Synopses & Reviews
Paradise, Massachusetts, police chief Jesse Stone returns in a brilliant new addition to the New York Times-bestselling series.
Paradise, Massachusetts, is preparing for the summer tourist season when a string of car thefts disturbs what is usually a quiet time in town. In a sudden escalation of violence, the thefts become murder, and chief of police Jesse Stone finds himself facing one of the toughest cases of his career. Pressure from the town politicians only increases when another crime wave puts residents on edge. Jesse confronts a personal dilemma as well: a burgeoning relationship with a young PR executive, whose plans to turn Paradise into a summertime concert destination may have her running afoul of the law.
When a mysterious figure from Jesse's past arrives in town, memories of his last troubled days as a cop in L.A. threaten his ability to keep order in Paradise-especially when it appears that the stranger is out for revenge.
Review
“It's a doozy…Michael Brandman shows that the standard that Parker set is still there…it all moves at a very fast pace.”--
Lincoln Journal Star “The mysteries are solved in Jesse's inimitable style, and he even has a little time for a new romantic interest…I love it!
Killing the Blues will join the other favorites on my Robert B. Parker bookcase.”--Bookreporter.com
“[An] impressive continuation of [Parker’s] series…easy, banter-filled writing, balanced with the lead's apparently limitless compassion, informed by bitter experience.”--Publishers Weekly
Review
and#160;
Praise for ROBERT B. PARKERand#8217;S WONDERLAND and#8220;Atkins finds his footing this time, settling into the character and concocting a fairly complex caper with urban development, organized crime, and sex all playing rolesand#8230;.Quite a good crime novel.and#8221;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#8212;Booklist
and#8220;Solidand#8230; Atkinsand#8217;s ability to perfectly mimic the originals will please diehard fans hungry for familiar pleasures.and#8221;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#8212;Publishers Weekly and#160;
and#8220;An entertaining effort.and#8221; and#8212; Kirkus
and#8220;These books are real gemsand#8230;the old Spenser magic is back.and#8221;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#8212;Aspen Daily News
Praise for ROBERT B. PARKERand#8217;S LULLABY and#160; and#8220;Handpicked by the Parker estate to be the keeper of the flame for the Spenser franchise, award-winning author Ace Atkins rises flawlessly to the occasion. In addition to the signature dialogue, all the familiars are fully resurrected: Susan, the sexy shrink; Pearl, the wonder dog; Hawk, the wonder sidekick; good cop Quirk, and, of course, Spenser himself, that consummate knight errant for the 21st century.and#8221; and#8212;Kirkus Reviews and#160;
and#8220;Even the most fanatical Parker fans would be hard pressed to identify any aspect of this Spenser novel that doesnand#8217;t read as if it were penned by Spenserand#8217;s late creator.and#8230;Atkins hits all the familiar marks and#8211; bantering scenes with Spenserand#8217;s girlfriend, fisticuffs, heavy-duty backup from the dangerous Hawk and#8211; as he offers familiar pleasures.and#8221; and#8212;Publishers Weekly and#160; and#160; and#8220;A brisk read. Atkins gets the important things right, from Spenserand#8217;s dark sarcasm to the gritty attitude of Mattie Sullivan, a 14-year-old Southie girl trying to solve her motherand#8217;s murder.and#8221; and#8212;Boston Magazine
and#8220;Atkins succeeds. He doesnand#8217;t sound like somebody trying to emulate Parkerand#8230;. Spenser, thankfully, sounds like Spenser. You also get the vivid sense of place, flexing of muscles and spare plot that were hallmarks of Parkerand#8217;s 39 Spenser booksand#8230;.Itand#8217;s a feat when a writer creates characters who live and breathe on the page and make readers care and keep coming back for more. To manage that with someone elseand#8217;s characters, let alone with an icon like Spenser, is a minor miracle. Ace Atkins pulls it off.and#8221; and#8212;Chicago Sun-Times
Review
Praise for Michael Brandman
"Ornery Jesse Stone again puts justice ahead of the law in Brandman's assured third continuation of Parker's series....Comfort food for Parker fans."
—Publishers Weekly on Robert B. Parker's Damned If You Do
"No one understands what makes Bob Parker's Jesse Stone tick better than Michael Brandman, who help bring him to television.... I know Michael is just the writer to carry Jesse into the future."—Tom Selleck
“Brandman nails Parkers compressionist prose.”— Booklist on Robert B. Parker's Fool Me Twice
"Brandman perfectly reproduces Parkers style in this impressive continuation of his series featuring Jesse Stone.... As with the originals, the pleasure lies more in the easy, banter-filled writing, balanced with the lead's apparently limitless compassion, informed by bitter experience."—Publishers Weekly on Robert B. Parker's Killing the Blues
"Part of a grand tradition..."—USA Today on Robert B. Parker's Killing the Blues
Review
and#160;
Praise for ROBERT B. PARKERand#8217;S WONDERLAND and#8220;Solidand#8230; Atkinsand#8217;s ability to perfectly mimic the originals will please diehard fans hungry for familiar pleasures.and#8221;
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#8212;Publishers Weekly
Praise for ROBERT B. PARKERand#8217;S LULLABY and#160; and#8220;Handpicked by the Parker estate to be the keeper of the flame for the Spenser franchise, award-winning author Ace Atkins rises flawlessly to the occasion. In addition to the signature dialogue, all the familiars are fully resurrected: Susan, the sexy shrink; Pearl, the wonder dog; Hawk, the wonder sidekick; good cop Quirk, and, of course, Spenser himself, that consummate knight errant for the 21st century.and#8221; and#8212;Kirkus Reviews and#160;
and#8220;Even the most fanatical Parker fans would be hard pressed to identify any aspect of this Spenser novel that doesnand#8217;t read as if it were penned by Spenserand#8217;s late creator.and#8230;Atkins hits all the familiar marks and#8211; bantering scenes with Spenserand#8217;s girlfriend, fisticuffs, heavy-duty backup from the dangerous Hawk and#8211; as he offers familiar pleasures.and#8221; and#8212;Publishers Weekly and#160; and#160; and#8220;A brisk read. Atkins gets the important things right, from Spenserand#8217;s dark sarcasm to the gritty attitude of Mattie Sullivan, a 14-year-old Southie girl trying to solve her motherand#8217;s murder.and#8221; and#8212;Boston Magazine
and#8220;Atkins succeeds. He doesnand#8217;t sound like somebody trying to emulate Parkerand#8230;. Spenser, thankfully, sounds like Spenser. You also get the vivid sense of place, flexing of muscles and spare plot that were hallmarks of Parkerand#8217;s 39 Spenser booksand#8230;.Itand#8217;s a feat when a writer creates characters who live and breathe on the page and make readers care and keep coming back for more. To manage that with someone elseand#8217;s characters, let alone with an icon like Spenser, is a minor miracle. Ace Atkins pulls it off.and#8221; and#8212;Chicago Sun-Times
Synopsis
It’s tourist season in Paradise, Massachusetts. With it comes a baffling and violent crime wave that has residents on edge. It’s also brought a mysterious figure who’s stirring up troubling memories for Chief of Police Jesse Stone—especially when it appears the stranger is out for revenge.
Synopsis
Henry Cimoli and Spenser have been friends for years, yet the old boxing trainer has never asked the private eye for a favor. Until now. A heavy-handed developer is trying to buy up Henry's condo on Revere Beach and sends thugs to move the process along. Soon Spenser and his apprentice, Zebulon Sixkill, find a trail leading to a mysterious and beautiful woman, a megalomaniacal Las Vegas kingpin, and plans to turn to a chunk of land north of Boston into a sprawling casino. Bitter rivals emerge, alliances turn, and the uglier pieces of the Boston political machine look to put an end to Spenser's investigation.
Aspiration, greed, and twisted dreams all focus on the old Wonderland dog track where the famous amusement park once fronted the ocean. For Spenser and Z, this simple favor to Henry will become the fight of their lives.
Synopsis
Police Chief Jesse Stone returns in another outstanding entry in the New York Times-bestselling series.
The woman on the bed was barely out of her teens. She wasnt exactly beautiful, but shed tried to make the most of her looks. And now, alone in a seedy beachfront motel, she was dead.
Paradise Police Chief Jesse Stone doesnt know her name. Whoever she is, she didnt deserve to die. Jesse starts digging, only to find himself caught in the crosshairs of a bitter turf war between two ruthless pimps. And more blood will spill before its over.
Synopsis
Police Chief Jesse Stone returns in another outstanding entry in the New York Times-bestselling series.
The woman on the bed was barely out of her teens. She wasnt exactly beautiful, but shed tried to make the most of her looks. And now, alone in a seedy beachfront motel, she was dead.
Paradise Police Chief Jesse Stone doesnt know her name. Whoever she is, she didnt deserve to die. Jesse starts digging, only to find himself caught in the crosshairs of a bitter turf war between two ruthless pimps. And more blood will spill before its over.
About the Author
Robert B. Parker was the author of seventy books, including the legendary Spenser detective series, the novels featuring Chief Jesse Stone, and the acclaimed Virgil Cole/Everett Hitch Westerns, as well as the Sunny Randall novels. Winner of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award and long considered the undisputed dean of American crime fiction, he died in January 2010.
Michael Brandman is the author of the New York Times-bestsellers Robert B. Parker's Fool Me Twice and Robert B. Parkers Killing the Blues. An award-winning producer of more than thirty motion pictures, he collaborated with Robert B. Parker for years on movie projects, Spenser TV movies, and the Jesse Stone series of TV movies starring Tom Selleck. He worked on the adaptations of Stone Cold, Night Passage, Death in Paradise, and Sea Change, and wrote and produced the original screenplays for Thin Ice, No Remorse, Innocents Lost, and Benefit of the Doubt. He lives in California.