School Days (Spenser Book 33)

Although quite gripping and suspenseful, with Spenser as usual putting his life on the line, this is a very thought-provoking book.
Robert B. Parker latest novel addresses the growing number of school shootings in the US. He did so with his signature quirky narrative, yet beneath this there are serious observations about cause and effect, and responsibility for actions which makes this riveting reading.

Spenser, our unique yet highly entertaining investigator, is lying low in his office when Lily Ellsworth, a wealthy grandmother marches in whose grandson was involved in a school shooting in a flashy white suburb of Boston. She refuses to believe he's guilty and engages Spenser to prove the seventeen-year-old boy’s innocence.

Spenser's determination to find the "why" was a great premise for the plot in SCHOOL DAYS, # 33 in the series (but like all of these novels can be read stand alone or out of order). Spenser heads to Bethel County, Massachusetts and discovers no one wants him there. The untangling of this mess unravels other sordid goings on in the area.

Chief Cromwell is full of bluster, and he doesn’t want Spenser asking questions because of his own guilt — (he got the initial call and wasn’t experienced enough to know how to react). Garner, the school principal, would also like to put the tragedy behind the school.

With one boy, Wendell, fingering the other, Jared, and then Jared confessing that he’s guilty, it seems cut and dry. But Spenser is Spenser, and there’s something here he can’t quite put his finger on. When Spenser realises the story he’s getting in regard to Jared’s school life — from other kids — is in stark contrast to what the guidance counsellor is telling him that Jared told her, he takes off the gloves and does some more serious poking around. It leads to discovering academic betrayals of trust, blackmail, and unplanned murders.

There is a lot going on here, from failure to flourish to sexual blackmail. When Spenser finally gets to the bottom of the why regarding the shooting, he’s in for another revelation.

Ultimately, this is Spenser in fine form, He is a great character and always provides a fun and enjoyable read. The story is outstanding with twists and turns which follow are fascinating. Highly recommended.
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Book 33 in the series and unless you are determined to read them all, this is one you can skip pretty easily

Every once in awhile Parker looks like he is going to take on a current issue, in this case, school shootings. Two boys have confessed to a school shooting that left several people dead and it looks open and shut until one of the boy's grandmothers hires Spenser to clear her grandson. Promising!

But Parker doesn't obfuscate the actual crime much and it doesn't take long for Spenser (and the reader) to realize the kids did do it, so now Spenser turns to trying to figure out "why?". Which could also be interesting, but in this book the answer depends on a long string of adults engaging in some unlikely behavior, not impossible, but just implausible to the point that broke my suspension of disbelief.

Worst is Parker/Spenser's treatment of the other shooter, who is basically ignored throughout and Parker seems to realize it at the 11th hour when we get a Spenser soliloquy on not being able to save the world so it's OK to only focus on the one boy. No, no, that doesn't sound like Spenser at all, he has tilted at way too many windmills in the previous 32 books to suddenly be too busy to care about a kid, especially one is so entwined with his own client. Sorry, it was a cop out.

So, with nothing really to say about school shootings in general, no real mystery, no new characters or development of established ones....this is a book you can safely skip. OTOH, if you like the series, this is an easy and comfortable read, so no harm in reading it, just don't expect much.

Reading “Days” was for us bittersweet as this 33rd in Parker’s original 39-book Spenser series concluded our reading of that entire bibliography. {We are indeed reading the extended set written by Ace Atkins however…} The plot seems all too familiar these days, as two high school kids decide to enter a somewhat exclusive school and seemingly randomly shoot and kill several students and a teacher for no apparent reason. Both killers are captured and destined for at least life sentences if not the death chamber.

Spenser is hired by one of the boy’s grandmother to see if her grandson really did the deed, as he was not apprehended on the scene but was ratted out by his co-culprit. It takes only a couple hours to realize he was indeed one of the two perps, but Spenser is deviled by the “why”, especially since he senses the teenager in question is a little bit “off”. Our persistent protagonist eventually learns a great deal about the matter, including where they got the guns, who taught them how to shoot, and just what prompted the whole thing. He wound up pretty satisfied with his research, but it didn’t really do much to change anything.

So the tale was, as with most of these novels, predictably entertaining enough; and we will surely miss the author’s voice. We won’t necessarily miss Susan and some of her “babble” that much, but of course her role will continue, albeit thankfully minimized, in the recent extensions to the set. But we have to give kudos to Parker for providing us many an hour of diversionary reading enjoyment!

Review of unabridged audiobook version (5 CD). This is the 33rd of forty Spenser novels written by Robert Parker and the lean dialogue is less than exemplary even though Joe Mantega gives an excellent read. Unfortunately, Parker uses the word "said" approximately 400 times and never substitutes any other word such as "replied". It quickly becomes boring. Plus, the dialogue rarely is a complete sentence which explains why the unabridged audiobook only needs five CDs. Also, Spenser's sidekick Hawk does not appear and girlfriend Susan Silverman only briefly appears in the final chapter, which means Spenser is supported by a couple of lackluster cops.

Obviously, Robert Parker's Spenser novels are very popular and entertaining, However, this appears to be a rush job written to pay for a house remodeling or Boston waterfront condo. Compared to audiobook versions of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch novels, this is dismal in comparison. In my humble opinion (IMHO), Parker's writing in this novel is a weak imitation of Raymond Chandler.

However, if you want light entertainment while recuperating from surgery or a flu; taking an airplane flight; or riding Amtrak from New York to Washington, D.C. then this will more than satisfy your desire to be entertained. FYI, you can find good to excellent used audiobooks for $6 - $7.

Private investigator Spenser accepts the case of a boy who has already confessed to being one of the two shooters responsible for deaths at a private high school. He's hired by the boy's wealthy grandmother, and he quickly discovers that all the other adults involved - including the boy's parents - want to put him away as quickly as possible, and move on. Only the grandmother believes her grandson might possibly be innocent, or that he might at least be able to plead some sort of mitigating circumstance. As Spenser looks into the young man's history, he learns that the grandmother is the only adult who has spent time being a friend to him. His parents have cleared all trace of their son out of their home already. The school's counselor remembers him from a few consultations, but cannot or will not say more. Spenser knows something isn't right. So he starts pushing, and keeps pushing; and of course someone soon tries to kill him.

