Product Description
Spenser's back.And Susan's ex is quaking in his boots...

Susan Silverman's ex doesn't call himself "Silverman" anymore--he's changed his name to "Sterling."And that's not the only thing that's phony about him.A do-gooding charity fundraiser, he's been accused of sexual harassment by no less than four different women.And not long after Spenser starts investigating, Sterling is wanted for a bigger charge: murder...

"Sparkling."--Detroit Free Press

"A highly satisfactory addition to a well-rounded series."-- Houston Chronicle

"Smooth as silk."-- Orlando Sentinel

"A corker."-- Buffalo NewsAmazon.com Review
Sudden Mischief, the 25th Spenser novel, finds Robert B. Parker's seemingly ageless sleuth once again engaging Boston's bad guys and sorting out life's moral dilemmas, all (or mostly) in the name of love. When Spenser's girlfriend, psychiatrist Susan Silverman, asks him to investigate charges of sexual harassment leveled against her ex-husband, Brad Sterling, the detective agrees, though the assignment "shows every sign of not working out well." As the sexual harassment allegations melt like April snow, Sterling drops out of sight, a dead body appears in his office, and Spenser discovers a murky slush of clues that suggest Sterling's work as a marketing genius for local charities has been a front for some truly despicable criminal activities. As always, the more-than-slightly-shady Hawk is on hand to help Spenser sort the good from the bad, but Spenser is left to his own devices when it comes to making sense of the emotional havoc the case creates in his relationship with Susan. And what devices they are: emotionally mature and physically dynamic, Spenser once again proves himself as detective, friend, lover, and human being as Sterling's reappearance forces Susan to examine her past and her conscience whilesearching for her own autonomy. As always, Spenser endures as an intelligent, ethical, and poetic private eye, even if his endless middle age seems a bit supernatural. Parker's nimble, Spartan prose suits a character who carries his years in wisdom rather than body fat. If the heart of any truly great detective series is a truly great detective, Sudden Mischief and the rest of Parker's Spenser novels surely fit the bill. --L.A. Smith ... Read more

Customer Reviews (56)

Read the Book. Skip the Audio!
"But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife." -- 1 Corinthians 7:11 (NKJV)

I am reviewing the unabridged audio of Sudden Mischief performed by William Windom. I didn't care for the reading. Mr. Windom is miscast in this role. I recommend you read the book instead. It's a short book and won't take you long. It's not one of the best Spenser novels by a long shot, but it contains interesting background material about Susan Silverman and her ex-husband, Brad Sterling, and Susan's instincts when it comes to seeking out men. Be prepared for a so-so experience even as a read.

For those who have been divorced or part of a broken family, you know that divorce doesn't end the relationship between ex-husband and ex-wife. Sudden Mischief explores that dynamic when Susan asks Spenser to help her ex-husband who is in deep trouble due to poverty and sexual harassment claims. Spenser gamely agrees to help . . . with ill consequences for him and for his relationship with Susan. If you like Spenser stories that are deeply shrinkish, this novel will be one of your favorites. If you favor a little more action and story development, you'll be yawning at times.

I found that the story affected my image of Susan in ways that I didn't like. If she is a character you like to think highly of, you may not be pleased with her history as revealed in this story. If you would like to know more about how Spenser and she became an item, you won't find a more insightful story in the series.

William Windom Unsatisfactory as Spenser
This is a review of the audio CD, not the novel.I have ten other Spenser audio CDs that I have enjoyed immensely.One of the things I like about Parker's Spenser is the humor in the books.When I listed to the novels on the CDs I pick up even more humor than is available in the books.The audio Cds are slower-paced than reading the books so things I miss as I'm racing along in the novels get picked up in the Cds.I've been very satisfied with Joe Montegna as the reader on the CDs I have but was willing to give William Windom a try.I'm sorry I did.There are several things wrong with Windom as the reader.The two most important are:William Windom's voice carries a world-weary tone that is completely opposite to Spenser's Parker who is unfailingly upbeat with a "glass-is-always-half-full approach to life and who always has a hint of humor in his conversation.The second problem is that Windom doesn't even attempt to change his voice for the various characters so, often, since Parker doesn't always use "he said" or "she says" for every line, you can't tell who is supposed to be talking.Windom also has the annoying habit of using an upward inflection at the end of sentences that don't call for it and, conversely, of dropping off the end of some sentences with so low a tone that he is inaudible.Altogether, a very unsatisfactory production.

TOO PSYCHO FOR ME
I love Spenser but this novel was way too much psychoanalysis for me.It got a bit boring, too.Why Susan was attracted to bad men and all that baloney did nothing to make me feel for Susan and why was Rachel Wallace in this?The story line had a lot of promise but it just faltered.Won't keep me from reading more of Parker's books on Spenser.

Spenser v. Susan's ex
In "Sudden Mischief," Susan comes to Spenser asking him to help out her ex-husband, Brad Sterling (he has changed his name).Brad is "on the edge of dissolution" and has been sued for sexual harassment by four women after he chaired a major charity event.However, when Spenser goes to talk to Brad, Brad laughs it off - claiming he is doing fine, there is no problem with harassment and Susan was over-reacting.Puzzled, Spenser starts to dig.And, of course, that brings some bruisers to bear upon him. Discovering that the charity event brought no money to any of the charities - except maybe one mysterious charity chaired by another of Brad's ex-wives called Civil Streets, but Spenser cannot be sure because no one will talk to him about it - Spenser becomes suspicious.Also, the harassment suit comes under fire when Spenser discovers love letters and naked pictures of one of the woman under Brad's bed.

Well paced and intricately plotted, this novel had more twists than the California coastal highway.I enjoy the Spenser novels, because they keep you guessing until the end.Not to be missed!

The Accidental Therapist. Spenser's Sigmund Sofa Shines Susan's Spirit. Self-Actualization Be Done.
SUDDEN MISCHIEF, # 25 in the Spenser series, provided another prime work up on the Man/Woman relationship scene, dealing with ex-hubby scars, Susan's turtle-snap moods, and a new-and-improved conversational skill from Dr. Sigmund Spenser.I'm roaring onward toward the end of the series with continued amazement at how many miasmas of human angst Parker has been able to muck into, for Spenser to clarify and deodorize; and how many relationship scenes and character cards he can lay bare on any table, with Spades called true.

Opening what I might term "The Pandora in The Relationship," a scene between Spenser and Susan slipped suddenly from the most comfy of cozy, with humor set and staged on-a-roll ... to sour milk, paused peace, and stomach knots.I felt that hit along with Spenser, possibly more than any other emotional toll taken in the series (except when Susan left in VALEDICTION, # 11 in the series).The way Spenser worked with and through the situation was a perfect expression of ... not of psychological actualization ... but of the wisdom of a dynamically-operating human maturity.This scene and Spenser's "self-talk" in understanding the dense drama underlying Susan's behavior took the reader ozone holes beyond the trite advice to "roll with the punches."

I particularly enjoyed the few glove punches of tribute to X-Files here, in the slight, playful change in the style of humor between Hawk and Spenser, and in the Lone Gunman computer geek.SUDDEN MISCHIEF was another example of the cultural evolutionary intrigue contained in this triple-decade-running series.In this one and in a few previous recent offerings readers were also given hints of the beginning of The-Waitress-Hurry-Rush-Syndrome, which appeared to have begun in the nineties.

In SUDDEN MISCHIEF Spenser stepped up to the tallest measure of being Susan's hero, savior, Knight-in-Shining Armor, and her Shrink.Acting as her shrink, Spenser's jangled the jargon from the popular surge of psycho-self-help books which carried "come-communicate" concepts from the 70's and 80's into the 90's.Spenser's part of every dialogue with every character seemed to have suddenly altered in MISCHIEF in a manner which felt somewhat but not totally, tongue-in-cheek.The alteration came through the famous style of the Shrink's SILENCE, the true listening mode ... of no response ... to stretches of out-loud contemplations from whomever happened to be the partner in repartee (or payer of shrink-wrap fees).I enjoyed the fact that the dialogues often took place over meals or in interesting restaurants, so that when Spenser worked the no response deal, he replaced the saved mouth motion with warm, moist bites of fresh, spongy bread, and savored the yeasty flavor.Usually his comment in that venue went something like, "I took a bite of .... It was good."

Spenser did the shrink silence with as much perfection as he has done all else.Even so, one of the reasons for success of his perfection was his ability to see (and note) his and Susan's flaws here.And, Susan's self-actualization scene in chapter 48 was truly incredible in Parker's perfection of process of her coming to that catharsis, with Spenser providing support in an awesomely effective way of stand-aside-but-be-ready.

As noted above, it appeared to me that the humor had changed slightly in this one, with appetizer overtures in recent previous offerings as well.Some of the conversational fun-poking definitely seemed to have taken on a warmly entertaining edge of the X-Files, Fox Mulder type.

The combo of these subtle changes continued to herald the "Signs of the Times," reinforcing my sense of one of the major values in this series being its feathered function as a cultural-evolution-landmark for the 70's, 80's, 90's, and 00's.

