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Masques
The utter insanity of Mardi Gras becomes all too real for Steve Giroux after an anonymous phone call commands him to relinquish evidence of a brutal murder, and he is hurled into a realm of voodoo, black magic, and unspeakable evil. Original.
269 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1981
2 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Bill Pronzini
627 books236 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 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 18, 2019
This dark noir tale is all about imagery and feeling and perspective. Don't focus too much on the plot. In my reading, the plot was secondary to the atmosphere Pronzini creates as a man at the end of his rope, failed marriage, failed career, sets out to experience mardi gras and encounters voodoo, murder, sex, and above all, abject terror. It is haunting, dark, mysterious, brooding, and magical.
May 2, 2020
At first, I really wasn't sure I was going to like this book. But Pronzini's neo-noir horror thriller ended up charming me in the end.
I had chosen it to read for two reasons: 1) Leisure Publishing and 2) New Orleans. Regarding the first, I thought this was a classic 80s Leisure horror title, and back in 1981 it was marketed that way. But as I mentioned above, it really is a noir with supernatural elements. Regarding the second, it was clear that Pronzini, though not a native of New Orleans, had developed a true fondness and affection for the place after spending a lot of time there, and his descriptions of the city really captures the essence, spirit, and magic of my old hometown. Through his writing, you can really experience the spice of the jambalaya, the briny tang of the oysters on the half shell, the patchouli on the hipsters, the distant pulse of jazz bands echoing from everywhere, and the sting of a February wind coming off the Mississippi.
In fact, at times this book felt more like a travelogue of the French Quarter and its surrounding environs, and as much as I enjoyed this aspect, I did find myself wishing the author would cut back on name-dropping how many streets he knows and get back to the story. But once he does, the pacing picks up and then the book is hard to put down.
The main character is another element that added a degree of ambivalence about how I felt about the book. Steve Giroux is one of the most down-on-his-luck characters I've read about in a long time, moping about the bars and hotels of the Vieux Carre after a nasty divorce and a fire that burned down his studio. While trying to unwind during a Mardi Gras vacation, he gets his airline tickets stolen, his wallet stolen, and harassed the whole time. At first, he just seemed like a whiny, self-absorbed drunk, and I couldn't understand why I would want to follow his adventures for several hundred pages. But the character is very believable, and you most likely know folks like him, so he grows on you. He constantly criticizes himself for being a weakling, but he has been through constant trauma and keeps on plugging.
So once you get past the first couple of inane scenes of flirtings with a femme fatale in various smoky French Quarter bars, you end up with an effective little thriller that can be quite creepy and tense at times. Check it out next Mardi Gras or for your next summer read.
I had chosen it to read for two reasons: 1) Leisure Publishing and 2) New Orleans. Regarding the first, I thought this was a classic 80s Leisure horror title, and back in 1981 it was marketed that way. But as I mentioned above, it really is a noir with supernatural elements. Regarding the second, it was clear that Pronzini, though not a native of New Orleans, had developed a true fondness and affection for the place after spending a lot of time there, and his descriptions of the city really captures the essence, spirit, and magic of my old hometown. Through his writing, you can really experience the spice of the jambalaya, the briny tang of the oysters on the half shell, the patchouli on the hipsters, the distant pulse of jazz bands echoing from everywhere, and the sting of a February wind coming off the Mississippi.
In fact, at times this book felt more like a travelogue of the French Quarter and its surrounding environs, and as much as I enjoyed this aspect, I did find myself wishing the author would cut back on name-dropping how many streets he knows and get back to the story. But once he does, the pacing picks up and then the book is hard to put down.
The main character is another element that added a degree of ambivalence about how I felt about the book. Steve Giroux is one of the most down-on-his-luck characters I've read about in a long time, moping about the bars and hotels of the Vieux Carre after a nasty divorce and a fire that burned down his studio. While trying to unwind during a Mardi Gras vacation, he gets his airline tickets stolen, his wallet stolen, and harassed the whole time. At first, he just seemed like a whiny, self-absorbed drunk, and I couldn't understand why I would want to follow his adventures for several hundred pages. But the character is very believable, and you most likely know folks like him, so he grows on you. He constantly criticizes himself for being a weakling, but he has been through constant trauma and keeps on plugging.
