I think I was not the right audience for this book. It's a well written story, but I often found myself confused on who the character were (there were so many!) and what exactly was happening!

I have been a BIG Charlie Parker fan since the beginning. His character just speaks to me. This book was honestly a little boring for me due to the history of the Serbian Croatian War. However, John Connolly can do no wrong, and I really enjoyed it.

Wasn't worth it to me. I don't DNF books but i push through it. After Book #18’s detour to the past, we return to the present in Serbia. Unfortunately, the reader has to experience the inhumanity of the Serbian Croatian war. Connolly describes the war through moments that revolve around violence and brutality. When these horrible criminals brutally murder someone Louis cares for, he and Angel, with a little help from some shady U.S. government officials, take it upon themselves to enact revenge. The details of the violence of the Serbian Croat conflict were quite hard to read, especially given the nature of the crimes and the details of the violence. This element of the plot is extremely hard to read, but it does highlight the atrocities of this war. Because of Louis and Angel I finished this book.

Another great read from John Connolly in the Charlie Parker series. This one didn't have a lot of Parker, but feature Louis and Angel. Just as enjoyable. Great plot/story, with great pacing. Never disappoints.

That. Was. INTENSE!!

THE NAMELESS ONE’S, if memory serves (Yeah, no guarantee there—let’s just say—I am an AVID, to the point of ferocious Reader and gobble Books up like they’re orange Tic Tac’s.), is not only the first novel I have read in the Charlie Parker Series but the first book I have read in the Connolly Catalog.

Allow me to say—More, Please!

THE NAMELESS ONE’S – Book #19 is an Intense read using clipped, informative chapters that reveal the perfect amount of detail that not only makes this an easy-to-read standalone but aids the suspense.

As I mentioned, this novel is part of the Parker Series; though Parker does make an appearance, the center stage goes to Louis and Angel, two characters I really enjoyed and hope to read more of.

I also LOVE books that have Supernatural elements, which this one most definitely does, and if my Scooby-senses picked up on a particular reveal, can I expect more as I venture into Book One and future installments?

I Hope So!

Next Up—Book #20 THE FURIES—Available Now!

Thank you, NetGalley and Emily Bestler Books (Atria - Bad Dog Books Limited – Simon & Schuster), for providing me with an eBook of THE NAMELESS ONE’S at the request of an honest review.

Highly Recommend!

I enjoyed the mystery in this book, very interesting storyline full of suspense and very entertaining. I look forward to reading more in. This series.

While I did not get this book from NetGalley, I am appreciative of all the books NetGalley has given me the opportunity to review.

This was my first book by John Connolly and I throughly enjoyed it. It caught you from the very beginning. I am now a big fan of Louis and Angel and can't wait to read more about them and the mysterious Charlie Parker (he's mysterious to me because I have not read any of the Charlie Parker series).

Mr. Connolly is good at his craft and I am looking forward to reading more of his books.

Not sure how it’s possible this many books into a series, but Connolly continues to raise the bar. What I’m continually impressed by is the care he takes with the humanity (where appropriate) of even minor characters.

I had trouble downloading this book and did not read it. Since, that time I've found out it is very violent and I've not been in the mood to read violent. John Connolly writes reasonable good novels with interesting characters, so I suggest readers try his other novels.

Connolly always leaves you wanting to read more as you end each chapter! It is so hard to put his books down. The Nameless Ones is no different. Kinda creepy gruesome, with a bit of supernatural in weird characters. This book had quite a few characters to keep track of and so many names, I often flipped back to remind myself who everyone was. It comes nicely together at the end.

Charlie Parker is back but this story highlights Angel and Louis. And Jennifer is back. Buckle your seatbelt for a ride in search of Serbian war criminals. There is a lot of violence so be forewarned. Connolly is a master storyteller and I can’t wait to see what he has planned for us.
Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved this mystery story. Do you love a good suspense? I think you will like this tale. Recommend to all friends and family!