Sometimes series authors have espoused a wish that they could get out of the limitations of a genre and write something "significant."Parker has repeatedly and unfailingly honored his series genre, while packing his products with the ultimate in literary significance.Possibly the greatest gift in this accomplishment is that readers can choose to see this significance (and be awed by it).Or, they can merely let go of cares and worries, and be entertained by pure escape fiction.

I wonder if RBP was born on the precise point of an Annular Solar Eclipse, to have continually generated and successfully manifested so much primal, pivotal creativity.Or maybe ... like today ... Robert B. Parker was born during a Blue Moon peaking full in the company of Jupiter and Vesta (the asteroid).All I know about that is that he was born in 1947 (or 48?), a Baby Boomer like many of us.

Another man, born in 1928, wasn't a Baby Boomer, nor an author, yet he reminds me of Parker, in the sense of the above described type of continued creative generation and manifestation. See the Amazon Short, I Worked: A True Story

Immensely thankful for fascinating feats such as these,
Linda G. Shelnutt ... Read more

Product Description
Melanie Joan Hall is a bestselling author in a bind. Her publisher needs her to tour on behalf of her newest blockbuster, and Melanie Joan needs a bodyguard-cum-escort to protect her from an overbearing ex-husband whose presence unnerves her to the point of hysteria. Sunny's cool demeanor, cop background, and P.I. smarts are an instant balm for the older woman. She begins to sense that Melanie Joan's ex-a psychotherapist-is not your basic stalker, and when an incident at a book signing leaves the ex bloodied and the author unconscious, it's clear the stakes are high. Deciding that the only way to crack the case is from the inside, Sunny enters therapy herself, only to discover some disturbing truths about herself . . . while putting her life on the line.

Gripping, nuanced, and filled with Parker's signature dialogue and psychological insight, Shrink Rap is a winner.Amazon.com Review
Boston PI Sunny Randall is the daughter Robert Parker's series hero Spenser and his inamorata, Susan Silverman, might have had if they weren't so busy parenting Pearl the Wonder Dog. Like Spenser, Sunny is smart, tough, and fearless; like Susan, she's sexy, droll, and vulnerable; and like Pearl, Sunny's pit bull, Rosie, is the only character who's wise enough to hide when trouble comes knocking at the door. In Shrink Rap, Sunny's working as a bodyguard for a famous romance writer who's being stalked by her ex-husband, a psychiatrist engaged in extremely unprofessional conduct with his female patients. To get the goods on Dr. John Melvin, Sunny goes undercover as a vulnerable divorcée, which isn't that far from the truth; simultaneously, she's also seeing another therapist, who's supposed to be coaching her for her undercover role but is also helping her understand her troubled relationships with men. It's a clever device, and Parker makes the most of it in this spare, smart, swiftly paced mystery, one of Parker's best in recent years. --Jane Adams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (59)

Favorite Writer
There is nothing I can say about Robert B. Parker that hasn't been said before! He simply was the best mystery writer. Every single book of his was a pleasure to read, and I've read EVERY SINGLE BOOK, except for the last two ones coming out this year in Autumn.

Gotta Love Sunny Randall
I can't believe I hadn't ever read anything by Robert B. Parker, he is really up my alley. Sunny Randall is a fabulously flawed protagonist and I really enjoyed taking this ride with her. I'll be reading more of Parker, I like his style.

Great Time Books
Ordered Shrink Rap by Robert Parker Jr. from Greattime Books in early December. They confirmed they received the order and sent me an e-mail that it shipped 28 December. Have not received the book.Have sent them two e-mails requesting status and they haven't answered either. They did bill my credit card. Would recommend not buying anything from this vendor.

A Rare Find Fast Paced Action Packed Thriller!
Although Shrink Rap was the first book I had read by this author, it was a rare find.I was so impressed with his storytelling and writing style that I ordered some of his other books: Brimstone, Resolution and Appaloosa shortly thereafter.I have already finished his equally exciting book Brimstone and only pause to write this review before starting the next book.

In "Shrink Rap" Private Investigator Sunny Randall is hired by bestselling author, Melanie Joan Hall to protect her from her dark dangerous stalking ex-husband, psychotherapist, John Melvin . Vying to bring the monster down without the help of her ex-husband, Richie's underworld family intervention, Sunny disguises herself as a patient and puts her life on the line to save Melanie.

The author's vivid action packed novel places the reader on the scene as this rapidly moving fiction unravels.

If you are looking for a fast paced action packed thriller that you can just not put down, look no further.This is it!

Buy it today.I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Cozy Mystery
I read the first three books in the Sunny Randall Series and liked them all but I think this is my favorite so far. It's a quick easy read and as my tag says a cozy mystery. It's very fast paced, which I like in any book. It had a few surprising developments that kept it interesting. Everytime I had to put it down I couldn't wait to pick it back up again. I'm not sure what those who gave negative reviews were expecting but the Sunny Randall Mysteries are meant to be light entertainment with interesting characters and witty dialog. ... Read more

Product Description
The most dangerous man to cross is one who isn't afraid to die. But the most deadly is one who doesn't want to live. And Spenser has just lost the woman who made life his #1 priority.

So when a religious sect kidnaps a pretty young dancer, no death threat can make Spenser cut and run. Now a hit man's bullet is wearing Spenser's name. But Boston's big boys don't know Spenser's ready and willing to meet death more than halfway.

"Tough, wisecracking, unafraid and unexpectedly literate --in many respects the very exemplar of the species." (The New York Times) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

SUSAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I admire how Parker expresses his belief that even those we love can be less than perfect, can even lie to us and still be a person of value, worthy of our love. Humans are imperfect and Parker, the human and the writer, seems to be aware and accepting of that. This is a wonderful book for its power and action and for its sensitive understanding and acceptance of human nature. Parker is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hawk and Spenser have no equal. FANTASTIC BOOK.

Different Spenser
I haven't read all the Spenser books, but this was the most unusual to date. There is much more vulnerability. He's not the typical macho Spenser. There's also more romance than any other Spenser book I've read. I liked that you get to see the real person behind the tough P. I.The plot was still great and it was as fast moving as all the others. I thought it was great, but not the greatest that I've read. If you like Spenser, you definitely have to read this book.

OLDIE BUT GOODY
Firstly, I really enjoy Parker's fast wit and dialogue, and all the favorite characters, like Spencer, Susan, Hawk, Paul, etc. Secondly, I always have a problem with Spencer trying to hold onto Susan, especially now that she moved to San Francisco and took on a lover.She definitely needs to find herself but it always seems to be at Spencer's expense. She's a very selfish soul but Spencer is patient and understands, so I suppose that is definitely part of the drama and trauma. I often want to grab Spencer by the lapels (but Hawk might take exception to that behavior), shake him into reality,and tell him to be stronger and move on. Conclusion, another good story by the master - we will miss him and his many tales.

Great, but Kindle version is very hard to read
This is one of my favorites of Parker's Spenser books, with a lot of Spenser's personal life and personality coming through -- it really brings Spenser's personality to the forefront, testing him through his relationship with Susan. If you're a fan of the regular characters (Hawk, Paul, Susan) this is a good one for that, plus a great story underneath.

*But* do yourself a favor and don't get the Kindle version. It is rife with errors, particularly a very annoying type where multiple paragraphs get put together, eliminating a line break. When this happens in the middle of unattributed dialog (over a dozen times before I stopped counting) it stops the story cold while you figure out who is saying what. That's why I had to rate this excellent story a mere two stars. Get the dead tree version instead, you won't be sorry.

Valediction
This book and dust jacket wasvery dirty and moldy. I read it but will be buying a different copy for my collection.I would not have listed the book in good condition. Fair at best. ... Read more

Product Description
Spenser has his hands full when he takes on two cases at once. In the first, a high-minded university might be hiding a killer within a swamp of political correctness. And in the other, Spenser comes to the aid of a stalking victim, only to find himself the unwilling object of the woman's dangerous affection.

"One of the great series in the history of the American detective story!"--The New York Times

"Spenser can still punch, sleuth, and wisecrack with the best of them."--Publishers WeeklyAmazon.com Review
Twenty-five years and 26 books into the Spenser series,Hush Money dishes up another solid installment that is sure tofulfill the cravings of Parker fans new and old. This time Spenser andhis buddy Hawk are helping a couple of troubled friends (i.e., they'reworking without a fee). The first case involves the denial of tenurefor Professor Robinson Nevins. While tenure meetings are alwaysclosed-door affairs, Nevins assumes that the recent suicide ofgraduate student Prentice Lamont (who some claim was having an affairwith Nevins) ruined his chances for a coveted permanentposition. Spenser and Hawk cut a brawl-strewn path through the membersof the tenure committee on their way to the surprising truth of theNevins case. The other investigation pits Spenser against the unknownstalker of K.C. Roth. Spenser's girlfriend, Susan, has known K.C. for awhile, and while the PI finds Ms. Roth a bit melodramatic, he's alwayseager to help a damsel in distress. The only problem is that afterhe's apparently resolved the case, K.C. begins a little stalking ofher own--of Spenser.

