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applegnreads's review
4.0
I'm usually eventually opposed to authors this prolific but I got to say, I like the main character and the others as well. They're fun. I'll probably keep reading them.
cwebb's review against another edition
4.0
Etwas außerhalb der Reihenfolge gelesen, aber das macht nichts. Sehr spannend, ausreichend witzig. Das Ende kommt diesmal beinahe abrupt.
stevem0214's review
5.0
Great as always. This was my first Spenser book, many many years ago. This is one that Spenser gets shot in and part of the book is his recuperation with Hawk. Just a great novel!
koshpeli's review
2.0
Ok, so the mystery itself isn’t bad but there are a lot of issues with this book.
For background, Spenser is hired to investigate an old murder allegedly committed by Alves, a black man who has been convicted of rape and other crimes before. Alves was tried and convicted and imprisoned. Now they think Alves is innocent.
Ok, so the issues: First, so many racial slurs. Really gratutious use of the n-word. In early books, it was used by bad guys, often to describe Hawk and they were immediately corrected. The fact they used the n-word or other slurs was proof they were small-minded and, well, bad. In one case, a slur was employed by an explicitly racist group. But in this book, everyone calls the guy Spenser is investigating an n- or uses the German term (is that even a thing?) or once some other word.
Allegedly, it’s to show how jaded everyone is because the guy Spenser will get out of jail. just bad and also hopeless. They briefly discuss how it’s the system that forces him to be bad, but not for long. Everyone from the black policeman who patrols the ghetto to Spenser to Hask to the DA to the wealthy family of the victim agree Alves is a POS. They never quite make the connection that dude might be hopeless because he was in prison unjustly for 18 months. Or maybe he (and the people he represents) aren’t guilty of all the things they are arrested and convicted of.
Second, the guy who did it, his rich dad bribed the cop to arrest Alves. He cajoled witnesses. And apparently he has access to the world’s greatest killer. Better than Hawk or Spenser. Everyone in the book agrees the Grey Man, hired by the Dad, is the most deadly person ever. And the Dad just happens to know how to get in touch, has the stones to do it? Something no mob boss has ever done in 20 years, find someone who can (almost) kill Spenser? The rich Dad is so powerful and ruthless, cops warn Spenser he’s out of his league. Yet, the guy is portrayed as a norkal guy. By the descriptions, I expected Mr. Stapleton to be revealed as head of the Russian mafia or the Grey Man in disguise. Nope. Just a rich preppie, yet more terrifying and connected than Gino Fish, Joe Broz, Tony Marcus....
Finally, the Gray Man, the world’s greatest killer gets hos assignments from a sleazy lawyer, does no background checks, and doesn’t even bother to check the client before meeting in person? Spenser gets the drop on him in 5 seconds, using a method he could havd used at the beginning before the dude shot him. WTF?
Great mystery spoiled. Too bad.
For background, Spenser is hired to investigate an old murder allegedly committed by Alves, a black man who has been convicted of rape and other crimes before. Alves was tried and convicted and imprisoned. Now they think Alves is innocent.
Ok, so the issues: First, so many racial slurs. Really gratutious use of the n-word. In early books, it was used by bad guys, often to describe Hawk and they were immediately corrected. The fact they used the n-word or other slurs was proof they were small-minded and, well, bad. In one case, a slur was employed by an explicitly racist group. But in this book, everyone calls the guy Spenser is investigating an n- or uses the German term (is that even a thing?) or once some other word.
Allegedly, it’s to show how jaded everyone is because the guy Spenser will get out of jail. just bad and also hopeless. They briefly discuss how it’s the system that forces him to be bad, but not for long. Everyone from the black policeman who patrols the ghetto to Spenser to Hask to the DA to the wealthy family of the victim agree Alves is a POS. They never quite make the connection that dude might be hopeless because he was in prison unjustly for 18 months. Or maybe he (and the people he represents) aren’t guilty of all the things they are arrested and convicted of.
Second, the guy who did it, his rich dad bribed the cop to arrest Alves. He cajoled witnesses. And apparently he has access to the world’s greatest killer. Better than Hawk or Spenser. Everyone in the book agrees the Grey Man, hired by the Dad, is the most deadly person ever. And the Dad just happens to know how to get in touch, has the stones to do it? Something no mob boss has ever done in 20 years, find someone who can (almost) kill Spenser? The rich Dad is so powerful and ruthless, cops warn Spenser he’s out of his league. Yet, the guy is portrayed as a norkal guy. By the descriptions, I expected Mr. Stapleton to be revealed as head of the Russian mafia or the Grey Man in disguise. Nope. Just a rich preppie, yet more terrifying and connected than Gino Fish, Joe Broz, Tony Marcus....
