Nightcrawlers

Nameless Detective #29

by Bill Pronzini

Bill Pronzini's "Nameless" detective has become one of the longest-lived, and consistently highly praised, private investigators in the annals of American crime fiction and the award-winning author proves, once again, that his skills
are unmatched.

Things were quiet in the San Francisco-based agency Nameless founded and his partners, Jake and Vanessa were itching to get back to work. A deadbeat father needed to be found, and Vanessa needed to do some field work, so she took the file and headed out to keep an eye on the last known address.

Jake got to work on something much more personal...and dangerous. The Castro had become the stomping ground, literally, of two violent gay-bashers and the most recent victim was Jake's son's lover. Father and son are estranged, but maybe helping now would help them reconcile. That was Jake's thought when he started. For Nameless it was all a matter of letting everyone know that if they needed his help, he was there.

Jake was handling his situation but for Vanessa, things got out of hand. Her perp never showed up, but when she saw a man carrying a young girl into the house across the street, she knew something was wrong....and about to get worse, because she was going to investigate what was going on.

When she doesn't show up a few days later, Nameless feels a sinking in his a few years ago he'd been kidnapped, shackled, and left to die in a cabin in the woods and something about Vanessa's disappearance echoed too loudly. When he discovers the house she'd investigated on her own and sees the words TAKING US TO A HOUSE IN THE WOODS scrawled on a closet wall, the echo became thunderous.

Now it was a race against time, and the clock had begun ticking before "Nameless" and Jake heard the starter's gun.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook, Detective

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

Mystery Writers of America Awards "Grand Master" 2008
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1999) for Boobytrap
Edgar Awards Best Novel nominee (1998) for A Wasteland of Strangers
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) for Sentinels
Shamus Awards "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) 1987
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1982) for Hoodwink

Married to author Marcia Muller.

Pseudonyms:
Robert Hart Davis (collaboration with Jeffrey M. Wallmann)
Jack Foxx
William Jeffrey (collaboration with Jeffrey M. Wallmann)
Alex Saxon

Reviews

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is a list of all the books (in order) Happy Reading.

1971 The Snatch Random House
1973 The Vanished Random House
1973 Undercurrents Random House
1977 Blowback Ramdom House
1978 Twospot Putman
1980 Laybrinth St. Martin's Press
1980 A Killing In Xanadu Waves Press
1981 Hoodwinked St. Martin's Press
1982 Scattershot St. Martin's Press
1982 Dragonfire St. Martin's Press
1983 Bindlestiff St. Martin's Press
1983 Casefile St. Martin's Press
1984 Quicksilver St. Martin's Press
1984 Nightshades St. Martin's Press
1984 Double St. Martin's Press
1985 Bones St. Martin's Press
1985 Grave Yard Plots St. Martin's Press
1886 Dreadfall St. Martin's Press
1988 Shackles St. Martin's Press
1988 Small Fellonies St. Martin's Press
1990 Jackpot Delacorte
1991 Breakdown Delacorte
1992 Quarry Delacorte
1992 Epitaths Delacorte
1993 Demons Delacorte
1995 Hardcase Delacorte
1996 Spadework Crippen & Landru
1996 Sentinels Carroll & Graf
1997 Illusions Carroll & Graf
1998 Boobytrap Carroll & Graf
1999 Sluths Five Star
1999 Duo Five Star
2000 Crazybones Carroll & Graf
2002 Bleeders Carroll & Graf
2003 Spook Carroll & Graf
2003 Scenarios Five Star
2005 Nightcrawlers Forge
2006 Mourners Forge
2007 Savages Forge
2008 Feaver Forge
2009 Schemers Forge
2010 Betrayers Forge
2011 Camouflage Forge
2012 Hellbox Forge
2012 Kinsmen Cemetery Dance
2012 Femme Cemetery Dance
2013 Nemesis Forge

[Bill Kerwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad mystery, but I liked it less that most Nameless Detective adventures. Why. Well, first of all all, I prefer a mystery with a first-person narrator, or—failing that—with a consistently third-person narrative with a first person point-of-view. Night Crawlers, however, offers four different points-of-view (three detectives, one criminal), and a mix of first and third person. Second, I prefer the detective and the quest to be the focus of the writer’s attention, but Night Crawler’s focuses heavily on adventure and suspense: kidnapping, imprisonment, brief scenes of violence, a hair breadth escape and a final chase. Been there, seen that, not interesting in seeing it again.