The book is driven by the controversies surrounding politicalcorrectness that Parker always loves to confront, and it's fun towatch Spenser struggle (a little) to resist K.C.'s advances.It'salso a (slightly disturbed) pleasure to see Spenser and Hawk addresssome academic hypocrisy with their own special brand of reasoning. Nota mystery for the cozy-loving palette, Hush Money's literate,tough-guy dialogue shows why Parker is the rightful heir to the throneof Chandler. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (76)

Double the action
Spenser takes on two cases in "Hush Money," both as favors and both free.First Hawk comes to him with a request to help out a man named Robinson Nevins, who believes he was denied tenure inappropriately.Apparently a rumor was started that Robinson was responsible for the suicide of a young man; the rumor being that they were romantically linked and when Robinson broke it off, the young man (Lamont Prentice) killed himself.When Spenser begins to investigate, however, he quickly uncovers evidence that not only was the death not a suicide, but also that Lamont was running a blackmail ring where he would threaten to out closeted homosexuals unless they paid.

Secondly, Susan asks Spenser to help a friend of hers - KC - who is being stalked.Spenser has to discover who is stalking KC while at the same time fending off her ever-increasingly obsessive advances.

Plenty of twists and turns make this quite a story.The despicable Amir Abdullah made for some great comedy relief at times - at least I got a lot of laughs out of him.I'm not certain he was meant to be funny, but I found him to be.

Twist and Turns
Very good book.Lots of action twists, moral turns, ethnic turns, action and a tidbit of the human side of Hawk.Typical Parker with multiple plots, subplots and a . . . motivated woman.

We learn some of the history of Hawk
While this Spenser novel follows the same formula as the others, there is one significant difference. In this one, we learn much more about the enigmatic Hawk. When he encounters a man that tried to sexually abuse him as a child, Hawk roughs him up, an action that puzzles Spenser. Hawk explains, describing some of the events of his youth and how he became a boxer. There is less wisecracking in this story as there is in some of the others, which is unfortunate. The best Spenser novels are those where he interacts with officers Quirk and Belsen, which seems to bring out the best in wisecracking repartee.
Spenser is once again the noble crusader, risking his life to help a friend, in this case Hawk. The man who took Hawk off the streets has a son who was denied tenure at a university. Believing it to have been unfair, the man denied tenure goes to Hawk, who goes to Spenser. This begins a trek into the undercurrents of gay life and the hypocrisy of so many of those who consider it a scourge of civilization. There is also a second plot line that has a woman very aggressively pursuing Spenser in an attempt to get him to engage in sex. Like the gallant man he is Spenser maneuvers the situation so that Susan is given the opportunity to deal with it. Which is does, in a manner that impresses Spenser.
This is not the best Spenser novel, parts of the plot are a bit too exaggerated. Nevertheless, it is very good, and is one that I will probably reread in a few years.

The Young & The Jaded. Minors & Minorities Seethe in Stereotype City. Compulsion, Coercion, Connivance, Corruption.
This one began with a smoothly captivating, yawning weather "report" brought to the reader through the ambiance of a baseball game singing over radio waves.Spenser was bemoaning the contrast of slower ages passed, when a sports announcer could linger leisurely around springtime baseball news, between sudden screams of stand-up-and-cheer, bat cracking action.But, that day, as Spenser narrated, the radio voice was sliding so fast through a long list of ads, the endless promotions threatened to overrun notice of ongoing fly-balls busting and bursting through air.

A few of the early chapters took off slowly, mesmerizing-ly, with Spenser's sensual briefs of weather reports giving lazy home-runs to the sleepy emergence of spring, as money was extorted subtly in underplots.

Loved the way Parker posed Spenser slipping into such a still mode of respect as to consciously quiet his breathing as Hawk opened an accounting of a childhood experience with one of the suspects who had triggered a brief loss of control in Hawk's steel-studded cool.

The dual cases in HUSH MONEY, one a favor for Hawk, the other a favor for Susan, were a switch from the usual focus on a single client case, which has been the deal in the 7 Spenser novels I've read, with each additional one making me more glad I have around 26 left to read, with Parker still penning posh.The alternation of cases was a tantalizing treat of contrasts, especially as I wondered if a connection might emerge between them, even though the way each was introduced would, in "reality" cause them to have no cross over, no bleeding through, as it were.

Well, except that in the real world serendipity and synchronicity exist. And in fiction there's always the Right Brain at work, which causes authors to slip in amazingly cohesive, subtle themes which they weren't aware of as they were writing, maybe weren't aware of after the book was published and selling for a few decades.Then a sneaky reviewer comes along and sees a shiny silk thread woven through the words, visible only after the activation of some type of predestined ray to The Spectrum of Light, brought into reality by a time-release "code" built into the Laws of Physics during Day Two of Implementation of The Plan of The Genius.

Okay, all right.This is a P.I. novel.It isn't sci fi.But.Physical Reality is.Sci fi.It's the best sci fi in the evolution of life.What I'm v-rooming and v-rooming and v-rooming to say is that two totally disconnected cases which a detective is working simultaneously, whether in fiction or in reality, might have Right Brain, serendipitous connections.And, I, of course, having written a series of sci fi novels, with a couple of stand alone sci fi mss in progress, have a brain which looks around every fictional word for clues to the glue which connects seemingly unrelated happen stances.

So.For a time in my reading of HUSH MONEY I admit to having wondered if a seemingly nice, quiet lady in the gay (was he?) professor's case may have actually been the stalker in the "rescue me" conniving female case.

Most readers expect that, in the world of The Novel (feel very free to read my review of James A. Michener's book of that title) sub plots will religiously cooperate toward a tied-together denouement, ultimately joining with the main plot in an ever twisting vine of cranial convolutions contrived within the mind of the author.

The main theme of this novel, under which all the machinations play, seems to be a dramatization of sexual variations among various levels of human purity and pollution, with these variations brought into a cross-stitching pattern laid over stereotypes and sub-cultural demands, with the saffron thread of hypocrisy overcoming all within a tight weave of labyrinth proportions.

It was amazing how Parker brought out the admirable and the putrid within multiple types of sexual exchanges among multifaceted characters.But, KC Roth took the cake of the conniving female.As Parker described her, she had so many layers of contrivances, if they were all peeled away, nothing would be left.And yet, Spenser found a simple, natural a way to "save" KC from her "rescue me" contrived cries.However, after that didn't last, Spenser had to call in Susan, the "Big Gun," who played a few extraordinarily delightful scenes in this one.

The reader is required to make do with only one cooking scene rearing a fry pan and pasta pot in HUSH MONEY, but what an entry!My menu of it would drool in describing, "Black Bean Linguine, with the beans olive-oil-sauteed with garlic cloves, laced with Sherry, finished with fresh cilantro."

Yep, "Leftovers R Us." Given his perpetual ability to take whatever ingredients are at hand and gourmet the heck out of them, Spenser began joking about his new catering business taking over his not having a single clue to chew.

Spenser again ran through his evolving ethics of "to kill (in cold blood but with `just cause') or not to kill."And he made no bones about Hawk's willingness to kill (without a license, sans cultural sanction) human vermin.As usual, creativity won, and Spenser found ways of less bloodletting to solve injustices and end problems, which sometimes required more than one application of solutions.With two cases to juggle in HUSH MONEY the plots became so convoluted I wasn't sure how/if they interconnected, except to make the point that race, color, creed, and sexual persuasions had nothing to do with a person being a pig, or human with integrity (I don't mean to denigrate the cleaner species).

Layers upon layers of excellent pig interviews exposed their stench so plainly the pages reeked (entertainingly, of course).With that setting established in stinky spades, when a real human being stepped into a session with Spenser the fresh air was so evident my eyes literally widened (and quit watering).I was hugely impressed that Tommy (David) Harmon seemed so absolutely real.I've met only a small number of people like him in my life.Every word of dialogue in that interview refreshingly set David aside and above, but one reply stood out.It was David's reply to Spenser's repeated ease-setting promise that, in his line of business he wouldn't get far if he blabbed heavy secrets divulged in an interview.

Spenser said: "I can avoid mentioning your name."

Harmon replied: "If I said it, I'm responsible for it."

Being responsible for everything one has ever blabbed or written, wow.Given my overboard spontaneity, and foot-in-mouth tendency, I've had some tough chewing eating certain words I've spewed without proper clues.Ohhhh.Myyyyyy.

I'll conclude by quoting my nephew Lonnie, with his adorable 5 years-old voice still speaking clearly in my mind nearly 40 years later. He had been spouting off at the mouth into my tape recorder for several minutes when he stopped suddenly, face glowing, and grinned around the words, "Shut my mouth."

Linda G. Shelnutt

hush money
Typical Spenser. witty, hard nosed, careing, and plenty of other characters to play off of. Keeps you turning the pages ... Read more

Product Description
The author of the bestselling Spenser novels introduces aheroine unlike any other-private eye Sunny Randall. She'sstreet-smart, sexy, and suddenly thrown into a Boston mob war wherehigh-stakes politics and low-down killers conspire to make Sunny'sfirst case her last.

