Stardust

Rating:
Summary: ...
Review: ... I thought this was one of the best Spenser novels at the time of its publication, but I do recommend reading it in sequence. Especially, read "A Savage Place" first, because the two books have a certain relation to each other.

This is a bit more of a mystery than others in the series in that you don't discover the murderer's identity until the end, and this is good in adding a bit more suspense than usual.

Spenser's hired to protect a very obnoxius TV star, who's addicted to drugs, alcoholic, arrogant...listed alphabetically, I'd be naming several other character defects before we get to nympho, and that's just past the middle of the alphabet!!! On top of all this, she might be making up all these threats she's supposedly receiving. However, when her double is murdered, Spenser has to take the task of protecting her more seriously. He has a hang-up about protecting women since an unpleasant happening earlier in the series.

I had a suspicion around half way through as to who the murderer was...I won't tell you whether I was right or wrong. However, I believe the suspicion was deliberately & subtly planted by Parker, and if so, I admire him for the way he did it. Like I say, I'll let you find out whether this was deliberate foreshadowing for dramatic effect, or a red herring to distract you.

I do recommend this highly, but if you're not already a Spenser fan, read several earlier books including "The Savage Place" first in order to better appreciate this.

Rating:
Summary: Spenser Mixes It With The TV Crowd
Review: Once again it's Spenser to the rescue. This time he's called onto the set of a television show to act as bodyguard to the star, and America's sweetheart, Jill Joyce. Unfortunately, she's also a drunk, incredibly difficult to work with, and determined to bed every man within a 5-mile radius.

But when Spenser's on the job it's professionalism all the way which makes for a very fiery employer / employee relationship. It also makes for some most amusing situations and gives ample opportunity for Spenser to display his flair for detective work. The relationship between Spenser and Susan is comfortable, as ever, and between Spenser and Hawk as solid as a rock.

The sanctuary of a Spenser book is always a welcome haven for weary readers with the pace of the book high and the pages turning quickly. Light entertainment at it's best; if you're after mystery with a liberal dash of humour then you're in for a real treat here.

Rating:
Summary: The very end redeems it
Review: The beginning of this book is really very average Spenser, which certainly makes it enjoyable enough but not at all noteworthy. Let's see ... Susan drags Spenser into a case he doesn't really want, Spenser wisecracks and offends everyone in authority, Hawk provides trustworthy and able-bodied support ... same old, same old. The story itself isn't very compelling or interesting until the end. That's when Spenser shows us what makes him special. It's his attitude toward Jill Joyce, the care he devotes to her, and the offhanded way he delivers it (as though it's just his duty as a human being) that I found out of the ordinary and very moving.