Besides, I really like Nameless, and he has little to do in this novel, most of the action centering on the two other members of his firm: his recent partner, computer-whiz Tamara, who becomes embroiled in—and endangered by—a child kidnapping; and new man Jake who strives to identify and bring to justice a couple of Castro Street gay-bashers who have seriously injured the partner of Jake’s estranged son. The only thing Nameless has on its plate is a little domestic matter: an old manuscript that Dancer, an old acquaintance, has beqeathed to Cybil, the mother of Kerry’s (Nameless’ longtime girfriend, now his wife).

As I said, not a bad mystery. If you don’t share my particularly prejudices, you may enjoy it a lot.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t worry...it’s not a novel about a bunch of killer worms. The idea is that after dark, the slimiest people crawl out from under the rocks where they hide from the daylight to indulge in dark dreams and visions that involve savaging the others...like nightcrawlers. Get it??? This book is basically a compilation of stories from the Nameless Detective Agency that have been blended together. Russ Dancer, a dying hack author, has commissioned Nameless... (I'm still not quite sure where the whole 'Nameless' thing came from. He does have an actual name...it’s Bill), to carry out his last wish ...to give a mysterious package to an old flame. Investigator Jake Runyon tries to help his estranged son, after his son's partner is a victim of a brutal gay-bashing....and Nameless's workaholic junior partner, Tamara Corbin, stumbles onto a kidnapping while on a stakeout. The three main characters are well-done although not particularly distinctive, or unfortunately...even memorable...except of course for Nameless. The book pretty much stumbles along until Tamara disappears. I've read other books by this author but I'm not sure if I want to devote more reading time to this series.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bummer! I was settling down to enjoy one of my favorite authors, Bill Pronzini. I had what I thought was the next book in his Nameless series. Well, I don't know how I failed to mark it, it I've definitely read this one. There have been a lot of changes in the Nameless Detective's life, but I knew right away that I was up to date with this book. So now, I'll request the next book from the library, and it will be a week or so before I can enjoy that. Meanwhile I'll look for another light read.

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

NIGHTCRAWLERS (Private Investigators-San Francisco-Cont) – G+
Pronzini, Bill – 32nd in "Nameless" series
Forge, 2005-Hardcover
Nameless, who is now referred to by his name of Bill, is now the semi-retired partner of the agency. Bill has been called to the deathbed of an acquaintance, Russ Dancer, who gives Bill a package to be given to his mother-in-law after Russ dies. Jake Runyon is tracking down the men who is severely beating gay men, including the partner of Jake's estranged son. Tamara, the third person in the agency, while looking for a deadbeat dad, is kidnapped and taken to a trailer in the woods along with a young girl. It's up to Bill and Jake to find her.
*** Interesting characters, and excellent dialogue and sense of place hallmark Pronzini's writing. It is understandable, as "Nameless" gets older, that he can't do as he once did and that Pronzini bring other characters into the agency, but it does dilute the focus. But by taking away the mystique of "Nameless" and telling the various stories of each of the partners, this latest entry doesn't have the same introspection or tension of previous books. That's not to say it's not a good book. It's fast paced and each sub-story is interesting in it's own right. It's not Pronzini at his best, but it's still better than good.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read anything by Pronzini I didn't like, including this book.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve never read any book in this particular series and I don’t wish to invest myself in it since it goes on for several novels. But this installment gripped me practically from page one and didn’t let go until the final page.

