Robert B. Parker's Showdown

Spenser #52

by Mike Lupica

Spenser may have uncovered an explosive secret that threatens the career of a controversial figure, in this latest installment of Robert B. Parker’s beloved series.

Vic Hale isn’t anyone’s idea of a father figure. He is one of the biggest – and loudest -- podcasters in the nation and got there by spewing overheated rhetoric that’s reviled by some but loved by even more. His particular brand of “entertainment” is so successful, he’s about to sign the biggest contract in the history of online broadcasting. Vic’s riding high...until he gets a visit from Spenser, who specializes in bringing guys like Hale back down to Earth.

Spenser is there on behalf of Daniel Lopez, a young man who believes Hale may be his father. It’s a potentially explosive revelation for a man in the podcaster’s position and it might even be enough to blow up his massive new deal.  That could explain the bodies that start popping up – bodies connected in one way or another with the mystery surrounding Daniel’s birth. There are a lot of questions remaining, and Spenser’s going to have to find the answers before someone shuts Hale or Daniel up for good.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller

346 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 25, 2025

About the author

Michael Lupica is an author and American newspaper columnist, best known for his provocative commentary on sports in the New York Daily News and his appearances on ESPN.

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike Lupica returns with the fifty-second book in the Spenser private detective mystery series started by Robert B. Parker, Showdown. In this latest novel, lawyer Rita Fiore introduces Spenser to Daniel Lopez, a young man getting ready to start law school and who believe his father may be Vic Hale. Vic is one of the biggest and loudest podcasters in the nation. He is reviled by many and loved by others as he talks about immigrants and immigration. If Lopez is Hale’s son, it could derail a massive deal that is in the works for Hale. Bodies and assaults keep happening as Spenser investigates with his new intern, Cassius Moore.

Spenser is self-reliant, protects those he cares about fiercely, and is confident. He’s a strong protagonist with a level of determination that many lack. He’s also a tough guy who cooks and loves baseball and old movies. Psychologist Susan Silverman is his long-time girlfriend and sounding board and his friend Hawk is around for the occasional support and banter. It was great to also catch up with the familiar characters from the series.

I feel that Mike Lupica is keeping the characters relatively true to the original stories by Parker and I’m grateful we can continue to enjoy new Spenser mysteries. That, combined with the author’s own writing style and voice as well as a fresh plot and great prose made this a fun book to read. The world-building is great with Boston and its suburbs as the scene for most of the novel. From food to neighborhood bars to criminals to the police, readers find themselves immersed in the imagery. As always there are also literary references and lots of discussion around baseball and food.

The writing is crisp with snappy dialogue and great characterization. The narrative lured me in and made me want to stay longer with old friends. The well-crafted and suspenseful story hooked me from the beginning despite feeling a little repetitive and slower in the middle of the book. Themes include lies, secrets, money, murder, found family, immigration, friendship, and much more.

Overall, this is a solid and enjoyable mystery with familiar characters filled with intense moments and some action that kept me turning the pages. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Those who enjoy crime mystery and private detective stories will likely enjoy this book with its engrossing plot, fast pace, and snappy dialogue.

Putnam – G. P. Putnam’s Sons and Mike Lupica provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for November 25, 2025.
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My 3.87 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When I was upstairs, I made myself a fried-egg sandwich with cheddar cheese on sourdough bread and spicy Wickles Pickles on the side and opened a bottle of Samuel Adams Summer Ale and watched the Red Sox postgame show on NESN, having listened to almost the whole game on the drive home [from Vermont]. They had won again. Six in a row. At least somebody was on a roll these days." -- self-styled gourmet and Beantown baseball fan Spenser (oh, and he's also a private eye, BTW), on page 276

Showdown is author Lupica's third leap into the durable 'Spenser' universe - and, appropriately, creator/author Robert B. Parker's name still looms large on the covers - and features one of those occasional bursts of topical or contemporary relevance in this long-running series that reached the half-century mark two years ago. Spenser is asked by his saucy attorney friend Rita Fiore - who has recovered and rebounded quite nicely from her horrific assault in the previous book - to delve into a stone-cold paternity mystery involving an earnest young law school student, his recently murdered mother, and the unidentified biological father. While I wasn't much of a fan of the heavy-handed plot angle involving that disc jockey-turned-podcaster - it was often unsubtle, or just eye-rollingly obvious about how the readers were supposed to perceive of him and his divisive political stance (definitely no shades of grey present here) - it was outweighed by one of the better recent depictions of P.I. Spenser performing actual and plausible investigatory legwork, and not hinging on an over-reliance of shoot-outs and fistfights. Besides the expected but always-welcome appearances and humorous bantering of eternal supporting characters Hawk, Susan, and cops Belson and Quirk we also get a cameo by Parker's other sturdy creation, small town police chief Jesse Stone, and the promising introduction of Spenser's enigmatic new administrative assistant of sorts named Cassius.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too political for me. If I wanted to read political books I'd read non-fiction. Leave the politics out of a "mystery"

[R L HERSKOWITZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Spenser.
Spencer, Hawk, Susan Silverman and Rita Fiore are involved in this story.
Spenser has an interesting assistant, too.
I’d like to see more of him in the future.
Also, baseball is talked mentioned often.
Personally, I enjoy baseball.
There are references to boxing, as well.

Great characterization and dialogue.
However, this book needed more editing
(I noticed redundant descriptions).
Otherwise, the story was good.

I enjoyed reading this book. 😊

[Jim Welke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has done a great job of taking over an old franchise. He includes most of Spenser's old friends while introducing a few new characters. The son of a single illegal immigrant mother goes looking for his biological father after his mother is murdered. One reluctant possible father finally agrees to meet the young man, with deadly consequences.