This installment in the long series has very little Susan Silverman (Spenser's love is out of state at a conference), and no Hawk except for a brief mention. Instead, attorney Rita Fiore and Spenser's police associates occupy the supporting roles. It's a good story, and I liked the ending. Sad, but it made sense.

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of 2005 science fiction EPPIE winner "Regs" (and recovering schoolteacher - Grade 10 was my favorite)

His grandmother is convinced he must be innocent, but when private detective Spenser starts looking into Jared Clark's involvement in a school shooting, Spenser starts to doubt it. First, the kid confessed. Second, the kid they actually caught identified Jared as his fellow shooter. When Spenser finally tracks down where the guns came from and connects Jared to that, lots of people wonder why he doesn't just write up his report, submit his final bill, and get on with his life. But Spenser wants more than to know who did it--he wants to know why. And so far, he knows there's something important missing. A man like Spenser doesn't give up--not without doing his best to bring what salvation he can to people who need it.

In recent years, author Robert B. Parker has relied more and more on Spenser sidekick Hawk to propell the story, and on Spenser girlfriend Susan Silverman to explain and justify Spenser's actions so it's a pleasant surprise to find a story where the two sidekicks are almost completely absent. Left on his own, Spenser goes about sticking his nose where it isn't wanted, offending the uptight and insufficiently manly, and bonding with the more macho characters while bringing harsh correction to those who misinterpret macho for bullying behavior.

With SCHOOL DAYS, Parker addresses one of the major American fears--school shootings. What kind of children would go on a rampage and shoot many of their fellows? What could motivate them to explode in that way? Parker comes up with two answers--first, that it's not a surprise that it happens, but that it happens so rarely. After all, it's an age where hormones run wild, where kids have not yet developed the thick skins and conflict resolution skills that adults have, and where they generally feel useless as they sit in boring classes being annoyed by boring teachers and each other. As Spenser discovers, there is a major stretch between the general difficulties of school days and the specifics of a particular shooting.

Parker's writing keeps the reader engrossed, making SCHOOL DAYS the kind of story that's easy to sit down and finish in a single reading.

Spenser is back, folks, lean and uncluttered and in better shape than he has been in years. Best of all, his inamorata Susan Silverman is away at a "shrink conference" in North Carolina, a stay which gets extended so that she shows up only for a final chapter you can easily skip. Who knows, maybe in the next book we'll find she's taken a job at Duke and is moving South :-))).

Don't get me wrong, one of the big assets of the Spenser series (and Parker's other ventures into serialdom) is the ensemble cast that has accreted over the years .. Susan, Hawk of course, foundling Paul Giacomin, the cops and crooks, madames and mobsters, gays and gangsters from around the Boston area and the rest of the country. The trouble is that Parker has seemed to let them take over recent books; perhaps feeling that each one has a constituency that will be disappointed if s/he doesn't make an appearance.

In "School Days," Parker has done some zero-base budgeting and the "regular suspects" only touch on the plot, in the background, except for Rita Fiore, the bombshell attorney who hooks him up with the case, and his frequent companion Pearl-the-Wonder-Dog II. Ninety percent of the book is pure, primal Spencer. It's a tonic and refreshing change.

Oh. You want to know what the book is about? Who cares, but .... A suburban grandmother hires Spencer to prove her grandson's innocence of a Columbine-like prep school shootup. The only trouble is that (though he initially escaped) his partner has fingered him and he has confessed. As Spenser investigates, he becomes convinced that the the accusation and confession are valid, but he remains haunted by the how and why of the incident, and the way that nearly everyone involved wants to make it all just go away with an unexamined conviction, from the parents of the shooters to the school principal to the guidance counselor, small-town tough guy police chief, and defense attorney. Spenser mingles with prep school students and those from the "loser" public school, urban gangsters and donut munching staties, uncovering much that is hinky and kinky in the suburban paradise. It is full of Spenser's snappy dia-(and mono-)log, though without the almost ritualized obsessing with Susan's perfection and cute black-white banter with Hawk that had been becoming increasingly tiresome.

Presumably Parker will bring back some of the ensemble in future outings, but let's hope he strikes a happy medium, bringing them in sparingly and only as needed for the plot, not just 'cause. And maybe, just maybe, we will have seen the last of Susan.

If you liked the early Spenser volumes, you'll love this one.

Re the reviewer who wrote: "Parker has said that he has more to say about Spenser than Hawk because he doesn't know Hawk as well. How this could be the case, when Parker created him, I don't know..." I don't think it's any secret that Spenser is, in a sense, a doppelganger of Parker himself, if Parker were a private eye, down to the Pearl-equivalent companion in his picture on the dust jacket. Spenser, for instance, is at times a carpenter? Parker made the built-in shelves for a local mystery bookstore. Spenser quotes Literatuer-with-a-capital-L? Parker taught it at Boston University. Etc. Hawk, on the other hand, is essentially unknowable, a pure ideal, a classical Other. Spenser is, in large part, real; Hawk is imagined perfection

We have known from the start that Spenser was old school and that hs certainly been a key appeal of the character in the thirty-three novels that Robert B. Parker has written to date. But while reading "School Days" I was suddenly struck that he is rather anachronistic in the world of today. Lily Ellsowrth, who is elderly and wealthy, walks into Spenser's office and hires him to investigate her grandson Jared Clark's alleged involvement in a school shooting. Two teenage boys wearing ski masks walked into the Dowling School, the private academy they attended, and opened fire, each with a pair of nine-millimeter handguns. Five students, an assistant dean, and a Spanish teacher were killed, with another eight people being wounded. One of the boys, Wendell Grant, was captured while the other one disappeared. But two days later, Wendell gave up his friend, Jared, who confesses. Mrs. Ellsworth wants Spenser to demonstrate that her grandson is innocent of the charges.

