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Parker #19
Flashfire
Between Parker’s 1961 debut and his return in the late 1990s, the world of crime changed considerably. Now fake IDs and credit cards had to be purchased from specialists; increasingly sophisticated policing made escape and evasion tougher; and, worst of all, money had gone digital—the days of cash-stuffed payroll trucks were long gone.
But cash isn’t everything: Flashfire and Firebreak find Parker going after, respectively, a fortune in jewels and a collection of priceless paintings. In Flashfire, Parker’s in West Palm Beach, competing with a crew that has an unhealthy love of explosions; when things go sour, Parker finds himself shot and trapped—and forced to rely on a civilian to survive. Firebreak takes Parker to a palatial Montana "hunting lodge" where a dot-com millionaire hides a gallery of stolen old masters—which will fetch Parker a pretty penny if his team can just get it past the mansion’s tight security. The forests of Montana are an inhospitable place for a heister when well-laid plans fall apart, but no matter how untamed the wilderness, Parker’s guaranteed to be the most dangerous predator around.
“Like all of Stark’s Parker novels, Firebreak is a brutal yet compelling glimpse into the amoral world of crime and revenge.”—Booklist
“The action [in Flashfire] is nonstop. . . . The awful fascination in these Parker tales comes from knowing the protagonist will always do whatever is necessary to protect himself and to achieve his goals.”—Wall Street Journal
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
April 16, 2018
When you ask Parker for a loan you’d better make sure that he agrees with the terms or else he’ll really make you pay.
It’s not unusual for Parker’s accomplices to try to rip him off after they pull a robbery, but this one plays out differently from the typical stab in the back. Instead of just trying to kill him and take all the loot these guys first try to talk Parker into coming in with them and using all the money they just stole to finance their next job which they claim will be a highly lucrative jewel heist in Palm Beach. It’s only when Parker refuses and demands his cut that these guys reluctantly take all the money, but they promise that it’s only a loan which they will repay as soon as they complete this other robbery. It’s all very civilized as far as ripping off a partner goes, but of course they didn’t realize that they’re messing with the wrong guy. Parker promptly starts building a fake identity as a rich guy looking to buy a house in Palm Beach as part of his revenge scheme. He’s got a solid plan, but as usual things never run smoothly for Parker.
A plot about Parker being betrayed by his partners and setting out to get his money back is pretty standard for the series, and it’s all done as well as you’d expect from Richard Stark (a/k/a Donald Westlake). As a Parker novel this is a solid 3 stars, but there’s two things that I found absolutely delightful in this book.
First, Parker’s share of the original score is $20,000. He doesn’t want to throw in with the jewel heist and potentially make a lot more because he doesn’t like about the plan. After the other thieves take the money Parker then goes on a crime spree to build up the funds he’ll need to establish a whole new identity as a rich man. During this he probably makes well over $200,000 in a string of quick robberies. The fact that he is so peeved about losing 20 grand that he makes over 10 times that amount without breaking a sweat and still feels the need to use it to go after the guys who ripped him off rather than just take that money and call it a day is quintessential Parker, and I love it.
The second thing that I gave this one bonus points for is a scene that occurs while Parker is playing the part of a wealthy man looking to buy a house, and he has a real estate lady showing him around Palm Beach. This woman talks a ton of trash about a certain orange shitbag buying an estate there including this gem: "I think a place must be a little déclassé if Donald Trump has even heard of it."
Donald Westlake was so cool he can throw shade from beyond the grave.
It’s not unusual for Parker’s accomplices to try to rip him off after they pull a robbery, but this one plays out differently from the typical stab in the back. Instead of just trying to kill him and take all the loot these guys first try to talk Parker into coming in with them and using all the money they just stole to finance their next job which they claim will be a highly lucrative jewel heist in Palm Beach. It’s only when Parker refuses and demands his cut that these guys reluctantly take all the money, but they promise that it’s only a loan which they will repay as soon as they complete this other robbery. It’s all very civilized as far as ripping off a partner goes, but of course they didn’t realize that they’re messing with the wrong guy. Parker promptly starts building a fake identity as a rich guy looking to buy a house in Palm Beach as part of his revenge scheme. He’s got a solid plan, but as usual things never run smoothly for Parker.
A plot about Parker being betrayed by his partners and setting out to get his money back is pretty standard for the series, and it’s all done as well as you’d expect from Richard Stark (a/k/a Donald Westlake). As a Parker novel this is a solid 3 stars, but there’s two things that I found absolutely delightful in this book.
First, Parker’s share of the original score is $20,000. He doesn’t want to throw in with the jewel heist and potentially make a lot more because he doesn’t like about the plan. After the other thieves take the money Parker then goes on a crime spree to build up the funds he’ll need to establish a whole new identity as a rich man. During this he probably makes well over $200,000 in a string of quick robberies. The fact that he is so peeved about losing 20 grand that he makes over 10 times that amount without breaking a sweat and still feels the need to use it to go after the guys who ripped him off rather than just take that money and call it a day is quintessential Parker, and I love it.
The second thing that I gave this one bonus points for is a scene that occurs while Parker is playing the part of a wealthy man looking to buy a house, and he has a real estate lady showing him around Palm Beach. This woman talks a ton of trash about a certain orange shitbag buying an estate there including this gem: "I think a place must be a little déclassé if Donald Trump has even heard of it."
Donald Westlake was so cool he can throw shade from beyond the grave.
October 5, 2012
This is the book the upcoming Parker movie starring Jason Statham is based on.
Parker helps a crew on a bank job and then they take off with his money. Parker goes after them like a bloodhound, gathering money and planning to take their next heist out from under them. Only the man who furnished Parker with a new identity is gunned down and the killer is coming for Parker! Can Parker get his money and avoid getting dead?
Flashfire is one of the non-standard Parker books. Parker is out to steal back his money from the guys who stiffed him in the first place. It feels a little like The Hunter in that regard. Parker certainly goes through the wringer in this one. Flashfire definitely showcases Parker's toughness and tenacity.
I liked Parker's relationship with Leslie Mackenzie and I really liked the interplay between Parker and the sheriff. As always, the fun came with watching Parker deal with the complications.
Any gripes? Just the same ones I have with all of the post-Butcher's Moon Parker books so far. For what it was, it was at least seventy pages too long. There was a lot of extraneous crap and it felt more like a Westlake book than a Richard Stark. The reason people were on Parker's trail also seemed a little weak.
While it's not my favorite Parker, it's still a worthy part of the Parker canon. An easy three stars.