What was appealing weren’t the two cases being investigated but the human element the detectives encounter during their investigations. One realizes that it’s not so easy pursuing criminals when you’re pushing sixty. Another woman discovers a maternal streak she never knew she possessed while taking care of a kidnap victim. Another is stuck in the grief of losing a woman who was wife and best friend.

They all form bonds of varying strengths with each other. The people they meet in the course of a gay-bashing investigation are as diversified as they are: helpful, wary, standoffish, bitter, kindly, fearful, etc. While the investigators are openly supportive of the LGBTQIA+ community, they know that there are many who aren’t. Even in the Castro district of San Francisco, homophobia is alive and well and these people are grimly determined to track down the perpetrators of the latest string of hate crimes.

While the minutiae of police investigation—pursuing leads, getting into locked files, tracking people who’ve disappeared off the grid, etc.—is fascinating stuff, it is the people themselves you want to read about and they bring you back to the story again and again.

While I still don’t want to pursue all the other 39 books (!), if I stumble across more in the series, I wouldn’t say no to reading them. 😊

[John Grazide · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a crew the three of them make. Bill (Nameless), Runyan and Tamara. They seem to find trouble. This one had three story lines. Bill dealing with a very sick Russ Dancer and a meesage to Cybil. Runyan dealing with a bunch of gay bashers that attacked his sons lover. And Tamara, while checking out a lead on a dead beat dad she stumbles onto an apparent kidnapping. And all the tension that goes along with each palpable. Aside from Nameless now having a name, very good.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best of the series so far. All the characters are so well-described and San Francisco is a character as well. Glad I picked this up again.

[Larry Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense. Memorable.

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read 2013

[D. Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick satisfying read.

[The Shayne-Train · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book twenty-damn-NINE and there hasn't been a bad one in the lot! Another rollicking "Nameless" story, with more branching out POVs, and danger around every corner!

[John Biddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Nameless Detective (#29) novel was typical of the other Bill Pronzini novels I've read; good but not great. I like the main characters but I wish there was more depth to them. The plots are good but too predictable. There is a good pacing of the story as it races to the end. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING: 4.5
PROTAGONIST: Nameless and Company

At one time a "lone wolf" investigator, Bill has mellowed over the course of more than 30 years. Semi retired, he went into partnership with a 26-year old black woman by the name of Tamara Corbin and taken on a younger version of himself, Jake Runyon, as an operative. Tamara has given their agency a shot in the arm; they've just moved to new quarters and are benefiting from her creative marketing ideas. There's more work than the three of them can handle; growth into a larger firm is right around the corner. Moving from lone wolf into team player can be a difficult undertaking. Bill, Tamara and Jake have managed to work as a unit or as independent investigators as the situation calls for it. Generally, they are each chasing different cases, tapping in on the talents of the rest of the team as needed.

Jake is a man who is in terrible emotional pain. He was devastated by the death of his wife and best friend of ovarian cancer and has been suffering ever since. He has long been estranged from his son, Joshua, who has turned against him because of the vicious stories told him by his birth mother, Jake's first wife. So when Joshua reaches out to Jake, even tentatively, he is ready to do whatever he can to bridge the terrible gap between them. Joshua is gay, and wrongly feels that his father looks down on him because of his sexuality. Joshua's current partner is brutally assaulted by two gay bashers, and he looks to his father to see what he can do. As it turns out, these two individuals have grievously injured other gay men in the area. Bill gives Jake his blessing to spend his time on this investigation; but when Tamara gets into trouble, both men make her their first priority.

Tamara is more of an office type investigator, rather than an field agent. When she thinks she's figured out where a deadbeat dad has disappeared to, she goes under surveillance to try to catch him. While observing the area, she sees something very funky going on and directs her attention to what looks like a child kidnapping. Unfortunately, due to her lack of field experience, she gets herself into a life-threatening situation. Through a combination of her wits and the dogged dedication of her business associates, things turn around.