Obviously there are parallels to Columbine, but some other cases from the media will be involved by the end as well. The reason I was struck by Spenser as being anachronistic is because since the police caught Wendell red-handed and Jared confessed, the case is seen as being a slam-dunk. However, as Spenser does what he does best, going around and asking questions to see what happens, he becomes curious as to why the two kids did this and where they got the guns and learned to shoot. The cops and the district attorney do not care and everything apparently happens sans media in "School Days," so Spenser has to go it alone. But we know from Columbine and other school shootings that in the aftermath of these things everybody wants to know where these kids got their guns and why. In a state like Massachusetts, where there is not a death penalty, they would especially want answers to these questions. Still, that simply reinforces what we have known for years, namely that Spenser's world is uniquely his own.

Susan Silverman is at a shrink conference in Durham, North Carolina, and Hawk is not around, so this turns out to be more of a solo adventure for our hero than it has been for a while. Rita Fiore is around and we get to see her in action a little bit, although neither of the kinds that we would most like to see from her. There is also a nice little blast from the past many years gone, which is also a nice touch in a Parker novel. We are on familiar ground here: nobody wants to talk to our hero, people are threatening him, and besides the old lady the rest of Jared's family is strangely apathetic. Even the boy does not seem to care about what happens to him, but Mrs. Ellsworth is paying him to find out, which means he is going to, even if he no longer has a client.

In terms of how he does he job and the type of results our hero gets, "School Days" is a standard Spenser story, even if the usual cast of characters is on the thin side (on the bright side, that gives Pearl a lot more face time in this novel). But then the method to Spenser's madness in pursuing the truth in his own inimitable manner has always been a large part of the attraction. In fact, this novel has another one of personal favorite Spenser moments, which is when he has to do nothing (because he does it so well). As always, Parker provides a quick read, perfect for the commuter lifestyle or for mini-breaks at work (each chapter only takes a couple of minutes to read). This is not a great Spenser novel, but then a good one like this one is always a lot of fun.

In School Days, there's not much mystery about who pulled off the ski-mask-garbed, murderous rampage at the up-and-coming Dowling School, a private day school in the oh-so-white suburbs. One perp was caught inside the building. He fingered another perp, who soon confessed. Both had been students at the school. So why is Spenser involved?

Lily Ellsworth is concerned about her grandson, Jared Clark, who is the student who confessed. Jared's parents seem to have hired an idiot to defend him, and no one seems to give the boy a chance. Since Lily is wealthy (at least she can afford a chauffeured Bentley), she can look into matters. She asks Spenser to prove Jared is innocent. Spenser agrees to do the best he can.

Spenser's investigation doesn't go very far. Most people just want to sweep the incident under the rug. Jared wants to pretend he's a tough guy.

To Spenser, the clues don't add up . . . why did the two do it?

In pursuing that trail, Spenser crosses some tough and not-so-tough characters, luscious women who want this body while Susan Silverman is out of town and annoying suburban types. The "why" remains hidden until near the end, helping to sustain a modest amount of suspense in what is a pretty pedestrian tale.

The book shines brightest in Spenser's wise cracking repartee, which is mostly lost of his companions.

The story comes across as more one dimensional than most as Spenser pursues the case without Hawk or Susan . . . but with more than a little coaching from the lusting top criminal attorney, Rita Fiore.

The humor works best when Spenser is trailing Pearl along with him while he conducts the investigation. But it's smile ... rather than ha, ha ... humor.

The new characters weren't terribly interesting so the verbal sparring didn't really add much to the book.

As usual, we get a nice dose of Spenser's sterling character. He keeps on the trail even after he's fired. He admires other women's shapes ... but stops at that.

If you like Spenser, read the book. But don't expect anything special.

For longtime fans of the series, I think this novel is a return to form. Rather than being surrounded by the Spenser Repertory Company of Supporting Characters, Spenser is alone, for the most part. Susan makes a brief cameo. While it does not return the series to the vaunted heights of great fiction like Mortal Stakes, flawed but ambitious attempts to tackle important themes within the form like Promised Land, and hard-hitting contemporary fiction like Looking For Rachel Wallace, it is the best Spenser novel of the 21st century.

An unrelenting gloom surrounds the book. The weather is gray. To paraphrase Bob Dylan, Spenser finds out everything is broken. Broken lives abound, the educational system is in disarray, and parents give up on children for reasons of propriety, dogma, disappointment, or grief. I was reminded of Ross Macdonald when I read this book. While Spenser is a much different character than Macdonald's Lew Archer, the focus of Parker's novel recalls Macdonald in Spenser's searching for why, rather than who.

A great book for lovers of this series. Full of compassion and tough-eyed observations.

In the upscale affluent Boston suburb of Dowling at the local prep school, two teens that attended the education facility took their nine millimeter handguns and opened fire. Five studies and two teachers were killed a six students and two teachers were injured. They then holed up in the library until a hostage negotiator persuaded Wendell Grant to give up. The other killer disappeared but Dell later told them it was Jared Cark who later confessed to the crimes.

Jared's grandmother hires Spenser to prove her grandson is innocent but when he gets to Dowling, he finds Jared is represented by an incompetent lawyer who believes his client is guilty and Jared's parents feel the same way. By the time Spenser questions everyone there is no question in his mind that Jared is guilty. However, Spencer goes one step further and sets out to find why this tragedy happened and what the private investigator learns turns out to be a bigger tragedy that the teen killing spree.

Fast paced, breezy dialogue and the protagonist's trademark dry-wit makes for another delightful reading experience in the long running Spenser series. Robert B. Parker is at the top of his game in this exciting private investigative tale that examines how a Columbine type action could happen and where the blame should be placed. Fans of this series won't be disappointed in SCHOOL DAYS, one of the best and most timely books Mr. Parker has ever written.

Harriet Klausner

Spenser is dogsitting for Susan when Lily Ellsworth seeks Spenser's assistance for her grandson, Jared Clark. Jared has been identified as one of two Columbine-style school shooters and has confessed. The police and Jared's lawyer don't want Spenser to investigate.

The parents of Jared had moved to the town to be part of it. Jared's co-defendant had never been what his mother wanted him to be. Wendell's mother describes him, he is a bully. (Jared's parents cleaned out his room, leaving not even a speck of him in it.)