Parker helps a crew on a bank job and then they take off with his money. Parker goes after them like a bloodhound, gathering money and planning to take their next heist out from under them. Only the man who furnished Parker with a new identity is gunned down and the killer is coming for Parker! Can Parker get his money and avoid getting dead?
Flashfire is one of the non-standard Parker books. Parker is out to steal back his money from the guys who stiffed him in the first place. It feels a little like The Hunter in that regard. Parker certainly goes through the wringer in this one. Flashfire definitely showcases Parker's toughness and tenacity.
I liked Parker's relationship with Leslie Mackenzie and I really liked the interplay between Parker and the sheriff. As always, the fun came with watching Parker deal with the complications.
Any gripes? Just the same ones I have with all of the post-Butcher's Moon Parker books so far. For what it was, it was at least seventy pages too long. There was a lot of extraneous crap and it felt more like a Westlake book than a Richard Stark. The reason people were on Parker's trail also seemed a little weak.
While it's not my favorite Parker, it's still a worthy part of the Parker canon. An easy three stars.
March 5, 2021
"Everybody's dead. Some people just don't know it yet"--Stark
I think #19 in the series is basically a solid 4 stars; it's as with other late Parkers, a tad too long, compared to the tighter, earlier Parkers, and I prefer 'em lean and mean(er). But it does have some remarkable dimensions I'll mention. The story is like The Hunter, #1, a tale of revenge for some guys taking Parker's $20K part of a heist cut. They do intend to pay him, after yet another job they'll do, but Parker has principles: You do the job, you get paid when you are done.
In the process, he goes undercover disguised as a rich man in Palm Beach to develop the revenge plot; when he is in the process of buying real estate for this process, he encounters what seems to him a fairly typical agent, Lesley, who sees though his cover and asks to get involved in whatever clearly illegal activity he is engaged in. Lesley wants out of her dull life. Parker agrees to have her work with him, since she knows Palm Beach and has no criminal past.
Now, Lesley is attractive, so that alone, early on in the Parker series, would lead to sex, but Stark makes it clear that Lesley has had little recent good experience with romance, and may not really be all that interested. But more importantly, (the decidedly amoral) Parker is not interested! He says to Lesley,
"Claire is the only house I want to live in. She keeps all her windows and doors open, only to me."
Lesley blushed, "You must miss her a lot."
This is the most romantic thing Parker ever says about his long time girlfriend. And I like it, but I can see some people who liked the early, brutal Parker would read this turn of events and think that it makes Parker look disappointingly "soft." Not that a man can't say he loves a woman, of course, in a noir novel, and Parker has actually been with Claire for years, but this hard-nosed criminal Parker has never said anything remotely like this! I have to say it made me smile and like him more.
But Lesley, who just wants out of her old life, is a great character. Until this point in her life, she has never committed a crime. In that way she is like us; we need money, and we can imagine what it would be like to get involved in a jewel heist! We live the heist through her, in a sense.
Another awesome thing that happens in this 2000 book is that Lesley speaks of Not-My-President Donald Trump and Mar-a-Lago as crass and vulgar. I smiled to read that. As she says of one area of Palm Beach,
"I think a place must be a little déclassé if Donald Trump has even heard of it."
The last thing that bumps this book up for me from my initial 3 star rating is the final confrontation and deal made with the old sheriff near the end. That's a great and surprising scene, and the sheriff is a great character, too. Good entry in the series..
I think #19 in the series is basically a solid 4 stars; it's as with other late Parkers, a tad too long, compared to the tighter, earlier Parkers, and I prefer 'em lean and mean(er). But it does have some remarkable dimensions I'll mention. The story is like The Hunter, #1, a tale of revenge for some guys taking Parker's $20K part of a heist cut. They do intend to pay him, after yet another job they'll do, but Parker has principles: You do the job, you get paid when you are done.
In the process, he goes undercover disguised as a rich man in Palm Beach to develop the revenge plot; when he is in the process of buying real estate for this process, he encounters what seems to him a fairly typical agent, Lesley, who sees though his cover and asks to get involved in whatever clearly illegal activity he is engaged in. Lesley wants out of her dull life. Parker agrees to have her work with him, since she knows Palm Beach and has no criminal past.
Now, Lesley is attractive, so that alone, early on in the Parker series, would lead to sex, but Stark makes it clear that Lesley has had little recent good experience with romance, and may not really be all that interested. But more importantly, (the decidedly amoral) Parker is not interested! He says to Lesley,
"Claire is the only house I want to live in. She keeps all her windows and doors open, only to me."
Lesley blushed, "You must miss her a lot."
This is the most romantic thing Parker ever says about his long time girlfriend. And I like it, but I can see some people who liked the early, brutal Parker would read this turn of events and think that it makes Parker look disappointingly "soft." Not that a man can't say he loves a woman, of course, in a noir novel, and Parker has actually been with Claire for years, but this hard-nosed criminal Parker has never said anything remotely like this! I have to say it made me smile and like him more.
But Lesley, who just wants out of her old life, is a great character. Until this point in her life, she has never committed a crime. In that way she is like us; we need money, and we can imagine what it would be like to get involved in a jewel heist! We live the heist through her, in a sense.
Another awesome thing that happens in this 2000 book is that Lesley speaks of Not-My-President Donald Trump and Mar-a-Lago as crass and vulgar. I smiled to read that. As she says of one area of Palm Beach,
"I think a place must be a little déclassé if Donald Trump has even heard of it."
The last thing that bumps this book up for me from my initial 3 star rating is the final confrontation and deal made with the old sheriff near the end. That's a great and surprising scene, and the sheriff is a great character, too. Good entry in the series..
April 11, 2017
For pure thrill and pleasure sort of summer reading, Richard Stark delivers some great stuff in Flashfire. Using his badass bad guy Parker, it is a sort of criminal Monte Cristo where Parker gets revenge on other bad guys that screwed him over. It's action is about as graphic and exciting as pulp fiction legend Elmore Leonard, but without the humour. It is nonetheless a gripping and fun read. Note that there are several comic book versions of Parker stories and they are quite well done.
Read
December 23, 2020
Flashfire packs enough capers and intrigue and subplots into 275 pages, you'll have the sense you're reading a multivolume set of crime noir.
The frame: a trio of seasoned Texas heisters brings Parker in on a Nebraska bank robbery job. But when it comes time to divvy up the loot four ways, they tell Parker things are more complicated than simply handing him his share. They talk about a future jewelry heist in Palm Beach. They talk to Parker as if they're the ranchers and he's a hired hand.
As any Parker fan knows, that's exactly the wrong approach with Parker. When Parker does a job, Parker expects to get paid in full. Those are the rules. The Texas trio says phooey, they set the rules and Parker will just have to live with it.