Pronzini is one of the most solid authors writing today. Over the course of 29 novels in the Nameless series, he has rarely faltered. You know going in that you are going to be treated to a well-plotted book, solid characterization and excellent dialogue. NIGHTCRAWLERS continues this fine tradition. It's amazing how Pronzini has moved from one to three lead characters and manages to interweave their plot threads seamlessly. These books aren't written in isolation; there's a character in this book that goes all the way back to the third book in the series. Pronzini also gives Bill, Jake and Tamara an emotional life outside of the agency. The result is that the reader really knows these people, how they are going to react to things, what their weaknesses are, what makes them tick. And even if every book in the series is not a masterpiece, there is not one book that isn't above average if not great. Even if Pronzini can't live forever, his books certainly will.

[Zeb Kantrowitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Nameless” and Tamara (with their new operative Jake Runyan) have just moved their business to a new location (less savory than the old neighborhood). Nameless has gone into semi-retirement, but is spending enough time in the office to be full time. This book involves the normal three stories, though one is not really addressed.

They are looking for a ‘deadbeat dad’ from Seattle working with the local office on a split-share. The following up on this one is what leads to the main story. While on stake-out Tamara, who is playing at operative because Horace has gone to work with the Philadelphia Symphony, thinks she has seen the abduction of a young girl.

Jake gets involved with a case of ‘gay bashing’ when his estranged son calls him. His son’s lover has been beaten so badly that he is hospitalized and is in critical condition. Jake takes on the case (on his own time) and finds that the assault is the part of a serial bashing. Though he and his son are still at odds, Jake feels it’s important to find those homophobes who are doing the beatings.

While Tamara is scouting out the house of the suspected ‘abductor’, she is captured and locked up in his basement. His plan is to take Tamara and the eleven year old girl up to Northern California, where he will ‘get rid’ of Tamara and live with the girl in a trailer in the forest. In many ways it’s like what happened to Nameless in an earlier book.

While Jake is busy with his son’s case, Nameless realizes that Tamara has disappeared. He then has to figure out what has happened to her. Once Jake has taken care of the men who were doing the bashing, the both go looking for Tamara. As expected, all turns out well in the end (though Jake and his son are still at odds).

It’s OK but more like a one hour TV drama then a mystery.

Zeb Kantrowitz zworstblog.blogspot.com

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s another day at the office for the nameless detective until his young associate Tamara Corbin disappears while helping him locate a deadbeat dad. His partner, Jake Runyon, also hands his hands full when his estranged son contacts Jake with a request to find the thugs who beat his partner nearly to death. Neither plot is complicated, which is fine because there’s also an interesting subplot involving Nameless’ mother-in-law, plus enough back story to give this novel a lot of depth.

Nightcrawlers is one in a long line of Bill Pronzini’s popular Nameless detective series, and now I understand why it’s so successful. As usual, I’m late to the party when it comes to reading well known authors, but I absolutely love Pronzini’s style. He builds story, character, and suspense by using all P.I.s’ points of view (only Nameless is told in first person), and it works terrifically well.

Even if I hadn’t heard about Pronzini’s many books and accolades, the first few pages reveal a gifted writer who knows what he’s doing. Now I’ll have to go back to the beginning and find out how the series began. It should be great fun.

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I'll have to say I could barely choke this down. Normally I read my books but this one I got as an audio book from the library. It was read by Nick Sullivan which was sort of like listening to Mr. Rogers read you a nightmarish bedtime story. His voice was distracting and every character sounded nearly the same.
Beyond that the story itself was rather flat and disconnected. Maybe I had trouble with it because this was the first book of his I'd read and had no character background to attach myself to. From the gist of it, it seems all his characters have serious interpersonal issues that force them to shut their inner lives away and become workaholics. The author seems bored and is just stretching for another plot, churning out another book. I doubt I'll bother with any of his other titles. If it hadn't been an audio book there's no way I ever would've finished reading it myself.