"Robert B. Parker has anotherwinner...Sunny can hold her own with Spenser."-Boston Globe"Sharp and funny." -Washington Post

"Sleek andseductive...one of the best."-Publishers WeeklyAmazon.com Review
Let's get this settled right away: Sunny Randall is nothinglike Spenser. True, she's a private eye in Boston with goodconnections to the cops, and she also knows a lot of bad guys. Andyes, she happens to have a trusty sidekick named Spike, and a closefriend who could easily be related to Susan Silverman, (Spenser'slong-term companion). Oh, did I mention the cute dog? Aside from that,though, there's absolutely no similarity between this new series fromRobertB. Parker and his long-running Spenser books. Just because thecase Sunny is working on--finding a missing 15-year-old girl who hasrun away from her very rich parents--sounds similar to the Spenserfavorite ThinAir doesn't mean Parker is repeating himself here. Think of itas more like a homage, the kind of thing the author took on when heagreed to finish Raymond Chandler's Poodle Springs. Only inthis case it's a homage to himself--but what the hell.

Writtenspecifically with Parker's good friend actress Helen Hunt in mind,Family Honor is all in good fun. At one point, a no-nonsensenun looks down at Sunny's bull terrier, who is lying on her backbegging for a tummy rub. "What's wrong with this dog?" Sistersaid. "It is a dog, isn't it?"

Parker is so good that with onehand tied behind his back he can create characters that are morememorable than most writers can even when pounding away with bothfists. In just a few short pages, he tells us all about Sunny's careeras a painter--and about the complicated relationship between her coolpoliceman father and her irritating pseudo-feminist mother. Parkereven makes a direct dig at Spenser (who, before turning to privateinvestigating, had a short and fairly unsuccessful career in theboxing world). When the runaway girl questions Sunny's ability toprotect her from dangerous criminals--"you're a girl like me, forcrissake, what are you going to do?"--Sunny replies, "It would be niceif I weighed two hundred pounds and used to be a boxer. But I'm not,so we find other ways." Exactly. --Dick Adler ... Read more

Customer Reviews (113)

Spenser in drag?
Really, this is Parker's male persona stuffed into a petite female form. It was like reading Spenser as a weird female impersonator. This may have been my own limitation as a reader, after enjoying so many "Spenser" novels -- but it was frankly unsettling and unsavory. Yuck.

Robert B. Parker
My daughter recommended this book since she knows I like to read mysteries, especially with women slueths. I loved the characters and the fast pace. The title, "Family Honor" was right on. So far I read #'s 1,2, & 3 in the Sunny Randall Series and liked them all. Robert B. Parker is now one of my favorite authors.

Excellent
I haven't read the book as yet - but it is wonderful being able to order used books from Amazon and know that I am going to get something in good condition.I have never been dissatisfied.

Parker's new charge...
Being a huge Spenser fan I am of course a Robert B. Parker fan.Sunny Randall makes her debut in this yarn of sex, deceit and extortion.Not his best but getting his feet wet with this new female perspective, he makes more than a solid effort. (he gets the ball rolling in following tales)I'm grateful to Mr. Parker and his pen (figuratively???) If you are a fan...don't miss it.If you're not...WHY not???!!!!

"You Wouldn't Understand," she said - Rachel Wallace.This novel is Spenser's Reply.
FAMILY HONOR lived up to its title as the pilot for this delightful series which felt at first like Spenser was toning himself into a female roar heard round the literary arena, while extending his slant on gangster Vs cop family backgrounds (in which neither is all bad or all good) in this Juliet and Romeo romance.

I hadn't thought I'd be able to get into a female private eye series by Parker, especially after having become addicted to his 34 Spenser novels.But FAMILY HONOR was a perfect appetizer with appealing percolation.I don't doubt that Parker can carry both his new series (see my review of NIGHT PASSAGE, Jesse Stone # 1).

It didn't take more than a few chapters for Sunny to split off from the long-wrought, well-writ Spenser mystique and into her own, as a full character... maybe with Spenser speaking into her ear as an angel from an alternate reality, for a while.I enjoyed the slips connecting to Spenser, i.e., how Sunny might deal with a particular hairy situation if she were a 200 pound, male boxer.In humorous yet realistic contrast to Spenser and Hawk types, Parker dramatized what a small female can do to compensate for not being a testy, taut, towering gorilla-with-gonads, in a plot which will had me smiling.I'm excited about this series; I enjoyed the upbeat feeling of this first offering in it.I relished hearing Randall use Spenser's trademark words in dialogue, like "some more" and "eek."

Reading the first few chapters of FAMILY HONOR I kept seeing Spenser in high heels, noting how uncomfortable they were, and wondering where/how to effectively house a big enough gun on a 115 lb, 5'4" body... as he seemed to be having great fun adapting to this recent female incarnation, shaking out the form and personality.Of course, that image alone got me grinning.By the time the intense ending called up, I was liking Sunny Randall every bit as much as Kinsey Millhone (Sue Grafton's P. I.).

For this unique pilot, Parker designed a stylish, italicized prologue in third person observation of Sunny and Rosie, accomplishing an artistic, literary feel, giving a light-touch, sensitive contrast to chapter one opening into a first person narrative style with Sunny telling her own story in the classic private eye genre mode.

The included cultural icons of cooking, dress, habits, and thinking were precisely on target with the copyright date of 1999, when the Great Chefs TV episodes were running hot and heavy, with their long-handled saute pans being shook (contents were no longer stirred on TV) above gas-lit burners on commercial grade stoves, featuring Spike, Sunny's gay, tough-guy chef friend.

The plot here gave hints of EARLY AUTUMN (# 7 Spenser) and CEREMONY (# 9 Spenser) as Sunny took in a young teen, Millicent Patton, runaway, hooking daughter of her clients.Enlightening entertainment was easily obtained through Sunny's ways of dealing with and drawing out this young human lost in the sump and shrug of a lack of love.

A few quirky questions came to mind as I began reading this novel:

What might Rachel Wallace (# 6 SPENSER, Looking for Rachel Wallace) say about Spenser's (Parker's) ability to understand being female, if she were to read FAMILY HONOR.And what would she think about macho if she had read all 34 Spenser novels.Can novels help us understand that which we would have to stretch outside our bodies and into another form to get?I'd say they can, especially if penned by Parker.

Rachel Wallace may have to give the gauntlet on this one.Spenser understands.

Yet... can testosterone ever fully comprehend powerlessness...

Maybe any person who has ever been depressed, grieved loss of a loved one, or desperately wanted something he couldn't have, for whatever reason, has the capacity to comprehend the initial feeling of hopelessness which sometimes comes at those times of leached strength and slow coming answers.We each have a spirit, though, which seems to believe that morning comes daily.Parker has made a good case that sunny weather can dog the footsteps of storms.

Linda Shelnutt ... Read more

Product Description
Police Chief Jesse Stone faces his most fearsome adversary in the latest addition to the celebrated series.

The last time Jesse Stone, chief of police of Paradise, Massachusetts, saw Wilson "Crow" Cromartie, the Apache Indian hit man was racing away in a speedboat after executing one of the most lucrative and deadly heists in the town's history. Crow was part of a team of ex-cons who plotted to capture Stiles Island, the wealthy enclave off the Paradise coast, by blowing up the connecting bridge. Residents were kidnapped, some were killed, and Crow managed to escape with a boatload of cash, never to be seen again. Until now.

So when Crow shows up in Jesse's office some ten years after the crime, it's not to turn himself in. Crow is on another job, and this time he's asking for Jesse's help-by asking him to stay out of his way.

Crow's mission is simple: find young Amber Francisco and bring her back to her father, Louis, in Florida. It should be an easy payday for a pro like Crow, but there are complications. Amber, now living in squalor with her mother, Fiona, is mixed up with members of a Latino gang. And when Louis orders Crow to kill Fiona before heading back with Amber, he can't follow through. Crow may be a bad guy, but he doesn't kill women. It's up to Jesse to provide protection.

Meanwhile, Jesse's on-again, off-again relationship with ex-wife Jenn picks up steam as Jenn investigates the gang problem for her TV station. As they dig deeper, the danger escalates. The life of a young girl hangs in the balance, and saving Amber could be the miracle Jesse and Jenn need for themselves, too. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (81)

ahhh, Jesse

Jesse is a perfect name for a cop who has seen too much, lost too much and drinks too much.
Unlike Robert Parker's famous Boston PI with the sured ego that we all want but does anyone attain as purely? Jesse Stone is haunted by his broken relationship left in CA., his inability to come to terms with a drinking problem,and yet, he comes to the front with expertise and grit.Plus, his handsome dark physical attributes match his deep unspoken inner life.
The action is clean cool and with bits of humour in a small town, unlike the big city, where as a homicide detective, Jesse worked for years.The mystery that surrounds Sheriff Stone equals the external mystery at hand in his job in Paradise.

Very disappointing!
I've enjoyed what little I've read of Robert B. Parker's 'Spenser' novels, as well as one previous 'Jesse Stone' novel. When I came across this book recently, I thought I'd read it as a 'tribute' to Parker's life, and a chance to compare and contrast Jesse Stone in print with the TV version of the character, played by Tom Selleck.
Unfortunately, after reading this book, I can see why the TV production team opted to stop adapting Parker's work. 'Stranger in Paradise' was horrible, with next to no plot, cardboard characters, and excrucitingly bad dialogue, which manages to sound stilted even though it's present in absurdly short sentences! Parker tried to go with more of a character-driven approach, but his 'Native American hit man' didn't really carry the story; instead, he just reduced the supporting cast (particularly the women) to mindless extras, while engaging in that 'tough-guy banter' that other critics raved about!
I'm sorry that Mr. Parker passed away, but if this book was indicative of his other recent work, I won't bother tracking it down.
To me, the 'definitive' version of Jesse Stone is Selleck's TV portrayal.

