Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Your basic Spenser novel and another quest for the truth, 6 Sep 2003
When I picked up "Back Story," the 2003 Spenser novel from Robert B. Parker of course the first thing that came to my mind was to wonder how Pearl was doing. By page 2 we know the answer to that lingering question at which point we are distracted by the story of Daryl Gordon, the young woman that Paul Giacomin has brought to see Spenser (she stars in his play). In 1974 a revolutionary group calling itself the Dread Scott Brigade staged a robbery at the Shawmut Bank in Boston's Audubon Circle. During that robbery a woman named Emily Gordon, there to cash a traveler's check, was shot and killed. Daryl is Emily's daughter and wants the person who killed her mother to be brought to justice. Since Paul brought a half-dozen Krispy Kremes along with Daryl, our hero is willing to see what he can find out even thought the murder happened, as we are repeatedly told, twenty-eight years ago. There are a lot of things that Spenser does not do, and round up numbers is one of them. Ironically, of course, this is the 30th Spenser novel."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).
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Honourable Detective Is Tested, 22 Jun 2004
Back Story involves Spenser almost casually in an abandoned trail to a 1974 killing of actress Daryl Silver's (nee Gordon) mother, Emily. When she was 6, Daryl's mother was killed while cashing some traveler's checks in the old Shawmut Bank branch in Audubon Circle. A revolutionary group, the Dread Scott Brigade, was responsible.For openers to the case, Spenser quickly is puzzled by a reference to an FBI intelligence report in the case file . . . a report that has gone missing. Puzzling events quickly pile up. Like a dog and his bone, Spenser won't let go. One of the great appeals of this story is the extensive involvement of Mr. Parker's best characters. That makes the story development a lot of fun. The story's resolution also chimes in well with recent developments among the crime lords in Massachusetts, giving the book an up-to-date feel. As usual, the dialogue is crisp, witty and original. I don't remember better. Then why did I rate the book at four stars rather than five? Unfortunately, the mystery itself is something of a clunker . . . being way too obvious and coming into the open too soon. If Mr. Parker had kept the mystery hidden better and longer, this would have been one of his very best books. As it is, the book is extremely interesting, entertaining and amusing. The development of Spenser's moral obligation to solve the case is very fine. All Spenser fans should immediately read Back Story! After you finish, think about what ethical challenges you would respond to . . . even after it became in your personal best interest to stop.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Honourable Detective Is Tested, 3 May 2004
Back Story involves Spenser almost casually in an abandoned trail to a 1974 killing of actress Daryl Silver's (nee Gordon) mother, Emily. When she was 6, Daryl's mother was killed while cashing some traveler's checks in the old Shawmut Bank branch in Audubon Circle. A revolutionary group, the Dread Scott Brigade, was responsible. For openers to the case, Spenser quickly is puzzled by a reference to an FBI intelligence report in the case file . . . a report that has gone missing. Soon, he has visitors who firmly ask him to "desist" from asking questions about Emily Gordon because "it is in the best interest of the United States." Spenser learns that "a tax audit is not impossible." Next, a less polite visitor arrives with a gun and shoots a hole in a lamp shade. "Boss wanted you to see me shoot." As Spenser begins to sort out the crime, his "client" tells him she doesn't want to know any more. Spenser continues relentlessly, despite being "paid" only six Krispy Kreme doughnuts flown in thoughtfully from out of town by Paul Giacomin, Spenser's almost surrogate son. Spenser's sense of duty is even stronger than he thought. He's stirred up a hornet's nest and the hornets had better look out!One of the great appeals of this story is the extensive involvement of lots of Mr. Parker's best characters. That makes the story development a lot of fun. You'll find out about Paul's career as a theatrical director, spend lots of time with an armed and dangerous Hawk, Vinnie Morris is brought in for protection, Quirk is advising from the sidelines, and Susan is adjusting to a new "Pearl" whom Spenser brings back from Toronto. During the book's resolution, Spenser teams with Jesse Stone (of Death in Paradise, Trouble in Paradise and Night Passage) in a memorable collaboration of the two strong men. The context for the story was also very appealing to me from a nostalgia point of view. The bank robbery described mimics a similar crime in Boston which brought me back to my younger days. There are hippies from the free love times. Spenser finds himself in the middle of a gunfight at Harvard Stadium following a jog nearby in an earlier chapter. Government cover-ups were prevalent in 1974, so hearing about another one brings back those memories. The story's resolution also chimes in well with recent developments among the crime lords in Massachusetts, giving the book an up-to-date feel. As usual, the dialogue is crisp, witty and original. I don't remember better. Then why did I rate the book at four stars rather than five? Unfortunately, the mystery itself is something of a clunker . . . being way too obvious and coming into the open way too soon. If Mr. Parker had kept the mystery hidden better and longer, this would have been one of his very best books. As it is, the book is extremely interesting, entertaining and amusing. The development of Spenser's moral obligation to solve the case is very fine. All Spenser fans should immediately read Back Story! After you finish, think about what ethical challenges you would respond to . . . even after it became in your personal best interest to stop.
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