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The Violated
A new stand-alone thriller by an acclaimed master of the genre and author of the Nameless Detective series.
Bill Pronzini is crime-writing royalty. His more than eighty published novels have won or been nominated for Edgar, Hammett, Anthony, Shamus, and Macavity awards—a clean sweep of the crime fiction award field—along with rave reviews from critics. He crafts masterful stories, often from multiple perspectives, in which the human condition is on full display.
The Violated is no exception. In Echo Park, in the small town of Santa Rita, California, the mutilated body of Martin Torrey is found by two passersby. A registered sex offender, Torrey has been a suspect in a string of recent rapes, and instant suspicion for his murder falls on the relatives and friends of the women attacked. Police chief Griffin Kells and detective Robert Ortiz are under increasing pressure from the public and from a mayor demanding results in a case that has no easy solution. Pronzini cleverly unfolds the case through alternating perspectives—Martin Torrey’s wife, caught between her grief and the fear her husband was guilty; the outraged husbands of the women violated; the enterprising editor of the local paper; the mayor concerned most with his own ratings; the detectives, often spinning in circles—until a surprising break leads to a completely unexpected conclusion. The Violated is Bill Pronzini at the height of his storytelling powers.
Bill Pronzini is crime-writing royalty. His more than eighty published novels have won or been nominated for Edgar, Hammett, Anthony, Shamus, and Macavity awards—a clean sweep of the crime fiction award field—along with rave reviews from critics. He crafts masterful stories, often from multiple perspectives, in which the human condition is on full display.
The Violated is no exception. In Echo Park, in the small town of Santa Rita, California, the mutilated body of Martin Torrey is found by two passersby. A registered sex offender, Torrey has been a suspect in a string of recent rapes, and instant suspicion for his murder falls on the relatives and friends of the women attacked. Police chief Griffin Kells and detective Robert Ortiz are under increasing pressure from the public and from a mayor demanding results in a case that has no easy solution. Pronzini cleverly unfolds the case through alternating perspectives—Martin Torrey’s wife, caught between her grief and the fear her husband was guilty; the outraged husbands of the women violated; the enterprising editor of the local paper; the mayor concerned most with his own ratings; the detectives, often spinning in circles—until a surprising break leads to a completely unexpected conclusion. The Violated is Bill Pronzini at the height of his storytelling powers.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published March 7, 2017
23 people are currently reading
798 people want to read
About the author
Bill Pronzini
625 books235 followersMystery 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
September 4, 2024
Mister Bill Pronzini is an experienced hand at writing crime so one expects the good stuff. And it is actually but not in a sensational way. The crime in this book is 4 rapes of women and the murder of the suspect which has to be cleared by the Police with a mayor in the opposition of the current Police chief because hé is not a yes-man. So the usual small town politics one might say.
What is pretty different about this book is that the writer chooses to tell the story from the viewpoint from all involved, with their own voice. From which you get a look behind the curtain from all involved, including their pain and personal life.
It is a painfull smalltown affair but as a reader you do not so much get the case solved but see how everbody gets touched by the crime of rape.
An interesting way of telling a story and giving more of the story and s voice to all of the victims instead of solely the avenging knights of the Police.
Not a long read but a satisfying read.
What is pretty different about this book is that the writer chooses to tell the story from the viewpoint from all involved, with their own voice. From which you get a look behind the curtain from all involved, including their pain and personal life.
It is a painfull smalltown affair but as a reader you do not so much get the case solved but see how everbody gets touched by the crime of rape.
An interesting way of telling a story and giving more of the story and s voice to all of the victims instead of solely the avenging knights of the Police.
Not a long read but a satisfying read.
June 22, 2022
So average and meandering that I’ve abandoned at 50%
September 28, 2017
This book was okay. Just okay not great but also not bad.
As mentioned in the blurb it touches in the subject of rape so that may me a trigger to some readers.
This book also have multiple POV which I thought was great for this book and story.
The story was entertaining and kept me guessing while I was sitting on the edge of my chair.
The characters were good but some of them seemed a bit immature, which kind of took away from the overall thriller of the story.
While most of the book was entertaining, some f it was a bit predicable and others a bit too drawn out, which can slow it down. The overall pacing of the book was okay .
