Year published: Double Deuce was published in 1992
Date I finished reading: December 5, 2016
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A
Review: Double Deuce is the 19th novel in the Spenser series and it's one of my favorites. When residents of the "double deuce" a notorious housing project in Boston that got its name from its address of 22 Hobart Street ask Hawk to rid the project of gangs, he brings Spenser in for assistance.
There are the usual complications and violence, but the reason it's one of my favorite of the Spenser novels is because we learn a lot about the main characters and, in particular, about Hawk and how he became who he is and the price he paid for doing so.
Showing posts with label Spenser. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spenser. Show all posts
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Book review: Pastime by Robert B. Parker
Year published: 1991
Date I finished: Reread finished on December 3, 2016
Genre: Mystery
Rating:A
Review: I am back to my plan of rereading the whole Spenser series. Pastime is the 18th in the series and its one of my favorites so far.
10 years (and quite a few books) ago, Spenser rescued Paul Giacomin from neglectful parents. Paul is now a man. His mother is missing and he comes to Spenser to find her. This starts off simply enough - she has apparently run off with her latest boyfriend. But things get complex because the boyfriend is connected to criminals - in particular, to Joe Broz.
This lets Parker add a lot of the regular characters to Pastime. Of course we have Hawk and Susan, but also Vinnie Morris and Joe Broz.
And, as often, Parker uses the mystery as an opportunity to muse on bigger topics. Here, his focus is on relationships between parents and children. We learn about Spenser's own relationship with his father and uncles; about Joe Broz' relationship with his son and about Paul's relationship with his mother. The first relationship is a healthy one, the latter two are not.
Recommended.
Date I finished: Reread finished on December 3, 2016
Genre: Mystery
Rating:A
Review: I am back to my plan of rereading the whole Spenser series. Pastime is the 18th in the series and its one of my favorites so far.
10 years (and quite a few books) ago, Spenser rescued Paul Giacomin from neglectful parents. Paul is now a man. His mother is missing and he comes to Spenser to find her. This starts off simply enough - she has apparently run off with her latest boyfriend. But things get complex because the boyfriend is connected to criminals - in particular, to Joe Broz.
This lets Parker add a lot of the regular characters to Pastime. Of course we have Hawk and Susan, but also Vinnie Morris and Joe Broz.
And, as often, Parker uses the mystery as an opportunity to muse on bigger topics. Here, his focus is on relationships between parents and children. We learn about Spenser's own relationship with his father and uncles; about Joe Broz' relationship with his son and about Paul's relationship with his mother. The first relationship is a healthy one, the latter two are not.
Recommended.
Monday, October 10, 2016
Book review: Widows' Walk by Robert Parker
Year published: 2002
Date I finished reading: Oct 10, 2016
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B-
Review: Widows' Walk is the 29th book in the Spenser series. When Nathan Smith is shot to death, his widow, Mary, is suspect number 1. They were alone in the house together. They fought earlier in the day. He's insured for $10,000,000. But .... Spenser is hired by her lawyer to investigate. And, very quickly, things get very complicated and very violent.Too complicated for me. I got lost.
Widows' Walk is among my least favorite in the series. Not only is the plot too complex, but there are uncomfortable scenes of Spenser and others not quite disapproving of police brutality and there are some unfortunate confusions about the nature of homosexuality. I expect better of Mr. Parker and, ususally, I get it.
Date I finished reading: Oct 10, 2016
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B-
Review: Widows' Walk is the 29th book in the Spenser series. When Nathan Smith is shot to death, his widow, Mary, is suspect number 1. They were alone in the house together. They fought earlier in the day. He's insured for $10,000,000. But .... Spenser is hired by her lawyer to investigate. And, very quickly, things get very complicated and very violent.Too complicated for me. I got lost.
Widows' Walk is among my least favorite in the series. Not only is the plot too complex, but there are uncomfortable scenes of Spenser and others not quite disapproving of police brutality and there are some unfortunate confusions about the nature of homosexuality. I expect better of Mr. Parker and, ususally, I get it.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Book review: Stardust by Robert B. Parker
Year published: 1990
Date I finished: September 21, 2016
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A-
Review: This is the 17th in the Spenser series. In this one, Spenser is hired to protect TV star Jilly Joyce. Joyce is beautiful and good at acting, but she is a nasty person, a nymphomaniac, a drunk, a cocaine addict and a self-entitled jerk.
But that doesn't mean someone should kill her.
Spenser enlists his usual helpers: Martin Quirk, Susan Silverman and Hawk. But he's in a new world, not just of TV but of lost childhoods, abused children, delusional behavior and more. As usual, Spenser keeps asking questions and annoying people - who sometimes respond with violence.
And, as usual, Parker uses the novel to muse on themes greater than those in the typical mystery, including the nature of need, the effects of abuse and so on.
Date I finished: September 21, 2016
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A-
Review: This is the 17th in the Spenser series. In this one, Spenser is hired to protect TV star Jilly Joyce. Joyce is beautiful and good at acting, but she is a nasty person, a nymphomaniac, a drunk, a cocaine addict and a self-entitled jerk.
