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Spenser #18
Pastime
Pastime is a startling game of memory, desire, and danger that forces Spenser to face his own past. Ten years ago, he saved a teenage boy from a father's rage. Now, on the brink of manhood, the boy seeks answers to his mother's sudden disapearance. Spenser is the only man he can turn to.
This time, it's more than a routine search for a missing person--Spenser must search his own soul...
This time, it's more than a routine search for a missing person--Spenser must search his own soul...
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
718 people are currently reading
1192 people want to read
About the author
Robert B. Parker
489 books2,294 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database named Robert B. Parker.
Robert Brown Parker was an American writer, primarily of fiction within the mystery/detective genre. His most famous works were the 40 novels written about the fictional private detective Spenser. ABC television network developed the television series Spenser: For Hire based on the character in the mid-1980s; a series of TV movies was also produced based on the character. His works incorporate encyclopedic knowledge of the Boston metropolitan area. The Spenser novels have been cited as reviving and changing the detective genre by critics and bestselling authors including Robert Crais, Harlan Coben, and Dennis Lehane.
Parker also wrote nine novels featuring the fictional character Jesse Stone, a Los Angeles police officer who moves to a small New England town; six novels with the fictional character Sunny Randall, a female private investigator; and four Westerns starring the duo Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. The first was Appaloosa, made into a film starring Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen.
Robert Brown Parker was an American writer, primarily of fiction within the mystery/detective genre. His most famous works were the 40 novels written about the fictional private detective Spenser. ABC television network developed the television series Spenser: For Hire based on the character in the mid-1980s; a series of TV movies was also produced based on the character. His works incorporate encyclopedic knowledge of the Boston metropolitan area. The Spenser novels have been cited as reviving and changing the detective genre by critics and bestselling authors including Robert Crais, Harlan Coben, and Dennis Lehane.
Parker also wrote nine novels featuring the fictional character Jesse Stone, a Los Angeles police officer who moves to a small New England town; six novels with the fictional character Sunny Randall, a female private investigator; and four Westerns starring the duo Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. The first was Appaloosa, made into a film starring Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
September 14, 2017
It had been a long spell since I’d read this entry in the Spenser canon, and while there are some great things about it, I found it less appealing this time around. The highlight, of course, is the expanding role of Vinnie in the Spenser world. Circumstances allow him to shift from being the dangerous right hand of Joe Broz, to the dangerous anti-hero when those circumstances force him to finally make the break from the gangster who has been almost like a father to him. It is the “almost” that comes into play here, and forces the split.
Yet there is far too little of that, and far too little of Linda Thomas, the woman across the way from Spenser in Valediction. She was in essence the turning point in this series, the exact moment where it became something different, and something less than it had been before. She was a breath of fresh air compared to the vain and pretentious Susan Silverman. With Susan Silverman finally out of the way, off fooling around with someone else, there was a moment in Valediction when many readers hoped that Spenser would drop Silverman like a bad habit. It would have moved both Spenser, and the series, away from Spenser’s smothering obsession with the insipid and undeserving Susan Silverman. But Parker extricated himself from that burgeoning relationship with Linda, and then came-a-runnin’ when the self-absorbed Silverman got herself in a terrible mess in A Catskill Eagle. They were back, more snobbish and devoted than ever, still too cool to get married, the depth and breadth of their love for Susan Silverman — “their” was no typo — more psychologically cloying than ever before.
I bring this up because in this book, Spenser does. Or rather Parker does. Because we learn much about Spenser’s past here, we also have a more wistful Spenser. In a return to the earlier books, he seems more aware of females other than Silverman in this one. And at least twice in Pastime, Spenser thinks briefly about Linda Thomas. As a reader, I almost felt that Parker was having some regrets about the literary decision which perhaps mirrored his own life. It would make sense, because Parker could not have been unaware of readers’ divided reactions about Silverman, and how he had hurt the series.
In a later entry in this fine series, Parker had Spenser himself finally own up to Susan Silverman’s terrible flaws, flaws which turned Spenser into something less than he might have been. He admits through Spenser’s ruminations that Spenser/Parker is not unaware of how vain and pretentious Susan Silverman is. Spenser just can’t do anything but accept it, however, because he loves her. He has too much invested in her. What Parker doesn’t say, and can't through Spenser's voice, is that in a literary sense he’s let the good ones get away, and it’s too late to go back. The die was cast. It reads almost as an apology to the reader.
