Rating: 
Summary: Spenser the International Bounty Hunter for Hire
Review: This fifth Spenser novel from 1978 offers yet more slight twists on our hero as he travels to Europe and needs the assistance of Hawk to do his good deeds. Apparently Spenser cannot do everything by himself. Spenser is hired by a millionaire industrialist who was crippled in the terrorist bomb blast in a London restaurant that killed his wife and daughter. Hugh Dixon will pay Spenser $2,500 for each of the nine members of the gang, dead or alive. Spenser's plan is to go to London and find himself a "Judas goat," someone in the gang he can turn to get at the others. Of course, since this is a Spenser novel the case is more complicated than that. "The Judas Goat" is the fastest paced novel of Robert B. Parker's series so far and features a most efficient Spenser, which seems a strange comment given all the waiting he does in this novel. On the personal front his relationship with Susan is progressing nicely (apply appropriate adage involving distance). The final twist that takes our hero to Montreal is a bit over the top, but if you remember events from the summer of 1972 it is not so far-fetched. The key thing is that Parker refuses to fit into a restrictive formula and that his books are perfect reads for those of us in the commuter lifestyle.
Rating:
Summary: Spenser the International Bounty Hunter for Hire
Review: This fifth Spenser novel from 1978 offers yet more slight twists on our hero as he travels to Europe and needs the assistance of Hawk to do his good deeds. Apparently Spenser cannot do everything by himself. Spenser is hired by a millionaire industrialist who was crippled in the terrorist bomb blast in a London restaurant that killed his wife and daughter. Hugh Dixon will pay Spenser $2,500 for each of the nine members of the gang, dead or alive. Spenser's plan is to go to London and find himself a "Judas goat," someone in the gang he can turn to get at the others. Of course, since this is a Spenser novel the case is more complicated than that. "The Judas Goat" is the fastest paced novel of Robert B. Parker's series so far and features a most efficient Spenser, which seems a strange comment given all the waiting he does in this novel. On the personal front his relationship with Susan is progressing nicely (apply appropriate adage involving distance). The final twist that takes our hero to Montreal is a bit over the top, but if you remember events from the summer of 1972 it is not so far-fetched. The key thing is that Parker refuses to fit into a restrictive formula and that his books are perfect reads for those of us in the commuter lifestyle.
Rating:
Summary: The most action packed of the Spenser novels.
Review: This is my favorite Spenser novel. It is action based and shows Spenser and Hawk at their best. This is the earlier Spencer who has little regard for the rules. Hawk has no regard for the rules. Spenser before he was civilized by Susan Silverman.
Rating:
Summary: Okay, I'm hooked!
Review: This is the third Spenser book I've read and I imagine I'm hooked now and will be reading every Spenser book I get hold of. A lot of readers compare the Spenser books to Dashell Hammett's, Raymond Chandler's and Ross McDonald's books, but I see, in addition, some of John D. McDonald's Travis McGee in the character of Spenser. Whatever, this book is the best of the three I've read so far...they get progressively better, it seems. I imagine though that I'm close to the point where the stories start evening out. Anyway, this one has Spenser working for a man who suffered the horrible loss of his family and of the proper use of his body in a terrorist attack in England. The job is to find each of the nine terrorists involved and bring them in, dead or alive. The title comes from Spenser's plan to use one member of the group to catch the others and this does come about although in a somewhat unexpected manner. The story has twists and turns enough to delight any mystery fan, along with the developing characters of Susan and Hawk. Most importantly, it has some food for deeper thought along with the action.
Rating:
Summary: Okay, I'm hooked!
Review: This is the third Spenser book I've read and I imagine I'm hooked now and will be reading every Spenser book I get hold of. A lot of readers compare the Spenser books to Dashell Hammett's, Raymond Chandler's and Ross McDonald's books, but I see, in addition, some of John D. McDonald's Travis McGee in the character of Spenser. Whatever, this book is the best of the three I've read so far...they get progressively better, it seems. I imagine though that I'm close to the point where the stories start evening out. Anyway, this one has Spenser working for a man who suffered the horrible loss of his family and of the proper use of his body in a terrorist attack in England. The job is to find each of the nine terrorists involved and bring them in, dead or alive. The title comes from Spenser's plan to use one member of the group to catch the others and this does come about although in a somewhat unexpected manner. The story has twists and turns enough to delight any mystery fan, along with the developing characters of Susan and Hawk. Most importantly, it has some food for deeper thought along with the action.
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