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duparker's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
You really have to have a little to no expectations at this point with this series. The blueprint is here, the sexual innuendo and other comments that make you think if I realize how old this character is supposed to be I might throw up after reading these, is here, and the story that just sort of flows without any pre-planned ending is here. It's pretty interesting how the author, who is the third to tackle these characters, has really dove in and ran with it. It was a great airplane book and I'm glad to continue the series, but it really is not something I would seek out, but it is something I'll read.
thephdivabooks's review against another edition
4.0
I’m no stranger to jumping into a series on the newest book just to see if I like it. With Robert B. Parker’s Broken Trust, this was a particularly interesting book to jump in on (it is number 50 in the Spenser series originally by Robert B. Parker and now penned by different authors) because it is also the first penned by author Mike Lupica.
Robert B. Parker’s Spenser series began in 1973 and has gone on to include not only 50 books, but tv series and tv movie adaptations. It’s a series I knew of but hadn’t ever read before, but when the audiobook for Broken Trust became available, I thought the premise sounded good and decided to give it a try.
Spenser is an ex-boxer, an ex-cop, and a current private investigator who lives in Boston. In Broken Trust, Spenser is enlisted to help a woman named Laura Crain, who is the wife of the 6th wealthiest man in the United States and a friend of his girlfriend (though it is never explicitly stated their relationship is defined this way, but I’m inferring) Susan Silverman’s. Laura says her husband Andrew has been acting strangely and neither Laura nor Andrew’s business partner Ethan Lowe know why. Andrew and Ethan’s company is on the verge of completing a merger with a Canadian company that will make them even more successful and wealthy.
The investigation is difficult from the start, both because the mission is somewhat vague and because everyone Spenser tries to speak with including Andrew Crain is being tightlipped. It appears that Andrew is paranoid, having outbursts that are uncharacteristic, and is being somewhat volatile. Not long after, Laura is found strangled in Brookline Park and Andrew fires Spenser (whom he never actually hired). Spenser feels obligated to continue his investigation anyways, because he feels he owes it to Laura.
I mentioned that it was important that not only was I new to the series, but Lupica is new to writing it. It was clear that he knew the series well, and I felt like he leaned into every trope and characteristic unique to the series in one book to showcase his familiarity with the series. I find this is common when writers take over a beloved series—they need to build their credibility with the long-time fans and one of the most important ways of doing this is showing that they understand the characters.
Even as a new reader to the series, it was clear that Lupica was filing his credentials by building out the characters. For instance, the banter between Spenser and his girlfriend Susan, their frequent lovemaking, his comments on her bright intellect and lack of cooking skills—this all felt intentional to the point of bluntness. It was clear these are based on long-running themes of her character in the series. I would say the same regarding the relationship between Spenser and Hawk, and the way they interact with one another. This was overdone to an extent that I could tell this was an important relationship for longtime fans.
While this was helpful since I was also new to the series, I hope that if Lupica continues to write the Spenser books, he doesn’t feel the need to continue to put so much effort into this. The problem for me was that as a new reader, these almost felt like caricatures that flattened out side characters. Perhaps there is nothing left to explore, but I wanted to see more of Susan and Spenser’s relationship outside of him just poking fun at her cooking and making constant sexually charged banter. Susan is a Harvard-trained psychologist, and I wanted to see her be explored as an intellectual and accomplished woman.
All of that aside, the mystery itself was simple (at first), but engaging. From the first meeting with Laura and Spenser, I was intrigued by what was going on. The Crains (Andrew and Laura) were interesting characters for the book. Going in knowing they are some of the wealthiest in the country and that Laura is exceptionally beautiful, the reader would expect that Andrew is cheating, doing something underhanded, or will be a largely unlikable and ruthless character.
However, Andrew and Laura have a very loving marriage from what Spenser can see. Susan’s friendship with them lends credibility to that. In addition, Crain’s desire to move forward with the merger isn’t merely to increase his personal wealth. The Crains are depicted as highly philanthropic. Andrew’s behavior veers more towards paranoia than it does underhandedness. This makes it all the more interesting that he pushes Spenser away. Is he worried that Spenser will uncover something he doesn’t want known, or can he not trust anyone including his own wife?
While I can’t be certain, it seems that several characters from the series were brought in for small (or sometimes larger) roles in this mystery. I liked that Lupica made an effort to give some context to who they were (this is how I was able to infer they had been in prior books), because it would be insurmountable to start at book 1. I like being able to join a series later and choose to go back to prior works if I’m interested (in this case, I am).
Hawk was definitely my favorite supporting character, and the one that interested me the most. He had a unique voice and perspective as a character that narrator Joe Montagne brought to life in the audiobook. I can’t speak to the authenticity of their relationship and Hawk as a character relative to prior books, but as a new reader he was the welcome investigative partner that was needed.
The case itself has more layers than are apparent at first, and Spenser has to go to great lengths to put the pieces together. The ending was satisfying for me. I liked this book overall, though I do think this was a more challenging series than normal to jump into because the characters are so well-fleshed out from prior books, a new author coming in will hesitate to develop or change them in any substantial way. I suspect that as Lupica continues the series, this will become less of an issue.
Robert B. Parker’s Spenser series began in 1973 and has gone on to include not only 50 books, but tv series and tv movie adaptations. It’s a series I knew of but hadn’t ever read before, but when the audiobook for Broken Trust became available, I thought the premise sounded good and decided to give it a try.