Well, partners, you might find out you've made a Texas-sized mistake. A Flashfire film trailer:
Florida Here I Come
Parker is at the wheel of his Ford Taurus, driving out of Evansville, Indiana, knowing he has two months to make it to Palm Beach. However, there are a few stops along the way. "What he needed first was better guns, then more money, then better clothing and luggage, then better wheels. He needed to change his appearance, too, not for the three guys he was going to kill but for the Palm Beach police; he needed to be somebody who wouldn't make the law look twice."
First Stop for Guns
Parker spots a gun shop out along a country road in Central Kentucky. It's three in the morning so not a lot of country folks around. Parker parks the Taurus, walks a couple miles down the road to a Highway Department garage, swipes a yellow Caterpillar backhoe, drives back to the gun shop, positions the Caterpillar so he can angle the bucket with the maw forward and down and drives directly into the window displaying the handguns. "He rotated the bucket, scooping up the window and everything in it." Moments later, Parker picks through the rubble and snags four pistols before driving off in his Taurus. Easy-peasy.
South American Connection
There's plenty more Parker solo action from Nashville to Houston, but when Parker deals with a guy named Norte to get false ID, he runs into a snag. Turns out, a South American drug lord-type also has been dealing with Norte for a fake ID and wants Norte dead. Parker shows up exactly at the wrong time. Violence erupts, as per this snatch:
"Norte stared down at the three men. The driver was still stoic, but the other men were now staring up at Norte, hoping something different was going to happen now.
No. Abruptly, as though to get it over before he had to think about it, Norte grabbed up the revolver, bent over them, and shot each one in the head. The carpet would have to be replaced for sure.
"Keep shooting," Parker said.
Norte grimaced at him. "They're dead. Believe me, they're dead.
"Keep shooting."
The South American drug lord-type finds out Parker was in Norte's office at the same time as his muscle men, now dead. The thick plottens.
Real Estate Gal Gets Real
Once in Palm Beach, Parker needs to know a whole bunch of details about the Texas trio's caper, things like what jewels they plan to steal and what Palm Beach house they're going to use to hold up in.
Parker takes on the role of a wealthy country club gent and asks a real estate agency to show him various properties. Blonde, forty-year-old Leslie Mackenzie, real estate agent, enters the scene. Just so happens, lovely Leslie hungers for money and she senses a special something with this curious man she's assigned to spend time with. Oh, Leslie, you might be a professional real estate agent but does that qualify you to play in the field of the outlaws? How much success will Leslie muster in her new venture? For Richard Stark to tell.
Right-Wingers Doin' Right
We're out on maneuvers in the Florida everglades with the Christian Renewal Defense Force, twenty-nine members strong, when Captain Bob and the troops catch sight of something truly amazing.
Out of nowhere a white utility vehicle, foreign make, roars through the glades and then one guy opens the door and rolls out and then another guy does the same on the other side. Captain Bob tells them to hold on but, damn, the guy with the rifle takes aim and shots the other guy. Then he shoots two of their Christian Renewal Defense Force. Holy shit!
With his background in Nam, Captain Bob takes decisive action, lines up his boys in two columns. Moments later, both driver and rifleman are riddled with thirteen bullets each. The crusaders think: serves them foreigners right, messing with the force of God.
Sharp Sergeant
"Trooper Sergeant Jake Farley of the Snake River County sheriff's department had never seen anything like this before. Four dead, one dying, all questions, no answers." And Sergeant Jack Farley doesn't buy how the one guy, rich, staying in Palm Beach, was in the everglades by mistake. Sergeant Jake isn't about to let this case go.
Perfidious Pyrotechnics
The unexpected: explosions and then fire! fire! fire! Almost immediately, all the rich women and men in this Palm Beach crowd hear the approaching siren of a fire truck. "Police and guards cleared everybody out of the entranceway and the fire engine went tearing around the curve. Melander and Ross clinging to the handholds, the fire engine rushing full tilt at the house, where the first of the fleeing guests were just now beginning to stagger out into the clear night air. Carlson didn't hit the brake until the very last second, the big fire engine spewing gravel as it shuddered to a stop."
Sound spectacular? What if I told you Melander, Ross and Carlson are the names of those Texas marauders? There's good reason Parker kept repeating how that heister trio goes gaudy all the way - it's their style.
Fireflash might not be the tightest of the Parker novels, but it sure is flashy and unforgettable as all get out. Yahoo! Read it, partner!
American author Donald E. Westlake, 1933-2008
December 14, 2021
Hot damn that was fun!!! Four Fabulous Stars for this most excellent slice of Parker Pie!!
July 26, 2020
Stylish action thriller 7/10
Reminiscent of Elmore Leonard
Will be tracking down more of this author, who I had never heard of before
Reminiscent of Elmore Leonard
Will be tracking down more of this author, who I had never heard of before
July 6, 2015
So this book is one of those were Richard Stark made Parker return after too many years of absence, and he does so quite well. Parker is still at the top of his game.
This is also the book that lays the foundation for Jason Stathams 'Parker" movie which turned out not to be such a bad movie after all it actually managed to stay fairly close to the book even if the openings scene for the movie at the state fair was not by Stark but a very good done heist.
Parker does this heist and when the dust settles he finds out that his stake in the heist is actually seed money for a bigger heist, something Parker did not know and does not agree to. But as far as guns go he has little option but to agree on the matter. When the gents walk away with Parker's share of the loot they leave him behind alive.
Parker knows their traveling target nothing about the actual score but he himself starts traveling in the direction his former co-workers went and while he does so he pulls some robberies by himself which are like all Parker stories well detailed on his way to establish what happened with his money.
He finds himself into trouble when the forger he went to ends up in a little problem of his own, namely one of his customers wants the forger dead and there is Parker finding himself into the middle of things. They even hound him all the way to Palm Beach were they are as welcome in Parker's plans as paupers in Palm Beach.
This episode in Parker's life is as dark as any but there seems to be some more witticism around which makes this book a pleasure to read, as did so many before in this series.
As for the movie I am afraid it remains one of my guilty pleasures and I do hope we see Jason Statham in another Parker movie.
This is also the book that lays the foundation for Jason Stathams 'Parker" movie which turned out not to be such a bad movie after all it actually managed to stay fairly close to the book even if the openings scene for the movie at the state fair was not by Stark but a very good done heist.
Parker does this heist and when the dust settles he finds out that his stake in the heist is actually seed money for a bigger heist, something Parker did not know and does not agree to. But as far as guns go he has little option but to agree on the matter. When the gents walk away with Parker's share of the loot they leave him behind alive.
