“The Nameless Ones”, by John Connolly, is a dark trip full of viciousness mixed with snarky humor. It was shockingly violent, yet full of beautiful prose. Reading this as my first introduction into the Charlie Parker series, I had no idea that it was the 19th on the list. This book can be read as part of the series or as a stand-alone.

Driven by short chapters, each with last sentence cliffhangers, I was kept up late into the night needing to know the next step in the dark and gruesome tale. It is full of vicious killings yet balanced with conversational and humorous banter that acted as a pallet cleanser before stepping into the next brutal act.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and John Connolly for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️️

As a fully vetted member of the Charlie Parker fan club, I have to say that any book by John Connolly is going to be a great read, even if the book revolves some of the supporting Charlie Parker characters. A truly brutal murder of one of Louis's circle finds Louis and Angel travelling to find the killers and seek "justice".
John Connolly has developed his CHarlie Parker series to a point in which all of the characters are reader favorites. This may be the 19th book in the series, but it's still fresh, still definitely great mystery/thriller stories that keep me looking for each new title as it hits the shelves. I'll keep reading them as long as he keeps writing them.

**2.5 Stars**

Brief Synopsis: Siberian criminals, American hitmen, and a plethora of other gangsters. Each group has a score to settle.

Thoughts: I was drawn to this book because of the dark, gritty description. The storyline held true to that. The characters were realistic, and the storyline was mostly believable. There is a paranormal element to the book, but it’s not overly done. Though this is a book in the Charlie Parker series, Charlie Parker himself takes a backseat in this one. I enjoyed Angel and Louis, and even though they are hired killers, they seem to have a moral compass. That said, I didn’t love this one overall. It felt wordy at times and the Siberian context was hard to connect with.

Thank you to John Connolly, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this book. This can be read as a standalone novel.

This is a very intriguing and riveting novel about the criminals in eastern europe
This book is a roller-coaster ride, full of twists and turns that will keep readers holding their breath to the very end!

Great read!

I am not going to rehash the book's premise as others have done that

I have to admit I have never read any of John Connolly's books. I am not sure why as I do read action thrillers a la Jack Reacher. This is part of a series about with Charlie Parker as the primary character. Though I have may have missed some nuances and background by not reading the previous books, this one stood alone.

Action, violence, good versus evil, that is all fine. What I did not expect was the supernatural aspect of the book. Maybe this is where having read the series would have helped especially as it pertained to Parker's daughter and her ghost that haunts him.

The book was a quick read and what I needed while on vacation. The writing style was a little more than basic but held my interest. I am not sure I will pick up another one of his books but would not discourage anyone from reading his. We all have our genres and aspects of these genres we enjoy. The supernatural part is not one of mine.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

John Connolly's Charlie Parker series is always full of violence and brutality. The series isn't for everyone, but I've followed it for years, always rooting for Parker, Louis, and Angel as they fight against supernatural evil.


from description of The Nameless Ones: In Amsterdam, four people are butchered in a canal house, their remains arranged around the crucified form of their patriarch, De Jaager: fixer, go-between, and confidante of the assassin named Louis. The men responsible for the murders are Serbian war criminals. They believe they can escape retribution by retreating to their homeland.
They are wrong.

Anyone who has read about the Serbian Croatian war is aware of the war crimes, mass murders, and ethnic hatred of that period. The brutality of the Serbian forces remains a particularly dark stain in history, and Connolly doesn't refrain from the atrocities.

Fans of the series can't help but love Louis and Angel, who add a great deal of dark humor to the books. The Nameless Ones leaves Charlie Parker in the background as Louis and Angel hunt the Serbian war criminals.

Of course, there is also a supernatural element: Zorya is an eerie, chilling associate with the Vuksan brothers.

Trigger Warning: the book is well-researched, but even though I'd read about some of the atrocities before, they still made difficult reading.

read in march; review scheduled for Oct
NetGalley/Atria Books

Supernatural Thriller. Oct. 26, 2021. Print length: 388 pages.

Posted by jenclair at 8:33 AM
Labels: Ben MacIntyre, Elizabeth Strout, john connolly, operation mincemeat

Connolly has written the creepiest, spookiest, best written novel you will see this October. The Nameless Ones is #19 in the Charlie Parker series; my thanks go to Atria Books and Net Galley for the review copy. This book goes up for sale October 26, 2021.

The series continues a conflict that began earlier in the series; that said, you can jump in here anyway. However, once you read this one, you’ll want to go back and pick up the others, or at least, say, the last five or six leading up to it. That’s all to the good, since Connolly can’t write as fast as you can read. Perhaps if you collect them you will be entertained until his next one comes out.