John Connolly remains one of my favorite authors even after all these years and 19 books in this series alone. Charlie Parker, Angel and Louis are among my favorite characters of all time, and this is me trying NOT to gush!

I'm keeping my review brief today, even though it's way late. This volume remains focused on Angel and Louis, which was just fine with me. Angel is still recovering from his health issues, but he IS recovering. Charlie Parker makes an appearance or two, but that's it. I think we see more of his daughter than we do of him.

Angel and Louis set out traveling to Belgrade, Serbia, to France, and to a few other locations as well, to do what they do. The Fulci brothers make an appearance back in Maine and end up saving the day. As a side note, I learned a bit about the break up of Yugoslavia and some of the atrocities that occurred during the war in the 90's. I had no idea that some of them mimicked the horrors of WWII which saddened and disgusted me. A few new characters were introduced and as always with this series, you never know which ones might show up again in future books.

I was entertained, never bored, and at times fearful for my friends. I can't wait for the next book!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*

Connolly has done it again with The Nameless Ones, this time the story features Louis and Angel and doesn't stop with the heebie jeebie vibes. The introduction of "The Sixth" was intriguing and a great reminder not to piss off Charlie's daughter, Jennifer. Trust me, I won't spoil it but Hell Hath No Fury comes to mind when "The Sixth" goes up against her. The story overall and is a tad brutal in place, but not overtly so and is necessary to the story. I couldn't help but shake my head a few times when the bad guys would try to go after Charlie... you know that never ends well, I'm just saying. I highly recommend, this is a great read to settle into and get lost in the story.

This latest of John Connolly’s books in the Charlie Parker series shifts focus a bit to Louis and Angel. These two men, who have very criminal backgrounds, have changed their ways, so to speak, since they have been living and functioning in Parker’s world. They now work within his moral code and universe. Still violent when necessary, but with a purpose and to an end.

As The Nameless Ones begins we witness the deaths of several people in the Netherlands. These are brutal, savage, awful. The main victim is a man well known to Louis. These deaths, a senseless revenge by Serbian war criminals living in exile in Western Europe, living high on their criminal lives, triggers an action to prevent any further such atrocities.

While this book is very well written, it is not for the faint of heart. There is a good deal of violence (which varies between books of the series). There is also only limited participation from Parker himself in this outing and but his influence is felt throughout.

I recommend this for all Parker followers. Others may know from reading descriptions and reviews if the book is for them

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Published by Atria/Emily Bestler Books on October 26, 2021

Charlie Parker makes only cameo appearances in the nineteenth Charlie Parker novel. His dangerous friends Louis and Angel carry the novel, traveling to Europe on a dark mission that places Parker at risk despite his absence. Shaking up the series by giving collateral characters a starring role is a bold move that Parker has made before, always with a strong payoff. The Nameless Ones is one of the best recent efforts from a writer who produces nothing but excellent thrillers.

The Nameless Ones is a tale of two Serbian brothers, Radovan and Spiridon Vuksan. They are villains. The brothers and the criminals who work with or against them dominate the story. Louis and Angel have their moments, but the plot focuses on the brothers’ increasingly desperate attempts to survive the various forces that want to end their existence.

An FBI Agent named Ross has a history with Parker. That history began with the death of Parker’s wife and daughter. More recently, it includes an adventure that Parker had in the Netherlands and the death of a man named Armitage, whose phone (according to Ross) showed communications with the Vuksans. The Vuksans learned from Armitage that their cousin died at the hands of Louis, who was doing a favor for an old friend named De Jaeger. When Spiridon (the less reasonable brother) tortures and kills De Jaeger and his family in a scene that is all the more gruesome for being understated, Louis has new deaths to avenge.

The Vuksans have more enemies than Louis to worry about, but none more formidable. The Serbian and American governments would both like to consign the Vuksans to oblivion. Radovan would like to disappear, although not by dying. He tasks a shady Austrian lawyer named Frend to acquire fake passports that will allow the Vuksans to retire in a foreign land. Spiridon is less interested in retirement. The brothers quarrel about Spiridon’s wish to return to Serbia, where he will surely be punished for his history of war crimes.