Parker knows their traveling target nothing about the actual score but he himself starts traveling in the direction his former co-workers went and while he does so he pulls some robberies by himself which are like all Parker stories well detailed on his way to establish what happened with his money.
He finds himself into trouble when the forger he went to ends up in a little problem of his own, namely one of his customers wants the forger dead and there is Parker finding himself into the middle of things. They even hound him all the way to Palm Beach were they are as welcome in Parker's plans as paupers in Palm Beach.
This episode in Parker's life is as dark as any but there seems to be some more witticism around which makes this book a pleasure to read, as did so many before in this series.
As for the movie I am afraid it remains one of my guilty pleasures and I do hope we see Jason Statham in another Parker movie.
August 15, 2021
Parker and the Jewellery Auction
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (January 2013) of the Warner Books / Mysterious Press hardcover (2000)
Richard Stark was one of the many pseudonyms of the prolific crime author Donald E. Westlake (1933-2008), who wrote over 100 books. The Stark pseudonym was used primarily for the Parker novels, an antihero criminal who is usually betrayed or ensnared in some manner and who spends each book getting revenge or escaping the circumstances.
In Flashfire, Parker is shorted on a score by a crew of heisters who are after an even bigger score at a jewellery auction in Palm Beach, Florida. Parker is offered a role and a share of the bigger score but he doesn't like the crew's style and turns it down. They temporarily "borrow" his share of the smaller score as they need it for financing. Parker of course resents any sort of betrayal and plans to nab the entire big score for himself.
He ends up enlisting the aid of a local real estate agent named Leslie (played by Jennifer Lopez in the film adaptation "Parker" (2013)) in order to blend in to the Palm Beach community. A further complication occurs when his involvement with a provider of false identity documents is compromised and another criminal sends his henchmen to wipe out anyone knowing of his new identity. There is a fun and early (the book was written in 2000) swipe at Donald Trump when the real estate agent is showing Parker around Palm Beach.
Flashfire is the 3rd book of 5 in a book titles arc by Richard Stark where the second syllable in each one-word title provides the first syllable of the next one as in 1) Comeback, 2) Backflash, 3) Flashfire, 4) Firebreak and 5) Breakout.
Narrator Mark Peckham does an excellent job in all voices in this audiobook edition. The narration includes the Foreword by Terry Teachout as read by Peckham.
I had never previously read the Stark/Parker novels but became curious when they came up in my recent reading of The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives (Sept. 2020) by Nancy Pearl & Jeff Schwager. Here is a (perhaps surprising) excerpt from their discussion with Amor Towles:
The 24 Parker books are almost all available for free on Audible Plus, except for #21 & #22 which aren't available at all.
Trivia and Links
Flashfire was adapted as the film Parker (2013) dir. Taylor Hackford, starring Jason Statham in the Parker role. A trailer on YouTube can be viewed here.
The trailer includes some of the best Parkeresque lines that Jason Statham delivers (not from the original book though) such as:
and this dialogue:
The Flashfire page at The Violent World of Parker website is not as complete as those for the earlier books, but does provide cover images of the different editions.
Unlike many of the 2010-2013 Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook editions which share the same cover art as the University of Chicago Press 2009-2011 reprints, this audiobook DOES include the Foreword by author Terry Teachout .
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (January 2013) of the Warner Books / Mysterious Press hardcover (2000)
Richard Stark was one of the many pseudonyms of the prolific crime author Donald E. Westlake (1933-2008), who wrote over 100 books. The Stark pseudonym was used primarily for the Parker novels, an antihero criminal who is usually betrayed or ensnared in some manner and who spends each book getting revenge or escaping the circumstances.
In Flashfire, Parker is shorted on a score by a crew of heisters who are after an even bigger score at a jewellery auction in Palm Beach, Florida. Parker is offered a role and a share of the bigger score but he doesn't like the crew's style and turns it down. They temporarily "borrow" his share of the smaller score as they need it for financing. Parker of course resents any sort of betrayal and plans to nab the entire big score for himself.
He ends up enlisting the aid of a local real estate agent named Leslie (played by Jennifer Lopez in the film adaptation "Parker" (2013)) in order to blend in to the Palm Beach community. A further complication occurs when his involvement with a provider of false identity documents is compromised and another criminal sends his henchmen to wipe out anyone knowing of his new identity. There is a fun and early (the book was written in 2000) swipe at Donald Trump when the real estate agent is showing Parker around Palm Beach.
"Donald Trump never fit in here," Leslie said, having pointed out Mar-a-Lago, which for many years had belonged to Mrs. Merriweather Post, who definitely did fit in here, and which after her death had been for years a white elephant on the market–nobody’s inherited money, no matter how much of it there was, could afford the upkeep of the huge sprawling place–until Trump had grabbed it up, expecting it to be his entrée to Palm Beach, misunderstanding the place, believing Palm Beach was about real estate, like New York, never getting it that Palm Beach was about money you hadn’t earned.These final Parker novels from #17 to #24 seem stronger and more complex than the original run which was probably due to Westlake/Stark's development as a writer over the years and during the 23 year hiatus. Several of these are strong 4's to 5's (I've actually read or listened to all of them now and am just parceling out the reviews over time).
"I should be pleased Mr. Trump took over Mar-a-Lago," Leslie said, "I think we should all be pleased, because we certainly didn’t want it to turn into Miss Havisham’s wedding cake out there, but to be honest with you, I think a place must be just a little déclassé if Donald Trump has even heard of it."
Flashfire is the 3rd book of 5 in a book titles arc by Richard Stark where the second syllable in each one-word title provides the first syllable of the next one as in 1) Comeback, 2) Backflash, 3) Flashfire, 4) Firebreak and 5) Breakout.
Narrator Mark Peckham does an excellent job in all voices in this audiobook edition. The narration includes the Foreword by Terry Teachout as read by Peckham.
I had never previously read the Stark/Parker novels but became curious when they came up in my recent reading of The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives (Sept. 2020) by Nancy Pearl & Jeff Schwager. Here is a (perhaps surprising) excerpt from their discussion with Amor Towles:
Nancy: Do you read Lee Child?
Amor: I know Lee. I had never read his books until I met him, but now I read them whenever they come out. I think some of the decisions he makes are ingenious.
Jeff: Have you read the Parker books by Donald Westlake [writing as Richard Stark]?
Amor: I think the Parker books are an extraordinary series.
Jeff: They feel like a big influence on Reacher, right down to the name. Both Reacher and Parker have a singular focus on the task in front of them.
Amor: But Parker is amoral. Reacher is just dangerous.