Unlike any of his other Charlie Parker stories, Parker plays a relatively peripheral role, with his two massively popular assistants, Angel and Louis, up front, with Louis having the lion’s share of the action. These two, who have served as Parker’s investigators and at times, as his body guards, are interesting characters. They do not love the law, but they do love each other. Angel is recovering from cancer treatment and Louis is in search of vengeance. Someone they had hired as a liaison in Serbia has been murdered, and the man’s last act, when he saw the walls closing in, was to wire a substantial sum into Louis’s account. Louis, in turn, intends to use that money to terminate the men that terminated his colleague. Stranger still, he is supported—in a massively unofficial manner—by the FBI. He doesn’t like it much, but there they are.

There’s a new character named Zorya, who is dead, but hasn’t crossed over. “She was a creature of the cold and dark. Zorya had winter blood.” She is physically small, and in a hoodie she is generally accepted by bystanders as an adolescent. She has attached herself to one of the men Louis is hunting, and has clairvoyant gifts. But what’s particularly interesting is her relationship to Jennifer Parker, the murdered seven-year-old daughter of Charlie. Jennifer has appeared to her father on a number of occasions, sometimes providing him with critical information. Now Connolly has decided to develop Jennifer, who has obtained a fair amount of power and authority on the other side of the veil. When Zorya targets Charlie, Jennifer targets Zorya. This is one of the coolest gambits I have seen in years, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book. But let’s get back to this one, since that’s what I’m supposed to be doing here.

New readers should prepare for a good deal of violence, and the most graphic and horrific shows up right at the beginning, so if you read it and aren’t sure you can stay the course through the end of the book, take heart. Lots more people are going to drop dead, but the most nightmarish details are up front. Nevertheless, it’s not something I read directly before sleeping.

The intensity and horror are nicely broken up with humor; the dialogue featuring Louis, Angel, or both positively crackles. I laughed out loud more than once. A pair of secondary bodyguards, the Fulci Brothers, whom Angel and Louis have deputized to watch out for Charlie at one point, are also welcome additions, and in no way resemble the pair that hired them. Sure enough, they save Parker’s butt. When the police arrive and Parker tells them only the bare minimum, the detective in charge reminds him that his would-be assassins may try again. “The Fulcis won’t always be ready to come to the rescue with a tire iron and a bear head.” (!!!)

As always, Connolly deftly employs a huge number of characters, and yet I am able to keep all of them straight. He keeps the time sequence linear, and this helps the story flow and keeps the players and events from becoming entangled.

If you’ve followed this review to this point, you have all the stamina you need to enjoy this exceptional novel. True, the book is longer than my review, but Connolly writes a lot better, too.

Highly recommended!

'After all, were not all men destined at last to join the ranks of the nameless ones?'

The old proverb says revenge is a dish best served cold. In the 19th book in John Connolly's Charlie Parker series, the assassin Louis is looking for revenge for the brutal killing of his confidante De Jaager and three other people in a supposedly safe house in Amsterdam. The men responsible are Serbian war criminals who plan to escape to the east, but little do they know that a determined assassin will be relentlessly pursuing them seeking revenge.

As you can imagine, this thriller is fairly violent and gory. It can easily be read as a standalone, with any details needed filled in by Connolly in the story line. For long time readers of this series, Angel does accompany Louis in some portions of the story, helping when needed. So surprisingly does Special Agent Ross. Charlie Parker makes a small appearance, as does his deceased daughter Jennifer. And, oh yes, the Fulci brothers, who bring some much needed levity to the drama.

Be prepared to learn a lot about Balkan history. It's rather frightening to realize how oblivious we are to the violence that is carried on in other parts of the world. So eye-opening. I have not read all of this series but I have read several of the books and thought this one was a fine addition with just a touch of the supernatural.

I received an arc of this new thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity.

I’ve been dipping in and out of the Charlie Parker series for years, ever since I picked up the first book in the series, Every Dead Thing. Since that book came out in 1999, John Connolly has been building on the complexity of his haunted private investigator’s world by adding supernatural elements of pure evil beneath the more ordinary human variety of evil. Connolly has also created an amazing cast of characters with complex ethical codes that push them to eliminate both types of evil wherever they find it. In The Nameless Ones, the nineteenth volume in the series, we go on an international journey of revenge with two of Parker’s best friends and allies. Louis, an assassin known as the Grim Reaper, and his partner Angel, a thief, travel to Europe to take out a group of Serbians who took their own revenge so far that they must be put out of commission.