A good, easy read
This book is fast moving, interesting with characters you would like to know.It is a good, easy read like many of his books.

J. Robert Ewbank authro "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"

Everyone's a sinner, but there is some sainthood expressed
In many ways, this is the best Jesse Stone novel penned by Parker, largely due to the presence of the dark man Wilson (Crow) Cromartie. Crow is an Apache warrior that is a contract killer and his assignment is to track down the daughter (Amber) of a Florida mobster (Louis Francisco) and report back to him. Amber is the "boyfriend" of the leader of a Hispanic gang and Crow's orders are to kill Amber's mother and then send her back. Being an honorable warrior, Crow does not make war on women and he refuses, angering Louis. The leader of the Hispanic gang then takes the job, he kills Amber's mother and tries to take her to Florida. Louis really has no familial feelings for Amber; to him it is all a matter of pride and respect.
All of this leads to an unusual and convoluted alliance between Jesse, Crow and of all people, Jesse's ex-wife Jenn. Crow is extremely sensual, women find him irresistible, so using simple tactics he is able to seduce any woman he wants, including some that are unexpected. The unusual alliance manages to survive until the end and there is the hint of Jesse and Jenn somehow being reunited.
The deep combination of relationships and circumstances Parker develops in this book could have overwhelmed it, turning the story into an unorganized convolution. However, Parker carries it out very well, every person working with Jesse exhibits noble and sinful characteristics, just like real people working in stressful situations.

Will hook you on series
Anyone familiar with crime stories is no doubt familiar with Robert B. Parker and his hugely successful books including the Spenser and Jesse Stone series. Stranger in Paradise is an entry from the Jesse Stone series that demonstrates why many consider Parker to be a master of the genre.

Jesse Stone, once a Los Angeles cop, drunk and now police chief in the quiet Massachusetts town of Paradise, is dismayed when Wilson Crowmartie, an Apache hit man, walks into his office. The last time "Crow" was in Paradise was ten years ago when he was part of a group that kidnapped and killed people at the nearby Stiles Island. Crow managed to escape with a hefty ten million dollar booty.

Stone is naturally concerned, but this time, Crow wants his help. He has been hired to find a fourteen-year-old girl, Amber and simply wants Stone to stay out of his way. But when Amber's father wants the girl's mother killed, Crow asks for Stone's help. It seems the heartless hit man "doesn't kill women." The two work together, never trusting each other, to save the girl, free her from the clutches of a ruthless gang member, while also dealing with the girl's mobster father and his thugs.

Parker's easy writing style, where most of the text is conversation, quickly draws the reader into a fast reading crime story. Jesse Stone, Crow and the other characters are well developed and I found myself caring what happened to each. While Crow's animal magnetism, drawing every female into his arms, was a bit of a stretch, the overall story of saving the teen was quick and enthralling. This book has hooked me on the series.

Quill says: Whether you're a die-hard Jesse Stone/Robert Parker fan, or a newbie to these books, Stranger in Paradise will draw you in.
... Read more

Product Description
1947: Jackie Robinson breaks baseball's color barrier--and changes the world. The event also changes the life of Robinson's bodyguard--and those changes can prove fatal. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (54)

Thoughtful mystery/thriller with a historical framework
Hesitating a little to read Double Play due to my own false idea of the plot, I jumped in expecting another Spenser story about a murder in a ballpark. Instead I found a book about a bodyguard ex-military hero who, after years of pain and subsequent indifference, finds his soul after falling in love and protecting the famed baseball player Jackie Robinson. In the hands of Master author Graham Greene, a story such as this would take on an emotional gut-wrenching depth, leaving the reader breathless with fear and joy. In the hands of Robert Parker, however, the story takes on an understated energy, amusement, and depth, allowing for interpretation of the events and ambiguity of morality.

Joseph Burke eventually is hired to protect Jackie Robinson. While at first it is merely a job, it becomes something else entirely--an opportunity to help the black man make strides in a white world. With a hidden sense of mission and purpose, Burke's initial apathy is replaced with compassion for the plight of African-Americans. This growth is aided by his own love of a mobster's daughter. As the story progresses we find a few murders, thugs, tight spots, and the usual killing to solve problems. In the end, all is well and the journey is complete.

Yet it is the journey itself that makes this book so redeeming. Jackie Robinson's courage in the face of great danger, the love of his wife, his relentless pursuit of excellence in a white world, and his loyalty to those who help him is matched by Burke's commitment to protecting Robinson in spite of the opposition. It makes for a story on several levels that cannot be dismissed as merely another mystery/thriller. Yes, there are scenes of excitement and energy, but overall the book is a thoughtful display of love, prejudice, dedication, and emotional depth.

Parker's writing style is often understatement with short sentences, few detailed descriptions, and deliberate action. The terse approach to writing allows the reader to develop his own view of the events and his own feeling for the people. Once again we find that ambiguous morality question of "does the end justify the means?" And yet, we are comfortable with the conclusion in spite of methodology. All this could make a dark, penetrating emotional experience, but in fact the book is just fun and worth reading. Recommended for Parker fans, baseball fans, and history buffs.

ANOTHER TYPICAL PARKER
OKAY----IT WAS NOT A SPENSER---I'LL GIVE YOU THAT MUCH.
BUT---IT WAS JUST LIKE 20 OTHER PARKERS THAT YOU HAVE READ.
THE ONLY INTERESTING ANGLE WAS THE JACKIE ROBINSON ANGLE.

P.S.---WHAT WAS UP WITH THE BOX SCORES???I WAS WAITING FOR THEM
TO BE TIED IN TO THE STORY SOMEHOW--NADA!!--NOTHING!!--NO WAY!!

Great Buy & Services
This was a book that I had checked at serveral book stores without success. I found it on amazon .com great price and excelent services, thanks will be bsck.

Ultimate Parker for non-Spenser fans
Wonderful examination of the era when Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play in the major leagues. Very little baseball in it, so don't worry if you are not a sports fan. It's about a man and a woman, he physically wounded in WWII, she psychologically wounded by circumstance and experience, their struggles to survive, and the eternal search for love. Throw in as hard a hard-boiled private eye as ever existed in literature, and you've got something for everyone.

Terrible!
I found this book full of nothing!Very poorly written, no suspense, too corney!Reads like it was written in a day!Bought it for $1 at Walden Books. Now I know why!Wish I had my dollar back!I won't read any more from this author! ... Read more

Product Description
Philip Marlowe marries a rich, beautiful society lady who wants him to settledown. But old habits die hard, and Marlowe soon is back in business, enmeshedin a case involving pornography, bigamy, and murder. 2 cassettes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Robert B.Parker
If you like 'early' Parker works this is a 'must-read' for you! I have read all of his work and this ranks up with his best!

Solid Marlowe Mystery
Poodle Springs is Robert B. Parker's completion of a novel started by Raymond Chandler before he died in 1959 featuring private detective Philip Marlow.While I have read some of Chandler's previous novels featuring Marlow I have no emotional attachment to the character so I come with a blank slate in terms of evaluating whether Parker lives up to Chandler's character.Frankly I thought Parker did a fabulous job with the novel.It is a rather straightforward, gritty mystery, and a well done one at that.The tricky part is the unlikely event of Marlowe's being married to Linda Loring ne Potter (what her last name really is was a bit confusing to me, except she is now Mrs. Marlowe in this novel).

In this novel Marlowe is living in the plush community of Poodle Springs with his very wealthy wife instead of his usual gritty haunts in Los Angeles.He is hired to find a man who has skipped out on a $100,000 IOU from an illegal gambling establishment.It turns out the fellow is leading a double life involving pornography and blackmail and has gotten himself way over is head.Marlowe, intrepid as ever, chases him down in a nicely twisted plot.While doing this Marlowe has to deal with his rich wife's unhappiness over his continuing to be a private eye when he could live a life of leisure and spend time with her.But that he can't do or he wouldn't be Philip Marlowe anymore.The story revolved more around the case than Marlowe's marriage to Linda but Parker does a great job of blending it in.Frankly, I think this is one of the better novels Parker has written.

My only complaint about the novel is that we really never get to know Linda very well at all.Her mannerisms come off as a spoiled rich debutante but she is clearly not that.But we don't really ever know where she is coming from or get to know her.I suspect that Parker had plenty to work with to flesh out Marlowe's actions but had absolutely nothing to go on as to how Chandler envisioned developing Linda's character.So, my speculation is, in deference to Chandler he didn't try to flesh her character out too much but just left her pretty much like he found her.She comes off as a real swell gal.

Overall, on pure enjoyment, I highly recommend it.

A Pleasant Read
"Poodle Springs" is not Raymond Chandler's best work.It is not Robert B. Parker's best work, either.It doesn't quite have the edge of the usual Marlowe, or the wit of the usual Spenser.