[Richard Delard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Remember Johnny Carson who was loved by everyone? No one knew his politics. Robert Parker, who was
One of my top five favorite authors, was the same way. Even though Mike Lupica could never replace Parker,
I was able to somewhat enjoy his Spenser novels simply because I am such a fan of Spenser and Hawk.
I tried to finish this novel but gave up after 111 pages. If Lupica wanted to write about politics he is free to do so.
Why aggravate half or probably many more of your readers by constantly shoving your views down the readers throat.
I can’t speak for Robert Parker but I wonder if he would approve. I hate to bring up Trump derangement syndrome but it seems to be the case. Very disappointing.

[Jack Hance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ‘m not sure how many Spenser books I’ve read, dozens at least, not counting the spin-off series, Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall. Initially tge passing of the torch from Parker to new writers, which started even before he died, seemed refreshing, and positive. Mike Lupica waa clearly a Spenser aficionado, and included all the trivia and old references, but fixated less on how beautiful Susan was and kept the mentions of her Harvard PhD to perhaps one or two per book (from dozens). But the series is over fifty years old, and while Spenser’s knees are starting to go, showing clear signs of aging. Rita Fiore and Susan Silverman, women now in their seventies, have not been allowed to age. Perhaps even Lupica is tiring of the same cliches. I totally agreed with the express and implied criticism of right wing podcast journalism here, snd the dangers of demonizing all immigration, but this book had too much political commentary. It seemed too much like our ugly reality, and I read fiction in part to escape that. The ‘mystery’ here was superficial and the ending seemed contrived.

[M-----l · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spenser would never refer to his record collection as "my old vinyls." He probably wouldn't replace his vintage turntable with an Angels Horn either.

[Ward Whipple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even when Robert B. Parker was alive, my barometer for a successful Spenser novel was whether it made me laugh out loud, and how many times. With this one, I lost count. Lupica nailed the voice when he took over the franchise (as did Ace Atkins), and he's helped all the familiar characters live and breathe naturally. The story and plot are timely, and some of the characters reflect not only the times, but their own aging. Well done. (Thanks also to NetGalley for providing an uncorrected proof -- with minimal typos! -- for my review.)

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Robert B. Parker’s Showdown” by Mike Lupica is the latest installment in this always entertaining series. Spenser is back with Hawk, Susan, and Pearl the wonder dog by his side, as he tries to help solve a paternity suit brought to him by close friend and colleague Rita Fiore. The storyline is strong and very topically current. The book is fast paced and filled with lots of the usual Spencer snark that kept me smiling from the first chapter to the unexpected finish.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Monnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has it really been 25 years since Spenser series creator Robert B. Parker passed away? And (whew!) 52 books since the series debut with The Goodwulf Manuscript? Even more unbelievable to me is that both my late husband and I have been there all the way (alas, for him until this installment). And this one, too, doesn’t disappoint, and I know he would have loved reading it probably even more than I did.

Of course, we’ve read all of Parker’s books that have been written by other writers; most have done exemplary jobs. With Spenser, though, I was happy to see one of our favorites – Mike Lupica – take the reins of the series, which is our favorite of the bunch. The reason, at least in my mind, is that he makes it seem (almost) as though Parker never left the building. And so far, he’s the only one who has been able to put realistic dialog in the mouth of Spenser sidekick Hawk. Maybe it’s the sports writer connection – ya know what I’m sayin’?

Anyway, this one brings at least a mention of several favorite characters – first and foremost drop-dead-gorgeous Rita Fiore, who has long had the hots for Spenser, Susan Silverman (Spenser’s main and only squeeze who will never be replaced by anyone, even Rita), the aforementioned Hawk, and even Maine police chief Jesse Stone, long a Spenser friend and the star of another long-running Parker series.

It is Rita, in fact, that provides Spenser’s involvement in this story. She wants him to meet Daniel Lopez, a college-age kid, who when going through his late mother’s belongings came to believe he’s the son of Vic Hale. That’s not necessarily a big deal, except that Hale is a bigly popular podcaster - one who spews hatred and racism to all who listen. Hale is also about to ink a deal that will shoot him into the financial stratosphere; understandably, admitting that he has a son – the result of a dalliance with an immigrant like those he rails about in his podcasts – would put the kabosh on the deal.

For his part, Daniel has no intention of backing down; he’s not in it for the money, he insists – just wants an admission that Vic is his father. Problem is, when Spenser and his buddies start to investigate, the bad guys start revving up; threats, both mental and physical, begin flying in from all directions – some of them a bit unexpected (as only the threat of losing tons of money will do). Spenser turns to his old frenemy Tony Marcus for help, which may or may not turn out to be a good thing; on the side of the law, other old friends like cop Frank Belson prove good to have around.

In the end, it’s quite an adventure, with danger lingering around every dark corner. Through it all, Spenser and Hawk maintain their allegiance (and amazing survival ability), Susan remains a gorgeous sounding board and some of the bad guys get their comeuppance. All told, it’s another winner – and I’m already looking forward to the next adventure. Meantime, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

[Everett Holland · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s unfortunate that an author is unable to write a book without strongly interjecting a political view that ventures into name calling and wishing harm to others. This will be the last “Spenser” I read.

[Deb Noack · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was great to spend time with Spenser and Hawk, but nobody writes dialogue like Robert B. Parker did.

[Susie James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mike Lupica's been doing a creditable job of continuing Robert B. Parker's Spenser series really -- but this latest one, "Robert B. Parker's Showdown", made me grind the old teeth a bit. Laced with an overabundance of quips.