So once you get past the first couple of inane scenes of flirtings with a femme fatale in various smoky French Quarter bars, you end up with an effective little thriller that can be quite creepy and tense at times. Check it out next Mardi Gras or for your next summer read.
January 31, 2020
Book 2 in my "Read all the books you've bought at library book sales before reading anything else lest your spouse kill you" challenge!
Bought principally for the awesome cover--one of the things I love about library book sales is the chance to pick up these old paperbacks that often have crazy, lurid cover art. So far so good!
I went into this suspecting that a book written by a white guy in 1981 that contains voodoo as a plot element might not be the most culturally sensitive thing ever written. I was correct in this assessment. Having said that, there was far less racism than I expected, and the plot is a classic Hitchockian/Kafkaesque nightmare. People are out to get you and you have NO IDEA WHY. It's a great setup, and for the most part it pays off. What I especially appreciated was the fact that everything that seemed a little off or like it didn't make total sense was totally explained at the end.
Absolutely fantastic ending to a book that is mostly just okay.
Bought principally for the awesome cover--one of the things I love about library book sales is the chance to pick up these old paperbacks that often have crazy, lurid cover art. So far so good!
I went into this suspecting that a book written by a white guy in 1981 that contains voodoo as a plot element might not be the most culturally sensitive thing ever written. I was correct in this assessment. Having said that, there was far less racism than I expected, and the plot is a classic Hitchockian/Kafkaesque nightmare. People are out to get you and you have NO IDEA WHY. It's a great setup, and for the most part it pays off. What I especially appreciated was the fact that everything that seemed a little off or like it didn't make total sense was totally explained at the end.
Absolutely fantastic ending to a book that is mostly just okay.
July 1, 2013
This was a really solid thriller from the now defunct leisure publishing. Pretty sure I've read some Pronzini before, but this is the one that really set the bar. The descriptions are great and cinematically vivid, having never been there Mardi Gras in New Orleans Pronzini describes is exactly how I imagine it would be. In Masques a freshly divorced man alone on vacation in a strange city during a very strange time tries to just get drunk, stay drunk and have a good time and suddenly his vacation turns into a nightmare from which he just can't seem to wake up. Pronzini particularly succeeds here in creating a harrowing claustrophobic atmosphere almost to the slightly surreal effect, while keeping up the suspense and keeping the readers gussing till the very end, with a very wild twist. Another great thing about this book is the characters, while not necessarily likable, they are all so well fleshed out and nuanced and very realistic. Very quick read. Entertaining, enjoyable and fun. Recommended.
June 23, 2009
Pretty suspenseful story recalling Cornell Woolrich at his finest. All of the Woolrich-style elements are there: Mardi Gras grotesqueries in New Orleans, an innocent man on the run, voodoo madness, and a devil woman vs. an angelic woman (with demonic flaming red hair!). Bill Pronzini keeps you turning the pages as all great suspenseful writers do and this one won't disappoint.
May 2, 2020
Mardi Gras Mayhem! 3.5 Stars
At first, I really wasn't sure I was going to like this book. But Pronzini's neo-noir horror thriller ended up charming me in the end.
I had chosen it to read for two reasons: 1) Leisure Publishing and 2) New Orleans. Regarding the first, I thought this was a classic 80s Leisure horror title, and back in 1981 it was marketed that way. But as I mentioned above, it really is a noir with supernatural elements. Regarding the second, it was clear that Pronzini, though not a native of New Orleans, had developed a true fondness and affection for the place after spending a lot of time there, and his descriptions of the city really captures the essence, spirit, and magic of my old hometown. Through his writing, you can really experience the spice of the jambalaya, the briny tang of the oysters on the half shell, the patchouli on the hipsters, the distant pulse of jazz bands echoing from everywhere, and the sting of a February wind coming off the Mississippi.
In fact, at times this book felt more like a travelogue of the French Quarter and its surrounding environs, and as much as I enjoyed this aspect, I did find myself wishing the author would cut back on name-dropping how many streets he knows and get back to the story. But once he does, the pacing picks up and then the book is hard to put down.