Jeff: Right. Reacher doesn't have a conventional morality, but he has his own morality. Parker will do anything he has to do to achieve his goal.
Amor: But to your point, Westlake's staccato style with its great twists at the end of the paragraphs, and his mesmerizing central character - these attributes are clearly shared by the Reacher books.
The 24 Parker books are almost all available for free on Audible Plus, except for #21 & #22 which aren't available at all.
Trivia and Links
Flashfire was adapted as the film Parker (2013) dir. Taylor Hackford, starring Jason Statham in the Parker role. A trailer on YouTube can be viewed here.
The trailer includes some of the best Parkeresque lines that Jason Statham delivers (not from the original book though) such as:
“Civilized people need to follow rules, and these are mine. I don’t steal from people who can’t afford it, and I don’t hurt people that don’t deserve it. So relax.”
and this dialogue:
Leslie: "How do you sleep at night?"
Parker: "I don't drink coffee after 7."
The Flashfire page at The Violent World of Parker website is not as complete as those for the earlier books, but does provide cover images of the different editions.
Unlike many of the 2010-2013 Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook editions which share the same cover art as the University of Chicago Press 2009-2011 reprints, this audiobook DOES include the Foreword by author Terry Teachout .
May 1, 2018
One of Westlake-as-Stark's best "Parker" entries.
When you pull a job with "Parker", make sure you pay him ALL of his share of the heist.
Pay the man in full at the conclusion of the job.
January 19, 2019
Parker pulls off a heist with a new crew, who want to invest the proceeds in a major jewel robbery on Palm Beach Island. When Parker refuses, they keep his share, promising to pay it back with interest after the job. Of course, this infuriates Parker, who immediately starts building a persona to get back at the crew. The daring plan is to steal $12 million from a highly-guarded estate auction to benefit the local library, and the plan works, but Parker and a desperate local real estate agent get the drop on the prize. I was amused by the discussion of how Trump's purchase of Mar-a-Lago had offended the monied local residents because he did not fit in: this book was published in 2000.
December 14, 2025
Complicated and fun, a good book.
September 7, 2012
I know that “Flashfire” was published in 2000, but this book feels like it was written three or four decades earlier. In this book I experienced the same rush that I felt when reading “The Man with the Getaway Face”. I can see why some lament the change in tone of the later Parker novels. I think that I am in that camp, too. Maybe not stringently, but I definitely like the punch and pacing of this book.
Like all Parker novels, the action comes in right at the start. In this one, Parker & associates pull off a bank job that executes virtually flawlessly. Then, trouble steps in. Parker’s new friends want to borrow most of his share to setup another, larger heist. Problem is they neglected to discuss this with Parker beforehand. They don’t want to kill him and they do their best to placate him, then they take off. Parker, of course, has other things in mind. He’s been robbed and he does not like it.
We are then treated to a whirlwind of crime as Parker quickly and efficiently amasses a huge amount of cash, launders it, gets a supply of weapons, and finally builds a new persona that should survive inspection long enough to achieve his revenge. This tour-de-force of planning and execution is the pinnacle of criminal expertise. We don’t know how Parker learned how to do these things (and keep out of the hand of the law while doing them). From the earliest books it is like Athena springing fully formed (and armed!) from Zeus’ forehead – it’s always there when you need it.
By my count it seems that Parker gets more cash than the bank job in a matter of days and without needing anyone else. So, why did he go along with the original robbery? This is something that I would think exposes him to more risk, rather than less. But maybe Parker sees it differently – more people mean more targets in case something unexpected happens or someone gets lucky.
The rest of the book is concerned with Parker at the location of the big heist: he sets himself up to be above suspicion and looks to discover the whereabouts of his former associates. Once that is done, he aims to kill them and take possession of their loot. Pretty straightforward you would think.
Well, that’s not quite how the last half of this one plays out. There are a couple of additional characters that strongly interact with Parker’s plans, there’s a deadly little complication from earlier in the book, and Parker just makes it to the end of this one. Just as we watched the crime spree, we now get to watch Parker pull off a virtuoso performance of tap-dancing around disaster. Since I have read so few Parker books I can’t judge whether the injuries he sustains are very unusual or not. (Of the four or five that I have read I think he is injured in two. One of which is not too serious.)
I don’t think any of this could be called padding. Oh sure, maybe there could have been a little less dialog with some of the secondary or tertiary characters (or even background), but all-in-all it was a great hard-boiled story. Great writing, great action, great sarcasm - This one is going to be hard to top.
Like all Parker novels, the action comes in right at the start. In this one, Parker & associates pull off a bank job that executes virtually flawlessly. Then, trouble steps in. Parker’s new friends want to borrow most of his share to setup another, larger heist. Problem is they neglected to discuss this with Parker beforehand. They don’t want to kill him and they do their best to placate him, then they take off. Parker, of course, has other things in mind. He’s been robbed and he does not like it.
We are then treated to a whirlwind of crime as Parker quickly and efficiently amasses a huge amount of cash, launders it, gets a supply of weapons, and finally builds a new persona that should survive inspection long enough to achieve his revenge. This tour-de-force of planning and execution is the pinnacle of criminal expertise. We don’t know how Parker learned how to do these things (and keep out of the hand of the law while doing them). From the earliest books it is like Athena springing fully formed (and armed!) from Zeus’ forehead – it’s always there when you need it.
By my count it seems that Parker gets more cash than the bank job in a matter of days and without needing anyone else. So, why did he go along with the original robbery? This is something that I would think exposes him to more risk, rather than less. But maybe Parker sees it differently – more people mean more targets in case something unexpected happens or someone gets lucky.
The rest of the book is concerned with Parker at the location of the big heist: he sets himself up to be above suspicion and looks to discover the whereabouts of his former associates. Once that is done, he aims to kill them and take possession of their loot. Pretty straightforward you would think.
Well, that’s not quite how the last half of this one plays out. There are a couple of additional characters that strongly interact with Parker’s plans, there’s a deadly little complication from earlier in the book, and Parker just makes it to the end of this one. Just as we watched the crime spree, we now get to watch Parker pull off a virtuoso performance of tap-dancing around disaster. Since I have read so few Parker books I can’t judge whether the injuries he sustains are very unusual or not. (Of the four or five that I have read I think he is injured in two. One of which is not too serious.)
I don’t think any of this could be called padding. Oh sure, maybe there could have been a little less dialog with some of the secondary or tertiary characters (or even background), but all-in-all it was a great hard-boiled story. Great writing, great action, great sarcasm - This one is going to be hard to top.
