Customer Reviews

Playmates (Thorndike Large Print Cloak and Dagger Series)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In Playmates, Spenser investigates a point shaving scheme involving Taft University basketball players. Spenser quickly deduces that Taft star player Dwayne Woodcock is involved, and sets out to undo the illiterate young man's predicament, primarily out of respect for Dwayne's girlfriend Chantel.

Much like Parker's Double Deuce, Playmates delves into African American issues of self esteem and poverty. And much like Double Deuce, Parker stumbles by relying too much on trite popular press rationales for criminal conduct - all in defense of his own unsympathetic hoods. Spenser's affection for Chantel is intended to resolve this dilemma, but her character is so underdeveloped that there's no compelling motivation for Spenser's heroics.

But it's easy to overlook a thin plot, because the joy of a Parker novel is really Spenser's sassy wit and his violent outings with the devastating and equally humorous Hawk. Particularly enjoyable is a scene in which Hawk chides Spenser about the low street value currently offered to have him "aced." One wonders how Parker can write Hawk so unapologetically while offering up sociologic platitudes for any other African American character involved in questionable circumstances.

This is a bit of a relief after the very intense predecesser. Here, you're dealing primarily with point shaving in college basketball, not with serial murderers.

However, as usual in a Spenser novel, there's more here than just the primary plot. There's insight into racial relations, a theme that Parker explores deeper in the later PASTIME. There's also the very human theme concerning dealing with a person who's abilities you admire, but who is an insufferable so-and-so.

It's a typical fast read and yet leaves you with a feeling that you've picked up something of value from the reading.

This is the first Spenser novel I have read, and I think I am off to a good start. I never really watched the tv show and I don't know if it was indicative of the books. I am a big fan of both Harlan Coben and Robert Crais and I feel that their characters and sidekicks are very similar to Spenser and Hawk. Obviously Parker's novels precede those two authors, so I have to say he originated a good trend of the witty private detective and his cool but dangerous partner. I am also a big sports fan, so this book was all the more appealing. It's a quick read, so pick it up.

This was my first Spenser book. It was much better than the TV series. I loved the no nonsense character of both Spenser and Hawk. The vulgarity was strong, but believable. Spenser drifts through most of the story wondering what he's supposed to do, since his moral compass is nagging him to correct the wrongs of the world, even if they aren't in alignment with his customer. Will Spenser live to see another day? Given the large number of Robert B. Parker novels, you can bet on it.

The setting for this Spenser novel is the Taft college basketball team that is challenging for the NCAA title. A story has been published in the campus paper alleging that some of the players are engaged in point shaving. Dwayne Woodcock is on the team and the best college basketball player in the country. He is a tough, underprivileged man from Brooklyn and a man of street principles. Spenser is asked to investigate and while it takes a bit of time, after studying game tapes and looking over the records of the games, he concludes that Dwayne is shaving points.

Being Spenser, he encounters the gambler behind the plot and the gambler hires people to kill Spenser, which of course fails miserably. As he continues his investigation, Spenser learns that Dwayne does not know how to read and there has been a go-along plot among the faculty at Taft to keep Dwayne eligible. Nobody specifically changed grades, just gave Dwayne extra opportunities to succeed where reading was not required. After working the problem for some time, Spenser manages to find a solution where no one learns of the point shaving or the complicity of others in the scam.

My favorite character in the book is the Taft basketball coach, Dixie Dunham. A fiery guy who demands a lot from his players, he makes the mistake of fighting with Spenser. However, after he gets beat up, he agrees to cooperate with Spenser and even benches Dwayne during the NCAA tournament when he will not give the name of the gambler. Despite all of his bluster and obnoxiousness, Dunham proves to be an honest man who does the right thing, even if it will cost him the national title.

This is a good book with Spenser once again proving to be a thug with a moral compass and an overgrown sense of decency. As an academic, I could also relate to the attitude of the faculty and staff at Taft. While there is no overt bending of the rules for an athlete, s/he is quietly helped along a path that avoids their weaknesses.

When Spenser is hired to investigate allegations of point shaving by members of the Taft university basketball team, he quickly realizes there is much more to this than meets the eye. With the help of several friends and contacts, he finds that point shaving is, in fact, occurring and tracks down the source to the best player on the team - Dwayne Woodcock. However, Dwayne refuses to acknowledge this, or the fact (as Spenser soon learns) that he cannot read. Spenser, being a sucker for hard-luck cases, despite the fact, as he says, that Dwayne is "arrogant, but he's surly," decides that he wants to help Dwayne and at the same time track down whoever is holding Dwayne's strings and clip them off.

As usual, this means Spenser ticks off a lot of people and has a couple attempts on his life, thwarted, as usual, with the assistance of Hawk.

I enjoyed this book - not only was it an interesting look into the lives of basketball players and the pressures that university professors may face to make sure they can remain on the team, but also the 80s in general. The description of the clothing and hair was so typical of what I remember that I laughed out loud at several points in the book just from remembering how ridiculous we all used to look.

Definitely don't miss this, especially if you're a fan of Robert Parker and/or Spenser.

Actually, I found Spenser's portrayal of this college students illiteracy rather compelling. Especially his understanding that alot of the blame for illiteracy is to laid at the student's door. They know they have a problem, but do nothing to seek help and correct the problem. I find it strange that Spenser will decide on whether or not a damsel in distress is worth the effort based on her appearance. Well, actually all men do that, but I thought Parker was trying to create an extraordinary man in Spenser, not someone totally run of the mill.

This was the first of many Spenser novels I've read and I must say, It was fantastic. The characters are3 so alive and the character development was just marvelous. The subject of point shaving in college basketball was a good subject to write about since it probably happens all the time. A 5 star rate book

My sixteenth SPENSER, and thank you, Robert Parker, sad you are gone. I am a johnny-come-lately to the series but I am reading them in order and enjoying them. PLAYMATES is not my favorite but still a good story. Spenser, with Hawk and Silverman, investigate basketball point shaving at Tafts University. Throw in murder, robbery, love and blackmail, well you get the picture. Spenser with morals, well, almost. RECOMMENDED

Playmates is a bit short on plot but contains rich, perceptive material related to helping people with some disturbing information about higher education. Spenser is hired by a University president to determine whether point shaving is actually occurring by the winning basketball team. Using fine investigative techniques, he discovers the truth but then attempts to protect the culprits as he brings the instigators to justice. He and Hawk work diligently to protect Dwayne, allowing him to pursue his career, while bringing down a large gambling operation.

In the process Spenser discovers that Dwayne is in college making passing grades although he cannot read. Embarrassed by this revelation, the university officials make little attempt to rectify the mistake. Perhaps the best part of the book is the dialog that takes place with various professors who seem not to care about the education of the students. It ends up being a sad diatribe against higher education. Ironic considering Robert Parker had a Ph.D. in Literature!

In addition to the educational insights are the different psychological tensions resulting within Dwayne, pointed out by Susan, Spenser's lover. We find ourselves cheering for Dwayne in spite of his rude behavior. Perhaps the real hero of the story is Dwayne's girlfriend Chanel who continually urges him to trust Spenser.

Excessive shootings as usual seem a bit unnecessary and the plot did not have enough tension to make the reader care about the people. Yet it is a well-written story containing the usual wit and banter of most Spenser books. An enjoyable read particularly for fans of mysteries in college settings.