Overall I thought it was good and something you can enjoy if you like thrillers
I rate it 3 ★
March 29, 2017
Excellent use of multiple POV to tell this story of a community faced with a serial rapist and murder.
The rape victims and their families, the mayor, and law enforcement are all impacted in different ways.
Another fine story from Grand Master Pronzini.
The rape victims and their families, the mayor, and law enforcement are all impacted in different ways.
Another fine story from Grand Master Pronzini.
June 28, 2024
The Violated
is a harsh tale about a murdered serial rapist, the aftermath of his horrific actions on the survivors and their families and the stress and concern that weighs heavily on the Lieutenant Ortiz and Police Chief Kells at bringing the perp to justice.
There are multiple POVs where the reader is offered a glimpse into the lives of the assault survivors, how they are coping (or not) and how an attacker's actions affect not just the ones he harms, but their families, the authorities, a community and the media.
Generally, I find multiple POVs distracting since it offers little to no time to get to know the character or sympathize with them and frankly, most of the characters were one dimensional, shallow and/or boring.
I didn't care about their thoughts, much less about their feelings or what would happen to them.
The main thing I noticed was that nearly all the men, with the exception of Kells and Ortiz, were such looosserrrsss.
They were either perverts, ass kissers, druggies, gross, rude, misogynistic, lazy, slobs or all of the above. Sheesh.
And that ending?
It was so...trite, sorta Jason Bourne-like when he's been running around from continent to continent punching out bad guys to find out who took his memory away only to find out...it was him all along.
The joke's on you.
This is my first book by Mr. Pronzini.
There are multiple POVs where the reader is offered a glimpse into the lives of the assault survivors, how they are coping (or not) and how an attacker's actions affect not just the ones he harms, but their families, the authorities, a community and the media.
Generally, I find multiple POVs distracting since it offers little to no time to get to know the character or sympathize with them and frankly, most of the characters were one dimensional, shallow and/or boring.
I didn't care about their thoughts, much less about their feelings or what would happen to them.
The main thing I noticed was that nearly all the men, with the exception of Kells and Ortiz, were such looosserrrsss.
They were either perverts, ass kissers, druggies, gross, rude, misogynistic, lazy, slobs or all of the above. Sheesh.
And that ending?
It was so...trite, sorta Jason Bourne-like when he's been running around from continent to continent punching out bad guys to find out who took his memory away only to find out...it was him all along.
The joke's on you.
This is my first book by Mr. Pronzini.
June 2, 2017
Well I finished it. That's about all to say. While the story was somewhat interesting and I liked the multiple perspectives, the writing was at times juvenile. "my boyfriend is a stud" the kids name was Timmy, etc. not the best or worst I've read.
December 9, 2018
This novel by Bill Pronzini, is a standalone novel about the murder of a convicted sex offender who had undergone psychiatric treatment for voyeurism in Ohio. After time in a mental hospital, his doctors declared him cured, and so he moves to California to live with his wife. Unfortunately, Martin Torrey, broke the law by not registering as a sex offender when he moved to California. In the small city where he lives with his wife, four brutal rapes occur, and many people are convinced Torrey is the culprit, although there is no proof. And then, Torrey is found murdered shot through the head and genitalia. The story is told by the principal characters in the story, and the reader learns several details from the perspectives of his wife, victims, law enforcement officers assigned to the case, and the mayor and a journalist. I thought the book was well written and to be honest, I was very surprised at the ending. This was a very engrossing and interesting story.
June 11, 2019
A stand-alone crime novel—not one of his “Nameless Detective” novels, which I really enjoy. VIOLATED has a unique format. It is told through the voices of eight people. In the audio version, eight different people are used, also. I was a bit surprised to learn who the perpetrator was. So a good read, but not one of Pronzini’s best. I can imagine him having a little bit of fun using a different format to write this. Must get boring. . .writing one terrific novel after another! LOL
March 16, 2017
Bill Pronzini is the author who kindled my interest in modern crime fiction. His long running series about the Nameless Detective is getting a little long in the tooth so I was pleased to see that he had written another stand alone novel. Presenting multiple points of view is often attempted by writers but not as often successful. Pronzini takes us inside the minds of all the people violated by a rapist in this small town in Northern California. We meet the victims, their families, the law officers and even the posturing politicians. Each chapter is headed with the name of a different character and this is not confusing because the story is linear and easy to follow. Thankfully Pronzini avoids the common literary trope of italicizing the perpetrator's thoughts in short chapters and therefore does not subject us to his sick meanderings and justifications.