June 20, 2017
“Flashfire” is an amazing tour-de-force, even by the standards of Parker novels. It is one of the leanest, meanest, nastiest Parker novels ever to be published and, if you thought you knew what Parker was all about after reading the first eighteen Parker novels, you are in for a big surprise. This is a version of Parker that readers really haven’t seen since the first novel (“The Hunter”). Betrayed by a crew he was working with on a bank gig, Parker gets angry Parker-style and sets off on the cross-country one-man crime spree the likes of which is just mind-blowing. Forget all the careful planning and getaway routes and safe houses, this is a Parker who feels more like a junkyard dog, quick on the trigger, without remorse. Of course, there is a caper at the heart of this book. There always is. A fabulous jewelry robbery that Parker wanted no part of. It wasn’t good in his eyes. There weren’t good getaway routes. There wasn’t a good safe house to hole up in. There was too much security. Too many eyes. But, Parker was betrayed and he is going to deal with this crew that betrayed him.
This book is as good as any Parker book. It is filled with action throughout and narrated in the tight style that Westlake is famous for. Sure, this was made into a movie with Jennifer Lopez playing the Miami Beach real estate agent, but read the book. There is a reason why people for four decades have gobbled up Parker book after Parker book and it’s gotta be because the writing is so damn good.
This book is as good as any Parker book. It is filled with action throughout and narrated in the tight style that Westlake is famous for. Sure, this was made into a movie with Jennifer Lopez playing the Miami Beach real estate agent, but read the book. There is a reason why people for four decades have gobbled up Parker book after Parker book and it’s gotta be because the writing is so damn good.
June 12, 2007
Like nearly every other Richard Stark book, this could just as easily have been entitled The Wrong Guy to Mess With. And I mean that as praise. Part of the pleasure of reading a Parker novel is knowing what you're going to get; a heist, a double-cross, a clockwork plot, and a satisfying conclusion in which Parker kills his betrayers and recovers his money. Unfortunately, Flashfire is too long and its story is unnecessarily convoluted. Perhaps the changing demands of the publishing industry are to blame. Back in the '60s most of the Parker novels were cheap paperback pulps that came in at around 150 pages, but now people feel ripped off paying big bucks for a hardcover unless it's at least double that length. Nevertheless, Flashfire is well-written and a lot of fun to read, and still ten times better than most of the books Westlake's younger imitators are churning out.
February 5, 2013
After the Great Parker Hiatus, Ronald Starlake restarted the series with a sequence of linked titles: Comeback, Backflash, Flashfire, Firebreak, and Breakout. Of these five, only Breakout (one of my favorite Parker novels) is distinct in my mind; the others blur together, much as Starklake’s titles suggest that he intended. Thus, when the movie Parker was announced as an adaptation of Flashfire, I couldn’t exactly remember which novel that was, but I chose not to worry about it. I wanted to see the movie on its own terms, so I decided against a pre-screening Flashfire refresher course. Then I went to see Parker, and, much to my surprise, at no point during the movie could I remember anything about Flashfire. The experience was both perplexing and alarming: Is this really an adaptation of a novel that I have read? And, more urgently, am I slipping into some sort of dementia?
For me, the nicest thing about writing these reviews is that I can use them as crutch for remembering what I have read. Therefore, immediately after Parker I went to read my review of Flashfire, and I discovered, to my complete and utter relief and joy, that I had not read it! I had made this mistake because of those dastardly similar titles in combination with my mistaken belief that I owned all of the Parker novels, when in fact I owned all of them but Flashfire. When Flashfire came to the top of the list, I couldn’t read what I didn’t own, so I mistakenly read Firebreak instead. Never have I been happier to be old and easily confused! Only a few weeks ago, I finished the last Parker novel, Dirty Money, and I mourned. But then! lo! a miracle! A new Parker novel (to me, at least!) all but dropped from the heavens!
But what a strange circumstance for reading my (actual) last Parker novel, with Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez swimming around in my head. Not once while reading Flashfire did I see Jason Statham’s face, but Jennifer Lopez was Leslie Mackenzie. There was nothing I could do about that. Oh, well. The most significant effect that seeing Parker had on my reading of Flashfire is this: Flashfire became a remarkable demonstration that the power of the Parker novels is in the prose, not the plots. The plots, of course, are often brilliant, but while reading Flashfire it was easy to what the movie is missing. You get some of Starklake’s sociopathically stripped language in the dialogue, but where you need it most is in the action, which is precisely where Parker can’t give it to you. So, instead, they give you Parker hanging from a balcony with a knife stabbed completely through his hand—and it’s just not as good.
For me, the nicest thing about writing these reviews is that I can use them as crutch for remembering what I have read. Therefore, immediately after Parker I went to read my review of Flashfire, and I discovered, to my complete and utter relief and joy, that I had not read it! I had made this mistake because of those dastardly similar titles in combination with my mistaken belief that I owned all of the Parker novels, when in fact I owned all of them but Flashfire. When Flashfire came to the top of the list, I couldn’t read what I didn’t own, so I mistakenly read Firebreak instead. Never have I been happier to be old and easily confused! Only a few weeks ago, I finished the last Parker novel, Dirty Money, and I mourned. But then! lo! a miracle! A new Parker novel (to me, at least!) all but dropped from the heavens!
But what a strange circumstance for reading my (actual) last Parker novel, with Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez swimming around in my head. Not once while reading Flashfire did I see Jason Statham’s face, but Jennifer Lopez was Leslie Mackenzie. There was nothing I could do about that. Oh, well. The most significant effect that seeing Parker had on my reading of Flashfire is this: Flashfire became a remarkable demonstration that the power of the Parker novels is in the prose, not the plots. The plots, of course, are often brilliant, but while reading Flashfire it was easy to what the movie is missing. You get some of Starklake’s sociopathically stripped language in the dialogue, but where you need it most is in the action, which is precisely where Parker can’t give it to you. So, instead, they give you Parker hanging from a balcony with a knife stabbed completely through his hand—and it’s just not as good.
August 30, 2019
Parker is book nineteen in the Parker series by Richard Stark. After his crew double-crossed him, Parker, wanted them to pay. To achieve this, Parker changes his appearance and his name and using unlikely source to hijack their heist to get back the money they stole. The readers of this book will continue to follow Parker to find out if he achieved his goal.
Parker was called initially Flashfire and an exciting and enjoyable book to read. Parker is the first book I have read of Richard Stark, and I will read more books in this series. I love Richard Stark portrayal of his characters and the way they intertwine with each other throughout this book. Parker is well written and researched by Richard Stark. I engaged with the plot of this book from the start and was surprised by the ending of this book.
The readers of Parker will learn about the consequences of revenge on everyone involved. Also, the readers of Parker will learn about the criminal code of ethics.
I recommend this book.
Parker was called initially Flashfire and an exciting and enjoyable book to read. Parker is the first book I have read of Richard Stark, and I will read more books in this series. I love Richard Stark portrayal of his characters and the way they intertwine with each other throughout this book. Parker is well written and researched by Richard Stark. I engaged with the plot of this book from the start and was surprised by the ending of this book.
The readers of Parker will learn about the consequences of revenge on everyone involved. Also, the readers of Parker will learn about the criminal code of ethics.
I recommend this book.
January 16, 2020
Reread
Don't ever take money from Parker. This time I thought for sure he was going to get arrested or die. I'm completely obsessed.
Don't ever take money from Parker. This time I thought for sure he was going to get arrested or die. I'm completely obsessed.
November 8, 2025
At the start of "Flashfire" Parker is in a heist with three other guys. They hit a bank, make off with 80-something thousand in cash, and with the four-way split it will be a 20k payday for Parker.
But his three partners want that money for themselves so they take his cut and leave him while they go about another score.
"Flashfire" (2000) then finds Parker without cash, untraceable guns, or a legit ride, and we see him try to get a new stake and identity so he can exact his revenge. He wants his due money but he also can't let these other heisters act this way and not pay for it themselves. These people are supposed to be professionals.
It is a well-focused crime adventure starring the legendary heister Parker, a gang of similar con men who want to commit a daring jewelry robbery, an unknown threat from his past, a civilian realtor named Leslie who gets tangled up in the plot, and a likeable Florida Sheriff who knows more than he shows.
Verdict: It is tempting when reviewing these Parker reads to make hyperbolic comparisons between them, "Flashfire" being the 19th in the series, and some of the others are among the best crime novels ever written. Instead of ranking it against other Parkers I'll just say it is perfect.
Jeff's Rating: 5 / 5 (Great)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
But his three partners want that money for themselves so they take his cut and leave him while they go about another score.
"Flashfire" (2000) then finds Parker without cash, untraceable guns, or a legit ride, and we see him try to get a new stake and identity so he can exact his revenge. He wants his due money but he also can't let these other heisters act this way and not pay for it themselves. These people are supposed to be professionals.
It is a well-focused crime adventure starring the legendary heister Parker, a gang of similar con men who want to commit a daring jewelry robbery, an unknown threat from his past, a civilian realtor named Leslie who gets tangled up in the plot, and a likeable Florida Sheriff who knows more than he shows.
Verdict: It is tempting when reviewing these Parker reads to make hyperbolic comparisons between them, "Flashfire" being the 19th in the series, and some of the others are among the best crime novels ever written. Instead of ranking it against other Parkers I'll just say it is perfect.
Jeff's Rating: 5 / 5 (Great)
movie rating if made into a movie: R
July 3, 2022
The latter Parker books don't have the propulsive momentum the original set did. That's not to see they're languid affairs, but some of the tightness has been lost.
Which doesn't stop them being utterly enjoyable.
This tale of Parker hunting down some heisters who he feels swindled him relies on a lot of luck for its lead character. There is more than one instance of Parker being saved because of a misfortune to the other bad guys, or the authorities being a bit lax - rather than anything Parker does himself. Even with the need for a large amount of willing suspension, it's still an entertaining ride
Which doesn't stop them being utterly enjoyable.
This tale of Parker hunting down some heisters who he feels swindled him relies on a lot of luck for its lead character. There is more than one instance of Parker being saved because of a misfortune to the other bad guys, or the authorities being a bit lax - rather than anything Parker does himself. Even with the need for a large amount of willing suspension, it's still an entertaining ride
March 22, 2023
#19 in the series and a good, clear plot. This likely would’ve been a higher rating if I’d read the book instead of listening on Audible.
🎧
Mark Peckham is a new narrator to the series and it was difficult to distinguish between characters. He brought his own style but it wasn’t remotely similar to previous depictions. Very little emotion or inflection in his voice makes it challenging to stay focused. New narrator for #20 so moving on.
🎧
Mark Peckham is a new narrator to the series and it was difficult to distinguish between characters. He brought his own style but it wasn’t remotely similar to previous depictions. Very little emotion or inflection in his voice makes it challenging to stay focused. New narrator for #20 so moving on.
April 2, 2024
Donald Westlake wrote all of his "Parker" books under the pen name Richard Stark, largely to distinguish these darker, more noirish mysteries from his lighter crime stories, such as the Dortmunder books.
Interesting trivia note: this particular book was made into the Jason Stetham movie "Parker" - although several of his other Parker stories were also filmed, even though the character's name was changed to something similar (Walker in "Point Blank," Porter in Mel Gibson's "Payback," etc.) for some reason.
Interesting trivia note: this particular book was made into the Jason Stetham movie "Parker" - although several of his other Parker stories were also filmed, even though the character's name was changed to something similar (Walker in "Point Blank," Porter in Mel Gibson's "Payback," etc.) for some reason.
July 24, 2016
Being a fan of Donald Westlake made me curious about the Stark series. So I began with this Parker episode and, despite being out of sequence in the series, enjoyed it quite well. I like the no nonsense character of Parker, a tough, perhaps ruthless bad guy who nonetheless harbors a moral compass and uses his wits,rather than his fists, whenever possible.
I'm just finishing my second Parker novel (more like a short story), "The Man With The Getaway Face," and finding it an entertaining diversion as well.
I'm just finishing my second Parker novel (more like a short story), "The Man With The Getaway Face," and finding it an entertaining diversion as well.
![Profile Image for Ed [Redacted].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1429513592i%2F3968676.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 18, 2012
When he heard the new Parker movie was based on this book, Ed thought he should read it again.
After a re-read, I still find this to be a middle of the road Parker book. Not bad, there is no "bad" Parker book, but not his best by some distance.
After a re-read, I still find this to be a middle of the road Parker book. Not bad, there is no "bad" Parker book, but not his best by some distance.
September 25, 2017
Usually I don't write reviews when the book is part of a long series. I felt I would be writing the same review over and over, and the Parker series fell into that category, but I'm making an exception for this one. This is the best of the series so far. 'nuff said.
May 17, 2013
This was pretty good, not the best Parker, but above average. The ending was very feel good.
This was different in that Parker needed help when he was shot and in the hospital. He had to trust and rely on a woman he recently met. I love the way Parker gets revenge on people who cross him which he does here. I liked what Parker did to the bad guys’ hideout home and guns.