Susan remains in Durham for the duration of this mystery. Spenser gets ideas by talking with an attorney friend, Rita Fiore. It turns out the school shooting presents an interesting case to solve. The shooters are known but the reasons aren't.

Spenser begins with the knowledge that no one wants to know why the shooting happened and he unravels things from that point. Anyone who cares about schools and teenagers will find Parker's careful portrayal of the school and the town realistic.

A couple of Spenser novels ago, I suggested in my review that the stars and the situation had become tired, and Parker should perhaps retire them to concentrate on the Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall series instead. He did not take my advice, and now I am glad he didn't. "School Days" spins away from the Columbine school tragedy into a nice tale of troubled kids and almost equally troubled adults, throwing a bit of Mary Kay LeTourneau into the mix. There are now 33 Spenser books, but this is the best one in several years. As other reviewers have noted, perhaps one reason this effort seems refreshing is that both Susan, the detective's long-time shrink and lover, and Hawk, his equally long-time deadly sidekick, are absent. Although I disagree with some prior critics on this site that Susan is annoying, taking a break from her and Spenser's relationship was a wise move, at least for this book. Long-time fans of the series should be pleased at this one, and newcomers are likely to enjoy it as well. Congratulations, Mr. Parker.

In this latest outing of the likable, wise-cracking Boston gumshoe, we find him being gently persuaded to delve into the case of a boy who stands accused of a horrible crime. To the delight of many Spenser fans, Susan's presence is minimal throughout the tale, but to the dismay of those very same fans, Hawk is nowhere to be found (though there is a brief reference to Hawk by Spenser when he seeks to enlist the aid of a local hood).

In spite of the lingering presence of Susan throughout (she's attending a professional conference out of state while the gumshoe is on the case), I found myself laughing at key points in the tale. I enjoyed reading Parker's clipped, sharp 'prose'. He certainly has nailed the dialog thing.

In fact, I think I will pick up the next tale in the Spenser series and give it a slow, careful read. I am amazed at all the life lessons Parker drops here and there. Every book he writes is a true intellectual treat.

While not the most convoluted of Spenser adventures this book is clean, sparse, and refreshingly Spenser through and through. I didn't mind the exclusion of some of my favorite characters when Spenser shines like he does in this outing. Spenser at his wisecracking best digging away like Pearl with a bone, impervious to all obstacles when he's on the case.

And what a case. No shining happy ending here, but a satisfying conclusion nonetheless. Poor, poor Jared.

I don't understand why so many reviewers were glad Susan was gone for the entire book. She's not my favorite character but I certainly don't wish her gone. Spenser's mature certainty that she is the one for him and not ashamed to announce it to all and everyone is one of the things I admire most about him. I loved it when Mrs. Ellsworth asked if he would put her grandson's interests above all else and Spenser unashamedly replied that he put Susan Silverman's interests above all else. Ahhhh. My hero. What a guy.

I remember the Spenser for Hire series on television, but never watched it. In a way, I'm glad, since I'm just now making the connection to Spenser novels. Robert B. Parker definitely has a style, as many here have noted, that is short, choppy, and sometimes leaves you feeling as though you've missed out on knowing something that only the author can/narrator can know, things that maybe should have been told to the reader. I always had the feeling while reading this book, School Days, that I was missing out on some inside information about the universe this book is set in. I'm assuming, perhaps incorrectly so, that had I been reading other Spenser novels prior to this one, I would be more in the know, since I'm told by a friend that the Spenser universe has a sort of set up to it that perhaps I need to fully appreciate these Spenser novels.

All that said, I loved School Days. I mean, the writing IS choppy, but that is because we're getting it as though it's straight from Spenser's head. We're not getting it from Robert B. Parker - Spenser is telling us his story, in his head, as it's happening, and that, to me, makes it fast-paced, interesting, and almost voyeuristic in nature. I love his 'asides' and 'inside thoughts' and the internal dialogue is freaking hilarious. I'm hard to impress when it comes to writing, with so many of the blockbusters being so similar in style that I'm bored. This is different. It's not Pulitzer or National Book Award type quality writing, but in some ways, it's better than that, because it does what a book should do: it entertains.

Also, I am not one to laugh out loud at a book, and Robert B. Parker, through Spenser had me rolling at some very memorable sarcastic quips and one-liners. I suppose that's a personal preference too, as I understand not everyone likes and/or appreciates sarcasm and Spenser is nothing if not raucously sarcastic.

School Days takes two major plots that were ripped from the then more current headlines in real life: school shootings and adults/educators having affairs with students. It weaves a tale that didn't always go where I wanted it to, and in fact, a couple of things I could have done without, but then I guess real life doesn't always work out the way we plan either, so for Spenser, sometimes 'them's the breaks...'

I too wish I could have seen more of Susan in this novel, since she was away at a conference, so I don't know much about that relationship, but there was enough in the book to intrigue me. However, if I did not know that Spenser was a series of books, I would have felt cheated that we learned so little about Susan. It was like she was an afterthought.

So the final assessment is this: If you take this book, which is a fast, easy read, and take it like it's an episode of a TV series, and this is just one plotline in the entire universe that is Spenser, I think you'll enjoy the book. If you take it as a stand-alone book, expecting blockbluster best-seller action all by itself, it might leave you wanting a little bit. However, I do look forward to finding the first Spenser novel and starting from the beginning now and reviewing the other Robert B. Parker works when I do.

Susan to me was always high (very) maintenance. She needed a lot. She is full of herself. Except for the fact that after she and Spenser, you know, are together and she doesn't like to get out of bed with, you know, nothing on, SHE SEEMS ALMOST LIKE A CHINA DOLL. I mean doesn't your wife/girl/(OK)partner ever get drunk? Ever go to a Pats game and boo when Brady gets sacked and the ref doesn't have the guts (or other anatomical references) to throw a 'roughing the passer flag?' Say a really bad word?

So I'm happy when Susan is anywhere outside of Massachusetts. This is vintage Spenser. Rita carries her end of the bargain by her relentless assault upon Spenser's "Semper Fidelis" attitude, Belson makes an appearance, Healy's available by phone. Spenser makes a couple of meals, shares the recipe with us, knocks the stuffing out of a couple of morons, and insults a couple of 'donut' cops. All in all, a good mystery that for a change, surprises you at the ending.