I was particularly impressed by Pronzini's ability to get inside the minds of the rape victims and show the different ways this crime affects women and how difficult it is to recover mentally even as the body heals physically. Solving the crime almost takes a backseat to the emotional toll that these crimes have on this town. This is not a perfect book but I would recommend it to any of my friends who enjoy a good modern crime novel that doesn't dwell on graphic violence.
I was particularly impressed by Pronzini's ability to get inside the minds of the rape victims and show the different ways this crime affects women and how difficult it is to recover mentally even as the body heals physically. Solving the crime almost takes a backseat to the emotional toll that these crimes have on this town. This is not a perfect book but I would recommend it to any of my friends who enjoy a good modern crime novel that doesn't dwell on graphic violence.
September 15, 2019
VERY good - the old Bill Pronzini that I have read and loved for umpteen years. Can’t believe he is the same author who writes the Quincannon and Carpenter series - the difference between this book and those is like night and day.
This is not your usual run of the mill detective story, no implausible antics, no love affair between cops, just a great plot line that seems as if it could happen.
I’m hoping this is the start of a new series. Pronzini has written more than 80 novels and I bet I have read 75 of them. He has a way of writing that keeps you reading as fast as you can. ❤️
A postscript- Pronzini refers to Obama as half black, which I always thought was what he was. Not our first black President. I looked into this after reading something else about mulattos. It explained that in America one drop of black blood made you “black” - not so in other countries. I found this interesting.
This is not your usual run of the mill detective story, no implausible antics, no love affair between cops, just a great plot line that seems as if it could happen.
I’m hoping this is the start of a new series. Pronzini has written more than 80 novels and I bet I have read 75 of them. He has a way of writing that keeps you reading as fast as you can. ❤️
A postscript- Pronzini refers to Obama as half black, which I always thought was what he was. Not our first black President. I looked into this after reading something else about mulattos. It explained that in America one drop of black blood made you “black” - not so in other countries. I found this interesting.
March 28, 2017
Bill Pronzini is justly famous for his Nameless Detective series. Each of those stories (those that I have read, perhaps 20+) are well-plotted and exude atmosphere. The Violated (not part of the ND series) does not (to me) rise to that level. The story is told through the voices of several people, with no central narrator. With the exception of police chief and one of the victims (Eileen), the individual voices were stilted, mannered, which may well be what the author was after. And, for this reader, the solution to the mystery did not feel right. In all, a good story from a prominent writer.
March 9, 2017
I won an advanced reader’s copy of “The Violated” by Bill Pronzini, on Goodreads.com and am posting an honest review. I gave it a rating of 4 stars.
In The Violated, Pronzini does a superb job of describing the vast emotional toll inflicted upon all the people associated with four women attacked by a serial rapist in a small city. The story is told in brief chapters, each one voiced by one person, including the four victims, family members, police officers, the city mayor, the newspaper owner, even the wife of the man accused of being the rapist. When that man, Martin Torrey, is found brutally murdered, pressure mounts on the police to find the killer, and ascertain whether or not Torrey was the rapist. Surprise developments rachet up the tension, leading to an unexpected conclusion.
Pronzini is able to capture the mindset of the character speaking in each chapter, brilliantly expressing that person’s thoughts and emotions, so that the story flows along smoothly, without a hitch. That’s much harder to do than having only one character tell the whole story. Just another reason why he received a Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. This is the first book I’ve read by Pronzini, and it leaves me eager to explore more of his work.
In The Violated, Pronzini does a superb job of describing the vast emotional toll inflicted upon all the people associated with four women attacked by a serial rapist in a small city. The story is told in brief chapters, each one voiced by one person, including the four victims, family members, police officers, the city mayor, the newspaper owner, even the wife of the man accused of being the rapist. When that man, Martin Torrey, is found brutally murdered, pressure mounts on the police to find the killer, and ascertain whether or not Torrey was the rapist. Surprise developments rachet up the tension, leading to an unexpected conclusion.
