Robert B. Parker's Slow Burn (The Spenser Series 45)

Ace Atkins has settled into the universe created by Robert Parker and has managed to keep alive the interwoven cast of characters as well as integrating some new players. The style is preserved with the blend of tough guy and whimsy that made Spenser unique. This effort seems like a stepping stone into a new world, where Sixkill will draw Spenser to LA and where the Boston scene will deal with new bad guys. Very little Susan and not many of the side players had much to do, so I see it as part of a series of stories already percolating in Ace's brain.
Keep them coming

Ace Atkins has got Robert B. Parker's detective character Spencer down pat as well as all the other characters in Spencer's world. I loved the way Spencer pushed and slugged his way to solving the arson crimes in Boston along with Z and Hawk. What a trio of tough guys that fight crime. I', d want them on my side for sure. And the fact the Spencer spits in the face of the top crime boss, steals $200K from him (and donated the money to the families of firefighters) adds a huge bonus to the plot. Atkins continues the outstanding character work starter by Parker and continues the lives of some of the best characters in fiction. Please keep it up Ace.

Spenser is definitely getting older. I am left wondering how this all ends. We've stretched time a bit and he's outlived his creator. The physical aspects are catching up to him. This builds suspense that would otherwise be lacking.

I've enjoyed the ace Atkins Spencer novels, but this one felt a little flat and a bit caricaturist. And the editing was a little slack. I know it's minor but when Hawk takes a donut from a box and then takes the same donut from the box again within two paragraphs, then later holds a pistol in his left hand, a shotgun in his right and holds onto a man with his third hand I roll my eyes. Some obvious jumbling of words and nonsensical sentences also pull me out if the story. For a major publisher and a best selling series I expect better proof reading. I also get tired of the f word. Not a prude but five times on a single page is just silly.

Mr. Atkins continues to turn out a passable Robert Parker imitation. However, this time it was just passable. Still enjoyable because - well, it's Spencer. The plot was intermittently suspenseful, and the wise cracking was still pretty wise. However, (what can I say - I do not care for the woman) there was way too much Susan and not nearly enough Hawk and Z. Next time around, please focus on gunplay and action, and forget about what Susan is wearing, drinking, thinking and eating (or not eating, heaven forbid she should spoil her ever perfect figure).

Getting closer to feeling like Robert B. Parker's writing. The arson-based plot is sort of, kind of, well, really pretty farfetched, but the dialogue is good, amusing and you can picture Parker's characters saying these lines. Over the years, Parker had diminished Vinnie Morris's importance and intelligence, but Vinnie is back in his original persona which I approve of. Spenser is beginning to feel his age but Susan is ageless. If the plot had been half believable I would have added a fourth star.

Spenser lives again in Atkins re-creation of Spenser's Boston, Spenser's style, Spenser's laconic passions: Susan and food. My opinion is Spenser will never die, as fans like me will read every word of any book that is entitled Robert B Parker's.......... Thank you.

The first Spenser book by Ace Atkins was pretty good, but to me it just wasn't quite Spenser. Since then, Atkins has gotten better and more comfortable in rendering the character Robert B Parker created. I'd even go so far as to say each one has been better than the last, and Slow Burn is the best one so far. It might even be better than some of Parker's early books, and that's really saying something. The characters are interesting and fully formed, the story is compelling and original, and the writing flows. Well done!

For those looking for the attitude, characters, story, and plot of old school RBParker Mr. Atkins delivers. As with every novel in this series, I wished it was longer, yet I was satisfied with the ending.

Ace Atkins has previously borrowed heavily from Robert B. Parker. In this book, Atkins no longer sounds so distinctively as Parker, but as a hybrid of Parker and someone else. I think this hybrid is not only better, but a natural improvement in the series. Atkins is writing with enough of Parker's descriptive manner to walk in his shoes, but he does not beleaguered the Parker smilies and usual plot sketches that was starting to make Parker's writing a heavy burden on his fans looking for better action and flow lines. I am looking forward to seeing how Atkins further handles aging, older sex, dislocation and character growth.

Atkins continues his strong writing streak as he breathes new life into Parker's classic characters by staying true to their spirit while moving them forward in different ways. Of particular interest is the way Ace manages to give Spenser some cases that are a bit more involved than the last several Parker wrote. This time Spenser is after an Arsonist. No spoilers from me, but you will be sorry it had to end. You may be even more sad to realize we have to wait another year for the next one. To leave readers wanting more and eagerly anticipating the followup is not the worst crime a writer may be accused of.