bill pronzini's carpenter and quincannon lacks clear focus and thought. While i read the book in hopes of being entertained, the various detective stories pronzini writes about are as elementary and outdated as the very events in time that take place. While he utilizes a clear and consice writing style, one that incorporates a kind of formalistic, European-Anglo type, the content of a suspenseful, thought-provoking narrative definitely lacks. While he writes about various detective stints that his San Francisco detective agency encounters, the stories lack a good climax and fail to keep the reader guessing as professional detective stories often do.