That’s the question being pondered over at the Crime Fiction Dossier. As I said there, don’t count Parker out yet. He’s still capable of delivering outstanding work (DOUBLE PLAY, the JESSE STONE novels) and the lackluster Spenser books may be disappointing reads, but they make for great audiobooks (with Joe Mantegna as Spenser).
I have enjoyed the Spenser series for years. The problem is that the last half dozen or so can be read in an afternoon. They are just to short. Because of this I will not even buy the paperback versions but wait until they show up at my local library.
As repetitive as the Spenser books have gotten, I still love to read them; it’s like spending time with an old friend.
I very much enjoy the Spenser books, like the Nero Wolfe stories, I can reread them after a few years. Parker and Stout are the only two authors I can enjoy doing this.
Spenser…A true thug that’s funny, romantic and
intelligent! Can’t get enough!!!