Bill Pronzini is an entertainer. Through the entire book, "A Wasteland of Strangers," I had a smile and warm feelings that I was experiencing the lives of a group of characters who had a tale to tell. The book made me think of a modern Peyton Place mixed with a TV soap opera.A large, brutal looking man arrives at a lakeside village in Northern California. His arrival unleashes the prejudices and sexual fantasies of many of the locals.John Faith is a quiet man, just looking for a place to be accepted and that he can call home.Women solicit him, some men challenge him in order to prove their manhood and a slim few-accept him for what he is.He's accused of murder, almost accused of being a pedophile and is actually a kind hearted, lonesome man.I found the story unique and totally engrossing. It is cleverly plotted and the characters are well developed and interesting.
