Robert B. Parker's Lullaby (Spenser) [Hardcover]

Ace Atkins (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 1, 2012 | Series: Spenser

When fourteen-year-old Mattie Sullivan asks Spenser to look into her mother’s murder, he’s not completely convinced by her claim that the police investigation four years ago was botched. Mattie is gruff, street-smart, and wise beyond her years, left to care for her younger siblings and an alcoholic grandmother in a dilapidated apartment in South Boston.  But her need for closure and her determination to make things right hit Spenser where he lives- they’re the very characteristics he abides by. 

Mattie believes the man convicted of the crime is innocent and points Spenser to the Southie toughs who she saw carrying her mother away hours before her murder. Neither the Boston PD nor the neighborhood thugs are keen on his dredging up the past, but as Spenser becomes more involved in the case, he starts to realize that Mattie may be onto something. Spenser will need Hawk’s help to find peace for Mattie – a job that’s more dangerous than he ever thought.

Editorial Reviews

Review

 “Handpicked by the Parker estate to be the keeper of the flame for the Spenser franchise, award-winning author Ace Atkins rises flawlessly to the occasion.”

—Kirkus Reviews

 “Atkins succeeds. He doesn’t sound like somebody trying to emulate Parker. He sounds like Parker in a book that hits all the usual Spenser notes. He has the wisecrack-filled dialogue down and Parker’s cadences, too: Spenser, thankfully, sounds like Spenser. You also get the vivid sense of place, flexing of muscles and spare plot that were hallmarks of Parker’s 39 Spenser books….It’s a feat when a writer creates characters who live and breathe on the page and make readers care and keep coming back for more. To manage that with someone else’s characters, let alone with an icon like Spenser, is a minor miracle. Ace Atkins pulls it off.”

—Chicago Sun-Times

 “Even the most fanatical Parker fans would be hard pressed to identify any aspect of this Spenser novel that doesn’t read as if it were penned by Spenser’s late creator.…Atkins hits all the familiar marks...as he offers familiar pleasures.”

—Publishers Weekly

 “A brisk read. Atkins gets the important things right, from Spenser’s dark sarcasm to the gritty attitude of Mattie Sullivan, a 14-year-old Southie girl trying to solve her mother’s murder.”

—Boston Daily 

"Ace Atkins has proven an exceptionally talented writer.... Taking on the challenge of continuing the much-loved Spenser series is a daunting task. Ace Atkins responds with a knock-out punch in round one. Parker would most definitely approve.
                   —Shelf Awareness

“It’s all there:  The crisp, rhythmic sentences. The ironic banter. The distinctly Spenserian attitude toward life that Atkins adopted as his own. And yet, those who have read both Parker and Atkins closely may also detect a muted, indefinable quality that’s pure Atkins. And that’s a very good thing…. Parker lives. Spenser is back.”

                    —Bruce DeSilva, Edgar Award Winning author of Cliff Walk
 

“It's the real deal. Atkins captures Parker's distinctive voice, the sardonic, self-deprecating, sharply observant first-person narration that makes the Spenser books so compelling, and so much fun.”

—Tampa Bay Times

 “In Lullaby, Ace Atkins has brought back everything we love about Robert B. Parker’s Boston P.I. Spenser, and he makes it look seamless and easy…. Atkins takes the reins of the Spenser series with self-assured ease. He also proves he’s the right man for the job.”

—MysteryPeople.com 

About the Author

Robert B. Parker was the author of seventy books, including the legendary Spenser detective series, the novels featuring Jesse Stone, and the acclaimed Virgil Cole/Everett Hitch westerns, as well as the Sunny Randall novels. Winner of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award and long considered the undisputed dean of American crime fiction, he died in January 2010.