Parker novels almost always have an element of the supernatural. In some novels, the supernatural dominates the story. In others, including The Nameless Ones, it lurks in the background. The supernatural element here is a woman named Zorya who kills ruthlessly for Spiridon. Zorya has the appearance of a child but has lived a long existence on the border of life and death. The only thing that frightens her is Parker’s dead daughter.

The novel’s supernatural terror is less frightening than its depiction of the evil war criminals and the various thugs and henchmen who populate their world. Frend, whose estranged daughter conspires against him to help Louis, is one of the novel’s few sympathetic characters, although he is far from a good person. Good people are rare in Charlie Parker novels. On a continuum from purely good to purely evil, Louis and Angel are somewhere in the middle, capable of empathy that motivates extreme but focused violence. Most of the other characters are scattered along the evil side of the continuum, with Spiridon and his ghost woman at the dark end and Riordan approaching it. Ross is the kind of ambiguous character who would rather not know how someone like Louis accomplishes the government’s ends as long as they are accomplished. Series readers might be happy to see the Fulci brothers make a brief return. They provide a bit of comic relief for those who have a taste for very dark comedy.

The novel gives the reader a more informative look at Serbia’s dark history than the rather sunny Wikipedia entry provides. John Connolly brings all of the novel’s locations alive, from Amsterdam to Vienna to South Africa. As always, Connolly’s graceful prose is masterful. He is among my favorite prose stylists in crime fiction. With its dense and intricate plot, its complex characters, and its insightful examination of evil men in evil times, The Nameless One showcases Connolly at the top of his game.

RECOMMENDED

It's hard to believe that this is the 19th installment in the Charlie Parker series - although, this actually marks just the second book to be focused on Louis and Angel. They are one of my very favorite fictional couples, though they play more serious roles here than they do in some of the earlier entries to the series. Following the events of A BOOK OF BONES, Louis' Dutch friend becomes a victim to Serbian criminals from his past. Looking for justice, this brings Louis and Angel all over the Continent. The plot unfurls a bit slowly to catch readers up on the complexities of the aftermath of the dissolution of Yugoslavia. But it's not long before this book shares the similar breakneck pacing of earlier installments - I read the latter half in practically one sitting!

As usual, all of the characters - both those established in the series and newly introduced -leap off the page. Louis and Angel operate apart for a time here, which means there isn't quite as much of their lovely banter as I had hoped for. But Connolly still offers moments of levity to break up the violence and vengeance. There are some cameos from series regulars here - and perhaps a bit of groundwork is laid for the 20th book...? As usual, finishing this one puts me back into anxiously awaiting more from my favorite author in this very favorite series of mine!

“…it could not be denied that Parker and the others lived by a moral code and — if even a fraction of the stories, both reported and unreported, were true — had brought a great deal of wickedness to an end. If they were not strictly good, they were whatever was required to face down evil.”

This book is part of the Charlie Parker series, but Parker doesn’t appear until the 75% point and his participation doesn’t last more than a few pages. Parker’s creepy dead daughterJennifer is in the book a lot more than her father. The book is an extremely convoluted revenge story featuring Parker’s colleagues Louis and Angel. The book does not deal at all with the search for the Backers, an occult cabal searching for the Buried God who is reputed to be a fallen angel imprisoned below ground. It can probably be read as a standalone, but I wouldn’t recommend starting the series here.

Louis and Angel go to Europe to hunt down and eliminate the Serbian gangsters who committed some murders in Amsterdam. As usual, the writing in this book is excellent, however it was very hard to follow. There is a lot of discussion of complicated Balkan history and much graphic violence. New characters with unpronounceable names are introduced in every chapter. Fortunately, I listened to the audiobook, so the narrator had to do the heavy lifting with respect to the names. After a while I gave up trying to keep track of the details of the revenge scheme and just enjoyed the writing and the interaction of Louis and Angel.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

The Nameless Ones
November 4, 2021
Book Review

The Nameless Ones
John Connolly
reviewed by Lou Jacobs



readersremains.com | Goodreads


An immersive action crime thriller with the focus on vengeance, retribution, rage—and most importantly the enduring bonds of respect and friendship.

