Spenser

Robert B. Parker‘s Spenser mysteries.

So while home sick, I decided to read all the Robert B Parker Spenser books I could get my hands on. I think that would be all of them but two. Here are my thoughts (will probably continue to be updated/):

The Godwulf Manuscript (1973) is the first Spenser book. Spenser is no where near as admirable in this book as he is in later books, but it’s interesting to see where things start.
God Save the Child (1974) is number two, and I remembered the plot of this book, primarily because it was so depressing.
Mortal Stakes (1975) Baseball!
Promised Land (1976) is the first book with Hawk, and he is far more explicitly on the other side of the law than in any other book. We see that Spenser’s priorities are to do what he believes is right rather than what is legally correct.
The Judas Goat (1978) has Spenser a bit more aggressive and violent than in other books. Hiring on as a bounty hunter doesn’t seem quite in character if you started with some of the more recent books, and I don’t believe he would have taken on such a case later. Added bonus: He gets to spend lots of time with Hawk.
In Looking for Rachel Wallace (1980), unlike some of the other unlikable characters that Spenser works for later on, Rachel Wallace does have many redeeming characteristics, although it’s hard to see that at first. This is the first of two cases that will affect Spenser.
The second is A Savage Place (1981) which is very important to the story line. There will be frequent references to this incident as time continues. You’ll also see characters from this book from time to time.
Early Autumn (1981) is where Paul Giacomin appears. I found it interesting because it tells you quite a bit about Spenser, and his ideas about the world. I also like the changes in Paul, and Spenser’s ideas about child rearing.
Ceremony (1982) April Kyle and prostitution.
The Widening Gyre (1983) I found interesting for several reasons. First, ultra-Conservatives are still an important issue today, so it’s interesting to see how they are addressed in 1983. Second, we have yet another case of Spenser doing what he thinks is right over what is legal. Also, what happens with Joe Borz will have repercussions for years to come. This is also the book where we get the first hint that things are not as they seem with Susan.
Although Valediction (1984) is the first book where I don’t particularly like Susan, it is never the less a good book, and I really enjoy the interaction with Paul Giacomin.

“‘The next time I woke up Linda was gone and so was Belson. Hawk was there and Paul. As I came out of the sleep I heard Paul’s voice, softly.
‘No, like this, shuffle, ball, change. You see, shuffle, ball, change.’ I heard his feet move lightly on the hospital floor. ‘How can a man with your heritage not be able to tap-dance.’
I heard Hawk’s gliding chuckle. ‘My ancestors busy eating missionaries, boy. We didn’t have no time for no fucking shuffle ball change.’
‘Well, you wanted me to show you.’
‘That’s before I knew you was going to do it better than me,’ Hawk said.”

A Catskill Eagle (1985) is the book where I really don’t like Susan. She comes across to me as shallow and neurotic–She’s chosen to date some psychopath, knows he’s bad news, but won’t walk away. Ugh. You have to read this book to really understand Spenser, but I didn’t particularly like it. Its redeeming quality is that Spenser spends lots of time with Hawk.
Taming a Seahorse (1986) takes us back to April Kyle and Patricia Utley for another look at prostitution. It also has one of the passages that has stuck with me, for absolutely no reason.

The five o’clock news ended. The six o’clock news began. The guys who read the news at six had deeper voices. Authoritative. If that trend continued, the guys who read the eleven o’clock news would sound like Paul Robeson.

Pale Kings and Princes (1987) Cocaine trade.
Crimson Joy (1988) is a good book, but I’m not sure that I buy the tie to Susan. Sure it’s fun to see Quirk working with Hawk, but there I’m just not sure I accept the premise. But that, of course, doens’t mean it couldn’t be that way.
Playmates (1989) Point shaving in college basketball. What I particularly liked was Spenser’s indignation that someone could go to college yet be unable to read.
Stardust (1990) is the second book in a row where Spenser helps someone who isn’t particularly likable, yet gets the help anyway. We’re also introduced to Victor del Rio and Chollo.
Pastime (1991) in a reversal of Early Autumn Spenser helps Paul Giacomin find his mother.
In Double Deuce (1992), Spenser helps out Hawk. We’ve assumed all along that there was give and take in the relationship, but now we finally get to see Hawk more on his own terms.
Paper Doll (1993) is a particular favorite. A society wife is murdered and no one understands why.
Walking Shadow (1994) Chinatown, sex, and murder. I particularly like Mei Ling Shen and her fascination with Hawk.
Thin Air (1995) Belson’s wife disappears. Spenser helps find her and gets to spend some time handing out with Chollo.
Chance (1996) has lots more unlikable characters who may or may not be deserving of Spenser’s help.
Small Vices (1997) is one of my favorite Spenser books. Strange Vices was my first Spenser book–the audio version. I’d picked it up when I belonged to an audiobook club, because it was a mystery and it was unabridged. I was a little worried when I got it–it was read by Burt Reynolds, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about Smokey and the Bandit, but he turned out to be an excellent reader, and I lvoed the book so much I ended up buying any Spenser books I could find used at the Bookshelf. What I liked best about the book is that nothing was easy. When Spenser got hurt, the injury wasn’t just shrugged off, but involved a long recovery and rehabilitation.
Sudden Mischief (1998) is another book that I’m not particularly fond of; as Spenser helps Susan’s ex-husband we get to spend a lot of time dealing with Susan’s neuroses. I know that it’s supposed to give her more depth, but I find it frustrating.
Hush Money (1999) is where Spenser again helps Hawk, and we learn a (tiny)bit more about Hawk. I thought the scene with Lee Farrell was a bit forced; we already know that Spenser could care less what anyone’s sexual preference is.
In Hugger Mugger (2001), Spenser goes South to find out who has been shooting horses at the Three Fillies. I quite liked this book, both for the characters, and for the ending.

Backstory () Once again Spenser takes a case as a favor for someone, and ends up working for someone who isn’t particularly likable or admirable.

What I found interesting as I re-read these books, is that I typically remembered not the plots, but bits of dialogue and random lines. Not that I dislike the plots, but it’s the dialogue that I love. The books are fun to read, and sound like they were fun to write, which is why I suppose he keeps writing them.

Regarding the characters, I love Hawk. But that should come as no surprise, as many of my other favorite characters from other books are bad guys as well. I like the fact that he’s not any one thing–although he is a thug, Robert B. Parker makes him much more than that, with occasional reminders that he does, in fact, often work on the other side of the law.

I find Susan irritating, but not from the start. I think the thing that grates on my nerves the most is that the way he describes her eating habits–she sounds like an anorexic (or a bulimic I suppose with all the exercise) and that really bothers me. If she works out as much as he says, then she shouldn’t so fastidious about her eating habits. I guess it irritates me because it strikes me more as a stereotype than a characteristic of a real human.

“Never knew somebody knew more stuff that didn’t matter.”
–Hawk
(how could I not love that quote?)

I highly recommend the Bullets and Beer site. It contains a synopsis, as well as information about recurring characters, what Spenser ate and drank, favorite quotes, and literary allusions.

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