Robert B. Parker's Fool Me Twice (A Jesse Stone Novel) [Hardcover]

Michael Brandman (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 11, 2012 | Series: A Jesse Stone Novel (Book 11)

Summer in Paradise, Massachusetts, is usually an idyllic season?—but not this time. A Hollywood movie company has come to town, and brought with it a huge cast, crew, and a troubled star. Marisol Hinton is very beautiful, reasonably talented, and scared out of her wits that her estranged husband's jealousy might take a dangerous turn. When she becomes the subject of a death threat, Jesse and the rest of the Paradise police department go on high alert.

And when Jesse witnesses a horrifying collision caused by a distracted teenage driver, the political repercussions of her arrest bring him into conflict with the local selectment, the DA, and some people with very deep pockets. There's murder in the air, and it's Jesse's reputation as an uncompromising defender of the law—and his life—on the line. 

Editorial Reviews

Review

"No one understands what makes Bob Parker's Jesse Stone tick better than Michael Brandman, who help bring him to television.... I know Michael is just the writer to carry Jesse into the future."
—Tom Selleck

“Brandman in his second go-round as the caretaker of the late Parker’s Stone franchise nails Parker’s compressionist prose.”
— Booklist

"Brandman perfectly reproduces Parker’s style in this impressive continuation of his series featuring Jesse Stone.... As with the originals, the pleasure lies more in the easy, banter-filled writing, balanced with the lead's apparently limitless compassion, informed by bitter experience." —Publishers Weekly on Robert B. Parker's Killing the Blues

About the Author

Robert B. Parker was the author of more than fifty books.  He died in January 2010.

Michael Brandman is the author of the New York Times bestseller Robert B. Parker's Killing the Blues. He is the award-winning producer of more than thirty motion pictures, and collaborated with Robert B. Parker for years on movie projects, the Spenser TV movies, and the Jesse Stone series of TV movies starring Tom Selleck.  Brandman cowrote the screenplays for Stone Cold, No Remorse, and Innocents Lost, and supervised the screenplay adaptations of Night Passage, Death in Paradise, and Sea Change.  He lives in California.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult; First Edition edition (September 11, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399159495
• ISBN-13: 978-0399159497
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (205 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,770 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Brandman has produced more than forty motion pictures, including works by Tom Stoppard, Arthur Miller, Neil Simon, David Mamet, Elmore Leonard, Louis L'Amour, Stephen Sondheim, Horton Foote, Eugene O'Neill and Wendy Wasserstein. He co-wrote and/or supervised the writing on eight Jesse Stone movies, each starring Tom Selleck. His first novel, "Robert B. Parker's 'Killing the Blues'," was a New York Times Best Seller, as was his second, "Robert B. Parker's 'Fool Me Twice'." His third, "Robert B. Parker's 'Damned If You Do,'" will be published in September. He lives in Los Angeles and is married to the award winning actress, Joanna Miles. He is the father of two sons.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Jesse Stone, back on the case(s)! September 11, 2012

By Don In Fremont

Format:Hardcover

Brandman took something of a beating upon release of his first effort, Killing The Blues....those bashers will find much to dislike in Fool Me Twice as well, so we'll dispense with that first. It's not Parker, not even close. He's probably never meant to be taken as such, he seems like a humble enough guy. For that, you'll have to be satisfied with Atkins' Spenser (it's really good). Brandman tells the same character's stories his way, for better or worse.

As such, Fool Me Twice feels more like a well-constructed Jesse TV-movie-for-cable than a novel. Which is just fine, really.

Brandman provides us with the usual Paradise cast, powered by 3 trope-ish plot threads that get nicely resolved. They provide character, death, romance and a chance for Jesse to show all the sides make readers care about his stories.

There is, thankfully, nary a mention of ex-wife Jenn, for which Brandman deserves hearty praise...way to process, Jesse!!

Brandman's issues du jour issues include child-rearing, meth-madness, and the world water situation, all worthy and used to good effect here.

So, another fans-only release that will garner many heated opinions....something Dr. Bob would surely get behind!

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I thoroughly enjoyed Michael Brandman's novel. September 15, 2012

By Wayne C. Rogers

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Realizing that everyone has different tastes and opinions, I find myself wanting to praise the books I enjoy. If I don't get into a novel for whatever reason, I won't waste the time in critizing it. Maybe it was simply me and not the author, plus what I don't like, someone else might. So, reviews should always be taken with a grain of salt.