There's a little of Milton in there, a little Shakespeare, and a little Houseman for those who miss the good old days when a Spenser novel was the first 1/2 semester of College Lit. Great to always read a Spenser. This one was especially good. And Susan, I was only kidding. Really. 5 stars. Larry Scantlebury

First--I did this book on unabridged audio CD. Joe Mantegna is amazing as Spenser on the audio books and he outdid himself here.

This is rather unusual as a Spenser novel because Susan is gone and Hawk is not in the book. Spenser takes on what appears to be an open-and-shut case involving two teenaged students shooting up a school--outside Boston.

As always, Parker's books are particularly enjoyable for their spare style combined with a real mastery of dialogue. Mantegna's presentation acts as a true partner to Parker's writing. I think Parker has more chapters for fewer lines than any other author.

It appears that most Spenser readers are like me--looking forward to new installments of familiar characters. Even though Susan and Hawk are not factors in this book, it won't disappoint Spenser fans.

A Columbine shooting at a private school provides the setting for this story. Spenser is hired to prove the innocence of one of the shooters.

I enjoyed the book but it seemed like it was Robert Parker Light, less taste and less filling. It had a good story line and the plot was good but it just didn't seem to have enough meat on the bones. I've noticed that when I'm hungry my analogies all seem food related. One of my favorite aspects of Parker's Spenser novels is the verbal repartee between Hawk and Spenser. Since Hawk was not a participant in this story that was missing. This is not a beach book, this more like finish it in one sitting while waiting in the dentist's office. This was a very short, very quick read, too light and too quick to be satisfying.
Cold Service (Spenser)

Having been a severe critic of the last couple of Spenser books, I must give Robert B. Parker kudos for "School Days" - not the greatest in the series, but an improvement over past efforts.

Like other reviewers, I enjoyed this book more with the absence of the almost cloying love affair with Susan being dragged into every other chapter. For better or worse, Spenser has always begged comparison in my eyes with another of my favorite heroes, Travis McGee, and McGee was a terrific one for providing an "escapism" from monogamous relationships (is that a gentle way of saying "womanizer").

And isn't that escapism what we want from our hard-boiled, lone wolf private investigators? That, along with an evil villain, a juicy plot, some nice cooking and drinking (in Spenser's case). As a side note about another detective in a similar rut, Lucas Davenport isn't nearly as interesting as a married man and parent as he was when he was single.

A good sidekick is helpful, too, but I didn't miss Hawk in "School Days" - maybe Pearl the Wonderdog is enough (just like the picture on the back dust jacket).

What would really add some spice to the series is if Spenser would take Rita Fiore up on her offer(s) - she's more fun that Susan anyway and I'll bet she knows how to fill her own car with gas and eat more than a morsel of food at dinner.

This was my first Spenser novel, either printed or audio. I was fascinated by Parker's direct sentences and his style of "he said" - "she said". Joe Mantegna delivers Parker's dry humor perfectly. The characters are full and well-developed and the story flows easily. The author's background clearly shows in his literary references, with Spenser able to quote Shakespeare. Actually, I'm not sure if that occurred in this book or others of the Spenser series; as soon as I finished listening to this book, I went to the library and looked for other "Spensers". Despite Spenser's history of having served in the Korean War, been a police detective, and now a private investigator for a number of years, Spenser, like James Bond, is timeless and eternally around 40-ish. A very enjoyable story and audio rendition. Pay particular attention to Spenser's interactions with and descriptions of Rita Fiore. Priceless!

As Spenser novels go, this is a good one. Spenser is a tough ex-cop/now PI. He is often learned in his references and he is sometimes funny. By his own account, he is a better than average lover. What he is not is original. Mike Hammer was a tough ex-cp--long before Spenser. Lawrence Block's and Donald Westlake's characters are smarter and funnier. And all men are great lovers, to hear them tell it. A private eye who wasn't a chick magnet? Unheard of.

The plot here is as new as recent headlines: shooting up of a school by malcontents. Except, one of them either didn't do it or had a fairly good reason for doing whatever he did or didn't do. That is the mystery, and I won't give it away. The characters and atmosphere are good, not spectacular but good.

It all comes down to Spenser himself in deciding about this. It's worth a read.

Once again, Parker demonstrates his expertise at creating a tight, involving plot; allowing you to become part of the setting; building dimensional characters and sharp, real dialogue. It is refreshing to have Spencer on his own, without Hawk or Susan. I also found it interesting that Parker has stopped making reference to Spencer's war experience, thus making him ageless and more believable. It is the story that held me, looking for the reason behind the young man's actions, and how two young boys obtained, and learned to use, the weapons they had. There is a very good twist at draws the ends together very effectively. This is definitely one of Parker's best books.

October 25, 2005

Description: Up to date and complex Spenser novel

Pros: Excellent plot

Cons: Some fans will miss Hawk and Susan

Susan is out of town. Hawk never appears. Spenser's only companion in School Days is the dog, Pearl. But Spenser (no help from Pearl) does very well in solving the mysteries in a complicated plot revolving around seventeen-year-old Jared who, with a friend, has killed seven people in a school shooting. Jared has confessed, but his grandmother is convinced he's innocent. Even if Jared is guilty, Spenser won't give up trying to find out why the boy did it, and the source of the guns used in the shooting.

Random killings at a school by young students are horrifying, and very twenty-first century, but as Spenser investigates, he learns that the situation is even worse than he feared, reflecting more than one problem featured in current newspaper headlines.

While detecting, Spenser drinks a lot of Scotch, talks to Pearl, eats pie and other restaurant food, and prepares one strange meal-corn, cranberry beans, steak, and tomatoes in a vinaigrette dressing. (Come on, Spenser, you can do better.)

He also encounters his friends the lawyer Rita Fiore and State Police Homicide Commander Healy, and assorted hoods. He beats up a few people, and dodges some bullets before he unravels the book's multi-layered mystery. This is one of the best of Parker's many novels.