[Maryann Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love when reading a book feels like a reunion with old friends, and that is exactly what reading Mike Lupica's newly released Robert B. Parker's Showdown felt like. I am a longtime Spenser fan, and Showdown is definitely one of my favorites of the 52 books in this prolific series. It is a very timely read as it features Vic Hale, a powerful and popular podcaster who preaches hate toward immigrants, yet as is the reality of the world has many followers. Rita Fiore introduces Spenser to 20 year old Daniel Lopez, a bright and articulate college student and activist for immigration. Lopez believes Vic Hale is his biological father from a relationship with Marisol Lopez, originally from Guatemala. Marisol worked for Hale as a maid; they had a short lived relationship; imagine what his followers would think of that!
Daniel discovered a DNA test indicating Hale was his father when going through Marisol's personal effects after she was killed while withdrawing $200.00 from an ATM? Was it another random killing as the police thought or could it have been intentional? The news of Marisol and Daniel would definitely upend Hale's popularity when it was at its peak, and some powerful investors were planning a major and extremely lucrative deal. Showdown is a hard to put down novel, and includes all of the Spenser characters: Hawk, Susan Silverman, Frank Beldon, Martin Quirk and Rita Fiore. It also introduces a new character, Cassius Moore ( or less), a cunning and likeable computer specialist. I laughed out loud at the dialog and thoroughly enjoyed everything about Showdown. Thank you to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons and Mike Lupica for the opportunity to read Showdown; my review reflects my honest opinion. 4.5 stars.

[Susan Mattes · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read, as usual, but not too satisfying this time.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike Lupica is the author of the latest Spencer for Hire. As a longtime reader of Spenser, I enjoyed the read. I thought I had the “father mystery” figured out. I was wrong. A podcaster with an anti-immigration message heavily featured in the story. All the great Spencer’s players are present; Hawk, Susan, Rita, Frank Beldon and Martin Quirk. Liked the addition of Cassius and his new J-O-B and hope to see more of him. Good story.

[Brent Soderstrum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 53rd book from the Spenser series. Lupica is the third author in the series following Parker and Ace Atkins. Lupica is a talented author whom I enjoy reading. This book disappointed me.

Lupica, like many of his fellow authors, has decided to share his political views with his audience. I don't read fiction to be lectured by the author on a political view. Lupica decides to do this on immigration. Lupica lumps all immigration as the same. In my opinion, there is a big difference between legal and illegal immigration. Apparently not to Lupica. If you don't like the immigration law, change it. Follow the law. Illegal immigrants should all be deported. They have entered the US illegally. We are a nation of immigrants, no doubt. But it is legal immigrants,

Lupica demonizes podcaster Vic Hale, who is very popular based on his views against illegal immigration. Susan and Hawk are the most vocal in opposition to Hale for his views. Certainly not the United States population. I found myself rooting for Vic Hale throughout the book.

I enjoy Lupica's Red Sox references. He also seems to have adopted the Parker voice in the Spenser novels. I do not enjoy being preached to by Lupica.

[Rajesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded of to 4. The story did not have that much substance, but the writing was crisp and reminiscent of the original Robert B Parker books.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike Lupica’s back with his third outing, following the handoff of the “Spenser” legacy from Ace Atkins in 2023. This was more than the passing of a proverbial torch. The legacy of Spenser is the gold standard in the world of mystery fiction. The holy grail. The big Kahuna. Spenser has become the classic PI that all other modern day fictional mystery detectives owe a serious debt of gratitude for his influence on the genre. Taking on responsibility for Spenser is an incredible endeavor, made even harder by the quality and success that Atkins brought in reenergizing Spenser and his historic city of Boston.

The good news is that Lupica has been up to the challenge. He’s three books into his run, he’s more than warmed up. He’s already hitting his rhythm and delivering quality outings reads like he’s been doing this for a long time. After finishing his run of writing the Sunny Randall and Jessie Stone novels, Lupica’s third Spenser novel – “Showdown” – continues to build on Spenser’s world in a nostalgic way that will please most of his hardcore fans. It certainly warmed my cockles of my Spenser addiction.

“Showdown” starts off with the dynamic duo of Spenser and Hawk reflecting on their long partnership in keeping the world a safer place by being who they are, as well as Spenser waxing on the greatness of Ted Williams as a baseball player. Their conversations alone are worth the price of admittance, not to mention Spenser’s and Susan’s with all of the double entendres.

Shortly after, Spenser gets a call from Rita Fiore, the world’s greatest legal mind and legs to go with it. She needs him to help her client who has a potentially explosive revelation. Daniel Lopez is graduating from the University of Miami where he’s become an activist for immigration reform and has been accepted at Harvard Law. Six weeks his mother was shot to death in Miami Gardens after withdrawing cash from an ATM near where they lived.

However, finding his mother’s killer is not what Daniel needs help with. His need comes from what he’s learned following his mom’s death when he discovered she had been receiving $10K a month from a source that Daniel has come to believe is his biological father. A man that his mother has told him was previously dead since he was young.

Although an old letter and a DNA test provide supporting evidence, there is a bigger problem for Daniel. The man who appears to be the father is a public figure, and not just any one. Vic Hale is a big loud political conservative podcaster who has a cult following and about to sign the biggest commercial contract in the history of online broadcasting. However, if he’s truly Daniel’s biological father, that truth not only goes against his political rants and pontifications, it has the potential for turning his audience against him and blow-up his massive new deal…

Rita wants Spenser, who was friends with Vic’s father, to talk with him and see if he will admit to being Daniel’s father so that she can avoid a legal battle. He agrees, but things don’t go as they hoped. Dead bodies start popping up along with a lot of questions… Now, Spenser’s finding himself in the middle of trying to figure out what is going on before someone else, including himself, turns up dead…

In my humble opinion as having read Robert B. Parker’s Spenser novels since back in the mid-1980’s, Lupica does several things right in capturing Spenser, his world of Boston, and an ever-growing cast of superb and unique characters. His strengths overcome some weaknesses that arises with a series that’s lasted over fifty books and going on fifty years. That’s a long time and a lot of books.

