The Big Boom

Set in San Francisco before the high-tech markets went bust, The Big Boom features Dante Mancuso, an obsessive private investigator who works the streets of his hometown where he's known by his nose and his nickname: The Pelican.


Settling in and hoping to settle down, his peace is shattered when an old North Beach family asks him to find their daughter---one of Dante's former sweethearts. Though the case alienates his longtime lover Marilyn Visconte, Dante has no choice but to plunge into the shadows of the dot-com revolution.


A tightrope of a novel and a perfect modern example of classic noir, The Big Boom is a taut story about familial duplicity, personal greed, and the desperate pull of love in many forms.

“A hypnotic, compelling read. It's one part Sopranos, another part Greek tragedy.” —The Boston Globe

“Broodingly atmospheric . . . Readers will find themselves absorbed.” —San Francisco Chronicle

“To all those mystery readers who believe that the classic detective story has played itself out, Stansberry delivers a bracing slap upside the head. And it feels so good.” —Booklist (starred review)

“Lean, literate, atmospheric stuff . . .” —Kirkus Reviews