Although this is the nineteenth novel involving the enigmatic private investigator, Charlie Parker, he will only make a cameo appearance. His associates and friends, Louis and Angel take center stage as they seek vengeance for well-respected friend and associate De Jaager, who is brutally tortured and murdered in his Amsterdam “safe house,” along with his nephew and two women which he holds dear.

Louis will relentlessly track the five Serbian criminals responsible for this heinous act across Europe to exact retribution. All five of the demons have learned their butchering skills during the Balkan conflict, and are legitimate war criminals. Connolly effortlessly weaves a history lesson into the fabric of the narrative. After Tito’s death in 1980 the loosely held thread of a republic known as Yugoslavia, came unwound. The conflict between 1991 and 1999 was a virtual exhibition of genocide and ethnic cleansing, leading to untold atrocities and the eventual formation of six republics formed along ethnic and nationalist lines.

De Jaager, was a fixer, and only occasionally a hunter, and rarely a killer. Although a criminal, he always acted with honor and respected the creed of honor among thieves. He was approaching retirement and was shedding his business interests, with the aim of retiring to a small cottage to live out his life in solitude and anonymity. This was not to be. Ultimately he found a living hell waiting for him at his “safe house.” Upon entering he found his nephew slumped over in a chair with parts of his skull and brain on the wall behind. By the Serbian criminals hands, he is made to watch the torture, rape, and butchering of his sister-in-law and Liesl, followed by his crucifixion with multiple well-placed nails. The fulcrum of this unholy group are the Vuksan brothers, Radovan and Spiridon. Their crime enterprise covers, narcotics, prostitution, trafficking, larceny and frequently murder. Ironically the duo are contemplating retirement, but Spirodon recklessly satisfies his need for vengeance by this heinous act.John Connolly weaves a roller-coaster ride filled with complex and twisted motives leading to a relentless escalating tension that culminates in an explosive denouement with his signature violence and brutality . As always, his evocative prose is accompanied with lushly fleshed-out characterization. The narrative is presented in a linear fashion which aids the reader in following the complexities of the interwoven history and motives of the multiple characters. The supernatural element of Zorya and Parker’s dead daughter, Jennifer, complements the story rather than providing a distraction. This can be enjoyed as a standalone , as Connolly seamlessly weaves any necessary backstory into the narrative. However, most readers will now want to devour the other Charley Parker novels.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria/ Emily Bestler Books for supplying an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

The Nameless Ones is the nineteenth book in the Charlie Parker series. However, Charlie rarely appears in this book. The assassins Louis and Angel are the main characters this time.

The Balkan Conflict of the 1990s is alive and well as the Serbian mafia in the Netherlands starts bumping off its enemies. When the violent and vicious leaders of the gang, the Vuksan brothers, go too far, both the assassins and their own higher-ups in the Serbian mafia start gunning for them.

I should have read the book blurb before requesting this book. I love the Charlie Parker character. I enjoyed the last book in this series, The Dirty South. I originally read the first seven books in the series as they came out in the early aughts. However, The Reapers was an anomaly. It, like The Nameless Ones, had little Charlie Parker involvement. Instead, it also focused on Angel and Louis. So, I requested a sequel to my least favorite book in the series. But enough about me.

Who will enjoy this book? It has a lot of gory violence—though mostly off stage. The first 20% will get new readers to the series up to date. Once the focus returns to the present day, the pacing speeds up considerably. If you are looking to investigate what it is like to be either in a mafia or an assassin, The Nameless Ones is the perfect read. For me, it was an overlong 3-star book. Still, I will be looking for the next true Charlie Parker-focused book next year.

Thanks to Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.