Pale Kings and Princes (Penguin Crime) [Import] [Paperback]

Robert B. Parker (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd; New Ed edition (April 27, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140105891
• ISBN-13: 978-0140105896
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Robert B. Parker (1932-2010) has long been acknowledged as the dean of American crime fiction. His novel featuring the wise-cracking, street-smart Boston private-eye Spenser earned him a devoted following and reams of critical acclaim, typified by R.W.B. Lewis' comment, "We are witnessing one of the great series in the history of the American detective story" (The New York Times Book Review). In June and October of 2005, Parker had national bestsellers with APPALOOSA and SCHOOL DAYS, and continued his winning streak in February of 2006 with his latest Jesse Stone novel, SEA CHANGE.

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Parker attended Colby College in Maine, served with the Army in Korea, and then completed a Ph.D. in English at Boston University. He married his wife Joan in 1956; they raised two sons, David and Daniel. Together the Parkers founded Pearl Productions, a Boston-based independent film company named after their short-haired pointer, Pearl, who has also been featured in many of Parker's novels.

Parker began writing his Spenser novels in 1971 while teaching at Boston's Northeastern University. Little did he suspect then that his witty, literate prose and psychological insights would make him keeper-of-the-flame of America's rich tradition of detective fiction. Parker's fictional Spenser inspired the ABC-TV series Spenser: For Hire. In February 2005, CBS-TV broadcast its highly-rated adaptation of the Jesse Stone novel Stone Cold, which featured Tom Selleck in the lead role as Parker's small-town police chief. The second CBS movie, Night Passage, also scored high ratings, and the third, Death in Paradise, aired on April 30, 2006.

Parker was named Grand Master of the 2002 Edgar Awards by the Mystery Writers of America, an honor shared with earlier masters such as Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen.

Parker died on January 19, 2010, at the age of 77.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not one of the best, but worth it if you love Spenser, February 20, 2000

By 

"doc_ew" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pale Kings and Princes (Spenser, No 14) (Paperback)

This book was certainly not one of Robert Parker's best but it as a good read. It is also a very fast read and there is never a lull in the action of the book. Spenser's great dry wit and creative responses continue to be some of the many reasons we can't get enough of this character. Sometimes I found some of the events in this book to be a little farfetched but that is what I love about these books and the stories Parker brings to us. He is a great storyteller and if you have never read one of his books do so now. Bottom line on this book: if you are a fan of spenser buy it but if you have never read any of the spenser books(not that there is a certain order) you might want to start you spenser addiction with Early Autumn or All Our Yesterdays.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Parker, March 9, 2001

By 

Old Fisherman "Jim" (Orange, California USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pale Kings and Princes (Spenser, No 14) (Paperback)

Spenser is hired to find out who killed reporter Eric Valdez. Valdez's assignment was to get to the bottom of the cocaine trade in Wheaton, Massachusetts, but the town is owned by the Columbians, including the police force. So Spenser does what he does best. He parks himself in town and asks questions until he annoys enough people and something shakes loose.

I read this book years ago and just re-read it. I think it stands up well. I've always liked the Spenser series because of it's dialog between Spenser and Hawk. Actually the dialog between Spenser and whoever he's talking to always crackles. I also like the fact that the story makes sense. Many mystery/crime novels today depend on the serial killer schtick but to me Parker's mysteries are always grounded on something believable. Cocaine trade in Wheaton, Massachusetts? Might seem ridiculous at first but after it's explained it makes perfect sense. It could happen that way and the story that follows also could have happened that way.

Anyway, like all of the Spenser series I enjoyed it and recommend it. It's not deep literature but it is a fast enjoyable read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A dip in the quality of the action, but the dialog is still excellent., January 24, 2006

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Pale Kings and Princes (Spenser, No 14) (Paperback)

An enterprising investigative reporter is killed in Wheaton, Massachusetts, a town known to many as the hub of cocaine traffic for the Northeast. The owner of the paper the reporter worked for hires Spenser to investigate the murder. He goes to Wheaton and gets nowhere at the start. Local police are obviously being bought off and when he asks questions the universal response is "nobody saw nothin." It is obvious who the drug lord is, so in an attempt to move his investigation forward, Spenser hijacks a major cocaine shipment. The son of the police chief was driving the rig, so his actions are of interest to more than just the drug dealers. Spenser then goes to the kingpin and offers to sell the cocaine back to him.

After the police chief and his son are both killed, Spenser befriends the grieving widow and enlists Susan to help her cope with her losses. Hawk is also recruited to help even the odds against Spenser. There is a final battle with Spenser, Hawk and an honest state trooper on one side and the drug dealers with their corrupted cops on the other. In an interesting twist, Hawk has a battle with a man (Cesar) that clearly was his physical superior, had he not held a small gun inside a mitten on his hand and shot first, Cesar would have killed him with his bare hands.

Once again, Spenser wisecracks his way through danger and remains noble in the completion of his job. When the drug lord kills the son of the police chief after Spenser hijacks the cocaine shipment, Spenser personally confronts his mother and only Susan can console him. She makes him understand that it truly was not his fault that the boy was involved in trafficking drugs and she will do what she can to help the woman. In terms of action and intrigue, this book doesn't have as many exciting moments as other Spenser novels. However, the dialog is excellent as always, which is why it still deserves four stars.