Though Michael Brandman's first Jesse Stone novel, Killing the Blues, read somewhat like a teleplay for a TV movie (it didn't bother me in the least), his newest venture into Jesse Stone fictional territory, Fool Me Twice, hit the nail on the head as far as I'm concerned. I loved his first book, but enjoyed this one even more. I believe that he and fellow author, Ace Atkins (Spenser's Lullaby) now have the two main series by Parker down pat. Both Spenser and Jesse Stone are in good hands, and I feel that Bob would be extremely pleased to know his children had been placed in loving homes.

The newest Jesse Stone novel has a big movie crew showing up into Paradise, Massachusetts to shoot a film with Marisol Hinton in it, Hollywood's up-and-coming starlet. She has just separated from her husband, who is also an actor. Leaving him penniless, he's determined to extract his revenge by following her to Paradise and killing her to collect the insurance. Stone makes the suggestion of getting Marisol a bodyguard, and Wilson Cromartie (aka Crow) is hired through the chief's recommendation. Crow is definitely a character I want to see more of and to learn about his past.

While that is going on, Chief Stone is the witness to a traffic accident, involving a young debutante (Courtney Cassidy) who was texting on her cell phone, instead of paying attention to the road. She gives Jesse a lot of attitude because her parents are wealthy, and he decides to go after her after everyone else advises him to drop the case. It isn't long before he realizes Courtney is a troubled teen and is silently calling out for help. The problem is how to reach her when he hits a brick wall with every move.

Now, while those two scenarios are in place, Chief Stone receives some complaints from the local citizens about their higher than usual water bills. The problem here is that there was never a mention about any rate increases. Jesse has to find out if anything is going on underneath the table that may be illegal. Who ever thought water could be exciting, unless you're stuck out in the desert without any.

Even while juggling three cases in the air, our hero still has time to date the Line Producer (Francis "Frankie" Greenberg) of the movie being filmed. Jesse certainly hasn't lost that touch with the ladies. Fortunately for Jesse and the readers, his ex-wife Jenn is barely mentioned in the book, plus he's cut back on his drinking, which always good. Also, as any reader can vouch for, none of Jesse's relationships ever amount to anything.

Most of the main characters from the books are also back: Molly, Suitcase Simpson, Captain Healey, Carter Hanson, and Hasty Hathaway. Unlike the television series, Jesse Stone has a cat to keep him company, instead of a dog. Since I'm both a cat and dog person, it doesn't matter to me. I get along fine with both species because they know I'm a pushover.

The writing in Fool Me Twice is somewhat reminiscent of Robert Parker's style, but still Michael Brandman's own. He has the dialogue and subtle nuances pitch perfect, the story structure clearly down, the character development right on the nose, the twist and turns that keeps the reader flipping over to the next page are there at the end of every chapter, and the finale wraps everything up in a way that is most satisfying. In other words, Mr. Brandman is definitely the man when it comes to writing Jesse Stone either for the literary community or the viewing audience.

There's one last thing I need to mention that is important. As I've gotten older, my reading has slowed down considerably. It now takes me one-to-two weeks to read an average size novel. I read Fool Me Twice in less than five hours. I couldn't put it down, until I finally reached the last page. It was that good to me.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this book to the fans of both Robert Parker and Jesse Stone. I sincerely hope Michael Brandman will continue with the series. I certainly look forward to more Jesse Stone novels in the future.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Sorta like Parker.... September 12, 2012

By Joseph Horton

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

...but not enough like him.

Brandman imitates Parker the way Tina Fey imitates Sarah Palin: you can tell it's an imitation. The voice is close to Parker's, but no cigar. He tries to get as many issues into play as he can: water availability, drug effects, the typical murder and mayhem, Hollywood narcissism. Reminds me of a limerick* I saw a long time ago. It was not a satisfying novel from those points of view, and it only made me mourn Parker's passing all the more.

As for the Beretta .38 automatic issue, I, too, was surprised at that and checked it: they really do make it. What no one makes are cirrus clouds that rain--referred to in the book. A mess. Advice: don't get it. Just read the originals and accept them as the complete set.

*The Limerick:

There once was a poet named Wood
Whose poems were not very good.
The problem was this:
He oft went amiss
By putting as many words and syllables and ideas into the last line as he possibly could.