Pronzini is able to capture the mindset of the character speaking in each chapter, brilliantly expressing that person’s thoughts and emotions, so that the story flows along smoothly, without a hitch. That’s much harder to do than having only one character tell the whole story. Just another reason why he received a Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. This is the first book I’ve read by Pronzini, and it leaves me eager to explore more of his work.
May 28, 2017
Bill Pronzini detours from his usual Nameless Detective series and hits another home run with this gripping new standalone, “The Violated.”
The story opens with the body of what appears to be Martin Torrey, the serial rapist, who has been hunting women and killing them for pleasure. Santa Rita Police Department Officers Leo Malatesta and John Jablonski interview the two young men who were at the scene, walking through Echo Park on their way home.
Torrey is lying face up in a grassy riverbed, three gunshot wounds to his body, two decimating the genital region, and a bullet through the head. Officers Malatesta and Jablonski further examine the body until the county coroner and Lieutenant Ortiz arrive at the scene.
Unsure if the victim was really the serial rapist Martin Torrey, people of Santa Rita are warned by the local law enforcement not to go outdoors after dark. When another woman is brutally raped in her apartment late at night and lives to tell her story, the citizens of Santa Rita are in an uproar about the latest shocking events, and a new nightmare begins for the tight-knit California town.
Told from various points of view, everyone has something to contribute to the perplexing case. “The Violated” is a slow burning, complicated and entertaining standalone thriller written by one of the best mystery writers in the crime fiction genre.
The story opens with the body of what appears to be Martin Torrey, the serial rapist, who has been hunting women and killing them for pleasure. Santa Rita Police Department Officers Leo Malatesta and John Jablonski interview the two young men who were at the scene, walking through Echo Park on their way home.
Torrey is lying face up in a grassy riverbed, three gunshot wounds to his body, two decimating the genital region, and a bullet through the head. Officers Malatesta and Jablonski further examine the body until the county coroner and Lieutenant Ortiz arrive at the scene.
Unsure if the victim was really the serial rapist Martin Torrey, people of Santa Rita are warned by the local law enforcement not to go outdoors after dark. When another woman is brutally raped in her apartment late at night and lives to tell her story, the citizens of Santa Rita are in an uproar about the latest shocking events, and a new nightmare begins for the tight-knit California town.
Told from various points of view, everyone has something to contribute to the perplexing case. “The Violated” is a slow burning, complicated and entertaining standalone thriller written by one of the best mystery writers in the crime fiction genre.
May 12, 2017
Seldom have I been as disappointed in an end as with this story, easily costing 2 stars. 1 of 10 stars
March 19, 2017
I've probably said this before, but Bill Pronzini is my favorite mystery writer. his books are always tightly plotted, the action and narrative beautifully woven into an interesting and intriguing story.
First of all, this is not one of his Nameless Detective books, which have always been mystery gold. The Violated is a stand-alone mystery, following a cast of characters in Santa Rita, California through their lives and thoughts as they deal with the terror of a serial rapist and the murder of the prime suspect.
We learn of the mayor's issues with the Police Chief, and the detective lieutenant, and his desire to replace them. We read about the local newspaper's owner and editor who supports these lawmen and his constant battle with the mayor. And, we follow the thoughts and actions of the rapist's victims and their families, as they struggle to gain some measure of healing.
So for Chief Kells and Detective Ortiz, the job is to find the murderer of their suspect, solve the original crimes, and deal with the issues this activity stirs up in their town.
Once again Pronzini has crafted a well-turned crime novel that is worth your time and mine. He is truly a master of his craft.
First of all, this is not one of his Nameless Detective books, which have always been mystery gold. The Violated is a stand-alone mystery, following a cast of characters in Santa Rita, California through their lives and thoughts as they deal with the terror of a serial rapist and the murder of the prime suspect.
We learn of the mayor's issues with the Police Chief, and the detective lieutenant, and his desire to replace them. We read about the local newspaper's owner and editor who supports these lawmen and his constant battle with the mayor. And, we follow the thoughts and actions of the rapist's victims and their families, as they struggle to gain some measure of healing.
So for Chief Kells and Detective Ortiz, the job is to find the murderer of their suspect, solve the original crimes, and deal with the issues this activity stirs up in their town.
Once again Pronzini has crafted a well-turned crime novel that is worth your time and mine. He is truly a master of his craft.