The Nameless Ones brings in a full complement of previous characters (although Parker himself and the always entertaining Fulci brothers only have a brief scene). Sadly, a character introduced in a recent installment of the series meets a grisly death—along with his family—in the first quarter of the novel. He and his family are tortured and killed by Spiridon Vuksan and his henchmen. Spiridon and his brother, Radovan, are evil men. They, unlike some of the other villains tackled by Parker et al., are motivated by greed and prejudice against anyone who isn’t a pure-blooded Serb. During the breakup of Yugoslavia, the Vuksans participated in the massacre at Srebrenica and countless other atrocities. After the war, they used Serbia and people still loyal to them to create a criminal empire that no one would touch. At least, that’s what they thought. Their act of bloody revenge in Amsterdam not only draws down the wrath of Angel and Louis, it also makes a lot of governments decide that the Vuksans are too dangerous to be protected anymore.

As Louis and Angel track their quarry from Amsterdam to Vienna, Connolly treats us to snippets of history about Josip Broz Tito and the terrible wars and atrocities that followed the collapse of Yugoslavia, how much it costs to get new passports and guns, high-level human smuggling in Western Europe, and some interesting tidbits about Serbian folk beliefs. There are also some amazing set pieces as Louis has to get creative with his methods when his targets seem to be completely safe in their hotels and when there are showdowns in dramatic corners of European cities, like the Friedhof der Namenlosen (German) or a once quiet restaurant in the Skadarlija district of Belgrade. The Nameless Ones is the kind of book I adore: entertainment mixed with history and travel.

If you’re looking for a mystery series that is completely original, deeply affecting, and never disappointing, I highly recommend the Charlie Parker series and this latest entry—as long as you have a strong stomach for violence.

For readers who love Charlie Parker, this book does not feature him much. It's mostly Angel and Louis which is not a bad thing. Louis wants revenge on a pair of Serbian brothers who killed one of his friends in Amsterdam. The brothers can be considered either war criminals or gangsters. Angel and Louis go to Europe to find and kill these brothers. There are a lot of bloody murders, and even a touch of the supernatural. Tough reading at times but worth the effort.

Note to self: study the concept of impulse control. Then buy some.

While I was supposed to be reading 2 other books for pleasure & review, I made the mistake of perusing the first few pages of this latest offering from John Connolly. BIG mistake. I can't claim to be a faithful reader of the excellent Charlie Parker series which is a mystery to me as every time I pick one up, I have the same thought.....Damn, this guy can tell a story. By page 3 I was hooked.

This particular instalment has a little something extra. Here, Charlie takes on the role of peripheral character while Louis & Angel step up as the MC's. As much as I love Charlie, it's this compelling couple I've enjoyed most (not sure what that says about me as they're probably best described as hitmen with sociopathic tendencies). My fate was sealed, sincere apologies to the other 2 books.

What follows is a wild ride as Angel & Louis seek revenge after a colleague is murdered in the Netherlands. The killers are identified as the Vuksan brothers, Serbian gangsters with a distinctive M.O. The hunt is on & our MC's quickly discover the Serbs are as elusive as they are brutal. Amsterdam, Paris, London, Belgrade, Vienna.....these are just some of the stops on what becomes a trail of carnage across Europe.

Along the way we're introduced to new characters who bring compelling side stories to the overall plot. And although he remains stateside, poor Charlie Parker gets dragged into the whole mess as well. This is great news for the reader as he's featured in one of the best scenes in the book. Charlie, the Fulci brothers & a stuffed bear head...that's all I'm saying.

Connolly's prose brings to mind authors such as James Lee Burke, Joe R. Lansdale & Robert Crais. Despite an economy with words (& seriously flawed characters), there's a warmth or intimacy that connects with the reader early on. Angel & Louis are not exactly pillars of society but because they are so complex & interesting, you become completely invested in their lives. And then there is the humour....a dry & wicked sort of funny best showcased by Louis' dialogue.

Chapters are short & the pacing is perfect. There's not a boggy passage or even an extra sentence in sight. I don't recommend starting this in the evening as the real challenge is trying to find a "good" place to put it down.

In case you haven't guessed, I loved it. I've been in a bit of a reading slump this year as I find myself distracted & busy dealing with real life. What a pleasure to pick up a book that made it all go away.

My sincere thanks to Emily Bestler & Atria Books for providing an ARC via Netgalley.

This story highlights Louis and Angel with just a brief cameo from Charlie Parker. A lot of killing and rape as the focus is on hunting down war criminals on the run leaving a wake of violation and death.
It gets heavy sometimes with such bad guys and on creepy woman who throws a little of the super natural into the mix. With so many places and players across the globe it can be complex but still riveting and you will find yourself rooting for Angel and Louis.

copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

When I first read the description of this one I was truly looking forward to the read, but unfortunately, I could not get into this story. To many characters to keep track of, the names were confusing to me and I evidently do not have enough Serbian knowledge to understand the plot. I stopped and started it several times and finally had to give up and put it down. I found it convoluted and confusing. Maybe if I had read the previous books in the series, it would have made more sense.
I’m sure others will enjoy the intrigue and depth of the writing.
I certainly appreciated receiving an ARC from Atria and NetGalley for my unbiased review – This one comes in with 3***’s.