Recommendation: Buy

There seem to be two types of detective-genre fans: those who like detective fiction and those who prefer detective literature. Reactions to Robert Parker's latest Spenser effort, School Days, illustrates the difference. Detective-fiction types want "the facts, ma'am, just the facts," who-done-it and how, with a healthy dose of butt-kicking. Such folk are thrilled that Susan Silverman, Spenser's romantic soulmate, is absent from this new novel; they find her a drivelly, annoying distraction. Those, like myself, who like detective literature, miss Susan's presence dearly, as well as that of Hawk, Henry Cimoli,and other Spenser regulars. Literature employs subplots, character development, and is as much about "who am I" as "who done it." The interplay between Susan's self-assured insights and Spenser's knowing self-avoidance is often the difference between a book which offers revelation through grime, crime and punishment, and one which merely revels in them. Many of Spenser's adventures do qualify as literature, that is, they reveal a part of Spenser to himself, and in doing so show us something real about ourselves, too. This latest installment, however, fun that it is, is only a fiction.

This was my first Spenser novel, either printed or audio. I was fascinated by Parker's direct sentences and his style of "he said" - "she said". Joe Mantegna delivers Parker's dry humor perfectly. The characters are full and well-developed and the story flows easily. The author's background clearly shows in his literary references, with Spenser able to quote Shakespeare. Actually, I'm not sure if that occurred in this book or others of the Spenser series; as soon as I finished listening to this book, I went to the library and looked for other "Spensers". Despite Spenser's history of having served in the Korean War, been a police detective, and now a private investigator for a number of years, Spenser, like James Bond, is timeless and eternally around 40-ish. A very enjoyable story and audio rendition. Pay particular attention to Spenser's interactions with and descriptions of Rita Fiore. Priceless!

As Spenser novels go, this is a good one. Spenser is a tough ex-cop/now PI. He is often learned in his references and he is sometimes funny. By his own account, he is a better than average lover. What he is not is original. Mike Hammer was a tough ex-cp--long before Spenser. Lawrence Block's and Donald Westlake's characters are smarter and funnier. And all men are great lovers, to hear them tell it. A private eye who wasn't a chick magnet? Unheard of.

The plot here is as new as recent headlines: shooting up of a school by malcontents. Except, one of them either didn't do it or had a fairly good reason for doing whatever he did or didn't do. That is the mystery, and I won't give it away. The characters and atmosphere are good, not spectacular but good.

It all comes down to Spenser himself in deciding about this. It's worth a read.

Once again, Parker demonstrates his expertise at creating a tight, involving plot; allowing you to become part of the setting; building dimensional characters and sharp, real dialogue. It is refreshing to have Spencer on his own, without Hawk or Susan. I also found it interesting that Parker has stopped making reference to Spencer's war experience, thus making him ageless and more believable. It is the story that held me, looking for the reason behind the young man's actions, and how two young boys obtained, and learned to use, the weapons they had. There is a very good twist at draws the ends together very effectively. This is definitely one of Parker's best books.

October 25, 2005

Description: Up to date and complex Spenser novel

Pros: Excellent plot

Cons: Some fans will miss Hawk and Susan

Susan is out of town. Hawk never appears. Spenser's only companion in School Days is the dog, Pearl. But Spenser (no help from Pearl) does very well in solving the mysteries in a complicated plot revolving around seventeen-year-old Jared who, with a friend, has killed seven people in a school shooting. Jared has confessed, but his grandmother is convinced he's innocent. Even if Jared is guilty, Spenser won't give up trying to find out why the boy did it, and the source of the guns used in the shooting.

Random killings at a school by young students are horrifying, and very twenty-first century, but as Spenser investigates, he learns that the situation is even worse than he feared, reflecting more than one problem featured in current newspaper headlines.

While detecting, Spenser drinks a lot of Scotch, talks to Pearl, eats pie and other restaurant food, and prepares one strange meal-corn, cranberry beans, steak, and tomatoes in a vinaigrette dressing. (Come on, Spenser, you can do better.)

He also encounters his friends the lawyer Rita Fiore and State Police Homicide Commander Healy, and assorted hoods. He beats up a few people, and dodges some bullets before he unravels the book's multi-layered mystery. This is one of the best of Parker's many novels.

Recommendation: Buy

There seem to be two types of detective-genre fans: those who like detective fiction and those who prefer detective literature. Reactions to Robert Parker's latest Spenser effort, School Days, illustrates the difference. Detective-fiction types want "the facts, ma'am, just the facts," who-done-it and how, with a healthy dose of butt-kicking. Such folk are thrilled that Susan Silverman, Spenser's romantic soulmate, is absent from this new novel; they find her a drivelly, annoying distraction. Those, like myself, who like detective literature, miss Susan's presence dearly, as well as that of Hawk, Henry Cimoli,and other Spenser regulars. Literature employs subplots, character development, and is as much about "who am I" as "who done it." The interplay between Susan's self-assured insights and Spenser's knowing self-avoidance is often the difference between a book which offers revelation through grime, crime and punishment, and one which merely revels in them. Many of Spenser's adventures do qualify as literature, that is, they reveal a part of Spenser to himself, and in doing so show us something real about ourselves, too. This latest installment, however, fun that it is, is only a fiction.

Robert Parker is an entertaining author, and that's why his books continue to sell. I read one reviewer who noted that the stories are all the same, except for the murdered and town setting. True, but it's for Spencer and Stone (the main detective/sleuths) we, Parker's fans)come back for more. The books are easy reads and perfect for a lazy day, before sleep (don't even have to figure anything out) and/or a plane ride. Pick one up. Enjoy. No big deal, but entertaining.

Spenser is on his own in this depressing story whose inspiration was clearly the all too frequent recent headlines regarding alienated teenagers who have engaged in seemingly random gun violence. Susan Silverman is attending an out of town conference and Hawk only is mentioned as the connection between Spenser and an engaging essential bit player in this drama. Since the crime which Spenser is investigating and almost the associated action takes place in the exclusive suburb of Dowling, even the usual interplay with Quirk, Belson and the various other denizons of Boston so familiar to Spenser fans is almost entirely absent.

