Rating: 
Summary: Susan comes to grips with her love-hate man relationships
Review: Susan asks Spenser to help her ex-husband with a bogus sexual harassment suit. Soon, we discover Susan psychoanalyzing herself, with Spenser playing the role of insightful facilitator. This isn't what Spenser fans want. We want hard edged Spenser/Hawk action. There is a good bit of action, and I love the banter between Spenser and Hawk. I especially like Hawk slipping into his upper middle class WASP accent. The story lacked something in the end, however. I came away a bit unsatisfied, even though Susan whacked one of the bad guys with a brick. Too bad the tongue was cut without the right folks understanding the reason.
Rating:
Summary: Susan comes to grips with her love-hate man relationships
Review: Susan asks Spenser to help her ex-husband with a bogus sexual harassment suit. Soon, we discover Susan psychoanalyzing herself, with Spenser playing the role of insightful facilitator. This isn't what Spenser fans want. We want hard edged Spenser/Hawk action. There is a good bit of action, and I love the banter between Spenser and Hawk. I especially like Hawk slipping into his upper middle class WASP accent. The story lacked something in the end, however. I came away a bit unsatisfied, even though Susan whacked one of the bad guys with a brick. Too bad the tongue was cut without the right folks understanding the reason.
Rating: 
Summary: I like Susan, but . . .
Review: Susan asks Spenser to help out her ex-husband. During this course of this, we learn about her childhood, which she pries out of herself bit by angst-ridden bit. From the way she gets worked up, you would think her early life was like Frank McCourt's, but it wasn't. It was a yawn. The plot? I don't read these novels for the plot. I read them to spend time with three old friends who are way cool, live in the city I know best, say things I wish I'd thought of, get into situations I couldn't handle, drink better booze than I can afford, and wear white hats (as well as other stylish garments).
Rating:
Summary: Selfish Susan at it again
Review: Susan Silverman, the pinnacle of the selfish, self-involved (...), strikes again. This time she expects Spenser to save her ex-husband while putting up with her petty bitchery about him saving her ex-husband. The (...) mental. I do not understand why Parker feels compelled to include such a worthless character in all his books. She really ruins the story lines.
Rating: 
Summary: Here's the scoop- It's awesome
Review: The book moves quickly, and ever so you get a clear picture of not only Spenser but more history on Susan as well. I will not spoil it for the die-hard fans out there who haven't come across this book. The chapters are short and focused, and what I liked most about it is that each chapter it focuses on a one-on-one talk between Spenser and some other person. Mostly-- 90% of the time, which I greatly appreciate. It focuses a lot on Spenser, and his puzzle pieces which he puts together in order to emit the true picture of the mystery from all the alibi. Further more the chapters are short, focused, and the vocabulary is easy to pick up. I personally like Spenser and Susan because their attitudes are so professional. Also, this book is best read throughout a period of time, instead of just one day. It's even better if the reader can somehow imagine himself as Spenser-- or Susan-- for the matter. They're technically the same. Anima vs. Animus. Honestly this book also suits those who are "full of themselves", how else would you be able to connect with the main characters anyways?! It has been such a long time since I have read a book that compels this aggressively. This honestly is my first look on the Spenser series, and I appologize that I'm not a long-time fan or so (This series has been going on longer than I've lived!) but it's great. I find it most effective reading it while picturing it like a movie. And also for all the guys,if you imagine that YoU'rE Spenser, and you've got a parrallell attitude with him (like I do), it blows your mind. Honestly. Susan Silverman's ex-husband, now known as Brad "Sterling" is on charge with sexual harassment and later on with murder. The case in itself is slow, but it's everything that's stirred in the middle that makes this book well worth the read. Not only does Spenser have this attitude that speaks out to the reader as "I'm untouchable" but he has his equally arrogant lover "Susan" and they make an awesome couple. It's Romantic... also in the sense of the writing style, which is a bit Romanticist. I mean, c'mon, Spenser tops every bad guy with a swift move and a kick in the groin. It's cheap, and repetitive... and it's a little too cheesy to win against the baddies. Especially the part when Susan gets in some action as well later in the story. Oh yeah, that's the main highlight, I believe. Susan gets to kick ass! Haha, check it out. I don't know enough about the series to know whether if this occurs often or not, but it was great! Ok, what are you waiting for?! Read this book. I promise you won't be dissapointed.
