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5.0 out of 5 stars
Three early novels from the glory years of Spenser for Hire, February 27, 2003
This review is from: Wings Bestsellers: Robert Parker: A New Collection of Three Complete Spenser Novels (Hardcover)
This collection brings together the fifth, sixth, and seventh Spenser for Hire novels by Robert B. Parker, representing the early glory days when our hero was trying to figure out how to make things work with Susan Silverman and Hawk was always around to help do the good deeds. The key thing is that Parker refuses to fit into a restrictive formula at this point and that his books are perfectly suited for those who spend time reading as a way of enduring the commuter lifestyle.
"The Judas Goat" (178) offers some twists on our hero as he travels to Europe and needs the assistance of Hawk to do his good deeds as we learn that apparently Spenser cannot do everything by himself. Spenser is hired by a millionaire industrialist who was crippled in the terrorist bomb blast in a London restaurant that killed his wife and daughter. Hugh Dixon will pay Spenser $2,500 for each of the nine members of the gang, dead or alive. Spenser's plan is to go to London and find himself a "Judas goat," someone in the gang he can turn to get at the others. Of course, since this is a Spenser novel the case proves to be a lot more complicate. This is one of the fastest paced novels in the series and features a most efficient Spenser, which seems a strange comment given all the waiting he does in this novel. On the personal front his relationship with Susan is progressing nicely (apply appropriate adage involving distance). The final twist that takes our hero to Montreal is a bit over the top, but if you remember events from the summer of 1972 it is not so far-fetched.
In "Looking for Rachel Wallace" our hero is hired to protect the title character, a radical lesbian feminist who has been receiving death threats because of her latest book "Tyranny," which is about people in high places who discriminate against gay women. To no one's surprise Rachel Wallace does not take well to Spenser's sense of humor, the way he dresses, his chosen avocation--okay, she does not like ANYTHING about him. But she needs protection and he can carry on an intelligent argument, so there is some level of respect. Everybody is worried or at least wondering what Spenser thinks about lesbians and radical feminists, and there are several feisty conversations along such lines between the pair, but the actual subject under examination in this book turns out to be Spenser himself, although most of the insights come from Susan Silverman instead of the Rachel Wallace. There is a point where Spenser explains if anything happens to him, Hawk should take up the case. Susan points out she does not know how to contact him and Spenser assures her that if anything happens Hawk will show up and ask if she needs anything. Susan talks about the implicit code that binds Spenser, Hawk, Quirk, Healy, etc., and I suddenly realize that Spenser has been NETWORKING! The first half of "Looking for Rachel Wallace" deals Spenser trying to do his job until he offends the writer's political sensibilities and is dismissed. As you can tell from the title, the second half of the novel brings changes the nature of the case and even though he is no longer employed to care, of course he takes responsibility for everything that has happened. The most unique part of this novel is that Spenser makes some serious mistakes (I even spotted a key clue way before he did), so he is not as on top of his game as usual. You especially know this is true when Spenser gets beaten up in a fight and apologizes several times for what he says. More than any other novel to this point in the series, "Looking for Rachel Wallace" gets to the heart of the character, understandably knocking him off stride to reveal the true nature of the man.
With "Early Autum" we again find a new twist in a new Spenser adventure. This time our hero is hired by Patti Giacomin to find her son Paul, kidnapped by his father. Spenser finds Paul almost immediately and it quickly becomes clear that neither parent really cares about the boy, who is just a pawn in the wake of an ugly divorce. Paul needs someone to teach him, well, just about everything (except how to shrug; the kid does that really well in response to literally every question asked by Spenser throughout the entire book). "Early Autumn," a metaphor for a 15-year old kid who has to grow up really fast, finds Spenser talking more than any of the previous books, although at the end his detective skills will again come into play. A large chunk of the book is Spenser and Paul talking about a whole bunch of different topics. In doing so, Spenser explains his view of the world, a task usually left to Susan Silverman. There is also an unforgettable twist as Hawk lends a hand at a key moment.
Can you beginning with "A New Collection of Three Complete Novels" and pick up the Spenser for Hire series from there? Certainly. But there is something to be said for going back and doing this series from the beginning. Early on the point is more the cases, but as the series progresses it becomes more about the relationships. Not just the major ones with Susan, Hawk, and Paul, but also those with the growing supporting cast, which includes Rachel Wallace.
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