Finally, the Gray Man, the world’s greatest killer gets hos assignments from a sleazy lawyer, does no background checks, and doesn’t even bother to check the client before meeting in person? Spenser gets the drop on him in 5 seconds, using a method he could havd used at the beginning before the dude shot him. WTF?
Great mystery spoiled. Too bad.
jurassicreader's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
scott_a_miller's review
5.0
One of the best Parker books that I have read to date. The way he handled Spenser’s biggest obstacle yet was fantastic. I hope Spenser doesn’t regret anything from this one though.
shelleyrae's review
4.0
I'm a huge fan of the dry wit and repartee so I enjoyed this as much as the others.
brianlokker's review against another edition
4.0
In Small Vices, Spenser takes on the job of re-investigating the murder of Melissa Henderson, a student at Pemberton College. The police arrested a career criminal named Ellis Alves for the murder, but now that he’s been convicted and is serving time, his young defense attorney worries that she didn’t do a good enough job of defending him and thinks that, despite his long rap sheet, he was not guilty of this particular crime.
Spenser’s investigation soon leads him to suspect that Alves was framed. The witnesses stonewall him. The state police officer who arrested Alves threatens him. Finally, a man tries to kill him and almost succeeds. Spenser has no doubt that the man is a professional killer.
Spenser’s recovery takes him away from the case for months. Once he’s back, he goes after the attempted assassin, who he believes holds the key to unlocking the truth about how and why Alves was framed.
Spenser’s brush with death doesn’t diminish his tough-guy ethos or his wise-cracking persona, but it does seem to make him even more thoughtful, philosophical, and even caring than usual. He’s always known that he can count on Hawk, but when Hawk stays by his side to motivate him and help him with his lengthy rehab, he gets a new opportunity to appreciate the depth of their bond.
The book contains the usual helping of mutual congratulations by Spenser and Susan on their exceptional qualities and the extraordinary nature of their relationship. But these conversations are somehow more fitting and (mostly) less annoying in Small Vices, for two reasons: First, there is a subplot about Susan wanting to adopt a baby, which Spenser resists, so they have a substantial issue that they need to resolve. And second, Spenser’s near-death experience brings home for both of them the danger of his work and Susan’s fear that the next time he may not survive.
Ultimately, Small Vices becomes a meditation about equality before the law and about what constitutes justice. Spenser is fully aware that by trying to establish Ellis Alves’s innocence, he is working to free a man who is a blight on society. But even so, he can’t bring himself to allow the particular injustice of this case to stand, especially when it means that rich and powerful people will not be held accountable. In Spenser’s world, that isn’t justice.
Spenser’s investigation soon leads him to suspect that Alves was framed. The witnesses stonewall him. The state police officer who arrested Alves threatens him. Finally, a man tries to kill him and almost succeeds. Spenser has no doubt that the man is a professional killer.
Spenser’s recovery takes him away from the case for months. Once he’s back, he goes after the attempted assassin, who he believes holds the key to unlocking the truth about how and why Alves was framed.
Spenser’s brush with death doesn’t diminish his tough-guy ethos or his wise-cracking persona, but it does seem to make him even more thoughtful, philosophical, and even caring than usual. He’s always known that he can count on Hawk, but when Hawk stays by his side to motivate him and help him with his lengthy rehab, he gets a new opportunity to appreciate the depth of their bond.
The book contains the usual helping of mutual congratulations by Spenser and Susan on their exceptional qualities and the extraordinary nature of their relationship. But these conversations are somehow more fitting and (mostly) less annoying in Small Vices, for two reasons: First, there is a subplot about Susan wanting to adopt a baby, which Spenser resists, so they have a substantial issue that they need to resolve. And second, Spenser’s near-death experience brings home for both of them the danger of his work and Susan’s fear that the next time he may not survive.
Ultimately, Small Vices becomes a meditation about equality before the law and about what constitutes justice. Spenser is fully aware that by trying to establish Ellis Alves’s innocence, he is working to free a man who is a blight on society. But even so, he can’t bring himself to allow the particular injustice of this case to stand, especially when it means that rich and powerful people will not be held accountable. In Spenser’s world, that isn’t justice.