In this story, I could feel the change in the series this time around. The series still had echoes of what it had been, but they were wistful echoes. Parker was a terrific writer, and even the post Catskill Eagle books are good reads — almost all of them, at least. But I felt the change here more than in some of the others. You can feel it becoming about THEM, the plots taking a back seat to Silverman, the center of Spenser’s world and existence. Even though this one is more about Spenser’s surrogate son, Paul, from Early Autumn, and there are some tremendously written action sequences in the woods, and the great stuff with Vinnie and Joe Broz, and Broz’s kid, I felt the mold hardening here, and so did Parker. And it was too late to do anything about it.
Paul needs to find his mother, if for no other reason than he needs to resolve some issues before he marries. But it turns out she’s hooked up with another sleaze-ball in a long line of them. And her new beau has run off with a ton of Joe Broz’s money. Broz’s feelings for his own son mirror Spenser’s for Paul. But Gerry isn’t cut out for Joe’s line of work, and things get ugly before there’s any resolution. In fact, it leads to the split by Vinnie from Joe, when it becomes clear that though he is the son Joe never had, he’ll never be Joe’s son. There are three rites of passage in this book — Paul’s, Gerry’s, and Vinnie’s.
There’s far too much psychobabble in this one — another Susan Silverman side effect — and far too little of the scenes with Vinnie and Broz. A lengthy and violent confrontation in the woods is good stuff, but it doesn’t quite elevate this one enough. It’s good, but you can feel the entrenching of patterns here. Pearl the wonder dog is introduced in this one. She is, of course, Susan’s dog, given to her by an ex-husband (lucky sod, he got away). Dogs are wonderful, you can’t not love them. But you just know Spenser’s going to end up doing the dog-walking, the feeding, and especially the cleaning up. Sort of the same thing he does for Susan Silverman. So as I turned the final page on this one, I had mixed feelings about the direction this series took. Maybe Parker did, too.
Yet there is far too little of that, and far too little of Linda Thomas, the woman across the way from Spenser in Valediction. She was in essence the turning point in this series, the exact moment where it became something different, and something less than it had been before. She was a breath of fresh air compared to the vain and pretentious Susan Silverman. With Susan Silverman finally out of the way, off fooling around with someone else, there was a moment in Valediction when many readers hoped that Spenser would drop Silverman like a bad habit. It would have moved both Spenser, and the series, away from Spenser’s smothering obsession with the insipid and undeserving Susan Silverman. But Parker extricated himself from that burgeoning relationship with Linda, and then came-a-runnin’ when the self-absorbed Silverman got herself in a terrible mess in A Catskill Eagle. They were back, more snobbish and devoted than ever, still too cool to get married, the depth and breadth of their love for Susan Silverman — “their” was no typo — more psychologically cloying than ever before.
I bring this up because in this book, Spenser does. Or rather Parker does. Because we learn much about Spenser’s past here, we also have a more wistful Spenser. In a return to the earlier books, he seems more aware of females other than Silverman in this one. And at least twice in Pastime, Spenser thinks briefly about Linda Thomas. As a reader, I almost felt that Parker was having some regrets about the literary decision which perhaps mirrored his own life. It would make sense, because Parker could not have been unaware of readers’ divided reactions about Silverman, and how he had hurt the series.
In a later entry in this fine series, Parker had Spenser himself finally own up to Susan Silverman’s terrible flaws, flaws which turned Spenser into something less than he might have been. He admits through Spenser’s ruminations that Spenser/Parker is not unaware of how vain and pretentious Susan Silverman is. Spenser just can’t do anything but accept it, however, because he loves her. He has too much invested in her. What Parker doesn’t say, and can't through Spenser's voice, is that in a literary sense he’s let the good ones get away, and it’s too late to go back. The die was cast. It reads almost as an apology to the reader.