The story background is furnished during a visit to Spenser's office by Lilly Ellsworth, the grande dame of Dowling who informs Spenser that she desires to hire Spenser based on the recommendation of her law firm (where Rita Fiore has provided Spenser's name without knowing any details regarding the case). Lily's grandson Jared Clark is currently in jail awaiting trial for being one of the two masked shooters who entered the exclusive Dowling School and killed seven students and teachers. Jared's supposed partner in the crime was arrested on the premises after negotiations with the police and not only confessed but identified Jared as his accomplice. Jared was later apprenhended by the police and subsequently confessed after a lengthy interrogation. While everyone else in the town seems convinced of the boys' guilt and is anxious for the trial to be held and the boys sentenced to life in prison, Lily possesses a grandmother's unshakeable belief in Jared's innocence and wants to hire Spenser to pursue the investigation of what the local police department is all to anxious to label a closed case.

Spenser uses his contacts with his longtime friend (and familiar character to readers of the series) Massachusetts State Police Lt. Healey to arrange a meeting with Sgt. DiBella in the Dowling Police Department. This allows Spenser to obtain background on the case while initially keeping a low profile in the town. Several items immediately trouble him, including the incompleteness of the police investigation. (For instance, no one has been able to determine the source of the four weapons and the ammunition used by the shooters.) His unease increases when Police Chief Cromwell informs him how unwelcome his investigation is, Jared exhibits no interest in talking with him, and both the school officials and finally the parents of both boys seem to simply want to wash their hands of their kids and move on with their lives. (Jared's wealthy parents don't even seem interested in hiring a competent criminal defense aqttorney to represent him.) Only Jared's schoolmates are willing to provide background to Spenser, both because they are fascinated by Spenser and as an act of rebellion against the instruction of their principal not to talk to him. Jared's classmates clearly believe Wendell was capable of such violence, but are both amazed that Jared and Wendell were apparently friends given their totally opposite natures and in fact describe Jared as "a loner, not a loser".

Spenser soon concludes that Lilly's faith in her grandson's innocence is probably misplaced; nevertheless, he feels a strong need to fill in the many mising pieces of the puzzle regarding both the reasons for the crime and the circumstances surrounding its commission. There are frequent injections of Spenser's (and probably Parker's as well) disdain for the the largely meaningless routine of these schoolkids and the uselessness of much of their education; this leads to an implicit suggestive thread throughout much of the book that the boys' actions were in some way an almost understandable rebellion brought about by the circumstances of their lives. ( The echo of the song "school days, school days, dear old golden rule days..." eerily is the background music of the story.) As he probes, he discovers that for very different reasons their parents have been always made it clear to their sons that they are deeply disappointed that they have not lived up to the parents' (twisted and unrealistic) expectations. As all Spenser readers undoubtedly expect, eventually Spenser's investigation puts him in danger (although the violence is less extreme than in many of the books in the series) and other several other fatalities occur including one for which Spenser feels that he bears the ultimate responsibility.

This book follows the classic Parker formula - brief chapters, continuous plot development, an easy rapid read, and some of the best and most spare dialogue of any of his recent books. Of course, there are also wonderful brief episodes with Spenser as Pearl's dog sitter which will ring true to all dog lovers. And Rita Fiore so outdoes herself in her pursuit of Spenser during her appearances that she almost becomes a charicature of herself, but by the book's conclusion her incredible legal talents become integral to the story. There are also the usual interjections of moral philosophy, especially a wonderful although all too brief commentary on the paradoxical nature of a possible insanity defense for Jared.

I enjoyed this book and believe that it will appeal to most of the series devoted readers. Nevertheless, two factors kept me from giving it a five star rating. First, perhaps this is a a relatively minor point but there are several mistakes in the book (especially early) that a proofreader or editor should have caught. (This has happened in a few of Parker's recent books. He never rereads or revises them once he has written them, so it is incumbent on his publisher to check more carefully for mistakes.) As an example, at one point a reference is made to the negotiations by the police team being conducted while the gunman was in the school library; a few pages further on it is stated that they occurred while he was in the principal's office. However, my major reason was the almost completely depressing nature of the story and its relatively bleak outcome. Upon reflection after I finished it, I felt a letdown rather a sense of closure. (Despite the usual Spenser optimism articulated by Susan that life is what it is and as long as there is life there is hope, the prospects for everyone concerned seemed pretty bleak.) It almost seemed as if this book had been plotted by the outstanding author Dennis LeHane (who also coincidentally uses Boston as the backdrop for his books) in its unrelenting pessimism concerning the inability of the individuals involved to escape their seemingly predestined fate; it is only Parker's brevity and the light touch provided by Spenser's wit and pithiness that made it enjoyable for me.

Tucker Andersen

Robert B. Parker's "School Days" was a quick read, and my first for the "Spenser" series. As always, I enjoyed Mr. Parker's descriptions of Boston and the surrounding areas, being familiar with most of them.

I felt reading this book that Mr. Parker enjoyed writing it. The underlying story was interesting, as a well-to-do grandmother hires Spenser to investigate the case of her grandson, charged with the murder of several people in a school. All the evidence points to this young defendant and Spenser is determined to know why. Eventually, Parker introduces another interesting and I think commendable twist, which, as always in my reviews, I will not give away.

I would definitely recommend this book.

J.R. Reardon
author, "Confidential Communications"

While I jumped into the character sporadically (I think this is the second one I read with him as the main character) it flowed fast and his smart remarks I always find humorous. While the plot is quite weak and I actually guessed part of it, it was a fun read. It went quick and should have built more into the red herring that the cover leads you to believe. Even the school principal lacked some Ooommmph if you know what I mean. The grandmother was a good role, but the parents coud have been much more important.

So overall, let's call it a quick read, funny and enjoyable, but not one of his best. I picked it up at the airport and read it on the very same trip. Not one I would keep, so back it went with the 50% return offer the airport here has.

THREE AND A HALF STARS. Once again Robert Parker gives us another in the Spenser series, SCHOOL DAYS. An edition of Spenser without Silverman, without Hawk, with for the most part little from Boston's finest or the Staties and I can't give more stars without them. Story was ok and worth the read, but lacked lots of action. Series - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Robert B. Parker's Spenser series is probably my favorite series. I have read many series and was not sure at first that I would continue reading Spenser, but Mr. Parker did such a wonderful job of developing the characters that I continued to sink deeper and deeper under the spell of Spenser's marvelous sense of humor and love able ego.

