Promised Land, Audible Edition

Promised Land, Audible Edition (1976/1987) Robert B. Parker narrated by Michael Prichard

I’ve discovered that I exercise best with exciting mysteries I’ve previously read. If the book is good, then I want to keep walking just a little bit longer, to hear just a little more. But it can’t be something I’ve never read, because then I won’t stop listening, and that interferes with trying to function as a normal human.

I’ll be honest, there isn’t anything wrong with Michael Prichard as the narrator. The problem is that my first Spenser book was Small Vices, read by Burt Reynolds, and he does such a fantastic job, this version just fell a little flat.

It’s been a long time since I’ve gone through the Spenser series, and I decided that since I’ve finished up all the Faith Hunter Jane Yellowrock audible books that are currently available, Spenser would be a good choice. But not starting at the first book, because that wasn’t particularly a favorite. But since I already had this audio book, it seemed a fine place to start.

And it was.

A man hires Spenser to find his wife. Only the husband is in over his head with other things, and the wife doesn’t necessarily want to be found and returned home.

First, this book has Hawk’s first appearance. (I think that Hawk is where the narrator fell the flattest for me. I love Hawk, and this reading just didn’t do it for me.)

“I’ve asked Spenser here to see if he can find my wife, Pam.”

Hawk said, “I’ll bet he can. He’s a real firecracker for finding things. He’ll find the ass off of a thing. Ain’t that right, Spenser?”

“You always been one of my heroes too, Hawk. Where you staying?”

“Ah’m over amongst de ofays at de Holiday Inn, Marse Spensah.”

“We don’t say ofays anymore, Hawk. We say honkies. And you don’t do that Kingfish dialect any better than you used to.”

“Maybe not, but you should hear me sing ‘Shortnin’ Bread,’ babe.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet,” I said.

Second, this book has Spenser and Susan working out their relationship. Susan irritates the crap out of me in some of the later books, which is why I forget that I quite like her in the earlier books. She’s strong–quite a strong woman for who she is and at the time this book was written–1976.

“To have a real relationship you gotta suffer?”

“You have to risk it,” she said. “You have to know that if it gets homely and unpleasant you can’t just walk away.”

“And that means marriage? Lots of people walk away from marriage. For crissake, I got a lady client at this moment who has done just that.”

“After what, twenty-two years?” Susan said.

“One point for your side,” I said. “She didn’t run off at the first sprinkle of rain, did she. But does that make the difference? Some J.P. reading from the Bible?”

“No,” Susan said. “But the ceremony is the visible symbol of the commitment. We ritualize our deepest meanings usually, and marriage is the way we’ve ritualized love. Or one of the ways.”

“Are you saying we should get married?”

“At the moment I’m saying I love you and I’m waiting for a response.”

“It’s not that simple, Suze.”

“And I believe I’ve gotten the response.” She got up from the bar and walked out.

I’d also forgotten how much thought Spenser puts into what he does and who he is. He finds Pam Shepherd, but refuses to return her to Harvey–or even tell Harvey where she is. He just tells Harvey that she is healthy and left of her own volition.

He also refuses to turn his back on the couple, even though they have both completely screwed up their lives.

But it’s more than that. Even once they talk again, it’s clear that everything isn’t hunky dory, and that they both had problems they need to work out–it’s realistic.

And of course there is the food.

“Nope. I’ll take the fighter, lover, but the gourmet cook is a sexist remark.”

“Why?”

“If you’d cooked this no one would say you were a gourmet cook. It’s because I’m a man. A man who cooks and is interested in it is called a gourmet. A woman is called a housewife. Now eat the goddamned spaghetti,” I said. She did. Me too.

And now I’ve started, I figure I’ll just keep on listening–and Michael will be sad, because he loves Spenser as well, but never thinks to listen to audiobooks on his own. :)
Rating: 8/10 (Dinged because I just can’t love the narrator.)

Published by Random House Audio

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