Lupica’ third outing continues his improvement from the last one. He’s relaxed and letting the writing go, not trying so hard at times, nor having those moments that don’t work as well or go too far over the top (except for a few of Spenser’s quips that sometimes come across as one joke too many for him). Overall, he’s hitting his groove, capturing the magic and essence of our hero, his friends and cohorts, and his city of Boston pretty dang well.

Let’s start with his strong ability to capture Parker’s classic characters with real authenticity. His prose flows well, delivering the same short chapter staccato storytelling that was Parker’s classic style. Seeing Spenser’s interactions and dialog with Hawk, Susan, Rita, Belson, Quirk, and the new characters he’s investigating in this book flow smoothly and in rhythm with Parker’s beat and creativity. Even Spenser’s brief phone call with Jesse Stone hit all of the right cylinders for me. Lupica even deals with Spenser’s aging – both physically and with technology – and makes it part of Spenser’s storylines in relevant and interesting ways.

For me, what made it even more powerful was how Lupica used his storylines to reflect on Spenser’s growing older, his personal code, and close relationships with Hawk, Susan, and Quirk on a higher and more personal level. Lupica really peals the onion like a master chef as Spenser is starting to face his own reality that he is beginning to lose physical abilities that naturally come with aging. For him, those strengths have been part of his identity, who he is, and are at the core of the very work he is so good at. Lupica treats these feelings with a simple tenderness and respect. Spenser has been capable of taking care of himself, but now he’s having to deal with the reality that father time eventually wins. I especially appreciated how Lupica dealt with that them especially in Spenser’s scenes with Hawk, Quirk, and Susan, who always plays a crucial role in helping Spenser work through his investigation analysis. She has always been the queen of Spenser’s world; his heart and soul.

As for the plotting and storylines, this book was more of a slow burn for the first 70 – 80 pages as the various characters and mysteries were introduced and laid out for Spenser and the readers. Then things started to build, flow back and forth, and focus more on detective investigation work rather than physical exchanges of violence (even though there are few to keep you on edge throughout). I must admit that Lupica created a well thought out, multi-layered set of storylines that interconnected and provided continuous tension and drama from beginning to end.

Lupica also injected conflict between the characters to explore themes that reflect our current political and ethical values playing out in the real world. For example, Spenser found himself disagreeing with Hawk and Susan on how closure should be provided for Daniel’s situation. The result was that Lupica captured the magic and conversational mastery that the late great Robert B. Parker created and established with his characters. The rhythm, timing, creativity, and underlying sarcasm is incredible. Not just any writer can recapture or repeat it. It’s the secret sauce. And what makes it so good in this one is how well the other characters give it back to Spenser. I absolutely loved Hawk’s, Quirk’s, and Belson’s take no crap responses to Spenser throughout the book, as well as Rita’s and Susan’s. Lupica has captured their voices in a superb way that delights even the most traditional Spenser groupie.

It’s so easy to see that Lupica knows Spenser’s world. He’s lived in since he began reading Spenser’s books back in his early years and grew to be close friends with Robert B. Parker and his family. He is a true insider, in many ways. Lupica knows the characters intimately. He knows the city of Boston and its history. More importantly he knows Spenser inside and out, his character, what drives him to be the Knight Errant, and his personal relationships with Susan and Hawk.

Overall, Lupica delivers another winner. He speaks the Spenser language, understands what drives Spenser, and the all-star cast that surrounds him and makes him better. I just hope that he keeps moving our detective hero and his partners forward in new engaging and challenging ways. I need Spenser, his friends, and his city of Boston in my life each year. I really do! We all do!

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Might be my last Spenser novel unfortunately. I’ve read all of them but this one ruined it for me.

Too much obvious politics, and the rant about “automatic machine pistols” did it for me. All of a sudden Spenser only carries a snub nose .38. While that was always an interesting quirk and past novels, He used to have other firearms as well. Including magazine, fed pistols, semi auto rifles and shotguns.

Terrible shame. Spenser was always a pretty interesting character but this author has turned him into caricature.

[Hobart · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S SHOWDOWN ABOUT?
Rita Fiore comes to Spenser for some help—she has a client, Daniel, a young man who has come to Boston to confront the man he thinks is his biological father. Daniel’s mother has recently been killed and while going through her effects, he found some things that made him believe what he’d been told about the father he’d never met was untrue and that Vic Hale was his actual father.

Vic Hale is a podcaster with an audience close to Rogan’s and politics several yards to the right of Rush Limbaugh. A frequent obsession for Hale is illegal immigration. Daniel’s mother had been an undocumented worker employed by Hale. If Daniel went public, it could likely bring down (at least shake) Hale’s media empire and possibly damage the multi-million dollar deal he’s on the verge of signing. (it's up in the air which is more important to Hale)

Daniel, an up-and-coming immigration activist, would relish that. But before he does that, he wants to confront his father personally (and Rita would like a little more proof of his paternity). This is where Spenser comes in.

Then Spenser uncovers connections to a local mobster. And then more money gets introduced into the picture. Then someone is killed. And well…you know how things go from there.

A COUPLE OF QUIRKS (NO, NOT MARTIN)
These aren’t problems with the book, and if these things disappear with next year’s novel, I won’t mind. But if they continue for long, Lupica will have altered these characters in a way that I’m not wild about.

