Product details
Would you like to give feedback on images?
|
In 1974, a revolutionary group calling itself the Dread Scott Brigade held up the old Shawmut Bank in Boston's Audubon Circle. Money was stolen. And a woman named Emily Gordon, a visitor in town cashing traveler's checks, was shot and killed. No one saw who shot her. Despite security camera photos and a letter from the group claiming responsibility, the perpetrators have remained at large for nearly three decades.
Enter Paul Giacomin, the closest thing to a son Spenser has. Twice before, Spenser has come to the young man's assistance, and now that Paul is in his 30s, his troubled past is behind him. When Paul's friend Daryl Gordon -daughter of the long-gone Emily - decides she needs closure about the matter of her mother's death, it's Spenser she turns to. The lack of clues and the fact that an FBI intelligence report is missing force Spenser to reach out in every direction - to Daryl's estranged hippie father; to Vinnie Morris and the mob; to the mysterious Ives - and test his resourcefulness and courage.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
"Back Story" certainly represents all aspects of the Spenser formula. There is the tried and true practice of asking questions to see what shakes loose, death threats that require Susan to be protected and gunmen to avoid, and all those witty and philosophical discussions between Spenser and Hawk (as well as Vinnie, Quirk, Jesse Stone, and whoever else shows up along the way). However, Spenser really does not cook as much as he did in the early days. Spenser finds out more than Daryl ever wanted to know, which makes it doubtful that she will be joining the ranks of our hero’s expanding “family,” and once again puts our hero in the position of being judge, jury, and lord high executioner as he tries to make the world right.
The results are enjoyable as always and Parker's novels are perfect for people who like to get a quick chapter in here and there throughout the day, but there is a sense in which Spenser is just going through his standard bag of tricks. I swear, if somebody came in and threw down a copy of the Warren Commission Report our hero would ask a few questions and somebody who come out of the woodwork to tell him to leave that JFK thing along and he would end up solving that one too. However, the ending does find our hero taking a position that might be somewhat contrary to his nature and even if we have read literally hundreds of witty exchanges between Spenser and the people he encounters they are still appealing (especially the ones with his second bananas).
Some readers figure Spenser to be around 70 & think he should retire, but when he just gets paid in doughnuts like with this case, how can he afford to retire?
OK, we do envision Spenser as being in his 40's, but even if he's older, he voices his opinion of retiring in this book and you can tell he wouldn't know what to do with himself.
The story here is good, dealing with a few left over hippies. A lady friend of Paul's wants to know who killed her mother back in the 60's, and so Spenser collecting his fee consisting of six Krispy Kreme doughnuts digs into the past and comes up with more than his client wants to know. In the meantime, he manages to disturb one of the ganglords who just happens to live in Paradise, and so he meets the police chief, Jesse Stone. The two Parker characters working together, even briefly, envigorate the story.
Recent Spenser books have been a bit disappointing, but this one is back on track.
| |||||
Amazon Home | |
| International Sites: United States | Germany | France | Japan | Canada | China | |
| Business Programs: Sell on Amazon | Fulfilment by Amazon | Join Associates | Join Advantage | |
| Customer Service | Help | View Basket | Your Account | |
| About Amazon.co.uk | Careers at Amazon | |
| Conditions of Use & Sale | Privacy Notice © 1996-2012, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates |
