles into the story, subtlety in his expressions of characters emerges. His forthright emotions and handling of understated personalities (like Kerry) keep the action real and make the frightening conclusion truly immediate. Although his Nameless may not be as restrained as some readers imagine, this full-bodied performance works well with the action and tension of the novel. M.A.M. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine

May 1, 2007
Fans of Pronzini's "Nameless Detective" novels know that they start out slow but end in one heck of a nail-biter.Hardcase follows the familiar pattern, beginning almost as a slapstick, with "Nameless" marrying his longtime girlfriend, Kerry, and resisting purchasing a computer. Things turn dark, however, when a client who was adopted as a child asks him to locate her birth parents. What he uncovers is a terrible secret that threatens the lives of everyone around him, including his new bride. Reader John Michalski is irritating at first, delivering every line with a gravitas that detracts from the flow and giving characters, especially the women, voices that verge on the bizarre. Eventually, you'll settle into his style and find yourself carried along to the violent and explosive climax. Purchasing Pronzini books is a no-brainer for most libraries; despite being ten years old, this particular title holds up well and delivers a well-written mystery. Recommended for medium-sized and large public libraries.Joseph L. Carlson, Allan Hancock Coll., Lompoc, CA

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 29, 1995
From a slapstick beginning to an edge-of-your-seat ending, Pronzini (Shackles; Demons) demonstrates why he remains such an enduring force in the genre. The 23rd adventure for his Nameless Detective opens as the California PI, approaching 60, marries his longtime girlfriend, Kerry. After a civil ceremony marked by his nervous clumsiness, Nameless takes on a client who wants him to find her birthparents. Melanie Ann Aldrich has just discovered that she was adopted and is sure there's a reason her adoptive parents, who are deceased, kept this information from her. Nameless fairly quickly identifies the woman's birthparents, but that's just the beginning. Melanie was conceived when a young man raped a disturbed young woman. Nameless discovers that the man, who is now middle-aged and living in a San Jose, Calif., suburb, may be responsible for a series of rapes and murders over a 20-year period. When Nameless's investigation gets too close to the suspect, the women in the case--Melanie, the man's wife and even Kerry--are threatened. Pronzini chillingly captures the volatility of the brutal and truly frightening criminal, a very sick man who hides behind a veil of normalcy.