Susan winks a lot in this particular novel. Perhaps as often as she had in the previous 52 books combined, I could be exaggerating, but it doesn’t feel that way. Parker (and Atkins) typically let the dialogue lines carry that connotation—perhaps with one of Susan’s variety of smiles. If she winked once, I wouldn’t have minded. But when it happened twice within a few pages, it got my attention, and then screamed at me every time afterward. Just roll it back a little.

The other thing that got under my skin is the way that Spenser keeps dropping bits of trivia that those around him (Hawk, Susan, Quirk, Belson, and others—maybe even Tony Marcus) find annoying, and will mock him for. Spenser even engages in a bit of self-mockery about it, as if this is something he’s spent years doing. Spenser doesn’t go out of his way to show off his knowledge like this—yes, he’ll drop a historical note when appropriate, he’ll use a sesquipedalian word from time to time (particularly to needle someone who is condescending toward him), he’ll make literary allusions/drop quotations often. But he’s not the kind of guy who’ll hit pause while watching a TV show/movie to inform others in the room about some point about an actor, script note, or a directorial choice.* Spenser’s only a show off when he thinks it’ll impress Susan—not in a way that will annoy anyone.

Also, the constant references to Spenser’s age feel a little dangerous—Parker had left him frozen in time, and while Atkins had made it clear that he was on the older end of things, he kept it vaguer than that (which fit the direction Parker had set up).

* I know it’s annoying and I really shouldn’t, but I only do it for things that are illuminating or incredibly interesting (to me, if no one else).

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT SHOWDOWN?
There were two major reveals in store for the reader—I was certain I’d had one sussed out from almost the beginning, and I couldn’t have been more wrong. I’m not sure if I should’ve come up with it on my own if I hadn’t been so distracted, maybe…just maybe. The other might as well have had neon signs pointing to it throughout. I do buy Spenser et al. not seeing it, however. 1 out of 2 ain’t bad (for Lupica or me).

I think the story meandered a little bit, chewing up pages for the sake of chewing up pages—making me think of Lupica again as emulating latter-day Parker. So that’s a plus, in a strange way. And really, none of the meandering hurt anything—much more of it would’ve.

The addition of a new character—Spenser’s intern Cassius, was a choice—as my kids used to say. Perhaps a good one (it certainly helps with the technophobic PI getting help with databases, social media, and whatnot). I’m holding my tongue on it for at least one more novel. I sort of wish that Mattie Sullivan would’ve filled that role, at least to an extent. Or maybe Sixkill.

At the end of the day, readers pick up a Spenser novel for the characters, the banter, and a little action. Lupica delivers those here (even if the characters are a little out of focus). There's a bit about Noah Kahan that made me hoot (and annoyed my daughter). I think Hot Property was a better Spenser novel—and will be the standard by which I’m going to judge Lupica going forward. Still, while not as satisfying, it did the job and I’m more than ready to return to the series in a year or so.

[David Knapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I've mentioned in my reviews, Robert Parker's Spenser series will always hold a special place in my heart. I lived in Boston from 1986-1991, while the television series starring Robert Urich was being filmed there. (It ran from 1985-1988.) Many of my fellow actors at Emerson College - where I got my M.A. in Performing Arts - served as extras on the show.

I never did.

But I once almost ran into (literally) Avery Brooks who played Hawk in the series. I was late for class and took a sharp turn onto Charles St. without thinking that someone might be in the sidewalk on Charles coming my way. That someone was Mr. Brooks. Thank god I stopped in time because I have no doubt that I would have hit his large, muscular frame and ended up down on the brick sidewalk. Although I didn't actually hit him, I apologized profusely for the near miss, and was happy to get a polite "That's quite all right" in response.

I also met Robert Parker once when he came to sign books at the old Lauriat's bookstore in Downtown Crossing, where I worked during graduate school. Honestly, he was a bit of a curmudgeon who absolutely HATED the television version of his books. But it was still exciting to talk with him about his series of books before he started his signing.

Over the years, I've read each book in the series, some numerous times. But ever since Parker's death in 2010, I've felt as if it might be time to retire the series. Spenser just seems a bit dated in today's modern world. (Although in fairness, maybe it's just me getting older.) Consequently, I decided to reread the entire series one last time. I started to do so in 2021 and am through all of Parker's 40 entries, Ace Atkins' 10, and now Mike Lupica's first three.

I looked forward to Mr. Lupica taking over the series because, after what I thought were a good couple of first efforts on his part, Ace Atkins' continuation of the series fell flat. He's a talented writer, but his efforts were too much of a rehash of early Parker works. So, his plots left a lot to be desired. More importantly, he never completely mastered Spenser's voice or Parker's style.

Specifically, I believe that the biggest difference between Atkins' writing style and Parker's is this: dialogue vs. narrative/description. Parker was the master of quick, witty dialogue between Spenser, Susan, Hawk, and the rest of the characters. That's why it wasn't unusual for me to finish an entire novel in a couple hours. Atkins spent too much time describing the action and not enough time on Spenser working through the case with the other characters - something Parker emphasized. This caused his novels to drag at times.

So far, Lupica does a MUCH better job of capturing Parker's style. His exchanges between Spenser and Hawk & Susan (as well as Belson, Quirk, and the novel-specific characters) sound as if they could have been written by Parker. And, for the most part, his plots seem similar enough to Parker's.

As you know, I never go deeply into plots in my reviews to avoid spoilers. But here's the jacket description:

"Vic Hale isn’t anyone’s idea of a father figure. He is one of the biggest – and loudest - podcasters in the nation and got there by spewing overheated rhetoric that’s reviled by some but loved by even more. His particular brand of “entertainment” is so successful, he’s about to sign the biggest contract in the history of online broadcasting. Vic’s riding high...until he gets a visit from Spenser, who specializes in bringing guys like Hale back down to Earth.