Having said that, Chandler and Parker are both quite talented and capable authors.Either of them could make a cereal box interesting!So you could do a lot worse than spend a few hours with "Poodle Springs."It is a quick, fun read.The mystery itself is not mind-bending, but it does keep you guessing for a while.

I would have given the book four stars, such is my respect for both authors.However, a pet peeve.Parker fans are, no doubt, well aware of Parker's penchant for angst-filled relationships, where the parties love each other desperately - even perfectly - but cannot live together.And forget being married!In Parker's world, marriage risks crushing the vibrant soul of the hero every time.This was an interesting theme, maybe, when Parker first explored it with Spenser and Susan Silverman.

But since then, he has included it in every book series he's touched.The pattern is the same every time, and it has gotten quite tedious.As annoyed as I was to see it reappear in the Sunny Randall and Jesse Stone novels, at least those series are purely Parker's domain to use as he wishes to explore his marriage issues.But to impose his peculiar hangup on Chandler's work here in "Poodle Springs" is to, I think, overstep his bounds.And I say this as a devoted Parker fan who owns every one of his books.

Decent Marlowe mystery completed by Parker 30 years after Chandler's death !
Chandler is best known for his half dozen private-eye Philip Marlowe novels, written during the 40's and 50's.(Chandler also authored numerous screenplays and short stories...)Marlowe is a hard-boiled, handsome but tough-guy detective who solves crimes in no frills mysteries in the vein of his fictional contemporaries Sam Spade and Mickey Spillane."Poodle Springs" arose from four chapters penned by Chandler himself prior to his death (in 1959), and then completed in full-length novel form in 1989 by fan and famous author Robert B. Parker.The setting is undoubtedly fashioned after the ritzy Palm Springs and the grittier side of Hollywood.

Marlowe has moved in with his wealthy wife, who wants him to quit the "sordid" detective work that seems to be his passion to concentrate on her and her social activities.But Marlowe refuses to be a kept man, insisting that his work defines him and makes him whole despite his love for wife Linda.After his move to the Springs, he lands a job investigating a missing photographer that owes a hundred grand to a casino.He soon enough figures out the gambler is basically a con man who is already married to a nice downtown Hollywood gal worlds apart from his (other) wealthy wife, another Poodle Springs denizen.The plot moves along at a decent hunt-and-chase pace, filled with smoking, boozing, and sexual innuendo (but nothing explicit), with a couple more shootings along the way before Marlowe figures the whole thing out before the cops can zero in on the villain.

Supposedly Parker has done a credible job finishing the book.The novel is a quick, fun read without too much violence or overwrought suspense - and few words are wasted on anything but the central storyline as Marlowe relentlessly chases clues and solves the mystery.Such classic fiction from half a century ago seems a little tame by today's thriller standards, but then again a low stress read can still amuse and entertain.We enjoyed Marlowe well enough to consider seeking out some of the original stories and catching up on his famous creator's own story telling prowess.

If you like Parker's Spenser novels, enjoy.
Having never read a Marlowe book, I can't imagine that Parker kept his writing very true to the spirit of Marlowe. Having read every Spenser novel, I can tell you that about 1/3 of the way through the book I just started imagining that Marlowe was Spenser in some sort of time warp and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Is this the way it should have been? Of course not, but I like the Spenser novels so I guess I really can't complain. I just kept wondering where Hawk was! ... Read more

Product Description
In a sequel to Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep, Marlowe takes on a case involving General Sternwood, who is six feet under, Vivian, who is dating a blackmailer, and Carmen, a sanitorium escapee. Reprint. K. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

For Chandler Fans
It's almost as good as the master.The writing is great, and Elliot Gould did his usual fabulous job.I have ALL the books he has done.This one never skipped a beat.

None review
I did not buy really this book, so I can not make any review. I received a book in English when I wanted a book in Spanish.

Decent Sequel to The Big Sleep
Perchance to Dream is Robert B. Parker's sequel to Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep.Here, once again, Marlowe runs into the crazy sistersVivian and Carmen Sternwood.In the Big Sleep, as you know, Carmen is totally insane and killed a man and was put away in a sanitarium.Here, she disappears and the Sternwood butler, who has been left a lot of money by the girls' father, hires Marlow to find her.Problem is it seems nobody wants him to look for her, much less find her.Of course Marlow runs into all kinds of shady dealings and nefarious characters in his search and it turns out to be rather standard mystery novel.

Overall, this novel is a bit too much like the Big Sleep.Although the plot is quite different, I almost felt like I was reading the same novel over again.And I never really did find the Sternwood sisters to be all that believable as characters.Nevertheless, it was very entertaining and well done novel so I would recommend it to Parker and Chandler fans.

Marlowe's Last Case
Robert B. Parker has written many mystery novels. This 1991 novel is his sequel to Raymond Chandler's first novel "The Big Sleep". The `Prologue' repeats the ending of "TBS"; it explains how the super-rich use criminals to get rid of problems. Chandler had been an oil company executive and knew things. General Sternwood has died. Marlowe was called to the mansion by Norris the butler. Miss Carmen has disappeared from the sanatorium and Marlowe must find her. Parker embeds quotes from "TBS". Chandler's descriptive prose contrasts. Literary types may admire it but it does not contribute to the story; its inefficient. Parts of "TBS" were taken from Chandler's earlier short stories. Parker's prose has words and descriptions that Chandler could not use.

Marlowe can get no information from Dr. Bonsentir, the owner of the sanatorium. He is well connected. Marlowe interviews others, like Eddie Mars. Then he surreptitiously returns to this sanatorium and gets a clue about Carmen. Who is "Mr. Simpson"? Vivian gives her information to Marlowe. Parker's conversations aren't equal to Chandler's (Chapter 11). This story is set after the war (Chapter 12). Marlowe learns about Simpson's clout (Chapter 14); he is untouchable. [Would the wealthy Sternwoods have only one telephone number?] Would Marlowe get involved with Vivian (Chapter16). Marlowe is warned off the case (Chapter 18), but follows a lead to far out in the country (Chapter 19). He visited Rancho Springs (Chapter 21). A phone call brings Marlowe back to Rancho Springs (Chapter 27).

Marlowe watches Bonsentir and follows him to Fair Harbor. He sees the big yacht offshore and calls Eddie Mars. Marlowe boards the yacht after dark (Chapter 31). The villains are there (Chapter 32). Marlowe rescues Carmen from her fate. The authorities sort things out (Chapter 34). There will be no scandals in the press. Rich Randolph Simpson will be committed. Marlowe left and didn't look back. [I don't think there will be a sequel.]
This is a very good story which continued the characters of "The Big Sleep". I thought the ending was weak. Wouldn't it be better if that ship disappeared at sea during a storm?

Chandler-light
This book is a good sequil to The Big Sleep, and is much easier to read. You can picture Bogart (albeit 6 foot tall and 190 lbs) trouncing around southern California in search of the missing Carmen Sternwood, with Bacall having a bit part as sister Vivian.Parker is faithful to the characters, and does a nice job.This was a fun read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (118)

Spencer Fan
If you are a Spencer-a-holic like myself, you will enjoy this one.It has it all; action, adventure, romance, and the quick wit of Spencer.

Buy it for the snappy dialogue, not the story
Parker's novel Potshot, written in 2001, is aptly named. A Potshot is random or easy shot. My impression after reading this book is that by 2001, Parker had justifiably established a formidable reputation as a storyteller, a creator of characters, and a master at translating human values and emotions to fiction. In his book "Potshot", he used that reputation to take a harmless potshot at those of us who purchase his books.

It has little story, little mystery (although the ending on the last page is novel), zero character development, and some detection. Had he published this novel in 1973 instead of "The Godwulf Manuscript," we would never have heard of him.

And yet, I liked it. The novel was like a family picnic - characters from previous novels assembled to launch a crusade. The characters, Chollo and Bobby Horse, for two, say little, but say it very well. And that's the best part of this novel - the snappy dialogue between Spenser and those of his "family."

On problem with this book, and other Parker novels written in this decade - there is no explanation of "why." Why does Spenser immediately take this case - because ML Buckner had nice legs? Why do Vinnnie and Tedy Sapp immediately join the crusade? Why doesn't Preacher just shoot Spenser? Sure, we know Spenser is a bulldog when on a case, but does he take this one?

Parker has sadly passed away this year at the age of 77, so we won't have any more family picnics.

Will I purchase the other Spenser novels I haven't read. Sure. I'll buy them for the dialogue, and I would buy the current product from Stuart Woods for the same reason. Both used to be excellent storytellers and developers of characters in their fiction, but their current work is like Jay Leno channeling Rodney Danger field - all one-liners. That's not bad, it's just not good mystery fiction.

Spenser and the thugs unite
"Potshot" is not perfect, but makes a great read for present fans of Robert B. Parker's ultimate character, Spenser. In the miserably hot, isolated desert town of Potshot, a gang of uncouth ruffians take over and extort the citizenry there. It's Spenser to the rescue, but the sheer number of bad guys makes it impossible for him to handle it alone. His solution: recruit his own bad guys! We see him organize and lead an uncomfortable alliance of incredibly dangerous anti-heroes, such as Chollo, Bobby Horse, Bernard J. Fortunato, and of course, his main man Hawk. It's not a literary classic, but "Potshot" makes for a unique and wild ride amongst Robert B. Parker's underworld tough guys.

