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kmheselton's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the book, didn't love that Mr. Atkins has started to have Susan and Spenser swear.
duparker's review against another edition
4.0
Now this is comfort reading. You sit down on a Sunday afternoon, crack open the book and drift away ignoring life. The story occurs, the dialog is familiar, and the overall pace feels like a Spenser novel. It had been a while since I picked one of these stories, and found that it was a true simple enjoyment.
stevem0214's review against another edition
5.0
Great as always. Ace Atkins does a good job of keeping Robert B. Parker alive. You can tell some differences ( a little more modern), but he sticks to the original and is doing a great service to his name. It this book, the Patriots are part of the story with a star player has a son kidnapped. Spenser, Hawk (or The Hawk) and Z save the day.
papidoc's review against another edition
2.0
As they say in the comics...THBPBBTH!!!
Atkins has taken Parker's Spenser, and made him his own, and not in a good way. Very sad, and a knock on whomever from Robert B.'s estate who approved Atkins as his successor.
Atkins has taken Parker's Spenser, and made him his own, and not in a good way. Very sad, and a knock on whomever from Robert B.'s estate who approved Atkins as his successor.
jbarr5's review against another edition
4.0
Robert B. Parkers Cheap Shot
Love the series and enjoy the story based around Boston, MA. Follow the clues and find out who is
involved in this book about a football Patriots player and somebody has kidnapped his son so he calls in PI Spenser. Clues go from those
closeby the family to people from the past.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Love the series and enjoy the story based around Boston, MA. Follow the clues and find out who is
involved in this book about a football Patriots player and somebody has kidnapped his son so he calls in PI Spenser. Clues go from those
closeby the family to people from the past.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
dynila's review against another edition
Not quite as crisp as a real Parker, but with a return to many beloved characters I find I don't really care.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
When the New England Patriot's Kinjo Heywood's son goes missing, Spenser is on the case. But who took him? Is it someone looking to squeeze a star football player out of some of his millions or is it someone with ties to Kinjo's past? Can Spenser, Hawk, and Z get Kinjo's son back in one piece?
I got this book via Goodread's Firstreads program. I've never been one of those guys that thinks Spenser is the best thing since fresh-sliced Phillip Marlowe so it wasn't a big deal for me when the Parker estate tapped Ace Atkins to take over. Lucky for me and the Parker estate, Atkins has the skills that pay the bills.
Cheap Shot reads like a long lost early Spenser. There's little talk of Spenser's man code and Spenser and Susan Silverman aren't nauseating everyone with all their relationship garbage. This is Spenser, Hawk, and their protege Zebulon Sixkill stirring up shit until the pot boils over.
Spenser's cases work best for me when his employer isn't squeaky clean and Kinjo Heywood fits the bill. He's a football player with some possible anger management issues and some skeletons in his closet. Complicating matters is his first wife, a strong woman who wants nothing but to get their son back.
Atkin's writing isn't a carbon copy of Parkers but it doesn't seem out of place either. He hits all the Parker hallmarks: slick dialog, descriptions of what people are wearing and eating, and Spenser and Hawk eventually getting into a confrontation with the bad guys. Spenser and Hawk rang true to form for me and felt pretty fresh.
The case had a lot of wrinkles. I was in the dark for quite a lot of the book. I figured out a couple pieces of how the ending was going to go but some of it still caught me napping. There was a plot twist at the 75% mark that surprised the crap out of me. The addition of Zebulon Sixkill to the supporting cast makes me want to backtrack and read more of the Spensers I've yet to read.
Cheap Shot was a really good read and I, for one, have no problem with Ace Atkins continuing the series as long as he wants. Four out of five stars.
I got this book via Goodread's Firstreads program. I've never been one of those guys that thinks Spenser is the best thing since fresh-sliced Phillip Marlowe so it wasn't a big deal for me when the Parker estate tapped Ace Atkins to take over. Lucky for me and the Parker estate, Atkins has the skills that pay the bills.
Cheap Shot reads like a long lost early Spenser. There's little talk of Spenser's man code and Spenser and Susan Silverman aren't nauseating everyone with all their relationship garbage. This is Spenser, Hawk, and their protege Zebulon Sixkill stirring up shit until the pot boils over.
Spenser's cases work best for me when his employer isn't squeaky clean and Kinjo Heywood fits the bill. He's a football player with some possible anger management issues and some skeletons in his closet. Complicating matters is his first wife, a strong woman who wants nothing but to get their son back.
Atkin's writing isn't a carbon copy of Parkers but it doesn't seem out of place either. He hits all the Parker hallmarks: slick dialog, descriptions of what people are wearing and eating, and Spenser and Hawk eventually getting into a confrontation with the bad guys. Spenser and Hawk rang true to form for me and felt pretty fresh.
The case had a lot of wrinkles. I was in the dark for quite a lot of the book. I figured out a couple pieces of how the ending was going to go but some of it still caught me napping. There was a plot twist at the 75% mark that surprised the crap out of me. The addition of Zebulon Sixkill to the supporting cast makes me want to backtrack and read more of the Spensers I've yet to read.
Cheap Shot was a really good read and I, for one, have no problem with Ace Atkins continuing the series as long as he wants. Four out of five stars.
gps1138's review against another edition
3.0
Another solid entry in Atkins' continuation of the Spenser series. Susan, Hawk and Z are all here, and faithfully represented. Spenser's voice seems a little bit off in this one, and the plot is a little convoluted, but it is Spenser, and it is fun. I am glad Parker's legacy continues.
constantreader471's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars for another entertaining mystery in the Spenser series started by Robert B. Parker and now written by Ace Atkins. This is book 42 in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone.
Atkins has done well with writing in Parker's style--short chapters, short sentences, snappy dialogue and Spenser's wisecracking character.
This book opens with Spenser being hired by a star New England Patriots football player to find out who has been following him. Kinjo Heywood is a 260 pound linebacker for the Pats and tried to shoot the person following him. The police suggest that he hire Spenser rather than confront the stalker. Spenser agrees. But then the case gets much more complicated when Kinjo's son is kidnapped.
Spenser does solve the case, with the help of two associates, Hawk and Zebulon Sixkill. There are some false leads and many players in the book to follow, including:
Connor, FBI SAC(Special Agent in Charge)
Nicole Heywood, KInjo's ex and mother of Akira, Kinjo's son
Cristal, Kinjo's wife
Susan Silverman, Spenser's Significant other
Tony Marcus, a pimp
One Quote, describing Tony Marcus: "He was wearing a canary-yellow suit with a white shirt and a black tie with a black handkerchief in the pocket."
I read this library book in 2 days.
Atkins has done well with writing in Parker's style--short chapters, short sentences, snappy dialogue and Spenser's wisecracking character.
This book opens with Spenser being hired by a star New England Patriots football player to find out who has been following him. Kinjo Heywood is a 260 pound linebacker for the Pats and tried to shoot the person following him. The police suggest that he hire Spenser rather than confront the stalker. Spenser agrees. But then the case gets much more complicated when Kinjo's son is kidnapped.
Spenser does solve the case, with the help of two associates, Hawk and Zebulon Sixkill. There are some false leads and many players in the book to follow, including:
Connor, FBI SAC(Special Agent in Charge)
Nicole Heywood, KInjo's ex and mother of Akira, Kinjo's son
Cristal, Kinjo's wife
Susan Silverman, Spenser's Significant other
Tony Marcus, a pimp
One Quote, describing Tony Marcus: "He was wearing a canary-yellow suit with a white shirt and a black tie with a black handkerchief in the pocket."
I read this library book in 2 days.