Spenser is there on behalf of Daniel Lopez, a young man who believes Hale may be his father. It’s a potentially explosive revelation for a man in the podcaster’s position and it might even be enough to blow up his massive new deal. That could explain the bodies that start popping up – bodies connected in one way or another with the mystery surrounding Daniel’s birth. There are a lot of questions remaining, and Spenser’s going to have to find the answers before someone shuts Hale or Daniel up for good."

The author did a decent job of developing this plot. However, it dragged a bit in the middle, which is why I gave it four, not five, stars.

Still, I've enjoyed the first three efforts by Lupica. And I will continue to read his subsequent entries.

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Robert B. Parker passed away in 2010, he left behind a fine legacy of work and a unique collection of characters. Perhaps the most iconic of the bunch is Spenser. Thanks to the diligence of excellent writers like Mike Lupica who have helped keep the series alive, Spenser’s fans continue to enjoy watching him take his act into the present day.

ROBERT B. PARKER’S SHOWDOWN is the latest Spenser novel penned by Lupica. It revolves around an infamous podcaster in Boston who finds out that he may have a son out of wedlock of Guatemalan descent. If this turns out to be true, it will not go over well with Vic Hale, who has built his reputation on yelling about traditional American values that do not include people who look like the young man claiming to be his son --- college student Daniel Lopez from Miami.

Spenser is brought into the case by attorney and friend Rita Fiore. Daniel’s mother, Marisol, was recently murdered during a $200 ATM robbery. Once upon a time, Marisol had been Hale’s housekeeper. They had a sexual relationship that led to Daniel’s birth following her relocation to Miami. Daniel is now in Boston due to his connection with Rita, and they reach out to Spenser for his aid in approaching Hale. Hale’s father had been Spenser’s friend and mentor. The hope is that he can lean on this connection to get a face-to-face meeting with Hale.

After getting past his gatekeeping producer, Spenser does meet with Hale, who recalls that his father once saved Spenser’s life. Outside of that, their meeting does not go well. Hale is as difficult to reach in person as he is on his right-wing podcast. He admits to being intimately involved with Marisol but vehemently denies being Daniel’s father --- even though Marisol had a DNA test done, and there is a record of monthly checks sent from Hale to Marisol in Miami after she left his employment. Hale has two bodyguard thugs who attempt to persuade Spenser to drop the matter, first verbally and later physically.

Meanwhile, Daniel is visited in Boston by his own podcaster contact from Miami, Ricardo Baez, who knows the particulars of the case and fully supports Daniel’s platform regarding immigration rights. Baez is not very forthcoming with Spenser, which is unfortunate because Spenser might have been able to prevent his murder. Now, Spenser and Rita must fend off the Boston P.D. while trying to find out who killed Baez. The bigger issue is that Daniel may not be sharing his full intentions, which could put him next in line for a bullet.

It seems too obvious to lay the blame on Hale, especially when he has a former wrestling executive backing his podcast, as well as an investor from Miami who also produced Baez. In typical Spenser fashion, he will continue to dig deeper and get on the wrong side of nearly everyone potentially tied to the case. There is no better man for this job, though, especially considering that Spenser may be the only person able to keep Daniel and Hale from being the next targets on a sinister hit list.

It is a pure delight to watch Mike Lupica not only keep the snarky dialogue of the original Spenser novels, but seamlessly move it forward with present-day storylines. ROBERT B. PARKER’S SHOWDOWN is a shout-out to classic crime noir and is not to be missed.

Reviewed by Ray Palen

[Ray Palen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 Stars

When author Robert B. Parker passed away in 2010, he left behind a fine legacy of work and a unique collection of fictional characters. Perhaps the most iconic character of the bunch is Spenser and, due to the diligence of fine writers like Mike Lupica who have continued this series, Spenser’s fans continue to enjoy watching him take his act into the present day.

ROBERT B. PARKER’S SHOWDOWN is the latest Spenser novel penned by Lupica and it involves an infamous podcaster named Vic Hale in Boston who finds out he may have a son out of wedlock of Guatemalan descent. If this turns out to be true, it will not go over well for Vic Hale who has built his reputation on yelling about traditional American values that do not involve people that look like the young man claiming to be his son, College student Daniel Lopez from Miami.

Spenser is brought into this case by attorney and friend Rita Fiore, who had a professional colleague with ties to Marisol Lopez, Daniel’s mother who was recently murdered during a $200 ATM robbery. Marisol had once upon a time been housekeeper to Vic Hale and they had a sexual relationship, the end result being the birth of Daniel following her relocation to Miami. Daniel is now in Boston via his connection with Rita and they are reaching out to Spenser for his aid in approaching Vic Hale. Vic’s father, Tommy, had once been a friend and mentor to Spenser and the hope was that he could lean on this relationship with the late father to get a face-to-face meeting with Vic.

After getting past his gatekeeping producer, Spenser meets with Vic who recalls the fact that his father Tommy once saved Spenser’s life. Outside of that, the meeting does not go well, with Vic being as difficult to reach in person as he is on his radical Right-wing podcast. He admits to the sexual relationship with Marisol but vehemently denies being Daniel’s father --- even though Marisol had a DNA test done to validate this and there was record of monthly checks sent from Vic to Marisol in Miami after she left his employment.

Hale has two bodyguard thugs who attempt to persuade Spenser to drop things, both verbally and later physically. Meanwhile, Daniel is visited in Boston by his own podcaster contact from Miami, a young man named Ricardo Baez who knows the particulars of the case and fully supports Daniel’s platform regarding immigration rights. Baez is not very forthcoming with Spenser, which is unfortunate because our favorite Private Detective might have been able to prevent his murder, the result of two bullets to the chest. Now, Spenser and Rita must fend off the Boston P.D. while trying to find out who may be behind this murder. The bigger issue is the fact that Daniel may not be sharing his full intentions, which could put him next in line for a bullet.