But that doesn't mean someone should kill her.
Spenser enlists his usual helpers: Martin Quirk, Susan Silverman and Hawk. But he's in a new world, not just of TV but of lost childhoods, abused children, delusional behavior and more. As usual, Spenser keeps asking questions and annoying people - who sometimes respond with violence.
And, as usual, Parker uses the novel to muse on themes greater than those in the typical mystery, including the nature of need, the effects of abuse and so on.
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Book review: Crimson Joy by Robert B. Parker
Date finished: September 13, 2016
Year published: 1988
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A
Review: I really like the Spenser series and am now reading them in order.
In Crimson Joy Spenser is contacted by Lt. Martin Quirk of the Boston Police. A serial killer is on the loose in Boston. He leaves a red rose at each murder site. And it is possible that the killer is a police officer. The crime is quickly solved when a police officer confesses. But, while everyone else is congratulating themselves on their good work, Quirk, Belson, Spenser and Hawk believe that the confession is false.
They are proven right.
Then the tension is raced when Spenser's inamorata Susan Silverman gets a red rose.
One of the best in this series; there's not only a lot of tension, but the relationship between Spenser and Susan develops in interesting ways.
Year published: 1988
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A
Review: I really like the Spenser series and am now reading them in order.
In Crimson Joy Spenser is contacted by Lt. Martin Quirk of the Boston Police. A serial killer is on the loose in Boston. He leaves a red rose at each murder site. And it is possible that the killer is a police officer. The crime is quickly solved when a police officer confesses. But, while everyone else is congratulating themselves on their good work, Quirk, Belson, Spenser and Hawk believe that the confession is false.
They are proven right.
Then the tension is raced when Spenser's inamorata Susan Silverman gets a red rose.
One of the best in this series; there's not only a lot of tension, but the relationship between Spenser and Susan develops in interesting ways.
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Book review: God Save the Child by Robert B. Parker
Date finished: July 1, 2016
Year published: 1974
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B
Review: This is the second in the Spenser series, which I am reading in order. I reviewed the first on, The Godwulf Manuscript here. In God Save the Child Parker introduces us to Susan Silverman. Since I am re-reading the series, I know that this will be a long term relationship, running through the whole series; it will also be a complex relationship. One thing I like about the Spenser series is that Susan is such a complex character: Too often, in older mysteries, women are not fully developed.
God Save the Child involves the hunt for a missing 15 year old boy. At first, it appears that the boy has been kidnapped, but it later becomes unclear whether he has run away on purpose, and is living with a bodybuilder whom he idolizes.
As often in the series, Parker uses the plot to muse about deeper things such as the nature of love, the role of parents and so on.
Year published: 1974
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B
Review: This is the second in the Spenser series, which I am reading in order. I reviewed the first on, The Godwulf Manuscript here. In God Save the Child Parker introduces us to Susan Silverman. Since I am re-reading the series, I know that this will be a long term relationship, running through the whole series; it will also be a complex relationship. One thing I like about the Spenser series is that Susan is such a complex character: Too often, in older mysteries, women are not fully developed.
God Save the Child involves the hunt for a missing 15 year old boy. At first, it appears that the boy has been kidnapped, but it later becomes unclear whether he has run away on purpose, and is living with a bodybuilder whom he idolizes.
As often in the series, Parker uses the plot to muse about deeper things such as the nature of love, the role of parents and so on.
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Book review: The Godwulf Manuscript by Robert B. Parker
Date finished: June 19, 2016
Year published: 1973
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B+
Review: This is the very first in the long and wonderful Spenser series. I've decided to reread the lot, in order.
In this one, Spenser is hired to find a missing manuscript that was stolen from a college library. But that leads to investigations of drug selling, left wing cults, crazed professors ... and a few murders.
There are many pleasures to the Spenser series. First, I like Parker's style of mystery: There is one plot, there are no huge conspiracies, no multi-generational sagas. Bad guys do bad things. Spenser finds them, usually after some violence, some humor and so on.
Another pleasure is Spenser himself. Yes, he's big and he's strong and he's tough. But he quotes poetry, he cooks, he listens to music, he's knowledgeable about many things. He's interesting.
But one pleasure of reading them in order is that we are gradually introduced to a series of interesting characters. In The Godwulf Manuscript none are yet in evidence.
Year published: 1973
Genre: Mystery
Rating: B+
Review: This is the very first in the long and wonderful Spenser series. I've decided to reread the lot, in order.
In this one, Spenser is hired to find a missing manuscript that was stolen from a college library. But that leads to investigations of drug selling, left wing cults, crazed professors ... and a few murders.
There are many pleasures to the Spenser series. First, I like Parker's style of mystery: There is one plot, there are no huge conspiracies, no multi-generational sagas. Bad guys do bad things. Spenser finds them, usually after some violence, some humor and so on.
Another pleasure is Spenser himself. Yes, he's big and he's strong and he's tough. But he quotes poetry, he cooks, he listens to music, he's knowledgeable about many things. He's interesting.
But one pleasure of reading them in order is that we are gradually introduced to a series of interesting characters. In The Godwulf Manuscript none are yet in evidence.
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