Blue Lonesome

by Bill Pronzini

Book Overview

Jim Messenger is a CPA who hates his job, loves jazz, and can't forget a woman he has seen eating at the Harmony Caf? . She goes by the name of Janet Mitchell, and when he introduces himself, her only... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802732682
• ISBN13: 9780802732682
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Walker & Company
• Length: 207 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Writing to be Savored

Blue Lonesome was my first Pronzini novel and I was completely hooked by his moody, noirish, detective procedurals. After reading Blue Lonesome I spent the next 18 months acquiring and devouring all of the thirty-plus Nameless mysteries, and many of Pronzini's stand-alone mysteries. Most of his books are great reads, some are classics of the genre, but they all have his spare, straight, brilliant way of putting you in a scene. The carefully developed plots lead to some out-of-the-way corner and maybe a single clue. Pronzini's loner-protagonists are usually on a quest for truth, despite the consequences, and they don't give up. They keep digging until the mystery is solved, sometimes in an explosive climax. In many of the Nameless mysteries, I felt like I became Nameless himself, grinding away until I had it all figured out. Can there be any greater compliment to a writer? As some reviewer said of Pronzini's novels, "this is writing to be savored over a glass of single-malt scotch". Exactly.

A Great Mystery--an up-in-the-night read

Note: I made some immature Mormon angry because of my negative reviews of books out to prove the Book of Mormon, and that person has been slamming my reviews almost as fast as they are posted. This is the second time I've re-posted my review of this book. Your "helpful" vote is greatly appreciated, and please remember that a short review is not necessarily a bad review if it leads you to a great novel. This book hooked me from the start. I don't want to give much of it away, but a man meets a lonely woman in San Francisco, and then she dies. The man knows nothing about the woman, and he goes to her apartment and finds a book that was checked out of a Nevada library. He takes some time off work and tries to solve the mystery of her life and death. It's also a great love story of a man finding a new home. A great mystery, and not to be missed. Check out the mysterious cover illustration. Very nice! Also, if you are interested in American history, check my one-star reviews of books written by Mormons.

Underrated Masterpiece

This is a novel with the depth of Horton Footes classic "Tender Mercies," and although noir in tone it is not quite like anything else Pronzini has written. A wonderfully understated novel written by an author at the height of his powers.

Bill Pronzini's best book

It's been a while since I read this book so you won't get a synopsis from me, but after reading this book, I remember thinking it was one of the BEST MYSTERIES I've ever read. Although Mr. Pronzini has written other really good mysteries, this one really stands out.