It seems too obvious to lay the blame on Vic Hale, especially when he has a former Wrestling executive backing his popular podcast as well as an investor from Miami named Mauricio Estrella, who also produced the late Ricardo Baez. In typical Spenser fashion, he will continue to dig deeper and get on the wrong side of nearly everyone potentially involved in the case. There is no better man for this job, however, especially when Spenser may be the only person able to keep both Daniel and Vic from being the next target on a sinister hit list.

It is a pure delight to watch Mike Lupica not only keep with the spirit and snarky dialogue of the original Spenser novels but seamlessly move it forward with present day plotlines. ROBERT B. PARKER’S SHOWDOWN is a shout-out to classic crime noir and not to be missed.

Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter

[Paul Sand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazon counts this as book #53 in the Spenser series. It is Mike Lupica's third try at Spenser novelizing, and it's not bad.

After some ruminations between Hawk and Spenser about how old they're getting, libidinous lawyer Rita Fiore ropes the detective into investigating the paternity of Daniel Lopez, a young law student (and a "bit of an activist for immigration reform"). His mother was an illegal migrant from Guatemala, and also a murder victim down in Miami. After her death, Daniel discovered indications (but not proof) that bio-dad was Vic Hale, a loudmouth Boston podcaster who's very much anti-immigration.

Also showing up is Ricardo Baez, a crusading reporter from Florida who starts asking questions about the case; he pretty quickly (page 89) turns up dead from two bullets in the chest.

A bunch of people are introduced, all with "Possible Suspect" stamped on their foreheads. Spenser antagonizes them with questions, which (in turn) leads to threats and some violence. Cameos from the Parker stable in addition to Rita and Hawk: Belson, Quirk, Jesse Stone, Tony Marcus, and more.

Random observations/gripes:

The "official" title on this book at Amazon is Robert B. Parker's Showdown. I guess this is the Way Things Are Done with the Parker estate now, no matter how dumb it is.

Most of Spenser's wisecracks are clever, and his repartee with friends and antagonists seems slightly less forced this time around.

Boston's major paper is still typeset "The Globe" in italics here, which is irritating. It should be "the Boston Globe". (Amusingly they get it right with Boston's other paper, on page 37: "the Boston Herald". And also "the Miami Herald" on page 42. Come on, G.P. Putnams Sons' editors!

Kindle search finds 72 instances of the F-word, or variations thereof in the book. Even Susan Silverman drops one! I'm not a prude, but that seemed gratuitous.

Spenser goes out to eat a lot, identifying a bunch of actual area restaurants by name. I remember the good old days when he got excited by going to (now defunct) Hamburger Hamlet. Here, the closest he gets to that is the Boston Burger Company (page 150), where he has a Big Papi Burger ("Smoked bacon, griddled hot dog, fried egg, guacamole, pickled red onions, lettuce, tomato, Papi sauce", at $19.50), washed down with a Green Head IPA from Newburyport Brewing. Most of the time, he hits places like Pammy's, where he and Susan ordered off the $88/person prix-fixe menu: gnocchi with lobster in a San Marzano sauce for him, wild mushroom lasagna for her. (Does Lupica write deduct meal costs as "research", or does he just check out website menus like I did?)

[Annie Yotova · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a young man comes to Boston seeking the truth about his biological father, he ends up in Rita Fiore's office and is quickly refereed to Spenser. Technically, Daniel is sure that he knows who the father is. The problem is that he is almost impossible to reach and even if he does, chances are that the meeting will not be very nice. Vic Hale, the supposed father, is a podcast host of one of the most radically right shows out there. Daniel's mother is a Guatemalan woman that came into the country illegally.

It is not unusual for the series to use the current political climate (both local and national) to ground the story in the here and now. The authors just add a murder or 3 usually and use the real world as a background. In this case, it all starts with the mother's death in Florida. Before long a journalist who seems to be digging into Daniel's case is found dead (hours after talking to Spenser) and someone's bodyguards are throwing crowbars at Spenser's knees. Which just makes our detective even more determined to get to the bottom of the story of course.

Belson and Quirk are sure that Spenser knows a lot more than he is sharing and keep on him (although it was done a bit heavy handed), Hawk seems to be always there as usual and Spenser even had acquired an intern (so now in addition to Spenser not understanding modern references, we have someone not understanding his old ones...). Plus Tony Marcus has his fingers all over the whole situation as usual (although he is starting to sound almost formulaic at this point - he is the designated link into the shady side of Boston but he seems to be always helpful besides all the bustle). It kinda works if you know that characters but I wonder how readable this is for new readers.

By the end of the novel all mysteries will be resolved of course (not without a few more dead bodies, a lot of gunfire and an old mystery raring its head of course).

Lupica is very good at tying the novels he writes to the continuous series - we get a character from his own first book here, we have Spenser recollecting one of his very old cases (all the way back to Parker's "Back Story") and even Jesse Stone makes an appearance. And Lupica is doing it in a way that allows new readers to understand the references without making it tedious for the people that had read the series from the beginning.

The one thing he really does not have a handle on is Susan. To be honest, Parker never handled her well either and it took a long time for her to grow on me - I am not sure if it was just getting used to the way she was written or she really got written a bit better. Now it feels like we are back to square one - she is supposed to be this very successful psychologist but she is written as a 20 years old bimbo half of the time.