Spenser is an ex-boxer, an ex-cop, and a current private investigator who lives in Boston. In Broken Trust, Spenser is enlisted to help a woman named Laura Crain, who is the wife of the 6th wealthiest man in the United States and a friend of his girlfriend (though it is never explicitly stated their relationship is defined this way, but I’m inferring) Susan Silverman’s. Laura says her husband Andrew has been acting strangely and neither Laura nor Andrew’s business partner Ethan Lowe know why. Andrew and Ethan’s company is on the verge of completing a merger with a Canadian company that will make them even more successful and wealthy.
The investigation is difficult from the start, both because the mission is somewhat vague and because everyone Spenser tries to speak with including Andrew Crain is being tightlipped. It appears that Andrew is paranoid, having outbursts that are uncharacteristic, and is being somewhat volatile. Not long after, Laura is found strangled in Brookline Park and Andrew fires Spenser (whom he never actually hired). Spenser feels obligated to continue his investigation anyways, because he feels he owes it to Laura.
I mentioned that it was important that not only was I new to the series, but Lupica is new to writing it. It was clear that he knew the series well, and I felt like he leaned into every trope and characteristic unique to the series in one book to showcase his familiarity with the series. I find this is common when writers take over a beloved series—they need to build their credibility with the long-time fans and one of the most important ways of doing this is showing that they understand the characters.
Even as a new reader to the series, it was clear that Lupica was filing his credentials by building out the characters. For instance, the banter between Spenser and his girlfriend Susan, their frequent lovemaking, his comments on her bright intellect and lack of cooking skills—this all felt intentional to the point of bluntness. It was clear these are based on long-running themes of her character in the series. I would say the same regarding the relationship between Spenser and Hawk, and the way they interact with one another. This was overdone to an extent that I could tell this was an important relationship for longtime fans.
While this was helpful since I was also new to the series, I hope that if Lupica continues to write the Spenser books, he doesn’t feel the need to continue to put so much effort into this. The problem for me was that as a new reader, these almost felt like caricatures that flattened out side characters. Perhaps there is nothing left to explore, but I wanted to see more of Susan and Spenser’s relationship outside of him just poking fun at her cooking and making constant sexually charged banter. Susan is a Harvard-trained psychologist, and I wanted to see her be explored as an intellectual and accomplished woman.
All of that aside, the mystery itself was simple (at first), but engaging. From the first meeting with Laura and Spenser, I was intrigued by what was going on. The Crains (Andrew and Laura) were interesting characters for the book. Going in knowing they are some of the wealthiest in the country and that Laura is exceptionally beautiful, the reader would expect that Andrew is cheating, doing something underhanded, or will be a largely unlikable and ruthless character.
However, Andrew and Laura have a very loving marriage from what Spenser can see. Susan’s friendship with them lends credibility to that. In addition, Crain’s desire to move forward with the merger isn’t merely to increase his personal wealth. The Crains are depicted as highly philanthropic. Andrew’s behavior veers more towards paranoia than it does underhandedness. This makes it all the more interesting that he pushes Spenser away. Is he worried that Spenser will uncover something he doesn’t want known, or can he not trust anyone including his own wife?
While I can’t be certain, it seems that several characters from the series were brought in for small (or sometimes larger) roles in this mystery. I liked that Lupica made an effort to give some context to who they were (this is how I was able to infer they had been in prior books), because it would be insurmountable to start at book 1. I like being able to join a series later and choose to go back to prior works if I’m interested (in this case, I am).
Hawk was definitely my favorite supporting character, and the one that interested me the most. He had a unique voice and perspective as a character that narrator Joe Montagne brought to life in the audiobook. I can’t speak to the authenticity of their relationship and Hawk as a character relative to prior books, but as a new reader he was the welcome investigative partner that was needed.
The case itself has more layers than are apparent at first, and Spenser has to go to great lengths to put the pieces together. The ending was satisfying for me. I liked this book overall, though I do think this was a more challenging series than normal to jump into because the characters are so well-fleshed out from prior books, a new author coming in will hesitate to develop or change them in any substantial way. I suspect that as Lupica continues the series, this will become less of an issue.
diane_s's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
constantreader471's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars rounded up for an entertaining book in the Spenser series started by the late Robert B. Parker and now written by Mike Lupica. These books are like cotton candy: light, easy reading, with a predictable formula: Spenser is asked to investigate, and he is attacked to stop him from investigating. He does solve the case, but with a bittersweet ending
#RobertBParkersBrokenTrust #NetGalley.
Thanks to Penguin Group for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
#RobertBParkersBrokenTrust #NetGalley.
Thanks to Penguin Group for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
csdaley's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
abibliofob's review against another edition
4.0
I have been a fan of Robert B. Parker and his work for a long time but I feel like Spenser ought to retire. The age thing is a little ridiculous. However Mike Lupica is a wondeful writer and he has done a great job of keeping Spenser alive. Broken Trust has all the ingredients we expect in a good Spenser story. I had a fun time reading this book and I will continue following the different Parker characters no matter what. The plot and its twists are good and as always Mike has a great way with words. I thank G.P. Putnam's Sons, Penguin Random House and Edelweiss for supplying me with this book. Out in stores late November.
y3ti's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5