Ace Atkins is the author of eleven novels, including the true-crime based White Shadow, Wicked City, Devil’s Garden, and Infamous. He is also the author of the Quinn Colson series, which includes The Ranger and the forthcoming The Lost Ones. Bestselling author Michael Connelly has called Atkins “one of the best crime writers working today.” He lives on a farm outside Oxford, Mississippi.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult; 1 edition (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780399158032
• ISBN-13: 978-0399158032
• ASIN: 0399158030
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (275 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,294 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ace Atkins is the New York Times Bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including the forthcoming The Broken Places and Robert B. Parker's Wonderland both out from G.P. Putnam's Sons in May 2013.
A former journalist who cut his teeth as a crime reporter in the newsroom of The Tampa Tribune, he published his first novel, Crossroad Blues, at 27 and became a full-time novelist at 30. In addition to numerous awards, Ace was selected by the Robert B. Parker estate to continue the bestselling adventures of Boston's iconic private eye, Spenser.
As a reporter, Ace earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination for a feature series based on his investigation into a forgotten murder of the 1950s. The story became the core of his critically acclaimed novel, White Shadow, which earned raves from noted authors and critics. In his next novels, Wicked City, Devil's Garden, and Infamous, blended first-hand interviews and original research into police and court records with tightly woven plots and incisive characters. The historical novels told great American stories by weaving fact and fiction into a colorful, seamless tapestry.
The Broken Places, The Lost Ones, and The Ranger -- all part of the unfolding Quinn Colson saga -- represent a return to Ace's first love: hero-driven series fiction. Colson is a real hero--a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan--who comes home to north Mississippi to fight corruption on his home turf. The stories, contemporary tales with a dash of classic westerns and noir, are currently in development for a major television series.
Ace lives on a historic farm outside Oxford, Mississippi with his family.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#34 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Mystery

#34 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery

#68 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers

#71 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

#73 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers

#34 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Mystery

#34 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery

#68 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers

#71 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

#73 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

159 of 163 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks, Ace! May 1, 2012

By J. Romano

Format:Hardcover

I am a huge RBP fan and read all his books, Spenser is my hero and couldn't wait to see what Ace Atkins would do with Lullaby and...I REALLY LIKED THIS BOOK! Lullaby reminded me of RBP's earlier Spenser novels, with its gritty plot, more words on the page, and the return of some older characters, like Gerry and Joe Broz. The Spenser/Susan chapters are less nauseating than the last few books. Hawk is also back and better than ever! Lullaby is a legitimate and entertaining continuation of the Spenser series. The series is in very good hands with Ace. I hope he writes a Spenser novel every year for the next hundred years!

79 of 81 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, Mr. Atkins May 1, 2012

By R. Sanders

Format:Hardcover

This was my first time to read a book by Ace Atkins... and I enjoyed his take on Spenser. And that's coming from a long-time, seriously sincere fan of the late Robert B. Parker (a great American writer). There were some false notes, but not many, and honestly, nothing too egregious. Many well-considered references to the Spenserian canon. Several references to True Grit (and its theme of a 14-year-old girl seeking justice), as well. With that book being one of my absolute all-time favorites, Mr. Atkins has made an outstandingly good move if he's trying to win me over. I'm happy to see Spenser in action again.

Here's what Hawk had to say about Spenser's protracted absence:
"You disappeared on me this winter," Hawk said, and sipped the champagne. "Me and you workin' out at Henry's was the first time I seen your white a** in a long time. Thought maybe you takin' it easy. Hangin' it up."
"Nope," I said.
"What else is there to do?" Hawk said.
"Yep."
"Glad you're back." Hawk nodded.

81 of 85 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Spenser lives on in good hands. May 1, 2012

By Gerald So

Format:Hardcover

Many Robert B. Parker fans reacted negatively to the news that Ace Atkins had been chosen by the Parker estate to write new Spenser novels. They rightly pointed out that no one could duplicate Parker's voice as it came through his writing. They probably didn't know at the time: Atkins may be the biggest Parker fan of all.

ROBERT B. PARKER'S LULLABY is steeped in Spenser's history, much of which I feel Parker forgot as time went on. Along with knowledge of that history, Atkins shows a fan's awareness that there was only one Robert B. Parker. Rather than try to parrot his voice, Atkins simply yet poignantly pays homage.