It is a good entry in the series and a good palate cleanser between heavier books. And hopefully Lupica will continue improving his handle on the characters he inherited here.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spenser is back in action! The Estate of Robert Parker and their publisher have made excellent choices in selecting accomplished authors Ace Atkins and Mike Lupica to continue the highly enjoyable Spenser series. My mother loaned me her copy of The Godwulf Manuscript way back in 1973 and I immediately bought in to this witty educated ex-boxer, ex-cop, now tough as nails Boston PI. The most recent title, Showdown, is ripped from today’s current news—illegal immigrants, birthright citizenship, and those telling them to go home.

Spenser is asked by his sexy lawyer friend, Rita Fiore, to meet a young man, Daniel Lopez, who is about to enter Harvard Law School. He has a personal matter that Rita thinks Spenser can provide assistance. Daniel discovered documents among his recently deceased Hispanic mother’s possessions that local anti-immigrant podcaster Vic Hale was his father. Vic Hale, Boston’s answer to nationally known podcaster Joe Rogan, was in the conversation about who might be the next biggest—and potentially very wealthy. Rogan has millions of Spotify listeners who eat up his controversial commentary. Hale spews similar anti-immigrant and white nationalist commentary for a local broadcaster. Spenser, following considerable difficulty to get close to Hale finally meets with the podcaster who tells Spenser he is not Daniel’s father—a career crusher if the rumor became public—and for Spenser to tell Daniel to walk away, forget about him, and expect a big payout.

So begins a convoluted story of efforts to silence Daniel, a Miami investigative reporter after a big story, and others with knowledge of Daniel’s mother’s secret. Blending action, wit, snappy dialogue, and gifted storytelling Lupica keeps the Spenser character fresh and original. Surprisingly and disappointingly Spenser’s close friend and wingman, Hawk, plays just a minor role this time out. Spenser takes his usual step by step approach—on creaky knees—annoying Hale, his producer, their lawyer, the owner of Hale’s contract, local gangsters, a coffee magnate/media owner, and a few thugs. Each encounter Spenser experiences tightens the circle around Hale as Daniel’s father/not father conundrum brings us closer to the explosive conclusion. Showdown is a terrific addition to the Spenser series.

My thanks to Putnam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Showdown. It was time well spent.

[Leane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great installment—See my reviews of other Lupica Spenser books (2023’s Broken Trust) for more detail. This book begins shortly after the previous one involving Rita Fiore and makes references to that story (2024’s Hot Property). Again, Spenser interacts with all the stalwart series regulars, Quirk and Belson, as well as Jesse Stone from Paradise, Attorney Rita Fiore and, of course, Susan and Hawk, as he looks into a young man’s paternity, his mother’s death, and this leads to the Boston underworld and conflicts with power-brokers interested in the financial viability of a world-renown podcaster, based in Boston, and one of the early advocates of harder-lined immigration tactics. Dialogue and humor drive the narrative as one layer of investigation leads to another and red herrings get discarded as the mission changes and presents ethical quandaries for our hero. Boston and environment are well-drawn as Spenser visits Fenway Park, assorted bars and restaurants, the Public Gardens, and other Boston locations, also making a trip to the Cape and Manchester, VT. Lupica understands the importance of integrating CH, Setting, and procedural detail with food, drink, and local color. Spencer’s liberally voicing quotations and discourse on Dunkin’, the Red Sox, social media, technology (great new younger CH highlights this), and the political conversations with Susan and Hawk added great flavor to this one. Spenser’s aging body also adds to the growing jeopardy of the Tone and reality of the CH’s situation. Some nice rumination on parenting and identity. Red Flags: Violence, Immigration. For fans of indelible settings, great dialogue and good procedural detail, I might also suggest Robert Crais’s Elvis & Joe series set in LA, Peter Swanson’s Eight Perfect Murders, and Anthony Horowitz British series, as well as Matt Goldman’s Nils Shapiro series for similar dialogue, procedure, and Setting. And if you want to take a leap into Fantasy, Jim Butcher’s Dresden (Storm Front) is very Spenserish, I mention this because this long series has a new one coming out this month.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are back with our good friend, Spenser (and company), for the 52nd time. This is Mike Lupica’s 3rd time at the helm writing Robert B. Parker’s most famous creation.

This is the first novel of Lupica’s Spenser that I have read. I listened to the audiobooks of the first two. Joe Mantegna always does a phenomenal job with reading the Spenser novels. I highly suggest you listen to them after reading the books.

I felt like the last novel, “Robert B. Parker’s Hot Property”, was the best Spenser novel after Mr. Parker’s death. So that had me champing at the bit to read this year’s release. “Showdown” isn’t as good but is still really good. Mike Lupica knows how to write a good novel. That’s just a fact. And, as a bonus, he knows the Robert B. Parker Universe and its vast array of colorful characters. He also adds a new one this time around, and I hope we keep Cassius around for the long haul.

I have my normal complaints about these novels. Mr. Parker did not use cusswords, and when he did, they were used sparingly. Mike Lupica likes to throw them in, thus changing the character’s nature and style. At least he doesn’t do it as often as he did when he wrote the Jesse Stone novels.

The only concern for this novel is it addresses a political hot button issue. Thus, it may alienate some long-time fans. For some, it is a more complicated issue than being as cut and dried as some would view it. Hopefully, readers will be able to just emerge themselves into the story and Spenser seeking justice for a young man.

From time to time, I see reviews that (fill in the blank author) does not write like Robert B. Parker. That’s true. No one writes like Robert B. Parker. To me, Mr. Parker, Lawrence Block, and James Scott Bell are the best at writing these types of mysteries. They just have a way of drawing you into a story and writing dialogue like no one else. Just sit back and enjoy that we still have Spenser and Hawk taking us on another adventure.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.