Stranger in Paradise (Jesse Stone Novels) | Robert B. Parker

Stranger in Paradise (Jesse Stone Novels) | Robert B. Parker | Interesting but not his best

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Stranger in Paradi...

	Stranger in Paradise (Jesse Stone Novels) Robert B. Parker Putnam Adult, 2008 - 304 pages average customer review:based on 56 reviews view larger image
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Dissapointing and hopefully not a trend

I have been a life long reader of Parkers work, and find "Stranger in Paradise" to be very disappointing, and hope this is not a trend. Back in the mid 90's Parker's books (referred by a Mystery Bookstore owner as "Dick and Jane books") tended to have short, snappy, funny dialogue and a very trim plot. In recent years, thankfully Parker found his writer's voice again and the books have been good to great.

Yet, I find with this book and the recent Spenser novel: "Now and Then" that the author is taking a turn. I am not sure of the cause of this, but Stranger in Paradise is one of Parker's worse (though a "bad" book by him, still earns 3 stars, in my humble opinion).

In short there are sooo many unexplained, plot/character points that make this book a nothing. We do not get a clear sense of a young runaway's problems, we see characters come in and out; some die, others mysteriously disappear and so much happens, to new, and ongoing characters that are explained in the book via "a person's got to do what a person's got to do."

LIGHT SPOILERS THIS PARAGRAPH ONLY: A woman voluntarily sleeps with a man who was part of a nightmarish situation years ago; another woman, happily married with children, sleeps with a criminal...just once; a man whose wife and child left him years ago suddenly wants one back and one killed; the reason behind these and more plot points and character motives? "A person has to do what a person has to do?"

Through this the author lazily escapes from having to come with reasons for actions, back-story and a fuller plot. Finally, my disappointment goes to the fact that like Jesse is a darker version of Spenser, I was interested to read about Crow who was a darker side of Hawk (from the Spenser books), but nothing panned out.

My advise to Mr. Parker, is finish the deal about delivering so many books by so many dates...take a year off and put the pen down, and do not write until you have a story to tell. I would rather have no more books from this author than a treasure trove of bad ones.

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Interesting but not his best

I never miss a chance to read a Robert B. Parker book, no matter who the protagonist is. His characters hold together well and his stories are interesting, always. And most of the time, I laugh out loud and thoroughly enjoy his approach and his stories. This one was good, not great. There was less humor than usual, and the character Crow was a bit too familiar (too much like Stone, for example). I am still glad I read it!

Stranger in Paradise

Entertaining, easy to listen to, but not as well developed as some of his other works. Well worth buying.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, page 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

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