It was fifteen years ago when the big, sort-of-sloppy, brew-loving P.I. appeared on the scene, dazzling readers with keen solutions to seemingly unsolvable crimes. And just as his disheveled demeanor gave no hint of the brilliant mind that lay behind it, his lack of a moniker said nothing about his rising popularity with mystery readers everywhere.Nameless opens up his files on some of his most fascinating cases. Collected here are ten stories and two novelettes, giving Nameless fans a page-turning potpourri of his toughest and most dangerous adventures. CASEFILE holds his greatest hits - a 122 pack to be popped open and enjoyed on an off-duty afternoon. So sit back and spend some time with one of America's favorite (and most likeable) P.I's, who has caught more criminals - and imaginations - than any other gumshoe in recent American Fiction.

The Bags of Tricks Affair is the latest charming historical mystery in MWA Grand Master Bill Pronzini's detective series.A conman always has a bag of tricks, ready to fool the unsuspecting, and almost everyone is unsuspecting until they get taken. When that happens, they turn to Carpenter and Quincannon, Professional Detective Services, to recover their money and what's left of their dignity, and perhaps even to save their lives.When one such case leaves Sabina Carpenter the only witness to a murder, the family of the culprit vows to stop at nothing to keep her silent. The threat leaves John Quincannon deeply concerned for Sabina's safety, but there's no rest for the wicked and so the crime-solving duo must split up to tackle two separate con games, run by two villains with deadly bags of tricks at hand.And when Sabina's life is put in danger, John must rush to save her while grappling with the terrifying realization of exactly how much she means to...

From Publishers WeeklyFor this collection, Pronzini, the prolific, award-winning West Coast mystery writer, has gathered 23 of his stories, all of which display his versatility, his clean, crisp narrative style, and his keen awareness of detail. These talesincluding three that feature his well-known series chararacter, the "Nameless Detective"run the gamut from psychological suspense ("Strangers in the Fog") to satire ("A Craving for Originality") to Western gothic ("The Hanging Man" and "His Name was Legion"). Of special note, "Proof of Guilt" is a dandy murder-in-a-locked-room puzzle; "Multiples" (written with Barry N. Malzberg) is an intriguing literary exercise about a man who can't decide whether to kill his wife or simply write about it; "Rebound" is a solid character piece about a washed-up reporter stalking a once-great basketball player; and "Peekaboo," about the lone tenant in a large, eerie house, has an ending that will make readers jump. November 26Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Carmody--a sometimes detective who also works as a freelance bodyguard and smuggler--operates off the Mediterranean island of Majorca, where he deals with thieves, smugglers, murderers, and other desperate men. By the author of Breakdown.

This is a collection of fifty short stories by veteran mystery and crime writer Bill Pronzini, best known as fhe creator of 'The Nameless Detective' series. This collection crosses over a broad range of styles and characters, settings and plots, showing the breadth and depth of Pronzini's prodigious talent. Included are murders, swindles, double-crosses, crazed children, and much, much more. Contents include: A Cold Foggy Day / A Dip in the Poole / Something Wrong (A "Nameless Detective" Story) / The Imperfect Crime / Shell Game with Jeffrey M. Wallmann) / Sweet Fever / Perfect Timing / Dear Poisoner / Thirst / Skeletons / The Same Old Grind / His Name Was Legion / The Dispatching of George Ferris / Little Lamb / Once a Thief (with Jeffrey M. Wallmann) / Under the Skin / Changes / The Storm Tunnel / Defect / The Clincher / The Facsimile Shop (with Jeffrey M. Wallmann) / Waiting, Waiting... / Peekaboo / Words Do Not A Book Make / Incident in a Neighborhood Tavern (A "Nameless Detective" Story) / The Terrarium / On Guard! (with Michael Kurland) / Memento Mori / A Little Larceny / Mrs. Rakubian / Toy / House Call (with Jeffrey M. / Wallmann) / Deathwatch / Outrageous / Muggers' Moon / Hero (A Tale of the Old West) / The Man Who Collected "The Shadow" / For Love / Unchained / Tiger, Tiger (with John Lutz) / Here Lies Another Blackmailer / Buttermilk / Retirement / One of Those Days / Don't Spend It All in One Place / Cache and Carry (A "Nameless Detective"/Sharon McCone Story, with Marcia Muller) / The Killing / Black Wind / A Case for Quiet (with Jeffrey M. Wallmann) / Whodunit