DOUBLE by Muller/Pronzini

[desayunoencama]

Even though I was more or less reading the series in order, I'd skipped reading DOUBLE, Marcia Muller's collaboration with her mystery-writing husband Bill Pronzini, featuring both of their best-known detectives, Sharon McCone and the "Nameless Detective" because I didn't like the gimmick, or the set-up (a convention of P.I.'s). I'd never read any of the Pronzini books, but... I don't know, something put me off about them. (I'm not much of a hardboiled reader.) Although his sections seemed fine enough. Not anything I'd go out of my way to look for, but readable enough, especially in the context.

But I was right in putting it off until I had gone through the rest of the series.

I was surprised at how sex-negative the book is. I otherwise like McCone's politics, especially as her morality has changed over the course of the book.

So it was especially unexpected to find such a kink-phobic book, especially since later McCone books don't seem to share this sensibility. Hopefully it's all Pronzini's fault.

Still, disappointing.

:-(

Comments

[larryhammer]

Sex-negative, in what way?

---L.

[desayunoencama.livejournal.com]

Comments made in the characters' PoV about a number of the murder victims/suspects, who it turns out know each other from a private S/M club, even though the S/M aspect has nothing to do with the crimes, the club is simply where they met.

Also, the Pronzini character is very prudish when inquiring at an upscale erotica shop.

[larryhammer]

Hmph.

---L.

[avantpop.livejournal.com]

Pronzini's collaborations with Barry Malzberg are better.