Robert B. Parker's Someone To Watch Over Me by Ace Atkins (2021) Back on December 16th of last year, we think we thoroughly discussed the whole idea of Ace Atkins continuing the adventures of the late Robert B. Parker's much beloved Boston P.I., Spenser. (see our post on "Robert B. Parker's Angel Eyes".....)
Basically, we deemed the last book a hit-and-miss situation in its ability to duplicate that distinctive Parker style, but there was still enough Spenser-ian goodness to make it a quick, fun read.
We're happy to report that this new one is a huge improvement over "Angel Eyes" in terms of its plotting, characters and Atkins' skillful imitation of the sharp wit and pithy confrontations that make up the Spenser-verse.
This time, our always wisecracking, lovable lug goes after two villains ripped from the headlines......a billionaire pedophile and his equally detestable woman cohort who snare underage girls for sexual assaults.
And since 'Peter Steiner' and 'Poppy Palmer' are thinly fictionalized versions of the late, unlamented Jeffrey Epstein and his currently indicted partner-in-sleaze Ghislaine Maxwell, we couldn't turn the pages fast enough waiting for Spenser to take these two turds down.
As an added bonus for all us Spenser fanatics, this wretched pair of predators recruit the series' notorious creepy assassin, the 'Grey Man' to bump off our hero, since he'd already come close to killing Spenser in a previous book.
No worries, folks.......not when Spenser and his equally loved powerhouse friend Hawk team up to dole out punishing punches and furious firefights with Steiner and Palmer's small army of hired goons.
Throw in a swift, action-packed climax topped off by a genuinely surprising twist and you've got what we'd call one of the best Atkins-Parker-Spenser books we've read so far.
So no qualms or criticisms about this one......for the fans of these books, it's a 4 star (****) treat and a terrific read for any cold winter night.
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