August 24, 2017
Not a nameless book..which is a good break...Love nameless..but his other novels are so well done...this is no exception...the story is good..a quick read...the set up with each chapter being the voice of the character named...but once I got into that...it became a very neat way to read the story...well worth it and very good.
October 19, 2019
I've always enjoyed reading Pronzoni's Nameless Detective series and it uses a successful shifting POV among the three detectives very successfully. Why on earth did I listen to this book? I would have probably rated it much higher. The dramatization on audio really made me crazy. All these voices....some whiny, some grouchy, all irritating....all Acting (with a capital A).
March 14, 2017
Dependable author for a good read. And you know it is going to be a GREAT read when you deliberately read slowly so that it doesn't end. Captivating!!! Do NOT 'misremember' to read this one. It is good to the last two words...treat yourself to saving it for a very satisfying end.
March 16, 2018
Bill Pronzini continues to be one of my most favorite authors. This versatile author of over 50 years continues excellence in all genres. I definitely recommend his books to everyone, whether you like mysteries, paranormal, westerns, or fantasy.
May 31, 2018
God that was embarrassing.
July 9, 2019
I thought I had read all of Bill Pronzini's books, but with 80 to his credit, maybe that's not possible. Great, quick read. I like how Pronzini goes into the soul and psyche of characters.
December 14, 2019
Usually love this author but this stand alone was not for me. Too many characters, political musings that didn't add to the mystery and a lackluster finish.
May 15, 2017
An unidentified man has viciously attacked four women in Santa Rita, California. The perpetrator is still at large and there are few promising leads. Consequently, the self-serving mayor, Hugh Delahunt, believes that this provides a golden opportunity to appoint one of his allies to replace Chief of Police Griffin Kells. Subsequently, a local resident, Martin Torrey—who failed to register as a convicted sex offender when he moved from Ohio to California—is found dead. Although there is no proof that Torrey was the rapist, could his killer be a vigilante who dispensed his own brand of justice?
Bill Pronzini's "The Violated" is an engrossing police procedural that presents a well-rounded, intimate, and heartbreaking portrait of how sexual assault damages the psyches of victims and devastates their families. The author also conveys the desperation of investigators--who are under intense pressure from politicians, the media and frightened local citizens--to solve this difficult case. As long as Santa Rita's female residents do not feel safe, life cannot proceed as usual.
Pronzini's spare, understated prose; engrossing narration by a variety of well-drawn characters; and carefully crafted dialogue demonstrate that this grandmaster of crime fiction has not lost his touch. The suspenseful and engrossing plot culminates in an unexpected and unsettling conclusion. "The Violated" focuses on the ways in which despair, loneliness, miscommunication, and anger destroy relationships, rob individuals of self-esteem, and shatter their dreams for the future. Another central theme is that even those closest to us are capable of concealing their true nature. Human beings are, ultimately, unpredictable and unfathomable.
Bill Pronzini's "The Violated" is an engrossing police procedural that presents a well-rounded, intimate, and heartbreaking portrait of how sexual assault damages the psyches of victims and devastates their families. The author also conveys the desperation of investigators--who are under intense pressure from politicians, the media and frightened local citizens--to solve this difficult case. As long as Santa Rita's female residents do not feel safe, life cannot proceed as usual.
Pronzini's spare, understated prose; engrossing narration by a variety of well-drawn characters; and carefully crafted dialogue demonstrate that this grandmaster of crime fiction has not lost his touch. The suspenseful and engrossing plot culminates in an unexpected and unsettling conclusion. "The Violated" focuses on the ways in which despair, loneliness, miscommunication, and anger destroy relationships, rob individuals of self-esteem, and shatter their dreams for the future. Another central theme is that even those closest to us are capable of concealing their true nature. Human beings are, ultimately, unpredictable and unfathomable.
March 16, 2024
The Violated, Bill Pronzini (crime, mystery, thriller)
Jeff Book Review #305
This is a newer crime novel, published in 2019. A suspected serial rapist is murdered in a small California town and we see the subsequent investigation from the perspectives of the man's wife, friends, cops, politicians, and victims of the assaults. It can be tough to read at many points.
The multiple-POV style to this one makes it different from most crime mysteries, and in ways that are both good and bad. I found it easier to keep track of who was who and what kind of perspective and stakes they had in the crime(s), but I also found it harder to actually relate to these folks since I was only spending a little time with them before the story moved on to other characters. I'll also mention that most of the male characters in this story aren't worthy of a spot on the planet Earth. There, I said it.
Run-on alert: The mystery is interesting to a point, and Pronzini's pacing, using that constantly-switching POV narrative style, makes it a smooth read outside the tough parts. In the end, though, a lack of connection to any of the characters, including the victims or good guys investigating the crimes, leave it a bit disconnected or perhaps "cloudy", like these folks are just obviously characters in a story that I'm not vested in and the crimes themselves are evil and creepy and leave me wanting punishment for whoever did them and I'm rooting for the good guys to figure it out but all the while not being there with the characters as the story is happening around them.
Verdict: I'm a big fan of Pronzini's pulp-inspired detective stories and westerns but not a fan of this modern police procedural.
Jeff's Rating: 2 / 5 (Okay)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
Jeff Book Review #305
This is a newer crime novel, published in 2019. A suspected serial rapist is murdered in a small California town and we see the subsequent investigation from the perspectives of the man's wife, friends, cops, politicians, and victims of the assaults. It can be tough to read at many points.
The multiple-POV style to this one makes it different from most crime mysteries, and in ways that are both good and bad. I found it easier to keep track of who was who and what kind of perspective and stakes they had in the crime(s), but I also found it harder to actually relate to these folks since I was only spending a little time with them before the story moved on to other characters. I'll also mention that most of the male characters in this story aren't worthy of a spot on the planet Earth. There, I said it.
Run-on alert: The mystery is interesting to a point, and Pronzini's pacing, using that constantly-switching POV narrative style, makes it a smooth read outside the tough parts. In the end, though, a lack of connection to any of the characters, including the victims or good guys investigating the crimes, leave it a bit disconnected or perhaps "cloudy", like these folks are just obviously characters in a story that I'm not vested in and the crimes themselves are evil and creepy and leave me wanting punishment for whoever did them and I'm rooting for the good guys to figure it out but all the while not being there with the characters as the story is happening around them.
Verdict: I'm a big fan of Pronzini's pulp-inspired detective stories and westerns but not a fan of this modern police procedural.
Jeff's Rating: 2 / 5 (Okay)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
October 19, 2017
Santa Rita is a small town with a big city problem: a serial rapist is working its streets. When the prime suspect, Martin Torrey, is murdered—a bullet to the back of his head and two postmortem shots to his groin—the police’s rape investigation is derailed by what appears to be a vigilante murder. Martin’s death is good news for most of Santa Rita’s residents, even his wife feels some guilty relief, and the investigation seems to be going nowhere fast as the embattled Sheriff, Griffin Kells, tries to solve the rapes—there was never enough evidence to charge Torrey—and the murder both.
With THE VIOLATED, Bill Pronzini uses a progressive, and difficult to pull off, story-telling technique; each character, both major and minor, speak in first person narration from chapter to chapter. It gives the story an emotional power, from the stress and anxiety the investigating officers feel to the raw fear and rage of the victims, that would otherwise be impossible to capture. It slows the story’s pace, which, since the novel is a character-driven police procedural, is less critical than it would be with a plot-driven, action-oriented novel. A soulless mayor with political ambitions and a meth dealer add enough intrigue to keep everything moving until the final climactic twist.
With THE VIOLATED, Bill Pronzini uses a progressive, and difficult to pull off, story-telling technique; each character, both major and minor, speak in first person narration from chapter to chapter. It gives the story an emotional power, from the stress and anxiety the investigating officers feel to the raw fear and rage of the victims, that would otherwise be impossible to capture. It slows the story’s pace, which, since the novel is a character-driven police procedural, is less critical than it would be with a plot-driven, action-oriented novel. A soulless mayor with political ambitions and a meth dealer add enough intrigue to keep everything moving until the final climactic twist.
March 4, 2017
From the publisher: The novel begins with the body of a dead man lying “face up on the grassy riverbank, legs together and ankles crossed, arms spread-eagled above his head with palms upturned and fingers curled, in a grotesque parody of the crucifixion.” The victim, Martin Torrey, according to public opinion, is not a victim but instead the lead suspect in an on-going investigation of four brutal rapes and assaults against four women taken place in the span of four months, each ore violent than the last. Tasked with solving the rapes and finding the murderer of Martin Torrey, chief Griffin Kells and detective Robert Ortiz are placed under increasing pressure from the public at large and from an over-ambitious Mayor. As a result, everyone is a suspect. As the story unfolds, readers find themselves in a guessing game trying to deduce who done it? Was it one of the rape victims or was it one of their friends or family member? Told in multiple perspectives, everyone is a suspect. Everyone had opportunity, and everyone had motive, even Martin’s widowed wife.
