A Wasteland of Strangers
Here's a fine modern mystery that would have made a wonderful 1950s B movie. Robert  Mitchum would have been perfect as the hulking stranger John Faith, who arrives one day in the faded  Northern California resort town of Pomo with a mysterious agenda. Who but Paul Douglas could have  played the tough but fair-minded police chief? And the part of Storm Carey, the gorgeous widow feeding  her grief with rampant sex, would have been a natural for Jan Sterling or Elisabeth Scott. Bill Pronzini both  uses and overcomes these film noir images as he skips from voice to voice to tell a tricky, compelling story.  Other books by this excellent writer includeBlue  Lonesomeand--from his Nameless Detective series--Hardcase.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.