Not the most riveting Spenser novel I've ever read, the story was not a "who done it" but a "why done it" The central characters were entertaining as usual and there were some interesting twists but I prefer the more intricate plots.

I've always loved the Spenser stories. However, Burt Reynolds' reading of this

novel makes Spenser come to life. Burt is, in real life, sarcastic & glib (or he

tries to be). In playing Spenser that way, and with his unique voice, he makes Spenser

sound like a hard-nosed detective as well as a unique paramour for Susan. I've listened

to other Parker books read by Joe Mantegna and some dude named Stefan Rudnicki.

While Mantegna was pretty good (he's good at acting like a detective anyway),

this Rudnicki guy sounded like a 12-year old. These publishers ought to hire Reynolds

to read all of the Spenser books. Now, when I actually read a Spenser book,

all I can hear is Reynolds' voice, he really does a terrific job - even if you don't

generally like the guy as an actor.

One of the better Spenser novels among those of recent vintage. Spenser is hired to investigate the ripped-from-the-headlines topic of a handgun massacre in a suburban private school. With the shooters in custody and confessions in hand, nobody seems interested in why the kids shot and killed several students and teachers. The investigation leads Spenser through hostile local law enforcement, apathetic parents, evasive school officials, cocky kids, and dangerous gang members before arriving at the not-so-surprising link between one of the perps and his school counselor. The plot is rare in that both Hawk and Susan and other familiar characters are missing from direct involvement in the action.

This was one of the few Spenser mysteries where I could actually understand who the bad guys were and how Spenser dealt with them. Usually, the endings are so convoluted that I don't really know what went on. This was very fast paced and I read the whole thing in one night. I too didn't miss Susan or Hawk. I also enjoyed the presence of Pearl, even though she is a silly dog afraid of the rain.

Anyone who has been following Robert J. Parker's "Spenser" series for the last 15 years or so has witnessed a slow decline in quality of the novels. Stale, predictable plots, recycled narrative riffs, and forced attempts to bring supporting players into the story have become the norm rather than the exception. Whenever an increasingly rare "good" Spenser novel appears, it generally features Boston as its main backdrop and Hawk, Vinnie, Tony Marcus and other hoodlums from Spenser's past as players in a generally seamy story involving a new gang of lowlifes to be subdued. More often than not, these novels, which almost restore your faith in Parker, are followed by the "bad" follow-up, which generally take place in the suburbs and feature sleazy, screwed up, white middle class suburbanites in either some prep school, college, horsey farm, or other middle class bastion.

"School Days" is no exception. Following last year's better-than-average "Cold Service," which was really Hawk's story, with Spenser as the supporting character, this year's offering is 100% Spenser, and without a doubt the most tired "Spenser" novel in years. There's no Hawk, Susan only appears as a cameo, and Parker's main companion is his dog, Pearl. The action is yet another variation of the "rich old woman pays Spenser to find something" out, this time involving a Columbine-esque massacre at a well-heeled suburban town. It's the usual "things are not what they seem" peel-the-onion affair, but it's so shallow and the outcome to predictable that it's completely forgettable. Perhaps Parker is too busy cranking out non-Spenser books, or perhaps the pressure of cranking out these things every year is finally taking taking its toll. Like Tony Hillerman, his fellow mystery novelist in full decline mode, Parker is cashing his check a little too fast, without putting in the hours.

I really enjoy Spenser and the Spenser cast of characters. I didn't care for this one, though. Really predictable and not very exciting.
Spenser features Pearl way too much. The ending was weak. I'd recommend many other Parker books, but not this one.

I am having a hard time understanding why people have raved about this book. I guess everyone is entitled to have loyal fans, but I just don't see what was great, or even good, about this story.

Two teenagers enter a school and end up killing seven people. They are caught, they confess, and the Grandmother of one of the killers hires Spenser to prove the boy's innocense. We are given the impression a great mystery, with possible red herrings, is about to entertain us. Alas, it is not to be. The kids did it, plain and simple. Why they did it is so stupid. The story reads as though a sixth grader has written it. The plot is lame, and even as lame as it is, it isn't executed well at all.

The characters are boring and 2 dimensional. The banter which takes place between the main character and others, while it seems to be trying to be witty, is just dumb and unbelievable. I just can't say enough about how stupid this story is. There are too many wonderful mystery authors out there writing gripping, intense works of fiction to waste your time on this one. This is the first novel I have read by this author and will most definitely be my last.

No Hawk. No Susan. No Vinnie, Quirk or Belson. Spenser is hired to defend a student in a Columbine type school shooting after the student confesses to the crime. Lots of action, twists, turns and Parker style humor. A great read for an afternoon or evening.

After the lamentable "Cold Service," Spenser is back on top of his game.

This is vintage Spenser--on a par with his rough-and-tumble early work such as "Godwulf Manuscript" and "God Save the Child."

Mercifully, miraculously, Susan is gone. Yes, the always-annoying Susan appears in only 2 out of 65 chapters--and in one of these only by phone. Her absence is refreshing, and Spenser seems full of vim and vinegar without her.

Her replacements--the leggy nutcase Beth Ann Blair and the insatiable firecracker Rita Fiore--are great.

I must warn you, though [SPOILER ALERT!!!!!], the book does end tragically: Susan comes back.

Almost all the other usual suspects are absent, too: no Hawk (!), no Quirk, almost no Belson, no Vinny, and so on.

The series seems to perk up for the loss. The great American detectives have always been loners, and, bereft of his usual crew, Spenser seems liberated and renewed.

One of the nicest things about the book (apart from the missing Susan, which is exhilarating) is Spenser's or Parker's withering take on suburbia. This is a constant in the Spenser books, and never is the indictment fiercer than here.

Another fabulous book from one of my favorite writers. I definately agree with other reviewers who are relishing Susan's absence. She always gets on my nerves and I wish Spencer would have dumped her long time ago.