In this story, I could feel the change in the series this time around. The series still had echoes of what it had been, but they were wistful echoes. Parker was a terrific writer, and even the post Catskill Eagle books are good reads — almost all of them, at least. But I felt the change here more than in some of the others. You can feel it becoming about THEM, the plots taking a back seat to Silverman, the center of Spenser’s world and existence. Even though this one is more about Spenser’s surrogate son, Paul, from Early Autumn, and there are some tremendously written action sequences in the woods, and the great stuff with Vinnie and Joe Broz, and Broz’s kid, I felt the mold hardening here, and so did Parker. And it was too late to do anything about it.
Paul needs to find his mother, if for no other reason than he needs to resolve some issues before he marries. But it turns out she’s hooked up with another sleaze-ball in a long line of them. And her new beau has run off with a ton of Joe Broz’s money. Broz’s feelings for his own son mirror Spenser’s for Paul. But Gerry isn’t cut out for Joe’s line of work, and things get ugly before there’s any resolution. In fact, it leads to the split by Vinnie from Joe, when it becomes clear that though he is the son Joe never had, he’ll never be Joe’s son. There are three rites of passage in this book — Paul’s, Gerry’s, and Vinnie’s.
There’s far too much psychobabble in this one — another Susan Silverman side effect — and far too little of the scenes with Vinnie and Broz. A lengthy and violent confrontation in the woods is good stuff, but it doesn’t quite elevate this one enough. It’s good, but you can feel the entrenching of patterns here. Pearl the wonder dog is introduced in this one. She is, of course, Susan’s dog, given to her by an ex-husband (lucky sod, he got away). Dogs are wonderful, you can’t not love them. But you just know Spenser’s going to end up doing the dog-walking, the feeding, and especially the cleaning up. Sort of the same thing he does for Susan Silverman. So as I turned the final page on this one, I had mixed feelings about the direction this series took. Maybe Parker did, too.
October 9, 2019
This unique novel in the series offers special pleasures for the Spenser fan. In it, we are privileged to receive rare glimpses into Spenser’s past: his mother’s death in childbirth, his upbringing (by his father and two uncles), how he learned to cook, how he met Hawk (an opponent in the prizefighting ring), and a wonderful story about how he, and his first dog named Pearl, faced down a hostile black bear.
All this nostalgia has its origin in Spenser’s current case. Paul Giacomin—the neglected teenager of Early Autumn, who Spenser took under his wing—asks the detective to help him search for his missing mother Patty, who has apparently skipped town without telling anybody. Paul wishes to locate his mother, but he also seeks to come to terms with his past, which involves his emotionally unavailable mother Patty. He has a steady girl now, and is thinking of marriage, but first he needs to complete his journey through the past.
This book as something to say about sons and missing mothers, and even more to say about sons and fathers. One of the best things about this book, surprisingly, is its exploration of the relationship between bad guy Joe Broz, his feckless biological son Gerry, and his henchman—and true spiritual son—Vinnie.
Sounds good, right? It is, but not as good as it sounds. Not only do all these stories of the past—though interesting in themselves—slow the narrative down, but other things do too, including the antics of Spenser’s new dog, the irrepressible Pearl, and a very long fight Spenser has in the woods with the bad guys, which—in my opinion—includes too much woods and too little fight.
Still, it is a memorable entry in the series, and—because of all the biographical details—essential reading for any Spenser fan.
May 29, 2011
If the Spenser books were a comic series, the cover on this one would say something like: AT LAST! SPENSER’S SECRET ORIGIN REVEALED!
Back in Early Autumn, Spenser helped a teenage boy named Paul gain a measure of independence and control over his own life and in the process became his surrogate father. Paul is now twenty-five and had been trying to resolve some of the issues with his mother, Patty, but when she suddenly disappears Paul asks Spenser for help in locating her.
Spenser and Paul figure out that Patty left with her boyfriend, Rich, and that Rich has some dangerous people also trying to find him. Joe Broz and his son, Gerry, are old enemies of Spenser, and they’ve got lethal gunman Vinnie Morris on the payroll. Spenser will have to try and find Patty before the bad guys track down Rich, and he’ll also have to help Paul deal with his issues in the process. Oh, and Spenser and Susan get a dog.
