“Highly recommend this spare, minimalist but deeply touching noir adventure for those who can appreciate that noir is a state of mind that is never ‘solved’ as a mystery might be solved.”

– Joyce Carol Oates

“Written in brilliant clear prose with stunning details and insight, A Past Without Pictures is yet another wonderful novel from Jonathan Ames. There is a sensitivity and poignancy underlying the off-book investigation by an LAPD detective whose ex-con father was murdered in the deep south. With each book Mr. Ames pushes himself farther and the result is a rich body of work. I look forward to each one, especially the next.”

– Chris Offut, author of the Mick Hardin series

“Spare but potent . . . Ames’s disaffected style infuses the proceedings with a deep sadness that elevates it from bog-standard crime fiction to something headier and more emotionally wounding. This will enchant both the author’s existing fans and thriller readers looking for something off the beaten path.”

– Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Perfect for fans of S. A. Cosby and other writers of Southern noir: it has beautifully drawn characters, a real-feeling setting, pitch-perfect dialogue, and a story that keeps the reader in a constant state of apprehension.”

– Booklist

“A quicksilver family reckoning whose epiphanies arrive in the form of felonies.”

– Kirkus

"This slight tome (192 pages) really packs a punch."

– Deadly Pleasures Magazine

“[Ames] gravitates to noir, which is great, because he can do so much with it—tease out and really crystalize so many of its quieter hallmarks. . . . Enjoy this tour-de-force.”

– CrimeReads

“Ames is an adept purveyor of the very noir, particular scenes of violence. He achieves more in less than 100 pages than most crime novels three times the length do.”

– The Times on You Were Never Really Here

“Smart, sharp, and stylish noir for the modern day.”

– Ivy Pochoda on A Man Named Doll

“Ames is a master of blending humor, pathos, and grit.”

– Alex Segura