Now & Then

In this thirty-fifth book in the Spenser series, Parker revisits some old history. After Spenser is hired to tail a client's wife, he's uncomfortably reminded of his own past problems with his longtime love, Susan. As he digs up the paramour's history, Spenser must reconcile his own feelings about Susan while bringing another villain to justice. The plot takes on an international perspective when the cheating wife leads Spenser to a group involved in procuring weapons and recruits for terrorist activities. Joe Mantegna delivers a solid performance. It's easy to picture him as Spenser since he has played the role on A&E. He doesn't do as well with some of the female voices, but he's a cool performer nonetheless. E.D.H. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

August 20, 2007
When a client who suspects his wife is cheating on him is murdered in Parker's 35th snappy Spenser adventure (after Hundred-Dollar Baby
), the Boston PI takes it personally, not only because the case resonates with Spenser's past history with love interest Susan, but also because, like Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade, Spenser feels he can't let a client get murdered without doing something about it. The repartee is up to Parker's high standards, and the detection is hands on and straightforward, with Spenser carrying the load. Since Spenser's aides, including the stalwart Hawke, outclass the heavies, Spenser has time to deal with the mysterious other man, Perry Alderson, whose academic background appears as suspect as his dealings with various subversive groups. This briskly paced cat-and-mouse game offers Spenser fans exactly what they've come to expect from the reliable Parker—no-nonsense action and plenty of romantic give-and-take between Susan and Spenser, who even find the subject of marriage intruding once more.

February 1, 2008
After several disappointing entries in the series, Parker returns to form with his 35th Spenser mystery. The Boston private eye is hired by a suspicious husband, an FBI agent, to find out whether his English-professor wife is unfaithful. When the husband is murdered, Spenser must uncover the real identity of the wife's lover, an outspoken yet mysterious opponent of the American government. Spenser's search for the truth involves some old-fashioned gumshoe work reminiscent of that of the heroes of Raymond Chandler and Ross Macdonald novels. The too-cute banter between Spenser and his associate Hawke is kept to a minimum, while the detective's relationship with longtime girlfriend Susan Silverman receives more attention than usual, with Parker seeming to respond to criticism of his recent books. As always, Joe Mantegna's reading is outstanding; he handles the quips, the violence, and the tender moments equally well. Recommended for popular collections.Michael Adams, CUNY Graduate Ctr.

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