Plenty of action, lots of heart, thoughtful plotting
Parker's tribute to the Magnificent Seven in the form of a book called Potshot takes place in the hot mountains of the West. When asked to investigate the death of a lady's husband whom she claims was killed by a band of marauders controlling the town, our hero Spenser discovers another layer of corruption. In addition to the vicious, mountain-dwelling gang, Spenser recognizes all is not as it seems. Gathering several tough guys, he returns to the town to put a stop to the marauders and get to the truth of the original murder. Discovering a land development scheme that includes a mob king, and the greed and corruption of a woman, using both his wits and the skill of violent men, Spenser puts an end to the warring, staying true to his original charge but not to the benefit of his employees.

In some ways, the entire book reads like comic strip made into a movie. Its implausibility becomes its charm, and the super-human heroes are the guardians of the universe. The absurdity of solving the problems with amazingly strong, skilled men who are eager to join the action for a price is almost more than a work of literature should experience. Mike Hammer meets James Coburn for a fun adventure of taking out the bad guys. Just a bunch of manly stuff for an excuse to play the Wild West shoot-out game!

Yet, in spite of the Hollywoodish gathering of thugs to kill the thugs, we find a thoughtful story with moments of emotional and intellectual depth. The plot has twists and turns and we are never quite sure where things are going. Add violence and intelligent deductive reasoning and we have a page-turning book containing depth of emotion and an odd brand of moral integrity. Spenser kills but only after they make the first move.

The unusual usage of minimal descriptions, terse dialog, and the occasional advanced vocabulary combine with sexual tension, violence, and intricate plotting to form a book that is typical of Parker's writing style. The comic book hero stuff would be worth about one or two stars, but the smooth, direct prose, realistic dialog, and interesting plot off-set the "let's get some tough guys together and solve the problem" story. A recommended book for fans of Robert B. Parker and his Spenser series. A fun read from beginning to end.

Spenser Goes West
In his novel Potshot, Robert B. Parker does his take on "The Magnificent Seven." Spenser heads out to the Arizona desert to take on a horde of marauders terrorizing a small town. He brings with him a complement of the most dangerous thugs that he has encountered. The plot itself manages to be both lightweight and convoluted. It brings in Los Angeles gangsters, real estate developers, and crooked law enforcement. However, the primary strength of Potshot lies in the characters and dialogue. 6 of the most interesting (and toughest) recurring characters of the Spenser series appear in the book, and the interplay between the group is worth the cost of the book by itself. The plot isn't spectacular, but the joy of the assortment of thugs Spenser recruits all working together makes it all worthwhile. The dialogue is excellent and quite funny, and the characterization is superb. It's definitely more lightweight than some of the better Spenser novels, but it also is fun. Definitely a worthwhile read. ... Read more

Product Description
Documenting historic Boston, a lovely gift book shows the city through the eyes of one of its most famous citizens--Spenser, the tough guy who is sensitive and intelligent--with stunning photographs and excerpts from the best-selling mystery novels. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

nice art photo book
I love Spenser and have read every Spenser book several times (at least). This book is a great art photo book of Boston, I enjoy the pictures. This book is NOT what I was hoping for: it is not pictures of places in the Spenser books, or if it is they're certainly not labeled as such. It's just photos of Boston divided up by season. Like I said they're nice photos, but if you're hoping for fuel for your imagination when you read your Spenser books, this won't help.

It was great
It was an excellent display of photographs, but the price was far from reasonable (it cost $120 used).I recommend it for any die-hard Spenser fans, but otherwise, don't bother. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (65)

Night Passage

As always Robert B. Parker writes a great book. I have enjoyed all of the Jesse Stone
stories so far. I have three more to read and I know they will be great.
I highly recommend all his books.

Stone Cold by R. Parker
I thoroughly enjoyed this book...having seen some of the TV adapted movies of Parkers' books bring the characters voices alive in your head....we lost a truly good author with Parkers' passing.

Murder by Two
I enjoyed reading Parker's Stone Cold as I would describe it as an account of an"enjoyable" serial killer murder spree.Enjoyable because the Lincoln's or later as they were know, the Lamont's; were such "nice" folks. Cocky too!The two culprits thought they were smarter than Chief of Police Jessie Stone and they made fun and chastised him.The book flowed nicely.The sub plots were interesting and spiced up the book. I suspose Parker has an excellent way to take us into the mind of two sociopaths. This is a good read that and can easily be finished in 3 nights.

True to his writing
I started off reading his Spencer books but now all I want to read are the Jesse Stone series. It is a delight to read something that has a character that is real and true to himself.Finished this book in 2 days.Couldn't stop reading it

Gelati's Scoop
Blast From The Past Robert Parker'sStone Cold- A Jesse Stone Novel

I would have to say that Jesse Stone is one of my favorite fictional characters, not just of Parker's, but of fictional characters in general. He is flawed, damaged goods and he knows it.Stone is in Paradise, Mass. to make things right, not just for the fair citizens of the town he is now responsible for, but himself as well. The thing about Robert Parker that is expected is his usual; there is a death and it's not what it looks like. Jesse figures it out in the end. Simplistic yes, but the results are what make Parker such an amazing talent.
Being a fan and someone that has read all his work, one gets to understand his formula. You don't care; the man can just flat out write a good novel each and every time. Stone Cold is no exception to this. It is a great novel whether this is your first Stone vehicle or you are following them in order. Jesse Stone, Suit, Molly and the rest of the regulars in Paradise are always worth the time and I always looked forward to each new adventure. I will miss the character, Stone and all his cohorts in crime solving in Paradise, Mass. If you haven't had the pleasure of enjoying aJesse Stone vehicle, either as a movie with Tom Selleck playing Jesse Stone or in the book form; start at the beginning. Enjoy the evolution of Stone, there are no disappointments to be had. The novels are a nice quick ride from cover to cover.
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Product Description
Robert B. Parker and his legendary Spenser series have longbeen considered the ne plus ultra of detective fiction. But thecritics' praise for Jesse Stone's debut in Night Passage proved therewas room for an addition to the Parker literary canon. "A novel asfresh as it is boldParker's sentences flow with as much wit, grace,and assurance as ever, and Stone is a complex and consistentlyinteresting new protagonist. His speedy return will be welcome"(Newsday).Stiles Island is a wealthy and exclusive enclave separatedby a bridge from the Massachusetts coast town of Paradise. JamesMacklin sees Stiles Island as the ultimate investment opportunity: allhe needs to do is invade the island, blow up the bridge, and loot theisland. To realize his investment, Macklin, along with his devotedgirlfriend, Faye, assembles a crew of fellow ex-cons --all expertsin their fields--including Wilson Cromartie, a fearsome Apache. JamesMacklin is a bad man--a very bad man. And Wilson Cromartie, known asCrow, is even worse.As Macklin plans his crime, Paradise PoliceChief Jesse Stone has his hands full. He faces romantic entanglementsin triplicate: his ex-wife, Jenn, is in the Paradise jail for assault;he's begun a new relationship with a Stiles Island realtor named MarcyCampbell; and he's still sorting out his feelings for attorney AbbyTaylor. When Macklin's attack on Stiles Island is set in motion, bothMarcy and Abby are put in jeopardy. As the casualties mount, it's upto Jesse to keep both women from harm.Filled with "light, shade,texture, and complexity" (The Boston Globe), Trouble in Paradise isthe work of a master.Amazon.com Review
Robert Parker's Trouble in Paradise imagines an old-fashioned toughguys' world where most of the women are summed up by their figures and themen are measured by their ability to intimidate. Chief Jesse Stone ofParadise, Massachusetts, is Parker's hero again in this sequel to Night Passage.When he'snot thinking about what his girlfriends look like under their clothes,Stone's touring his beat, hanging out at the Gray Gull Hotel bar to getintelligence on local thugs, or interrogating teens about their destructivepranks.But he has a vulnerable side, too, and Parker adds new layers ofdepth and complexity to his latest series character.Jesse's still reelingfrom his divorce.He and his ex-wife, Jenn, are not entirely ready to letgo.In fact, Jenn has followed Jesse east from L.A. and is suffering in theBoston climate as one of the anchors on the local news. Romance with Jennis further complicated by Jesse's ongoing attraction to attorney AbbyTaylor and his emerging relationship with realtor Marcy Campbell.

Jesse's domestic troubles are gradually overshadowed, however, when ex-conJimmy Macklin arrives in town. Macklin plans to pull "the mother of allstickups" on the ritzy Stiles Island in Paradise Harbor.He has figured outthat the Stiles Island bridge, with its underpinning of utility cables andpipes, is a veritable lifeline to the mainland, and he's gathered a rogues'gallery of professional crooks and killers to help him take the bridge andmake the island into a thieves' paradise.The one problem: Macklin neverfigured that Paradise, Massachusetts, would have a police chief as tough andresourceful as Jesse Stone.