The author of more than eighty novels, this most recent standalone from Mr. Pronzini is right up there with the best of them. The p.o.v. changes from chapter to chapter, e.g., Chapter I of Part I is told in first person by Liane Torrey, the wife and now widow of the murdered man, the next chapter by the police chief Kells (only the 2nd homicide during his seven-year tenure as chief), the next by the politically ambitious Mayor Hugh Delahunt, the next by Ione Spivey, one of the rapist’s victims, and on and on - - I must say that each was conspicuously in the believable voice of the speaker, not an easy task!
There had been four assaults in four months, “despite increased police patrols, stepped-up neighborhood watches, public warnings to women not to go out alone at night and to take security precautions when home by themselves. And each one committed without leaving a single solid clue to his identity.” The cops obviously have their work cut out for them, their job made that much harder with the firestorm of negative media coverage seeking to oust the chief.
A subplot concerns Robert Ortiz, who admittedly has “no difficulty commanding men, but no aptitude for administrative duties and little for public relations, and I do not suffer fools well,” whose Hispanic heritage does not help his “goal is to become a high-ranking detective with the state police or the police department of one of the larger cities.”
The multiple p.o.v. chapters include other victims and their spouses, each one entirely true to their characters (as I’ve already mentioned), and the case becomes dramatically more difficult with another attack, making it rather obvious that the dead man was surely not the man responsible for the first four. The entire tale takes place in just over a week, the suspense rising as the hunt for the attacker/murderer goes on. An excellent addition to this author’s oeuvre, it is highly recommended.
May 9, 2017
I chose this author because he is the husband of a mystery writer, Marcia Muller, who I like. This is not a series, but a stand-along, another reason I choose it.
This police procedural set in a small California town is told in the first person from the perspective of many players, and each chapter is short, so it's an easy read. I imagine that this must be what detective work must be like. It's not full of action, just following various leads.
I think the parts of the book that will stay with me are the various reactions to the rapes. It's not a deep psychological tale, though, just one of action and reaction.
I don't know that the story deserves 4 stars, but because the writing is clear and concise, that is what I'll score it.
This police procedural set in a small California town is told in the first person from the perspective of many players, and each chapter is short, so it's an easy read. I imagine that this must be what detective work must be like. It's not full of action, just following various leads.
I think the parts of the book that will stay with me are the various reactions to the rapes. It's not a deep psychological tale, though, just one of action and reaction.
I don't know that the story deserves 4 stars, but because the writing is clear and concise, that is what I'll score it.
May 24, 2017
This is not a Nameless Detective book. Just so you know. Well-written (of course, Bill Pronzini!) mystery of who is raping women in a small California town. We find the action starting with the discovery of the body of the suspected rapist, a local man with a history of being a peeping Tom. Each chapter is told from the first person point of view of a different character: the hard-working chief of police; the venal mayor who is trying to discredit him so he can put his own hand-picked flunky into the job; the police chief's partner, their wives; the 4 rape victims; etc, etc. A small story told in exquisite detail. I hope we see these characters again.
November 1, 2017
Pronzini is your regular type mystery/police procedural writer. He's been at it for years and has all the awards and anthologies and such. I would award this in the middle of other mysteries I've read. He uses a revolving set of narrators none of whom is the culprit and therefore not bound to lie to the reader. He does, and does it pretty well, discuss various topics from various points of view. It would be tempting to copy this method and it has been copied. This one is done with class and skill. Others, not so much.
July 7, 2018
The multiple perspective story telling took a little getting used to, but once I found the rhythm it went on nicely. I was hoping for a little bit more complexity, especially with so many points of view. But it was a pretty straight forward plot. Some of the perspectives seemed to be filler, with slight hints to to solution. But they were quickly dispelled. In most cases by the author within the same chapter. Also, I am nearing the end of my binge of Nameless so that may have played into the three star rating. Good, but wanted a little more.
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