This is a bit of a change for Connolly, as the book focuses more on Louis this time out, with Parker as only a bit, background player in the story. Louis is set on getting revenge on a pair of Serbian brothers who killed one of his contacts in Amsterdam and are now on the run, hoping to get ahold of new identities with which to disappear to new lives. Can he find them before time runs out? It's an interesting story with a lot of new locations--Vienna, Paris, Belgrade, etc.--but it's also a bit of a letdown, more interested in wrapping up some of the loose threads left from A Book of Bones. After The Dirty South and now this, hopefully the next Parker will propel the story forward again. Still, this is a strong book and Connolly is a very assured writer. If you're a Parker fan, this is pretty much a must-read, of course.

The Nameless Ones was my first foray into the enchantingly dark writing of John Connolly. Jumping headfirst into the series without having read the previous books, I was highly impressed that I could easily connect with the characters and their emotions, undoubtedly the result of Connolly’s masterful and powerful narration that flowed elegantly from character to character.
The story opens up with a gory execution of a family by Serbian gangsters, the details of which will haunt a reader for days. With the butchered family being close acquaintances to the formidable assassin, Louis, he sets off on a rampage to track down and terminate the vicious criminals responsible for the atrocity with extreme prejudice, if only things would be that straightforward. The path to retribution is marked with numerous complications and unforeseen consequences that keep the late-night lamp burning. The narrative splits the focus between Louis on the hunt with his friends, and the bad guys feeling the noose tighten around their necks as they are hunted not only by Louis but by other more sinister parties, making for an edge-of-your-seats storytelling where it’s difficult if not impossible to predict what might happen next. The reader experience is augmented by not only the multi-layered present-day exploits but also real-life historical events that shed necessary world-building emphasis on the characters to coincide with their realistic albeit twisted motivations in the case of the bad guys. In addition to the white-knuckled revenge ride of grim proportions, there is an eerie supernatural element to the narrative that solidifies The Nameless Ones as a rare blend of thrillers that leave a lasting impression, especially once that last line hits you like a freight train.
A fresh change of pace and vibe from the usual thrillers, The Nameless Ones is guaranteed to keep you entertained as you flip through the pages with the futile promise of just one more chapter because each succeeding chapter hooks you in stronger than the last.

Full review and blurb on: https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/kashif-hussain/the-nameless-ones-by-john-connolly

This story features Angel and Louis with just a brief showing of Charlie Parker. It also brings in a lot of Serbian culture including much violence. Not up to the par of the past books IMO. I just did not understand the need for revenge that the whole plot was based on. No characters are likable except Angel and Louis and there was not much character development there. It just felt like a lot of gratuitous violence with some Serbian history thrown in.

I was given a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Nameless Ones by John Connolly is an enthralling and engrossing read with a great plot and characters! Well worth the read

I have read other Charlie Parker books but this one just didn’t grab me. It was slow moving. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, most of them aren’t very likable. I tried but ended up not finishing the book. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

The Nameless Ones is the 19th entry in the Charlie Parker series by John Connolly but it's kind of a misnomer to call it part of the series. Oh, Charlie shows up briefly but this story belongs to his long-time friends and frequent collaborators, Louis and Angel. When the bodies of a friend and his family are discovered in Amsterdam, the pair set out for revenge. They will cross all of Europe if necessary to get it and nothing and no one will be allowed to stand in their way.

I have been a long time fan of this series loving the merger of thriller and supernatural and The Nameless Ones doesn't disappoint even without Parker in the leading role. As always, it is well-written and well-researched and it kept my attention throughout. This definitely gets a high recommendation from me.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

I love this series so much! While I am a big fan of Louis and Angel, I must confess that I wanted a lot more Charlie - and even a lot more Louis and Angel... For a book focused on them, vast swaths of it felt more like an exegesis on the Balkan Wars, and I must confess as a result it was not my favorite of the books... It did not really feel like it was advancing the main storyline, so much as that it was part 2 of book 17 in the series (A Book of Bones) - and that also wasn't one of my favorites.

Still, "not one of my favorites" in this series still means a darn good read. Don't get me wrong, Connolly's writing is as good as ever, and if the subject matter did not engage me as much as the more supernaturally-focused books, that's my reader preferences rather than any failings or faultings of the story itself. Still, I'm looking forward to the next book and Jennifer's evolving role - and hoping it will focus more on Charlie's role in the grand scheme of things!