Many of the reviews I’ve read about Robert B. Parker’s 30th Spenser novel, Back Story, suggest that it is unlikely to win any new Spenser fans. This may be true, but Parker’s latest Spenser offering seems to be designed not with new fans in mind, but for old Spenser junkies like myself who have grown older along with the gumshoe, Susan, Hawk, Lt. Quirk, and the rest of the series characters. After several novels, a series become less story-driven and more character-driven. Back Story is a classic example.
Crooked Little Vein — An expertly-crafted sojourn through hell
Warren Ellis is a world-renowned, best-selling author of unconventional graphic novels. In Crooked Little Vein, Ellis makes a foray into the world of detective fiction, and the result is a wilder ride than you’re likely to find from even the preeminent novelists of the genre.
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Hundred-Dollar Baby features the return — again — of a familiar character
Spenser, the protagonist of Robert B. Parker’s classic detective series, should be about 70 years old. But a few years back, Parker decided to stop aging him. He’s older, maybe a little slower, but Spenser is just as tough, brave and sarcastic as ever in Hundred Dollar Baby, Parker’s 34th installment of the series.
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Something for the fellas: Top 10 Guy-Lit Authors
According to a 2012 study by the National Endowment for the Arts, women read more fiction than men. The survey, which polled more than 37,000 Americans, concluded that 55% of women are fiction readers, compared to 33% of men.
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Envy the Night is Michael Koryta’s Best Yet
Critics and readers alike love Michael Koryta, author of three finely-crafted detective novels featuring Lincoln Perry. Now, Koryta has written his first stand-alone novel, one with a protagonist every bit as well-drawn as Perry — only darker. Continue reading “Envy the Night is Michael Koryta’s Best Yet”
Flood: The first entry of a one-of-a-kind crime series
In November 2008, Andrew Vachss released Another Life, the final installment in one of the most hard-hitting and unusual series in the history of American detective fiction. Vachss’ shadowy protagonist, Burke, and his “family” made their final appearance in the author’s 18th book, much to the chagrin of readers who like their mysteries extra-hardboiled.
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Lucas Davenport finds trouble everywhere — including his own home — in Wicked Prey
By O’Dell Isaac II
A gang of hard-core robbers, a revenge-minded pimp and a crazy loner with a gun are just three of the hazards dogging a veteran Minneapolis cop in Wicked Prey, the latest in John Sandford’s series featuring antihero Lucas Davenport.