The main character is another element that added a degree of ambivalence about how I felt about the book. Steve Giroux is one of the most down-on-his-luck characters I've read about in a long time, moping about the bars and hotels of the Vieux Carre after a nasty divorce and a fire that burned down his studio. While trying to unwind during a Mardi Gras vacation, he gets his airline tickets stolen, his wallet stolen, and harassed the whole time. At first, he just seemed like a whiny, self-absorbed drunk, and I couldn't understand why I would want to follow his adventures for several hundred pages. But the character is very believable, and you most likely know folks like him, so he grows on you. He constantly criticizes himself for being a weakling, but he has been through constant trauma and keeps on plugging.
So once you get past the first couple of inane scenes of flirtings with a femme fatale in various smoky French Quarter bars, you end up with an effective little thriller that can be quite creepy and tense at times. Check it out next Mardi Gras or for your next summer read.
At first, I really wasn't sure I was going to like this book. But Pronzini's neo-noir horror thriller ended up charming me in the end.
I had chosen it to read for two reasons: 1) Leisure Publishing and 2) New Orleans. Regarding the first, I thought this was a classic 80s Leisure horror title, and back in 1981 it was marketed that way. But as I mentioned above, it really is a noir with supernatural elements. Regarding the second, it was clear that Pronzini, though not a native of New Orleans, had developed a true fondness and affection for the place after spending a lot of time there, and his descriptions of the city really captures the essence, spirit, and magic of my old hometown. Through his writing, you can really experience the spice of the jambalaya, the briny tang of the oysters on the half shell, the patchouli on the hipsters, the distant pulse of jazz bands echoing from everywhere, and the sting of a February wind coming off the Mississippi.
In fact, at times this book felt more like a travelogue of the French Quarter and its surrounding environs, and as much as I enjoyed this aspect, I did find myself wishing the author would cut back on name-dropping how many streets he knows and get back to the story. But once he does, the pacing picks up and then the book is hard to put down.
The main character is another element that added a degree of ambivalence about how I felt about the book. Steve Giroux is one of the most down-on-his-luck characters I've read about in a long time, moping about the bars and hotels of the Vieux Carre after a nasty divorce and a fire that burned down his studio. While trying to unwind during a Mardi Gras vacation, he gets his airline tickets stolen, his wallet stolen, and harassed the whole time. At first, he just seemed like a whiny, self-absorbed drunk, and I couldn't understand why I would want to follow his adventures for several hundred pages. But the character is very believable, and you most likely know folks like him, so he grows on you. He constantly criticizes himself for being a weakling, but he has been through constant trauma and keeps on plugging.
So once you get past the first couple of inane scenes of flirtings with a femme fatale in various smoky French Quarter bars, you end up with an effective little thriller that can be quite creepy and tense at times. Check it out next Mardi Gras or for your next summer read.
October 24, 2017
In “Masques,” author Bill Pronzini takes us into New Orleans during Mardi Gras (really, would a New Orleans-set horror story take place during any other time of year?), with a photographer being chased by masked crazies.
Divorced, and his photo shop recently burned to the ground, the photographer heads south for some relxation and mind-adjustment. But then he receives a weird phone call from someone who apparently knows his name and his profession; the caller demands that he give up the photo. Unfortunately, he has no idea what photo is being referred to.
He heads out into town, meets a woman with whom he goes home; in the morning the woman is nowhere to be found, but he is covered in dried blood.
Pronzini keeps up creepy levels of Mardi Gras atmosphere; the descriptions in the book firmly put the reader in its setting. The story itself is a little repetitive, and the ending isn’t entirely satisfying, but for a quick read about crime and spookiness in one of the US’s oddest cities, “Masques” gets the job done.
Divorced, and his photo shop recently burned to the ground, the photographer heads south for some relxation and mind-adjustment. But then he receives a weird phone call from someone who apparently knows his name and his profession; the caller demands that he give up the photo. Unfortunately, he has no idea what photo is being referred to.
