Stardust (Spenser) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "WHEN you walk across the Common from the Beacon Street side, coming up from Charles Street and angling toward Park Street, you are walking up..." (more)
Key Phrases: speed bag, Jill Joyce, Wilfred Pomeroy, San Diego (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Parker ( Playmates ) adds another winner to his tried-and-true series with this electrifying story told in the familiar low-voltage style of Spenser, Boston private eye. Spenser's love, psychologist Susan, acting as consultant to a TV film crew shooting locally, persuades Spenser and his loyal sidekick Hawk to guard the show's star, Jill Joyce. Although Joyce's behavior off-camera epitomizes depravity, Susan and Spenser recognize the fear behind the woman's mask. The detective investigates the threatening phone calls and letters that precede the murder of Joyce's stand-in, a tragic mistake that pushes him to the limit in his search for the killer. Success comes as the final revelation in a drama crammed with the unexpected. A nice surprise is the role played by three mongrels Spenser rescues from a pound. The dignified, impeccably mannered dogs upstage the entire cast of characters in a performance that reveals genuine star quality. Doubleday Book Club selection; Literary Guild alternate.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Spencer is assigned to protect a TV star in a mission that takes him to murder and beyond. 2 cassettes. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Berkley; 1st THUS edition (May 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425127230
• ISBN-13: 978-0425127230
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #263,267 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 20 in The Spenser Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ANOTHER GOOD ONE BY PARKER!!!, February 23, 2001

By	Mac Blair "Mac Blair" (Huntingdon, TN USA) - See all my reviews

Parker has written another good book. Spencer is hired to baby sit a TV star. He is to protect her and also find out who is trying to kill her. He is his usual witty self, he is helped by Hawk and Susan as always. The TV star, Jill Joyce, is not a good person, a nice way to say it. Spencer keeps digging and finally comes up with the person who has been making the threats. You will be surprised who it is. A good read, if you have liked other Spencer books you will like this one. I always enjoy Hawk, wish he had a larger role the books.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ..., January 30, 2003

By	Neal C. Reynolds (Indianapolis, Indiana) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Stardust (Hardcover)

... I thought this was one of the best Spenser novels at the time of its publication, but I do recommend reading it in sequence. Especially, read "A Savage Place" first, because the two books have a certain relation to each other.

This is a bit more of a mystery than others in the series in that you don't discover the murderer's identity until the end, and this is good in adding a bit more suspense than usual.

Spenser's hired to protect a very obnoxius TV star, who's addicted to drugs, alcoholic, arrogant...listed alphabetically, I'd be naming several other character defects before we get to nympho, and that's just past the middle of the alphabet!!! On top of all this, she might be making up all these threats she's supposedly receiving. However, when her double is murdered, Spenser has to take the task of protecting her more seriously. He has a hang-up about protecting women since an unpleasant happening earlier in the series.

I had a suspicion around half way through as to who the murderer was...I won't tell you whether I was right or wrong. However, I believe the suspicion was deliberately & subtly planted by Parker, and if so, I admire him for the way he did it. Like I say, I'll let you find out whether this was deliberate foreshadowing for dramatic effect, or a red herring to distract you.

I do recommend this highly, but if you're not already a Spenser fan, read several earlier books including "The Savage Place" first in order to better appreciate this.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Spenser Mixes It With The TV Crowd, December 16, 2001

By	Untouchable (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Once again it's Spenser to the rescue. This time he's called onto the set of a television show to act as bodyguard to the star, and America's sweetheart, Jill Joyce. Unfortunately, she's also a drunk, incredibly difficult to work with, and determined to bed every man within a 5-mile radius.

But when Spenser's on the job it's professionalism all the way which makes for a very fiery employer / employee relationship. It also makes for some most amusing situations and gives ample opportunity for Spenser to display his flair for detective work. The relationship between Spenser and Susan is comfortable, as ever, and between Spenser and Hawk as solid as a rock.

The sanctuary of a Spenser book is always a welcome haven for weary readers with the pace of the book high and the pages turning quickly. Light entertainment at it's best; if you're after mystery with a liberal dash of humour then you're in for a real treat here.