The Widening Gyre (Spenser Novels (Dell)) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Robert B. Parker (Author) "I was nursing a bottle of Murphy's Irish Whiskey, drinking it from the neck of the bottle sparingly, and looking down from the window of..." (more)
Key Phrases: granny party, two stiffs, Joe Broz, Gerry Broz, Ronni Alexander (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The adoring wife of a senatorial candidate has a smile as sweet as candy and dots her "i's" with little hearts. A blond beauty, she is the perfect mate for an ambitious politician, but she has a little problem with sex and drugs--a problem someone has managed to put on videotape.

The big boys figure a little blackmail will put her husband out of the race. Until Spenser hops on the candidate's bandwagon.

But getting back the tape of the lady's X-rated indiscretion is a nonstop express ride to trouble--trouble that is deep, wide and deadly.

"A thriller all the way." (Seattle Times) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher
5 1-hour cassettes --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Dell; First edition (June 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440195357
• ISBN-13: 978-0440195351
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #28,667 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 10 in The Spenser Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sensitive, January 21, 2000

By	Harmoni (United States of America) - See all my reviews

This is the 10th book in the Spenser series.

Spenser is hired as a guard on the U.S. Senate campaign of ultra-Christian Meade Alexander. He soon finds out that Alexander is being blackmailed with the threat of making public a video of his wife in bed with a young man. Alexander truly loves his wife and would rather give up his political aspirations than humiliate her.

Susan is in the midst of a one-year internship in Washington D.C. for her Ph.D. Spenser goes to D.C. on his case and finds Susan different in significant ways. "Her face was as it had always been: intricate, beautiful, expressive. In the last year somehow it had also become faintly remote, as if always she were listening to a whisper, barely audible, from someplace else: her name, maybe, tiny and hushed."

Spenser is also very sensitive concerning the middle-aged women he sees having sex with four "college boys" who are secretly taping the rendesvous. "These women were real, with the fine roughening of skin here and there, the tiny sag at the breast, the small folds across the stomach that real women, and men, have. . . . That kind of vulnerability shouldn't be handed around. It was for someone who loved you and was vulnerable too."

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Getting hooked on Spenser, September 29, 2000

By	Mark S. Winger (Wood Dale, IL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Widening Gyre (Audio Cassette)

I listened to the unabridged audio cassette of this book, while traveling around town. I prefer not to get the condensed versions of the books where you miss the development of the story and characters and get only the basics. While this book did get a little too sentimental, I have to say that it was for the better. To get the insight into Spenser and how he feels in lieu of always getting the stony detective that defeats all his enemies and solves the crime was interesting. I thought the story itself was intriguing. Okay it wasn't as complicated as plots can be, but I definitely didn't find my interest wandering. I have read one Spenser book and listened to a couple of others on tape, and I have to say that this book will keep me going. If you haven't read or listened to a Spenser book before I do not feel that you will be lost out jumping into this one.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent., September 6, 2004

By	M. Bechyne "free_fall" (Downey, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book explores the changes relationships go through while delivering the action/adventure Spenser fans crave. Finally some changes are occuring in his relationship with the too perfect Susan Silverman; this portrayal of her as perfection personified has palled a long time ago. Not enough Hawk though; need more Hawk.