Pastime.

PEARL THE WONDER DOG is introduced in this one, FINALLY!
And we get the complete story of why / how Hawk & Spenser became friends (their telling of it is hilarious!).

Jerry Broz is screwing things up again, Joe is still blind to it. Vinnie’s still loyal to Joe but … sympathetic to Spenser. Something about the crime bosses coming into it is always an added layer of fun … and of course that means Hawk’s around for added protection.

Maybe-spoiler:

An excellent example of Spenser’s personal ethics, etc.
He was hired to discover who is point-shaving, and that it’s definitely going on and to prove it. Meaning his job is simply to figure it out & hand over the info. Not wanting to necessarily turn in a kid that has been largely failed by ALL of the adults and educators in his life thus far though, he might not do that … he might opt to go after whoever the points are being shaved FOR and simultaneously help the kid onto a better path. ;)

First edition cover:


Double Deuce.

DARK opening … so dark. Heart-wrenching, despite being fiction, which is a testament to Parker’s writing.

Hawk actually comes to Spenser for help with this case, a first.
It only gets darker from the start … it also shines a light on certain racial issues this country faces today. This book was released in 1991 but things clearly haven’t changed in that aspect.


On a personal front: Susan and Spenser move in together on a trial basis, into her house in Cambridge.

This one was super fun, as they all are, but specifically I liked the way it ended up. I won’t spoil it here—read if for yourself!

5 stars.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

First edition cover:


Paper Doll.

“Once I start, I go where it takes me … you have to understand I do what I do and I keep doing it until I finish.” —Spenser explaining to his client that he’ll be poking around / getting all up in his friends/ loved ones’ business. We, as the readers, already know this, being 20 books in, but it was fun to hear him just lay it out straight like that.

If you’re a fan of Quirk, read this one! He gets really mad in this one, and his subsequent actions are glorious!

This one went the usual way of Spenser novels … until there was a very dark twist—brilliant!

5 stars.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

*Recurring characters introduced in this one:
Lee Farrell! (his partner, Brian, is dying).

First edition cover: