Robert B. Parker's Cheap Shot

Spenser #42

by Ace Atkins

"Atkins gives Robert B. Parker's long-running series one of its best installments to date" (Bookreporter.com) as Spenser investigates the kidnapping of a football player's son.

Kinjo Heywood is one of the New England Patriots' marquee players—a hard-nosed linebacker who's earned his standing as one of the toughest guys in the league. He may be worth millions but his connection to a nightclub shooting two years before is still putting a dangerous spin on his life, and his career. When Heywood's nine-year-old son, Akira, is kidnapped, and a winding trail through Boston's underworld begins, Spenser puts together his own all-star team of toughs. It will take both Hawk and Spenser's protégé, Zebulon Sixkill, to watch Spenser's back. Because Heywood's next unpredictable move puts everyone in jeopardy as the clock winds down on Akira's future.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Thriller, Detective, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

314 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 6, 2014

About the author

Ace Atkins is the author of twenty-eight books, including eleven Quinn Colson novels, the first two of which, The Ranger and The Lost Ones, were nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel (he has a third Edgar nomination for his short story "Last Fair Deal Gone Down"). He is the author of nine New York Times-bestselling novels in the continuation of Robert B. Parker's Spenser series. Before turning to fiction, he was a correspondent for the St. Petersburg Times and a crime reporter for the Tampa Tribune, and he played defensive end for Auburn University football.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the New England Patriot's Kinjo Heywood's son goes missing, Spenser is on the case. But who took him? Is it someone looking to squeeze a star football player out of some of his millions or is it someone with ties to Kinjo's past? Can Spenser, Hawk, and Z get Kinjo's son back in one piece?

I got this book via Goodread's Firstreads program. I've never been one of those guys that thinks Spenser is the best thing since fresh-sliced Phillip Marlowe so it wasn't a big deal for me when the Parker estate tapped Ace Atkins to take over. Lucky for me and the Parker estate, Atkins has the skills that pay the bills.

Cheap Shot reads like a long lost early Spenser. There's little talk of Spenser's man code and Spenser and Susan Silverman aren't nauseating everyone with all their relationship garbage. This is Spenser, Hawk, and their protege Zebulon Sixkill stirring up shit until the pot boils over.

Spenser's cases work best for me when his employer isn't squeaky clean and Kinjo Heywood fits the bill. He's a football player with some possible anger management issues and some skeletons in his closet. Complicating matters is his first wife, a strong woman who wants nothing but to get their son back.

Atkin's writing isn't a carbon copy of Parkers but it doesn't seem out of place either. He hits all the Parker hallmarks: slick dialog, descriptions of what people are wearing and eating, and Spenser and Hawk eventually getting into a confrontation with the bad guys. Spenser and Hawk rang true to form for me and felt pretty fresh.

The case had a lot of wrinkles. I was in the dark for quite a lot of the book. I figured out a couple pieces of how the ending was going to go but some of it still caught me napping. There was a plot twist at the 75% mark that surprised the crap out of me. The addition of Zebulon Sixkill to the supporting cast makes me want to backtrack and read more of the Spensers I've yet to read.

Cheap Shot was a really good read and I, for one, have no problem with Ace Atkins continuing the series as long as he wants. Four out of five stars.

[Kemper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering the image conscious nature of the National Football League and the recent legal problems of a certain former member of the New England Patriots, I was more than a little shocked that Ace Atkins was able to use the actual team name as well as reference real people like Tom Brady and Bill Belichick for a story that involves a talented but trouble prone player. I would be willing to bet that more than a few lawyers from the NFL, the Patriots and the publisher got to bill some hours while they worked out some kind of arrangement.

Spenser goes to work for Kinjo Heywood, a star linebacker for the Pats. Kinjo has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, but he claims that men have been following and harassing him. Spenser thinks this may be linked to a night club shooting that Kinjo was investigated as being part of, but he was eventually cleared by the police. Things take a darker turn when Kinjo’s young son Akira is kidnapped and no ransom demand is immediately made.

I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating that Ace Atkins has turned out to be an excellent choice to carry on with the Spenser series after the death of Robert B. Parker. Atkins has brought a new energy and edginess to a series that had gotten pretty formulaic and stale, but it’s all been done in subtle ways that still respect the elements fans love about the character.

Spenser is still the same smart-mouthed tough guy with a code who can cook a delicious dinner from scratch while enjoying a couple of beers, but Atkins has modernized him a bit like when Spenser notes that an hour of computer research gets him more than running around all day used to. He even uses a GPS tracker to tail a suspect at one point although he still thinks of it as ‘cheating’. There are also some jokes about Star Wars, hobbits and Twitter that make Spenser seem more up-to-date than he had in RBP’s later books although he still retains his old school nature.

The supporting characters are also feeling more lively and engaged these days. Hawk is a bit rougher around the edges and a little meaner than he had been in the later books so that he feels like a different person, not just another version of Spenser. Z, the protégé Spenser took on in RBP’s final book, is fast turning into one of my favorite parts of the series, and even Susan Silverman is a lot more likeable now. She even gets one of the best ‘Hell, yeah!’ moments of the entire book.

Kinjo is also an interesting twist on the old RBP standard of having Spenser’s clients usually turn out to be terrible people It would have been really easy to play him as just the kind of stereotypical famous bad-boy athlete that is all over ESPN these days. However, Atkins (A former college player at Auburn who was once on the cover of Sports Illustrated.) does a great job of making Kinjo a real and sympathetic person, not just a cliché. He’s actually a decent guy who loves his son deeply and brings a level of dedication and talent to the game that Spenser can respect, but he’s still got some of the ego and flaws that come to many people who achieve fame and fortune.

Another factor I like about how Atkins is a bit different from RBP is that he’s leaving some loose ends and subplots unresolved which I assume will come into play later. These are still self-contained and satisfying stories but leaving a few things simmering on the back burner adds a little tension and anticipation as to what we might get in the future.

The idea of a writer being hired to continue the work of someone who passed away can be a touchy one, and in a lot of cases, probably not a good thing. However, with three remarkably solid and entertaining books now done by Ace Atkins, I’m certain that they couldn’t have found anyone better to carry on with the Spenser adventures, and I’m already looking forward to the next one.

Next Up: Spenser gets a free sandwich in Kickback.

Also posted on Kemper's Book Blog.

[Bill Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best. A kidnapping mystery full of interesting twists and turns featuring just the right amount of interesting and realistic characters. Just the right mix of the core characters of Susan, Hawk, and Z.

[James Thane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in Robert B. Parker's Spenser series since Ace Atkins took over the franchise, and each of the entries continues to demonstrate the wisdom of the Parker family in turning to Atkins. He's definitely breathed new life into a series that needed it, while maintaining an allegiance to the characters and to the world that Parker created.

In this outing, Spenser is hired by Kinjo Heywood, a ferocious linebacker for the New England Patriots. Someone's been following Heywood; he assumes they're not adoring fans, and he wants Spenser to discourage them. This certainly wouldn't appear to be a major problem for a guy like Spenser, but the game changes dramatically when Heywood's young son, Akira, is kidnapped.

Heywood is devoted to the child and devastated by the fact that someone has taken him. The cops and the F.B.I. are on the job, but Heywood wants Spenser involved as well. Of course Spenser has his own ways of dealing with a situation like this, and he recruits Hawk and Zebulon Sixkill to assist.

The result is another tale with just the right balance of dark humor, violence, thrills and chills. It's always a lot of fun to watch Spenser dealing with a situation like this, and Atkins has created another solid plot for Spencer and the reader to immerse themselves in--much more so than some of the ones crafted in the last few books written by Mr. Parker himself. Clearly Spenser and his legions of fans are in very good hands.

[Jack Heath · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars. I've concluded that this is the best of Ace Atkin's Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels. It's got a lot going for it: a dramatic premise, interesting characters, misdirection, uncertainty even to the last chapter or two, and the best of Spenser himself. That great New England Patriot linebacker Kinjo Heywood, a tough, no nonsense football player, crosses the line occasionally on the field and beyond it too. He just came out of a nasty divorce, remarried, and he's not far removed from what appears to have been a false accusation of murder. His adorable son, Akira, has been kidnapped, and Spenser gets the call to find the kid. Of course Boston's best repeatedly annoys Kinjo's agent, his collected family, the Pat's communications people, the local police, the FBI, and anyone else you can think of except Pearl the Wonder Dog, Susan, Hawk and Zee. My suspicions were changing direction by the minute. Could the brother be orchestrating this? What about Kinjo's questionable second-wife? I could add several more questions. I know it's not fair but I'll leave you guessing just like Ace Atkins did to me till nearly the last page. (March 2018)

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly admit not being a big fan of Robert B Parkers' Spenser books, while some of them are really good other ones are to much talk and too little content. I came to Parker because of Jessie Stone, and did read some Spenser because of that. Spenser was too much involved with his everlasting girlfriend Susan and their banter while amusing often took over the tale instead of enhancing it.

Parker died but Spenser did not and his return in this continuation novel was kind of a curiosity for me. Like Brandman with Jessie Stone I was kind of curious as continuation novel is a difficult thing to do well.

An NFL defender gets threatened and reacts not well which causes him to get into trouble with the officials of his club and NFL. Enter Spenser to sort out any trouble. The trouble really starts with the abduction of the players son and then Spenser who seems to be unwelcome by all parties except for the NFL player himself still does not back down. He looks into a significant event in the players live which does seem to play a bigger role than one would think. We also see Spenser and friends enter the underworld of Boston looking for a kid. With the brilliantly written Hawk, or the Hawk as he kinda like and former Cree football start Sixkill (Z for short) at his back this detecting novel becomes a pleasurable read that is finished rather quickly.

While Robert B Parker might be dead his literary creations seem to be very alive and kicking. And if they can keep up the standard it is well worth the time to keep reading.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The forty- first Spenser detective novel, the third from beyond the grave and I've read them all. Hard to believe that Robert B. Parker and now, Ace Atkins, would be the authors I've read the most. It seems one would prefer the honor to go to, say, Dostoyevsky or Jane Austen or some modern writer, Evelyn Waugh or Ernest Hemingway. Three things occur to me; one, there is a certain mental satisfaction in reading the detective novel ; two, one can read a well rendered example in a single shot; three, I realize I've been reading the Spenser series since the late 1980s

Cheap Shot is a well constructed story that throws Spenser into the high stakes world of the NFL. It gives the Spenser fan plenty of the things that we read the novels for: snappy dialogue, witty banter, the backdrop of Boston and environs, criminals, generally stupid, sudden violence when necessary and the cast of characters that populate the Spenser universe. I think Atkins is getting more comfortable in writing this series and this reminds me that I must sample Atkins's own novels sometime soon.

[Jonathan K (Max Outlier) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Of the three Spenser stories I've read, this was by far the weakest. The saving grace is pacing but its not enough to replace STORY. Worse yet, Spenser's hilarious sarcasm from the first two seems to have been left out which doesn't help matters.

Spenser is hired to track down suspicious 'followers' of Kinjo Heywood, a famous NFL player who's concerned about his and the family's safety. During his investigation, Spenser learns Kinjo had been accused of murder of a gang member during a bar brawl years previous but was never prosecuted. As typical of macho football players, Kinjo's angry ex-wife Nicole is the mother of his son Akira who despises Cristal, since she's a former stripper/porn star. To say this is classic is an understatement. Days into Spenser's work, Akira is kidnapped and all blame is but on Cristal who's past affiliations include a gang member who was brother to the murder victim, a porn film producer and mob types.

Predictable, shallow and lame, there's not much else to add. But if you enjoy the character and plot, have at it.

[Chuck Kechter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every book is better than the last, but Ace Atkins still doesn't have it right. The story is good, but not great. Spenser exhibits physical and behavioral "issues" he's never had before. Hawk uses the word "Babe" more times in this book than in the collected series the RBP wrote - channeling Avery Brooks's interpretation of Hawk, not the literary character. Susan too is on more than one occasion out of character. In fact, of the recurring characters, only Quirk, Belson and Pearl feel anywhere near "correct."

On another forum I said that Atkins' interpretation of Spenser (and crew) was like the DC Earth 2 versions of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. Close, but not quite right.

[Peter Ackerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The worst Ace Atkins' "Parker" novel for sure. Reading this was like plodding through War and Peace...for all the negative reasons. It makes me think Atkins was using Parker's style of writing...write the story, not sure where it will go or who "dunnit" until you get there. The only problem is that the logical place where the book would turn towards its' conclusion...it kept going, and going, and going. I think Atkins might have been paid per character as he kept introducing new and returning characters up until the final chapters, where finally he introduced us to one of the criminals.
As a person who has read all of Robert B. Parker's books, and the posthumously written ones, by other authors this one seemed to be about one quarter too long. If like me, you are a fan, and just HAVE to keep reading the series, then do, and form your own opinion. If you want to be introduced to Spenser, Hawk, Z, and more...do not start here; you probably wont' want to pick up another.

[Stacy Bearse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never thought I would say this, but Ace Atkins IS the new Robert B. Parker. And thank goodness, because the very enjoyable Spenser series has survived Parker's sad passing in 2010. In fact, the books are better than ever. This latest installment has all the colorful dialog - witty and irreverent - that characterized Parker's writing. It features a clever plot, written against the backdrop of professional football and the fair city of Boston. CHEAP SHOT will not be confused with fine literature. It is, however, superb entertainment.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

On rereading it (a year after the first reading; that's how much I miss Spenser), Ace Atkins's third Spenser book ranks somewhere among Parker's first ten books (fourth, maybe). He captures Spenser's voice and methods, and actually improves on Hawk (edgier and more deadly), Susan (much less irritating), and Zee (carrying less in the way of an iconic burden as a Native American character, though he gets a couple of funny lines about his status, one referring to Thanksgiving). The byplay among Spenser, Hawk, Zee, and Susan is smoother, funnier, and more personal than in the last couple of dozen Parkers. The tired racial shtik from the last dozen books is almost gone, and Spenser only refers to Susan as a Jewess once (and that one time too many).

The plot is more than serviceable, the characters are well drawn (even the criminal lowlife types that pop up along the way), and the football superstar who hires Spenser to find his kidnapped son is sympathetically drawn, even when he acts impulsively and is less than honest. Spenser's observations about people are sharply drawn, as in the first three or four books in Parker's originals. Atkins even reintroduces Spenser's habit of making poetic references (Robert Frost and Jack Kerouac quotes that I caught, and there probably are others), much as in the early books. (They're not pointless, for they tell us soething about Spenser's view of the world that goes beyond his being a wiseass.) It's probably a four-star book,but my pleasure on reading the latest of Atkins's attempts (the first was very good, the second was so-so) leaves me feeling euphoric—as though an old friend (several) had returned.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Close, but not quite. Atkins had the tone right for pages, even chapters, at a time. I'd be reading along quite happily for a time and then a character would say or do something that would remind me that this book was not, in fact, written by the late lamented Parker. Susan, for example. I've had my issues with her; she often annoyed me. But even at her most annoying she was never vulgar. As I remarked elsewhere I just didn't find it in character for her to drop the "F bomb" or threaten to kick someone's ass. I'm not offended by the language; I think it worked well for the FBI agent and even for Kinjo. Even so, I'll read the next book if Atkins writes one. Even not quite Spenser is better than no Spenser! And I think Atkins has done better than the author who took on Jesse Stone. Those books aren't even close to the real thing, in my opinion.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got half-way through and was too bored to finish it.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cheap Shot – Another Brilliant Spenser Novel

Ace Atkins has once again entered the realm as the writer who has taken Robert B. Parker’s Spenser novels and with Cheap Shot written a book that is comparable to anything Parker wrote. I would go as far as to say you cannot tell this is another author writing Atkins has picked up where Parker left Spenser and the hardnosed Boston PI continues unabashed.

Kinjo Heywood is one of the stars of the New England Patriots NFL team based in Boston who has a reputation as one of the hard men of the league due to his position as a linebacker. He also has a reputation as a hot head outside of the game and a couple of years before had been part of an investigation in to a murder outside a club in New York but had an alibi for the night. But mud sticks. He has recently been waving a gun in public when his slick agent hires Spenser to find out what and who is causing him problems.

When Kinjo’s son, Akira, is kidnapped and the police and FBI have no leads, Kinjo changes the game up in the kidnapping; Spenser knows what he has to do to get the kid back. Dancing between the criminal underworld and law enforcement Spenser will do and use whatever he needs to get Kinjo his son back and the various answers to many of the questions that are posed.

The great thing about The Spenser Novels and with Ace Atkins taking up the reigns here in Cheap Shot is that we get the continued development of the characters and that laconic style that we see in many American PI novel series. We are able to imagine Spenser and his colleagues walking that thin line between law enforcement and law breakers respecting neither but understand both. This sort of crime novel may seem old and clichéd but I enjoy it all the same and I hope you do too.

[Janet Newport · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of Cheap Shot through a GoodReads give away in exchange for my "unbiased" review.

I've read 18 - 20 different Spencer novels by Robert Parker over the years, but Spencer had worn kinda thin with me over time and I haven't been keeping up with them lately. I was real curious about this though as I really like Ace Atkins (and the "redneck noir" genre). I didn't see much of Mr. Atkins in this book however. But for the Spencer fans out there, this book will not disappoint.

All the sarcastic "snarkiness" so typical of Spencer was there... from the "foodie" comments through the "metrosexual" grooming tips and satorial descriptions. All that I found so wearying in the original Spencer books, was in Cheap Shot.

The story itself was a fast paced, kidnapping & recovery tale with a few small gaps. There was the usual plethora of "bad guys", "good guys in disguise", "untrustworthy types", and folks that should have been trustworthy but weren't that are normally found in a Spencer story.

It's like Robert Parker's estate included a pile of book outlines that they couldn't resist trying to capitalize on. If so, they found the writer needed in Mr. Atkins to continue to churn out the Spencer stories. I for one hope that Ace Atkins continues to focus on his own books as well.

[Joe Noir · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a hardboiled PI fan, and you are not reading the new Spenser novels written by Ace Atkins, you are doing yourself a disservice. In my opinion, these are the very best of that American genre being produced right now.

Atkins is not only channeling Robert B. Parker, but Parker at the height of his powers. These new Spenser novels are better than quite a few of Parker’s.

The son of a successful high profile defensive Pro Bowler signed to the Patriots is kidnapped. After suspicious vehicles have been following his father, and two years after his father was involved in an altercation at a NY night club which resulted in a shooting.

There is a third quarter plot twist which will remind readers of the Mel Gibson film “Ransom” (itself a remake of the 1956 Glen Ford film “Ransom!” which was derived from an 1954 episode of The United States Steel Hour titled “Fearful Decision”).

Cheap Shot is tough, brutal, honest and thrilling. A few throwback touches to earlier books, and a few tantalizing clues as to what may come in future books. Do yourself a favor: read the Spenser novels by Ace Atkins, and read them in the order of publication.

Very, very cool.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spenser and his extended family have joined the immortals.

Ace Atkins has finally GOT IT! His snappy dialog and plot lines are classic Robert B. Parker. I had my doubts earlier but "Cheap Shot" has taken the franchise to a new level. Not only are Spenser, Hawk and Susan (and their supporting cast of police and criminals)here and true to form, but Z (Zebulon Sixkill) is also stepping into his own character -- and growing.

I didn't know how long Atkins could prolong the series after Parker's death in 2010. But he has now made it resoundingly clear he can continue this series as long as he wants to do so. And if he identifies a successor, there could well be an unaging 115-year-old Spenser still righting wrongs, staying true to his code and wandering the streets of Boston in his Bomber jacket and ball cap 50 years from now.

And somewhere in the process, not only have I come to like Atkins' take on Spenser, but I have also become a fan of Atkins own Quinn Colson series.

This is a very good book that reinvigorates the Spenser books. Keep them coming!

[Larraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always read for a new Spenser. I'm even MORE ready now that Ace Atkins is writing the books. He writes like the old Parker - the one that actually wrote longer books with more going on and not double spaced large print. Mr. Parker was obviously getting tired and obviously unwell. Perhaps he should have taken on a ghost writer - kind of like James Patterson who apparently doesn't write most of his books. James MIchener, supposedly, didn't write a lot of what was penned under his name from what I've read. The fact is that this isn't great literature. It's strictly escapist. Bad guys vs. good guys and the good guys always win. We need that. In this latest book, Spenser is approached by a member of the New England Patriots because he thinks somebody is following him around. It soon becomes obvious that there is far more going on. When his son is kidnapped with no ransom demands, Spenser investigates. For a long time it's fruitless. Then things start to come together.... Hey, this is fun reading. Our brains need it. For me, it's better than a romance!

[Byron Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be Ace Atkins' best work since the Robert B. Parker estate chose him to continue the works after the icon of the dogged, slick mouthed detective novels passed on 01/10. The genre owes so much to this trailblazer.

Just keeping the Spenser, with an s, and Hawk characters alive is cause for me and legions of fans to rejoice. Btw, has there been a more apropos name given to a fictional, black, street tough character than Hawk?!?!

I grew up in the 70's-80's so remembering seeing these characters, played by Robert Urich & Avery Brooks, come to life on the TV screen still brings a smile to my face. The DVD's are out there y'all!!!😄😄😄

The plot is engaging and the cast of characters will keep you guessing until the very end. And the plot twist mid book will blow your mind. Just an example of an author really giving his fans what they want and deserve.

I ENTHUSIASTICALLY, urge you to buy it, read it and enjoy!!!👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still miss Robert B. Parker. Whenever I would begin reading his latest Spenser novel, I would invariably start it at night, telling myself I would only read a few chapters. Later, when dawn was breaking and I was reading the final pages, I would wonder ruefully to myself if I would ever learn.

However, I'm not so desperate for a hint of Parker's prose that any book with his name on it will do. I once read a chapter from "Robert B. Parker's Killing the Blues: A Jesse Stone Novel" by Michael Brandman and determined not to read any more from that series ever again. He may write great TV movies that feature Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone, but prose is a different animal. It's not enough to have Parker's name in the title and feature his characters. You have to walk the walk and talk the talk.

I'm glad that Spenser is in better hands. Now I've just finished "Robert B. Parker's Cheap Shot: A Spenser Novel," the third novel featuring the Boston private eye by Ace Atkins. Spenser is first hired to investigate a possible threat to star player for the New England Patriots, Kinjo Heywood. What seems like a wild goose chase turns deadly serious when the football player's eight year-old son is kidnapped some time later. Spenser's instincts tell him that there's a link to Kinjo's involvement in a nightclub shooting in New York two years earlier, but not many people are giving straight answers as the gumshoe butts heads with Kinjo's flashy sports agent, his embittered ex-wife, the Patriots' head of security and a corrupt FBI agent with whom Spenser has history.

Fortunately, Spenser has his own dream team of allies, including his protégé Zebulon "Z" Sixkill, the formidable freelance enforcer Hawk and longtime girlfriend/psychologist Susan Silverman as he makes his way through the Boston underworld, searching for clues to the whereabouts of Kinjo's son. As days turn into more than a week, the less likely it is that the boy is still alive. Then Kinjo takes a course of action that is straight out of the film "Ransom" and ups the ante even further.

Atkins has a good grasp of the individual characters, keeping them fresh and distinct. And he's has done very well in capturing the cadences and rhythms of our main narrator, Spenser, whose gift of wit is very much intact as evidenced in one scene as Spenser waits with state cop Lieutenant Lundquist:

"Lundquist and I waited in a sitting room that faced the driveway. From there, we could see reporters milling under camera lights. The room had white carpet and white leather furniture and a very large oil painting of Kinjo in his college uniform, delivering a bone-jarring tackle on a quarterback.
"'You think someone might want to paint me in action?' I said.
"Lundquist shook his head. 'Sarcasm is hard to capture on canvas.'"

While there are answers to various riddles in the story, nothing is neatly resolved by the end of the book, much like Parker's novels. And like the original author's work, there is still satisfaction to be had at the end.

No one can ever replace the unique voice of Robert B. Parker (and I'll likely re-read one of his earlier works when I finish this review), but Atkins is close enough that I can still enjoy the occasional Spenser novel from time to time.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ace Atkins is so good at emulating Robert B. Parker that it was hard to remember that Parker didn't write this. What was interesting about this book is that Spenser was not as old as he once was but he is definitely relying on Z much more. This book delved into the world of football and the kidnapping of a player's 8 year old son. But there is no ransom request. So Kenjo and his ex wife slowly dissolve into puddles of panic, so much so that Spenser brought in Susan Silverman on a professional level. As usual, Spenser pissed off almost everyone by sticking to his own code and e descriptions of Spenser cooking do not get old. I think he has become even better in the kitchen since Atkins took over. As sometimes happens in these novels, there are no good guys. But that doesn't stop the book from being a page turner.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent audio narration. Formulaic fun if you're old enough to catch all the references to pop culture from the past 100 years.

[Claire Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: Robert B. Parker's Cheap Shot by Ace Atkins Publication Date: 26th March 2015 
 
Publisher: No Exit Press 
 
ISBN: 978-1-84344-449-7
 
Source: Real Readers by nudge 
 
Rating: 4*
 
Synopsis:
Kinjo Heywood is one of the New England Patriots' marquee players - a hard-nosed linebacker who has earned his reputation as one of the toughest guys in the league.  When off-field violence repeatedly lands Heywood in the news, his slick agent hires Spenser to find the men who have been harassing his client. 
 
Heywood's troubles appear to be tied to a nightclub shooting from two years earlier, so when his nine-year-old son Akira, is kidnapped, it seems his past has come back to haunt him. When he makes a controversial call to get Akira back, all hell breaks loose in Boston's underworld.  With the feds distracted by other cases, Spenser, Hawk and their protégé, Zebulon Sixkill, will have to call upon their outlaw contacts to track the child down,  before it's too late. 
 
Review:
I must admit, I wasn't really looking forward to reading and reviewing Cheap Shot, as I was less than enamored with Wonderland, the only Spenser novel I've read previously, also by Ace Atkins. I'm happy to report that I enjoyed this novel a great deal more than that. 
 
I find Spenser to be an entertaining and humerous character; his slightly sarcastic overtones a great personality trait and his rather unconventional approach to Private Investigation rather refreshing. There is nothing not to like about the character. Major Supporting characters Hawk, Z, Kunjo and the current and ex-Mrs Heywoods bring appropriate amounts of detail to the story and each adds something slightly different to the overall picture. 
 
Atkins' writing style is easy to read with lots of descriptive text which really sets the scene and adds to the layers of this complex crime. My only criticism is of a couple of conflicting passages - on page 114, Spenser mentions that he and Susan had already eaten, "We had already had supper; four mini-apple pies baked in the oven", yet on page 116, "...grabbed my watch, and checked how long the pies had been in the oven".Surely it should be mini apple-pies, or no hyphen too. This may seem overly critical, but I find such errors irritating! 
 
The pace builds nicely, it's a real page-turner with plenty of suspense, twists and turns. Everything is tied up nicely at the conclusion, following a few turns of events that I'd not forseen, a real bonus! I'm glad I got the opportunity to read another Spenser novel and that my opinion has been changed. 
 

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to be a fan of the NFL-- years and years ago. Not so much anymore. But that didn't prevent me from thoroughly enjoying Cheap Shot (Spenser #42). Ace Atkins really does know how to write Spenser like the original Spenser novels were written. And bless him, Atkins manages to keep the gag reflex quality of Susan Silverman to a minimum.

The story line is pretty easy to follow. A star linebacker for the New England Patriots, hard-hitting and just recently richly rewarded contractually, Kinjo Heywood would appear to have it all. Unfortunately, as is often the case these days with many a professional athlete, his off-field antics has dogged him in the media, and now appears to have manifested in some potentially lethal confrontations with persons known or unknown. So, Heywood's agent (written to be conspicuously self-serving and annoying) hires Spenser to find the men who have been harassing Kinjo.