Rating:
Summary: Here's the scoop- It's awesome
Review: The book moves quickly, and ever so you get a clear picture of not only Spenser but more history on Susan as well. I will not spoil it for the die-hard fans out there who haven't come across this book. The chapters are short and focused, and what I liked most about it is that each chapter it focuses on a one-on-one talk between Spenser and some other person. Mostly-- 90% of the time, which I greatly appreciate. It focuses a lot on Spenser, and his puzzle pieces which he puts together in order to emit the true picture of the mystery from all the alibi. Further more the chapters are short, focused, and the vocabulary is easy to pick up. I personally like Spenser and Susan because their attitudes are so professional. Also, this book is best read throughout a period of time, instead of just one day. It's even better if the reader can somehow imagine himself as Spenser-- or Susan-- for the matter. They're technically the same. Anima vs. Animus. Honestly this book also suits those who are "full of themselves", how else would you be able to connect with the main characters anyways?! It has been such a long time since I have read a book that compels this aggressively. This honestly is my first look on the Spenser series, and I appologize that I'm not a long-time fan or so (This series has been going on longer than I've lived!) but it's great. I find it most effective reading it while picturing it like a movie. And also for all the guys,if you imagine that YoU'rE Spenser, and you've got a parrallell attitude with him (like I do), it blows your mind. Honestly. Susan Silverman's ex-husband, now known as Brad "Sterling" is on charge with sexual harassment and later on with murder. The case in itself is slow, but it's everything that's stirred in the middle that makes this book well worth the read. Not only does Spenser have this attitude that speaks out to the reader as "I'm untouchable" but he has his equally arrogant lover "Susan" and they make an awesome couple. It's Romantic... also in the sense of the writing style, which is a bit Romanticist. I mean, c'mon, Spenser tops every bad guy with a swift move and a kick in the groin. It's cheap, and repetitive... and it's a little too cheesy to win against the baddies. Especially the part when Susan gets in some action as well later in the story. Oh yeah, that's the main highlight, I believe. Susan gets to kick ass! Haha, check it out. I don't know enough about the series to know whether if this occurs often or not, but it was great! Ok, what are you waiting for?! Read this book. I promise you won't be dissapointed.
Rating:
Summary: Susan faces and conquers incidents from her past
Review: The initial premise of this novel is rather unusual. Brad Sterling, the ex-husband of Spenser's girlfriend Susan comes to her and asks for assistance in combating a sexual harassment charge being pressed by several women who worked with him on a charity fund-raising event. Susan then asks Spenser to assist in resolving the problem. The investigation involves high powered lawyers, major underworld figures, marital infidelity, and the usual group of characters in a Spenser story.
The plot is convoluted, taking many directions, leading to many possibilities as to who committed the two murders. There are several suspects, and the obvious ones are investigated. While there is always a great deal of emotion between Spenser and Susan in these stories, the involvement of her ex-husband intensifies the relationship. At the end, there is a showdown different from that of other stories, in that it is Susan facing down her past rather than Spenser confronting the perpetrator(s).
The story moves along very well and keeps you uncertain as to what the true circumstances are. It keeps your attention and the deeper psychological activity between the main characters is an element that makes it all the more interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining page turner with a bit of depth
Review: The other reviews I've read mostly covered the usual points, so I don't really want to belabor them. Spenser is his usual self, but that's what the readers want of a mystery series like this. I haven't read enough of the series to say, but the treatment of the relationships does more than superficial, but still rather archetypical and not the way most of us do things in real life. However, that's why we read escapist fiction, isn't it? From that perspective, the book succeeds very well, and I basically found it hard to put down, frequently being surprised to look up and see how quickly the chapters were flying past. An interesting structural or stylistic note is that the chapters are very short and highly focused. Almost every chapter is clearly focused on a specific and well-described event. Mr. Parker is obviously a very skilled craftsman, and I would be interested to see one of his outlines. Though I'm not an author of fiction, I suspect it would still be helpful to my writing. Not really a major beef, but alledgedly a major weakness of a mystery... Or perhaps I should make the fighter joke? I think he telegraphed his punch. It was pretty obvious who the culprit must be well before the end of the book. Though he had introduced a number of unsavory candidates, all but one had become implausible rather too soon. Some people might also take it as a minor beef that a few issues were left pending at the end, in particular as regards some of the peripheral criminals, but I actually considered that a merit and a sign of the author's mastery of his craft. Those threads were not important to the main story, and he knew it. His story was done, and he stopped writing, rather than taking a few more pages for a purely cosmetic and anticlimactic wrapping.
Rating:
Summary: wow, what a sensitive guy
Review: the perversity of relationships is beyond belief, and well illustrated in sudden mischief. how does one sense a liar? and if you discover your loved one is lying to you in word and deed, how long do you resist facing up to it? the culprit's decision to repeat past behavior even though it has stopped working for him is a classic study of our psychological weaknesses. spenser and hawk are my dream mates - intuitive, sensitive, and they can beat the crap out of anybody who gives me a hard time. must be like having the hulk as your best friend, only he likes to drink & smoke, & doesn't go through so many clothes.
Rating:
Summary: Spenser is a character who has aged as gracefully.
Review: There are certain things that I look forward to each spring, and one of them is the next installment with Spenser. In Sudden Mischief, Parker has again woven a remarkable vision of an aging gumshoe. I am delighted with the fact that Spenser's vignettes are taken in real time. We visit with these characters a year after the events of Small Vices, which took place a year after the happenings of Chance, etc. Where I some chafe at the lack of action and shoot-em-up diversion with each successive book, I have enjoyed following a maturing hero and heroine who continue to learn about themselves and what it means to be in a committed relationship, given the parameters of their respective careers, pasts, families (or lack thereof) and friends. Parker is a proven master at creating dialogue that virtually sizzles and crackles on the page, and that alone is reason enough to devour each new installment. Whether it's lunch with the ever-yummy Rita Fiore, donuts with Hawk or a chance encounter with a blue-blooded attorney-turned-law-school professor, Spenser is a wizard at the snappy comeback and witty aside. I particularly admire Parker's confidence in allowing his character to be strong enough to not step in the middle of a fracas in order to accomplish even more in the process. Once again, as I came to the final page, I was saddened that there would be no more Spenser for another year. The anticipation already is beginning to build.
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