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	Stardust (Spenser) Robert B. Parker Berkley, 1991 - 304 pages average customer review:based on 17 reviews view larger image
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First, there's Jill herself. She's spoiled, arrogant, drugged out -- made worse by fear. Someone is out to get her -- does she imagine it, or is it real?

Spenser monitors her neurosis, but finds evidence of harassment. It escalates to murder. Now begins the dangerous part -- while the act may have ended, the murderer lingers on.

"STARDUST is a four-star noir suspense that no Spenser fan will be able to resist." (Publisher's Source)

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Gold Dust Rising from Ashes of Coal Dust

What might burn to what purification and perfection, within the ashes of impoverished beginnings ...

Again, a Spenser novel kept my focus away from the snow-packed, icy curves of a Rocky Mountain corridor over the Continental Divide on Colorado State highway 50, edging the high, steep cliffs over Monarch Pass. If any feat would recommend the ability of a novel to hold a reader captive, that should.

The fascination in this # 17 in the series seemed to pivot around a flickering disgust Vs appeal of the Star of the plot, Jill Joyce, as those dark/bright flashes played through Jill's evolving relationships with Spenser, Susan, and residual characters, who mostly viewed "Jillie" as a "high-octane pain in the ..." (quoting one the book's descriptive terms of her). Parker worked an amazing double-sided realism into the plot, contrasting Jill's spoiled, impatient, sour personality; to her youthful vulnerabilities, her having not one true friend, and her carrying the weight of the job title's specific and actual demands. With drunk, druggie, an nympho added to the liabilities in this Star's aura, the scales slipped south, and provided Spenser with a challenge he couldn't refuse. I may have left out a couple descriptive terms of the down side of Jill Joyce's personality, but guessing what they might be would be a snap.

STARDUST is a classic character study, and an excellent example of fine writing, especially given Parker's vivid, delightfully sardonic descriptions of various settings, descriptions based on weather conditions and wealth divergence, contrasting Boston and surrounding areas with the San Diego and LA extended environments.

During the writing of my previous review on PLAYMATES, # 16 in this series, I began noticing an edge of embarrassment about my ongoing compulsion to write reviews on each novel in the Spenser series. Therefore, I seem to be pushed at the moment by a nag from my Left Brain to explain personal and professional motivations in feeding the continued pursuit of this "study." Actually, that's precisely what my dedication to reviewing this series has become, a study. I feel blessed to be able to observe three decades (and counting) of cultural evolution through Parker's liberal notations of styles of dress, tastes in food, ways of thinking, repartee dance-steps, etc. Yet, I'm making note of much more than that.

I'm observing the steady, methodical, dedicated evolution of an author's voice, talent, perspective, and ethical philosophy ... over thirty years of annual production in a sequential offering repeating characters, locale, and genre.

I'm observing "current" events unfolding within Parker's plots. I'm noticing subtle publisher presence and reader preference as that backdrop appears to play into Parker's choices of subject, theme, and style variances in each novel in this chain adding links upon links of evolving ethical considerations.

My interest was maintained well in STARDUST as my curiosity grew about how Spenser could save this child, who was screeching in repulsively offensive ways, for someone to take care of her, someone, anyone to care about anything in her, qualities beyond beauty, which might lie more deeply and lastingly in Jill's soul... someone to care about more than her capacity to draw in dollars. As a prostitute to overwhelming demands on her presence and physical perfection, given nothing truly refueling of self in return; Jill reminded me of Spenser's April Kyle, clearly showing that money, fame, success, and adulation are able to starve the life out of a young heart needing TLC, compassion, and a savior.

As has become Parker's relished signature, several scenes of dialogue exchanges in STARDUST were highly satisfying. One of the cheer inducements I regularly enjoy in a Spenser novel is his ever-growing-repertoire of ways to burst odorous balloons of pompous buffoons who overrate their importance by metaphoric measures of mountains of compost heaps. (See Marty Riggs in this one, especially the scene in chapter 29 with Quirk, regarding Jill having been misplaced. And, for a story about mountains of coal dust and a young Mom starring in a bull-dog win, see Coal & Coca-cola)

And then, we had here the entrance of Victor del Rio and gang-of-two, Chollo and Bobby Horse. Yep, another fascinating bad, bad, bad dude ... with a couple honorable qualities, who related well with Spenser in scene after engrossing scene.

My favorite scene in STARDUST, though, was the one noted above, with Riggs, Quirk, a collection of big wigs at Zenith, and Spenser. Quirk gives Riggs a prime-spot-comeuppance to either kill or die for. Parts of that chapter I had to read aloud to my husband. After I had read a couple paragraphs, then asked a few minutes later if he wanted to hear more, his positive pose slid immediately into an ear-toward-my-direction.

The last line in this one could serve as the beginnings of purification of poverty, if not an outright activation of alchemy.

What is Hope,
Linda Shelnutt

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Neurotic TV star adds bit of spice to Spenser's life

Spenser is hired by Zenith Meridian Television to protect their star television personality, Jill Joyce - who says she has been receiving harassing telephone calls and letters. When Spenser tries to find out more about these calls, Jill refuses to elaborate - insisting, however, that he protect her from "Him," as she calls her stalker, while all the while refusing to answer any questions relating to details about the problem, her past or pretty much anything at all and at the same time alternating between trying to get Spenser into bed and drinking herself into a torpor. Finally Spenser leaves her in Hawk's care and sets out to find out what he can on his own.

Jill is probably one of the least appealing people Spenser has ever set out to "save." He, however, sets out with great patience nonetheless, to do just that. He follows every lead, steps on toes from the East to the West coast in the process, has his life threatened several times and finally gets to the bottom of the situation. It ain't pretty.

Of course, you'll have to read the book to find out what happens.

I enjoyed this story, mostly because the character dynamics were so interesting. Jill Joyce was so terribly unpleasant, yet at the same time she engendered great sympathy and loyalty among so many people that it was really unbelievable. As one character remarked, she had a "quality" about her, something deep inside her that got buried under the booze and drugs. Parker did a good job with his writing skills of showing that vulnerability as well as the prickly and unpleasant exterior. Very good job. Strong recommend from me.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

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