'The Nothing Man' by Jim Thompson is a dark and twisted novel following the life of Clinton Brown, a heavy alcoholic and newspaper writer with a hidden past from the war. The protagonist, Brown, is portrayed as a bitter and manipulative character who seems to control those around him despite his constant drunken state. The book is described as an experimental text by the author, inviting readers on a long walk with Brown and forcing them to reflect on their own minds while experiencing a series of startling murders and twisted events.

Characters:

The characters are complex, with Clint Brown serving as a hyperverbal, troubled protagonist lacking traditional heroic traits.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by a pitch black comedic tone, hyperverbal prose, and a blend of suspense and humor.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot is a subversion of typical noir fiction, focusing on a troubled newspaper man, intertwining dark comedy with themes of trauma and murder.

Setting:

The setting is a gritty, despair-laden world embodying classic noir themes with corrupt social dynamics.

Pacing:

The pacing varies throughout, featuring unpredictability and an escalating series of events.

Dave had, on that morning, brought it over to my desk. He stood lingering a moment afterward, trying to look friendly and interested. He mumbled something about “Good news, I hope,” and I opened the l...

Notes:

Jim Thompson's 'The Nothing Man' subverts typical noir tropes.

The protagonist, Clint Brown, is a newspaper man with deep trauma.

Brown struggles with alcoholism and has a unique, hyperverbal style.

The story takes a darkly comedic tone while remaining rooted in noir.

Brown's lack of a male member from the war significantly impacts his character.

The novel features typical noir elements like crime, whiskey, and corruption.

Brown exhibits a violent jealousy, especially towards women.

'The Nothing Man' is seen as a departure from Thompson's usual corrupt narrators.

The book is compared to Thompson's earlier work 'The Killer Inside Me'.

The narrative is in the first person and presents a conscience-less character.

Thompson's characters often reflect his own struggles with alcoholism.

Clint Brown is portrayed as irritating rather than as creepy or unsettling.

The novel was part of a series of works published by Thompson in a short time frame.

Readers find the plot clever but somewhat sketchy and experimental.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of trauma, alcoholism, and graphic depictions of murder.

From The Publisher:

War changed Clinton Brown. Permanently disfigured by a tragic military accident, he's struggling to find satisfaction from life as a rewrite man for Pacific City's Courier . Shame has led him to isolate himself from closest friends and even his estranged, still faithfully devoted wife, Ellen. Only the bottle keeps him company.

But now Ellen has returned to Pacific City, and she's ready to do whatever it takes to get Brown back. Even if it means exposing his deepest secret ... a painful truth Brown would do anything to stop from coming to light. He'd kill a whole lot of people just to keep this one thing quiet-and soon enough, the bodies just happen to start piling up around him...

THE NOTHING MAN is Thompson at his most psychologically astute, in a deeply suspenseful and tragic portrait of one man's journey through the dark side of the Postwar Boom.

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The Nothing Man

Jim Thompson