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cwebb's review against another edition
3.0
Quite fun and typical Spenser, but also kinda closed in, with a very limited cast and little feeling of a climactic solution.
slapshottechnology's review against another edition
3.0
Most of my Spenser reviews are three stars because they are an engaging read, especially in audiobook when Joe Montegno is the reader. This one is another decent listen. We find Spenser looking out for an annoying tv star who drinks and wants men more than acting perhaps. I liked the throwbacks to Spenser's past.
cheriekg's review against another edition
4.0
A return to serious Spenser, I missed the banter and spark, but the elusive, unreliable client and pathos of some of the characters made up for it.
sarahndipity's review against another edition
4.0
This turned out to be a lot of fun. The main character is *almost* a caricature, but when he seems to be so, that is part of what the author means us to laugh at. The dialog is witty and the jokes are actually funny. I will be on the lookout for more books in this series.
twingert's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
depreydeprey's review against another edition
3.0
Far from one of Parker's best and a little short on tough guy talk. I sort of think he stopped liking Spensor's client half way through.
margardenlady's review against another edition
4.0
Spenser is hired to protect a TV starlet who won't answer any of his questions, but claims that someone is after her. Her stunt double is killed and Spenser decides to take matters into his own hands. He finds the truth. The whole sordid truth and by the end, almost all is right with the world.
alesia_charles's review against another edition
3.0
Spenser undertakes another rescue job in this novel, which is loaded with references to earlier novels in the series and pretty obviously draws on Parker's experience with the filming of the Spenser TV series. Not recommended for readers who haven't read a bunch of the earlier Spenser novels - while I think the author does a good job of laying out the relationship among Spenser, Susan, and Hawk without doing a lot of explaining, the fact that I know so much about them already may be clouding my judgment on that.
Secondary character-wise, as usual it's full of interesting people, dangerous people, and some very, very damaged people. The mystery is about who is threatening the very talented by mentally unstable Jill Joyce - who won't actually say exactly how she's being threatened or who she thinks it is. There is, in fact, a reasonable explanation for that, though at this point in the evolution of the American mystery novel it might be considered a bit hackneyed.
Not one of my favorite Spenser novels, but not a bad one either.
Secondary character-wise, as usual it's full of interesting people, dangerous people, and some very, very damaged people. The mystery is about who is threatening the very talented by mentally unstable Jill Joyce - who won't actually say exactly how she's being threatened or who she thinks it is. There is, in fact, a reasonable explanation for that, though at this point in the evolution of the American mystery novel it might be considered a bit hackneyed.
Not one of my favorite Spenser novels, but not a bad one either.
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