As usual, Parker's stark and facile prose perfectly complements themasculine sufferings of his hero, and the action of the novel unfolds withan effortlessness that intimates a craftsman at work.With Parker'sSpenser safely canonized as a detective fiction legend, Jesse Stone'sunfolding world offers a welcome new addition to Parker's ouevre. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (68)

Trouble in Paradise by Robert Parker
I really enjoyed reading Parkers' novel. Having seen some of the adapted TV movies brought the characters to life.While reading, you can hear Tom Sellecks voice in your head...yum :} Too bad Parker is no longer with us...I would love to read more and see how his characters evolve.

Trouble in Paradise and other Jesse Stone books
Jesse Stone is a likable and sometimes amusing charactor well supported by Molly his office cop.. There is too much of his ex eife Jenn and his visits to his shrink Dix. The plot is sidelined by these two inserts . I found myself skipping all chapters about Jenn or Dix.

Don

a good book
This book by Parker is another Jesse Stone and is an excellent read.It kept my attention throughout.He manages to write so reading is easy and enjoyable.


J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"

TROUBLE IS RIGHT
Trouble in Paradise (Jesse Stone)

If you like dark brooding heroes and great page turning mysteries (with twists), you have to read this series.

Spenser led me to expect better
What a sad-sack this recovering-alcoholic character is. I understand this author's need to branch out, to perhaps prove he can write something beyond "Spenser";but Jesse Stone has none of the cleverness, likability or humor of a Spenser. In the first of these I read, the character mentions in passing his acquaintance with Spenser, up in Boston; and my bored-to-tears heart actually started racing with hope, as though a rock star might appear. (Which he didn't.)I have a friend who reads these when there's nothing else, and finds them palatable enough. Sadly, I do not. ... Read more

Product Description
Finally, here is the complete guide to Robert B. Parker's novels from Spenser to Jesse Stone to Sunny Randall, plot summaries, cast of characters, Boston locations and maps, and more.

Even before he was named Grand Master for Lifetime Achievement by the Mystery Writers of America, Edgar® Award-winning Robert B. Parker had assumed the mantle of dean of American crime fiction. "Taking his place beside Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Ross MacDonald" (Boston Globe), he transcended the crime genre. As one of the most prolific writers in the world, he reinvented crime writing.

Now his millions of fans can discover everything about Robert B. Parker and his books:

- Comprehensive biography of Robert B. Parker
- Inside the Spenser novels
- All about the Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall novels
- Parker's stand-alone fiction
- Complete cast of characters
- Spenser on film
- Robert B. Parker's Boston: locales, crime scenes, and maps
- Memorable quotes
- Inclusive bibliography
- Plus, an exclusive and insightful new interview with Robert B. Parker ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Essential book to read Robert Parker books in order
For the novice reader or latecomer to author Robert Parker, this companion book is a good place to start reading his novels in order rather than the book by book search(copyright year), used bookstore hunts and the impersonal chain bookstore(which is missing the key book!).

Robert B. Parker Companion
The somewhat sloppy copy editing gives me pause, as well. Here's an example, on pg 69 we find: "Cooper, Bob. (Bad Business) The CEO of Kinergy..." Then, on pg 70 an entry reads: "Cooper, Wilma. (Bad Business) Wife of Ben Cooper..."

Trivial error? Sure... Ben, Bob, what difference does it make? But what other trivial errors are in the book that I didn't catch? Then too, it occurs to me that for the U$14 cover price, I shouldn't have to do Berkeley Publishing's job for them.

And don't you dare call me "Bob!"

Buy a used copy, if you must.
Long on lists and short on meaningful commentary. I wasn't planning on learning the names of all of the people in Parker's various books, yet there are 116 pages devoted to exactly that. The character sketches trivialize the maturation of the main characters through the long writing history of Robert Parker, and much more could have been done, for example, with the growth of Hawk as a significant element of Spenser's life - book by book.

If you must buy this book, I recommend getting a used copy, they are going for as little as $1.13 plus shipping as of this writing.

robert parker companion
A typical companion book, just synopsis of his books, a little bio on Parker.An ok book if you want to use if for a reference.

disappointed
Disappointed.Just facts in a dry format.I was expecting more of an in depth relationship analysis between the characters, events, etc. ... Read more

Product Description
Spenser and Hawk investigate the disappearance of Anthony Meeker, the husband of mafia daughter Shirley Meeker, and begin to suspect that his wife, father-in-law, and associates miss him for darker purposes. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Great Spenser
No fat, terse good humor, best good bad guys out there. While the story is great (Spenser and Hawk go to Vegas looking for somebody and things become convoluted, of course), what's wonderful about Parker's books are the writing itself, his dialogue and the characters. I didn't like the first Spenser novel I read (a more recent one) and waited a long time to try another but am glad I did. Parker's terrific.

Spenser shows tenacity and morality
Chance, getting its title from what is essentially a Las Vegas setting for this Spenser book, is a thought-provoking detective story with an added level of morality and goodness. Spenser is asked to find the missing husband of the daughter of an organized crime leader. After poking around, he determines the husband is in Las Vegas with the wife of another and more vicious crime leader. Together with Hawk, Spenser tries to piece together what the husband is doing and why. In his investigation, which includes a murder of the daughter, he uncovers several layers of deceit and corruption within the crime syndicate.

As the book progresses and Spenser is taken off the case, he doggedly cannot let go of the need to rescue the wife and bring down the crime leader. We find in this book a Spenser with a determination for justice and human compassion that goes beyond a typical detective story. It makes for a good guy vs bad guy story with a strong sense of moral fiber and higher order. Less cavalier than other Parker books, Chance is a fine read not easily forgotten.

Parker's terse style reigns once again with characters who demonstrate their world-view through action rather than description. The light banter between Spenser, Susan, and Hawk does not mask a serious story with depth of emotion and psychological perception. The writing is smooth, the plot tight, the construction excellent, and the meaning appropriate. Fun, entertaining, action-oriented, but also rather layered with moral depth. One of my favorite Parker books.

Chance (Spenser) by Robert B. Parker
Love Robert Parker Books. This book came in great shape.
Enjoy reading his book

Chance would be a fine thing . . .
In this VERY amusing (although bloody) chapter in the Spenser library, Spenser and Hawk travel to Las Vegas to find Anthony Meeker, the husband of Shirley Meeker, the daughter of crime boss Julius Ventura.No one admits to knowing why he ran - according to Shirley he worshiped the ground she walked on - and Ventura is not keen to have Spenser digging around trying to find out why Anthony ran, he just wants Spenser to find Anthony.When Spenser says that to find Anthony he might have to discover why he ran, Ventura backs down with ill grace and warns that anything learned better not be blabbed.

The trouble with Anthony, as it turns out, is that he gambles a lot and loses consistently.Badly.All the time.And Vegas is no exception.

This was a very entertaining chapter in the Spenser series - kept my mind off the fact I been stuck in the hospital, anyway!Don't miss it!

Spenser series flagging

I first became aware of the Spenser (detective) character from the TV show Spenser for Hire (1985-1988.)

The series was adapted from Robert Parker's, Spenser novels. It was the Hawk character - brilliantly brought to life by Avery Brooks that I liked best.

I soon started reading the novels - and have read most of them.

To sum up the Spenser character - He is a middle aged, Boston,detective with good street credit. The cops and the hoodlums respect him.He is not trying to save the world - just make a small difference.

Parker has been prospering from the Spenser series for more than 20 years - a nice meal ticket.

Lately I have noticed the dialogue becoming predictable - dare I say boring. The plot lines are less imaginative and the final chapters try to sum up a story where clues have been sparse.

Chance is an exercise in trying to ring the Spenser series register just a few more times.

In this adventure our heroes travel to Las Vegas to investigate the disappearanceof a mob figure (Julius Ventura)'s son in law (Anthony Meeker.)

The supportive cast includes a brutal mob enforcer - Marty Anaheim and his battered wife Bibi, Julius Ventura's emotionally challenged daughter, a double dealing Las Vegas gumshoe and a host of unpleasant underworld figures.

Only Bibi is marginally fleshed but comes off as a lack luster stereotype.

When the mystery is finally resolved - you will find yourself caring - not at all.

The best Spenser novels rely on fast action and witty dialogue.

Chance's action is not fast andthe dialogue is labored and time worn.

The characters that we have to come to love so well (Spenser, Hawk and Susan Silverman) have not evolved.They have no hobbies, they ignore advances in electronic technology, have no problems with their plumbing, and never comment on current Boston's politics.

If you are new to the Spenser series - spend your money and time on the earlier novels - you won't be disappointed.

Robert Parker is an elegant, witty writer who is exploring new territory.

As the Spenser series has declined - Parker introduced two new leading characters that now have their own series; Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall.

Both of the those new series are a lot of fun.

Is it possible that the next Spenser novel will be a phoenix? - I think the chances are unlikely.

"Hey, Robert Parker!" Prove me wrong!


Caslo ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great introduction to the Spenser novels.
Spenser's caustic sense of humor made this book an easy read with many twists.Parker keeps you guessing as to the outcome every time.As for someone who grew up watching the "Spenser For Hire" Televisionshow, this was a fun read for me.I am looking forward to reading the restof Parker's books. ... Read more