Things escalate rapidly when Heywood's 9 year old son, Akira (Kinjo is really into Japanese movies), is kidnapped. With help from both Hawk and Z, Spenser will follow up leads, far and wide, to help recover the little boy. Meanwhile, Heywood and his ex are torn up over the abduction, while his current wife appears more interested in the increase in the number of her followers on Twitter. Hmmm, could be we have multiple possibilities regarding who might be in on the kidnapping? Funny thing is, no ransom has been demanded, and as time passes, the likelihood the the boy remaining alive dwindles rapidly. Lots of expected involvement from the Mass Staties, FBI, and local cops, but once Kinjo elects (ostensibly due to his frazzled mental state) to go public with a rather questionable decision, all bets are off.

As usual, we get lots of smart-Alec quips from Spenser, only a modicum of nauseating fawning over his girlfriend Susan, and some nice action from Spenser's protégée, Zebulon Sixkill (aka: Z). Hawk is, well, Hawk and it's always better with him in the midst of the action than without. I'm no expert in Spenser-dom, but I know what I like. This story moves along at a rapid clip, is funny and irreverent (hey, it's Spenser), and the plot is sufficiently twisty that the ending has a nice surprise charm to it.
I am really enjoying Atkins' treatment of this character and want to go back to the early novels by Parker to see just how close he's come to those originals. I think most will agree that he's done an admirable job, and I look forward to reading more of these in the future.

[Gloria Feit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike his previous effort in continuing a series created by Robert B. Parker, this time around Ace Atkins uses the full complement of Parker-created characters in a plot reminiscent of the master, including a sports theme. Kinjo Heywood is a star linebacker for the New England Patriots in need of Spenser’s services. It seems he has been followed and threatened.

A simple assignment turns into a much more deadly one when Kinjo’s young son is kidnapped, and it takes the efforts of the full all-star team of Hawk, Zebulon Sixkill, Susan Silverman, and of course Spenser himself, to solve the crime.

This time, the plot, dialogue and characterizations are more true to form. Atkins was hand-selected by the Parker estate to undertake writing three Spenser novels. Now that he has fulfilled that obligation, the question remains whether he will continue writing the series or go his own way. After all, he is an established author with many books of his own under his belt.

The novel is recommended.

[Jill Manske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ace Atkins is a very under-appreciated writer. His own books are terrific, but when he took over writing the Spenser series when Robert B. Parker died in 2010, he took his writing to a new level. It's as if Parker is writing through Atkins - the style, the wit, and the quirky plots are so similar to Parker, it's astonishing. What I like most about Atkins is that his dialog is very real and stays true to each character. It reads as if people are actually having conversations, not dialog just meant to move the plot along. In "Cheap Shot", Atkins takes on the kidnapping of an NFL star's son. While the list of suspects is short and you pretty much figure out whodunit midway through the book, it's still so much fun to read. Spenser is irreverent as always and you never quite know what he's going to say next. It's not laugh out loud funny, but the writing is witty and makes you smile. If you like mysteries and have never read Robert B. Parker or Ace Atkins, you've been missing out. This is one of Atkins' best books.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great as always. Ace Atkins does a good job of keeping Robert B. Parker alive. You can tell some differences ( a little more modern), but he sticks to the original and is doing a great service to his name. It this book, the Patriots are part of the story with a star player has a son kidnapped. Spenser, Hawk (or The Hawk) and Z save the day.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful listening

Due to eye illness Alexa reads to me, another will written romantic thriller mystery in the Spenser Series by Ace Atkins following in Robert B Parker's tradition. The characters are interesting and will developed. The story line is located in Boston with violence and misdirection leading to the unexpected conclusion. Enjoy reading 🔰2021 🏫🏡🐕💼

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just okay. I thought Atkins did a better job in imitating Parker's writing in the book before this one. What is with Hawk continually calling Spenser "babe". Sounds more like Ranger in the Evanovich books than Hawk.