He heads out into town, meets a woman with whom he goes home; in the morning the woman is nowhere to be found, but he is covered in dried blood.
Pronzini keeps up creepy levels of Mardi Gras atmosphere; the descriptions in the book firmly put the reader in its setting. The story itself is a little repetitive, and the ending isn’t entirely satisfying, but for a quick read about crime and spookiness in one of the US’s oddest cities, “Masques” gets the job done.
December 23, 2018
This was a very strange book for Pronzini. He usually writes detective novels. This one was a thriller but not very thrilling. Guy is visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras when he is harassed by a guy in a dragon mask, a Voodoo prostitute and a guy who keeps asking him for the photograph. He meets up with a teacher from Wisconsin who falls in love with him overnight. Together they try to stop the stupidity that is happening to him. He gets kidnapped by the trio and witnesses a very strange Voodoo event. They let him go after beating the snot out of him only to keep with the "where's the photograph"?
I wouldn't recommend the book but other books by Pronzini are great.
I wouldn't recommend the book but other books by Pronzini are great.
February 27, 2018
This ended up being my sole read for Thrillerathon, and it is a thriller and I did enjoy it although I feel like it took me a long time to read given it's just shy of 200 pages.
It follows a down-on-his-luck guy during Mardi Gras and falls into some weird stuff which continues his streak of bad luck. Definitely some interesting stuff in here, but also some stuff that I wasn't sure about but overall a pretty enjoyable thriller.
It follows a down-on-his-luck guy during Mardi Gras and falls into some weird stuff which continues his streak of bad luck. Definitely some interesting stuff in here, but also some stuff that I wasn't sure about but overall a pretty enjoyable thriller.
October 7, 2021
Started strong, but became silly in the 3rd act. Extra silliness at the end.
July 5, 2023
Excellent thriller including murder and voodoo against the backdrop of Mardi Gras. Interesting characters and twisted plot. Highly recommended.
September 5, 2007
MASQUES – G
Bill Pronzini – standalone
Leisure Books, 1999 (Reprint from 1981) - Paperback
Photographer Steve Giroux, vacationing in New Orleans, but the vacation turns into a nightmare when a voice on the phone demands a photograph Steve never had and he finds himself being stalked..
*** Pronzini has truly captured the feel of New Orleans in this dark, creepy, scary book with a really poor ending. However, he is a master at first person and bringing you into the thoughts and fears of his protagonist. While definitely not his best book, he kept me turning the pages way past my bedtime.
Bill Pronzini – standalone
Leisure Books, 1999 (Reprint from 1981) - Paperback
Photographer Steve Giroux, vacationing in New Orleans, but the vacation turns into a nightmare when a voice on the phone demands a photograph Steve never had and he finds himself being stalked..
*** Pronzini has truly captured the feel of New Orleans in this dark, creepy, scary book with a really poor ending. However, he is a master at first person and bringing you into the thoughts and fears of his protagonist. While definitely not his best book, he kept me turning the pages way past my bedtime.
September 24, 2022
I am a fan of Pronzini and read about 10 of his Nameless Detective novels and a few of his stand alone novels. This one is a dark noir novel with a great ending. The Mardi Gras setting is great and while there is voodoo involved it doesn't turn into a horror story. This is noir that makes me think of the great noir writers like Woolrich, Goodis or Thompson handle it. It walks all around the border of horror and mysticism but still stays rooted in reality, a very trapped and horrible reality for one person. Remember, you aren't paranoid if they are really out to get you.
December 30, 2012
This was perfect timing: a book about Mardi Gras to read during the week of Mardi Gras. And this was a really creepy book about a guy being harrassed throughout his visit to New Orleans, and the two women he meets. Both of them may, or may not, have ulterior motives.
Remind me never to go to Mardi Gras. Yeeeshhh.
Remind me never to go to Mardi Gras. Yeeeshhh.
April 4, 2014
Solid, enjoyable, and effective. Bit of a pointless, struggle to survive is worthless ending (I hate those) but an entertain read, regardless.
Read
April 6, 2014Old style detective series with excellent writing, plots and characters throughout
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews