Robert B Parker's Kickback (The Spenser Series 44)

Originally posted at www.csdaley.com

Anyone who knows me, knows how important Robert B. Parker was to my reading life. The Spenser novels made me a mystery reader. More importantly, they showed me what kind of mysteries I liked. I liked characters. I liked people that were flawed. I liked stories that showed real people, having real problems. I met Robert B. Parker a few times in my life. He signed a few hardbacks for me (which I still have). I didn't get to talk for very long because the line was huge but I was humbled to be able to talk to him even if for just a moment. His death left a giant whole in the world of writers.

I was beyond skeptical when they announced that several writers would be picking up Mr. Parker's big characters. While I liked some of his other series (his westerns in particular). I wasn't a giant fan like I was of the Spenser novels. If I was being honest though, I hadn't really enjoyed a Spenser novel completely in years. It wasn't that they were terrible. They had just lost a lot of the shine. I read them all but when he passed away I was ready to shut the door and move on.

Then they announced that Ace Atkins would be writing the Spenser novels and I was intrigued. I had read him before and found him a very good writer. Before the first book came out I was hearing some rumblings that it was quite good. I reluctantly picked it up and read it. I was flabbergasted. It was incredibly good. Better than many of Mr. Parker's last entries into the series. I felt like I was cheating on one of my favorite authors but I knew the truth. There was no use denying that Atkins had returned a sense of style and flare to Spenser. I was hooked.

The latest entry continues the trend. <em>Kickback</em> is a fairly straight forward story. A group of individuals are doing bad things. In this case, it is jailing teens in a money making scheme. A distraught mom comes to Spenser for help and he then doggedly pursues the bad guys until he annoys them so much they try to kill him. Spenser has always been very good at the annoying thing.

Atkins gives us everything we want. A very tight and action packed story. Great characters and great dialogue abound. Like all Spenser novels the story reads incredibly fast (I finished it on one sitting). It is deceptively good. The story just sneaks up on you and makes you care. Atkins has added a few new touches that Mr. Parker never really tried and they work well in here. When I finished the book I felt like I had consumed a great meal and washed it down with a beer. It was completely satisfying. I don't know how Atkins has managed to capture the essence of what Spenser is and how Mr. Parker wrote him but he has. If you are looking for a great summer read to gobble up at the beach or the cabin or anywhere. Pick this book up (and any of the other Atkin's Spenser novels). I eagerly await the next entry. Atkins is a magician and I am a willing astounded audience member.

Ace Atkins continues to do a great job keeping the Spenser series going. He has captured Robert Parker's "Spenser voice" and has enhanced the series wt interesting plots. Nice to see Hawk back
as well.

No Parker book will disappoint. Spenser is great always look forward to the next Spenser or other Parker books and finish them quickly. need to see more of them yearly, how about 6 a year? What happened to Sunny Randle?

I miss Robert Parker but Ace Atkins makes the stories of Spencer seem seamless from Parker's style to his own. Witty dialogue and action is great. I am sure Robert Parker would be happy with the way his characters are being written without him here.

A solid, if unspectacular entry. Much like an underlying theme in this story, Spenser, or at least Atkins' portrayal, is aging. More dialogue, with less of the Spenser action. Could have been a good story. However, just seemed to skirt the edges and rely on predictability.

A solid, if unspectacular entry. Much like an underlying theme in this story, Spenser, or at least Atkins' portrayal, is aging. More dialogue, with less of the Spenser action. Could have been a good story. However, just seemed to skirt the edges and rely on predictability.

The best of the Ace Atkins Spenser Novels. The dialogue was spot on. The old wisecracking Spenser was back. He also captured the essence of Hawk in this novel. After reading this book I feel the Robert B Parker Spenser series is in good hands. Mr Atkins please keep up the good work.

This is another solid Spenser book by Atkins. One thing I loved about Lullaby, was that just where I thought Robert B. Parker would have ended the story, Ace kicked it into a second gear! Here I feel he wrapped it up exactly as RBP would have. That's not a bad thing, but I felt (and please note I am a lifelong Parker fan, so don't pelt me with tomatoes) that near the end Parker was mailing it in. His voice was there, the dialogue still alive and fresh, but the plots and the wrap ups were less than Parkeresque. Atkins took all the best of Parker and added more in Lullaby. Ace Atkins as far as I'm concerned is the only one to succeed with carrying on Parker's legacy. Although, Kickback ended predictably and didn't have the same energy Atkins last Spenser novels had, it still stands head and shoulders above the efforts to continue, Jesse Stone or Cole and Hitch. They should be left to rest as they pale in comparison to the originals. Atkins continues Spenser with respect and nearly no drop off. I wished we found they identity of the boy left on the island (For a second I allowed myself to believe he was a young Quinn Colson, rescued by Spenser), it seemed odd to never mention the name and then never reveal it. Perhaps Ace was going for the "everyboy" it could have been any of the kids we know. I'm not sure. Still another seamless Spenser novel that Parker would have been proud to have read. I can not give a better recommendation then that.

I am literally stunned by this book! Ace Atkins has not only continued Robert B Parker's voice, he has enriched it beyond anyone's expectation. I am a long time and devoted fan of Parker and Spenser and I can say, with no reservation, that this book is better than any one Parker wrote! The plot is so well crafted and the characters so well drawn that they come right off the page! Because it deals with horrible things being done to children, it is difficult to read at times, but you just know Spenser will find a way to bring justice....even though you are in a knot while waiting! You can tell that Ace loves Hawk and he brings even more dimension to his character. And I love that Spenser is getting older and has normal complaints of aging. I can't say enough good things about this book! I can only urge you to read it now and then try to keep calm until the next book comes out! I know it will be hard for me to wait!!!

Ace Atkins is doing a really good job of carrying on the characters from where Robert Parker left off. It isn't totally like writing by Robert Parker - which it shouldn't be - but it is close. He portrays the characters well and does good in tying them back to previous episodes in other books.

Kickback is another fine effort from Ace Atkins. Beginning with Wonderland (the second Spenser book he penned) Atkins has been comfortable enough with the world of Parker's books to add new hues to the familiar characters. Moreover, the books are a bit more dense than some of Parker's later efforts. You'll notice there isn't quite as much white space and we get to spend more time in Spenser's world. In this one, he continues to flesh out Spenser's Boston by exploring other neighborhoods. I especially appreciate that while the zingers we all love are here in abundance, Atkins has chosen to acknowledge that Spenser, Hawk, and Susan are aging a bit. My only complaint? I wish it were longer. Spenser and Hawk turned loose together in Tampa had the potential to be even more epic. If you've been at all trepidatious about checking out the new Spenser novels, this is not a bad pace to start. I hope Parker's sons or Penguin/Putnam sign Ace to a longer term deal with these books. I'd love to see where he takes the characters.