[Marca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is my first Nameless detective read. Really enjoyed the book and the characters. Two main plots going on this one: homophobes are running amok and beating gay men in the Castro district – putting them in the hospital. One of the men beaten is Jake Runyon’s son’s partner. Jake decides to unofficially investigate. The other plot starts as a simple collection of child support from a deadbeat by junior partner Tamara Corbin. Tamara goes to a stakeout and disappears! There is a sideline about Bill’s (Nameless) personal life: his wife and mother-in-law that made me yawn, but not too much of it. There was a surprise guest appearance from characters of another of my favorites series: Sharon McCone’s Detective Agency. Fun! I will certainly read more of this series. Kudos to Nick Sullivan who performed the audio version.

[columbialion · Rating 3 out of 5]

Psychopathic killer(s) stalking their victims in remote wooded rural areas, seems to be the underlying (unbeknownst) theme for me from my latest readings. In closing 2011, with my first experience with author Pronzini albeit a later work, was enjoyable. However if it had not been preceded by Deaver's "Bodies Left Behind" (of the same general plot/theme), may have been more enjoyable. Why is it that these current detective (PI's or Procedurals) characters are all members of the emotional walking wounded, whose past life's tragic events act as cataclysmic compasses to their present philosophies and behaviors. Anyway, the book is well developed has some multiple plot lines and thankfully all are resolved. I'll continue to further explore Prozini's other works.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find these mysteries so intriguing. I do not like the cussing and swearing written into the characters responses. I do not believe it is necessary to get the emotion across to the reader in the writing. In this book I learned something about the gay men's community in San Francisco, CA. The charcters remain the same, Jake Runyon, Tamarra and her girlfriend Vonda, and Bill with his wife Kerry, daughter Emily. Bill's in-laws, Jake's son and a previous charcter who is a real snake are involved in this mystery.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm reading these in reverse order so I know the outcomes in some situations but Pronzini still makes the plot go fast and furious and I was defenseless to the page turning. Tamara is kidnapped by a pedophile along with a child and it's a race against time to save her by Nameless and Jake-this was the best plotline and it just consumes the reader. Jake investigates gay bashing assaults involving his son's companion and Nameless deals with ghosts from the past involving his wife's family. I need to slow down and savor all of these gems.

[Rhonda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first time I've read this author--and probably the last. The writing is very sophomoric and there really are not any surprises. The only reason I might try one more is because he has something like 32 book in this Nameless Detective Series. Could they all be this trite and still be in demand??

[Michael Tildsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but forgettable story. There's some twists and turns, but not enough is really at stake and there isn't enough build up to the end. Unlike the earlier Nameless books, this falls into the time frame when the narrative is broken into three narrators. There is some filler, as there are really three mysteries that get resolved within 300 pages. A decent quick-read.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#29 in the Nameless Detective series.

Nameless Detective visits a dying acquaintance and picks up a package for his mother-in-law. Jake Runyon takes time to apprehend the gay bashing assailants of his estranged son's partner. Nameless and Jake search for Nameless' business partner Tamara after she disappears while on a stakeout.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall held my interest. There were of course many subplots and situations so it was not a surprise the main story turned out to be a just in time rescue. I am guessing one has to read a lot of these to really understand the characters in this case nameless just means no last name first name bill...

[Diane Clavette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grabbed me with the characters and plot. Made me want to keep reading. As a bonus this is a series with numerous books, so no need to say good-bye too quickly. The only negative for me was the book ended far too soon.

[Shirley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very exciting. Mistakes made by Tamera in going after a child kidnapper instead of her dead beat Dad case originally assigned to her.

I listened to this book on audio and the agent Tamera is called Vanessa in the book. Poor editing

[La'Jacinth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again bill does the writing and lets the reader visualize not what the author wants you to see but what the readers wants to see by drawing the outline and letting you (the reader) fill it in....Love his way of making jokes with the most mundane.

[Pam]

03/17/08 rec via bookmooch