I especially liked one line. Parker is describing to Leslie how the bad guys are going to rob a charity auction - coming in or leaving by sea wearing scuba gear. Leslie said “Like James Bond.” Parker said “More like Jaws.” These are really bad guys - not cool like James Bond.
The narrator Mark Peckham was ok, but his voice for Parker didn’t fit. He made Parker sound too normal. I prefer Keith Szarabajka.
THE SERIES:
This is book 19 in the 24 book series. These stories are about bad guys. They rob. They kill. They’re smart. Most don’t go to jail. Parker is the main bad guy, a brilliant strategist. He partners with different guys for different jobs in each book.
If you are new to the series, I suggest reading the first three and then choose among the rest. A few should be read in order since characters continue in a sequel fashion. Those are listed below (with my star ratings). The rest can be read as stand alones.
The first three books in order:
4 stars. The Hunter (Point Blank movie with Lee Marvin 1967) (Payback movie with Mel Gibson)
3 ½ stars. The Man with the Getaway Face (The Steel Hit)
4 stars. The Outfit.
Read these two in order:
5 stars. Slayground (Bk #14)
5 stars. Butcher’s Moon (Bk #16)
Read these four in order:
4 ½ stars. The Sour Lemon Score (Bk #12)
2 ½ stars. Firebreak (Bk #20)
(not read) Nobody Runs Forever (Bk #22)
2 ½ stars. Dirty Money (Bk #24)
Others that I gave 4 or more stars to:
The Jugger (Bk #6), The Seventh (Bk#7), The Handle (Bk #8), Deadly Edge (Bk#13), Flashfire (Bk#19)
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 7 hrs and 14 mins. Swearing language: none. Sexual content: none. Setting: around 2000 mostly Palm Beach, Florida. Book copyright: 2000. Genre: noir crime fiction.
This was different in that Parker needed help when he was shot and in the hospital. He had to trust and rely on a woman he recently met. I love the way Parker gets revenge on people who cross him which he does here. I liked what Parker did to the bad guys’ hideout home and guns.
I especially liked one line. Parker is describing to Leslie how the bad guys are going to rob a charity auction - coming in or leaving by sea wearing scuba gear. Leslie said “Like James Bond.” Parker said “More like Jaws.” These are really bad guys - not cool like James Bond.
The narrator Mark Peckham was ok, but his voice for Parker didn’t fit. He made Parker sound too normal. I prefer Keith Szarabajka.
THE SERIES:
This is book 19 in the 24 book series. These stories are about bad guys. They rob. They kill. They’re smart. Most don’t go to jail. Parker is the main bad guy, a brilliant strategist. He partners with different guys for different jobs in each book.
If you are new to the series, I suggest reading the first three and then choose among the rest. A few should be read in order since characters continue in a sequel fashion. Those are listed below (with my star ratings). The rest can be read as stand alones.
The first three books in order:
4 stars. The Hunter (Point Blank movie with Lee Marvin 1967) (Payback movie with Mel Gibson)
3 ½ stars. The Man with the Getaway Face (The Steel Hit)
4 stars. The Outfit.
Read these two in order:
5 stars. Slayground (Bk #14)
5 stars. Butcher’s Moon (Bk #16)
Read these four in order:
4 ½ stars. The Sour Lemon Score (Bk #12)
2 ½ stars. Firebreak (Bk #20)
(not read) Nobody Runs Forever (Bk #22)
2 ½ stars. Dirty Money (Bk #24)
Others that I gave 4 or more stars to:
The Jugger (Bk #6), The Seventh (Bk#7), The Handle (Bk #8), Deadly Edge (Bk#13), Flashfire (Bk#19)
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 7 hrs and 14 mins. Swearing language: none. Sexual content: none. Setting: around 2000 mostly Palm Beach, Florida. Book copyright: 2000. Genre: noir crime fiction.
April 4, 2018
This Parker book (adventure) is the inspiration for a fairly recent movie (2013) staring Jason Statham as Parker. I didn't even hear of it when it was in the theaters but have since seen it (USA Network has it on On Demand now).
So doing my "due diligence" as movies based on books MUST be addressed in reviewing the book. In this case the movie isn't bad. They do a pretty good job of staying with the plot and destroy the book's plot with changes and deletions. I think Parker fans can feel safe in watching it...I liked it.
Now "what we got here" is the almost standard beginning of Parker novels. A crew put together by a friend of Parker's agrees that if Parker will plot a job he'll be in charge. While Parker doesn't know these people personally he trusts his friend and does the job...and it's a great success...and Parker gets double-crossed and left for dead.
From there the book launches off into another great book with double blinds and some good plot twists...and of course Parker.
As has been the rule in this series this one is good to great, very fast and the readabilit never flags.
Liked it, recommended, enjoy.
So doing my "due diligence" as movies based on books MUST be addressed in reviewing the book. In this case the movie isn't bad. They do a pretty good job of staying with the plot and destroy the book's plot with changes and deletions. I think Parker fans can feel safe in watching it...I liked it.
Now "what we got here" is the almost standard beginning of Parker novels. A crew put together by a friend of Parker's agrees that if Parker will plot a job he'll be in charge. While Parker doesn't know these people personally he trusts his friend and does the job...and it's a great success...and Parker gets double-crossed and left for dead.
From there the book launches off into another great book with double blinds and some good plot twists...and of course Parker.
As has been the rule in this series this one is good to great, very fast and the readabilit never flags.
Liked it, recommended, enjoy.
June 18, 2012
Someone stole Parker's money and he wants it back and he wants the man, actually three men, who stole it dead. Okay, if you've read enough Parker books you know that if Parker wants someone dead, they're gonna get dead and, of course, Parker always gets his money back with interest.
You know all this when you start the book, but you still enjoy reading about how it all unfolds. I don't think I've read a series of books as well written and overall as consistent as Stark's (Westlake's) Parker series. It's good stuff.
You know all this when you start the book, but you still enjoy reading about how it all unfolds. I don't think I've read a series of books as well written and overall as consistent as Stark's (Westlake's) Parker series. It's good stuff.
August 26, 2013
It's good to return to Parker land. This time our favorite hardboiled thief is in on a jewelry heist pulled in ritzy Palm Beach, Florida. Things don't quite work out as planned, and Parker has to improvise like he always does. This entry in the series uses more humor which I find refreshing. Fans of Richard Stark's Parker series should find this one a satisfactory read, too.
August 11, 2016
Intense. Plowed through this 278-page thrill ride all in one day. Another masterpiece by Richard Stark. Only five Parker books to go and it looks like there will be no slowing down for any and all involved.
Next up: Firebreak.
Next up: Firebreak.
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