What sets this one apart from the other Spenser novels is that it stirs up memories of his own past and he relates these to Susan throughout the book. We’d only had the broadest outline of Spenser’s history to this point, and Parker fills in some of the blanks here. We’d learn about Spenser’s childhood being raised by his father and two uncles after his mother died giving birth to him, his first encounter with his formidable friend Hawk, and how he learned to cook and why he loves preparing food. But the best story is an account of how a teenaged Spenser and his father had to face down a bear during a hunting trip. It’s one of my favorite bits of the entire Spenser series.
Even though the plot revolves around Paul trying to find his mother, this is really a book about fathers and sons. The hunt for Patty deepens the bond between Spenser and Paul. Then there’s Spenser’s memories of being raised by not one, but three father figures. Joe Broz is desperately trying to turn Gerry into his idea of a man while Gerry struggles to live up to his father’s expectations. Vinnie thinks of Joe as a father, and Joe obviously wishes Gerry was like Vinnie. All of the relationships between these men is what drives the story.
This is one of the better Spenser novels, and maybe the last one I’d enjoy with few reservations. Getting the lowdown on Spenser’s past was great, and the theme of fathers and sons plays right into Parker’s wheelhouse.
Next Up: Spenser and Hawk try to solve Boston’s gang problem in Double Deuce. One assumes that they should work that out by lunch time.
Back in Early Autumn, Spenser helped a teenage boy named Paul gain a measure of independence and control over his own life and in the process became his surrogate father. Paul is now twenty-five and had been trying to resolve some of the issues with his mother, Patty, but when she suddenly disappears Paul asks Spenser for help in locating her.
Spenser and Paul figure out that Patty left with her boyfriend, Rich, and that Rich has some dangerous people also trying to find him. Joe Broz and his son, Gerry, are old enemies of Spenser, and they’ve got lethal gunman Vinnie Morris on the payroll. Spenser will have to try and find Patty before the bad guys track down Rich, and he’ll also have to help Paul deal with his issues in the process. Oh, and Spenser and Susan get a dog.
What sets this one apart from the other Spenser novels is that it stirs up memories of his own past and he relates these to Susan throughout the book. We’d only had the broadest outline of Spenser’s history to this point, and Parker fills in some of the blanks here. We’d learn about Spenser’s childhood being raised by his father and two uncles after his mother died giving birth to him, his first encounter with his formidable friend Hawk, and how he learned to cook and why he loves preparing food. But the best story is an account of how a teenaged Spenser and his father had to face down a bear during a hunting trip. It’s one of my favorite bits of the entire Spenser series.
Even though the plot revolves around Paul trying to find his mother, this is really a book about fathers and sons. The hunt for Patty deepens the bond between Spenser and Paul. Then there’s Spenser’s memories of being raised by not one, but three father figures. Joe Broz is desperately trying to turn Gerry into his idea of a man while Gerry struggles to live up to his father’s expectations. Vinnie thinks of Joe as a father, and Joe obviously wishes Gerry was like Vinnie. All of the relationships between these men is what drives the story.
This is one of the better Spenser novels, and maybe the last one I’d enjoy with few reservations. Getting the lowdown on Spenser’s past was great, and the theme of fathers and sons plays right into Parker’s wheelhouse.
Next Up: Spenser and Hawk try to solve Boston’s gang problem in Double Deuce. One assumes that they should work that out by lunch time.
July 17, 2020
This book is well into Parker's (and Spenser's) career. It has the usual noir feel with the usual suspicious underworld characters who try to push Spenser around at their peril. Parker's plots are simple and straightforward, the suspense and ultimate satisfaction coming from the fact that Spenser doesn't know what's going on at the beginning, and we share his journey of discovery as he uncovers the crimes and the criminals.
But this book, and maybe all of Parker's work, is really and fundamentally about The Code of Manly Expression Ordained Norm (COME ON.) Manly men have to show it all the time. They are a rare breed: brave, loyal, honorable, just, chivalrous, tough, and heroic. When two COME ON men meet, they recognize and respect each other, sharing their contempt for the lesser pretenders, who don't pack pistols, pummel opponents with their fists, attract women like hummingbirds to flowers, or drink good bourbon.
Parker drives this theme so hard and with such abandon that Spenser, the saver of damsels in distress, has a respectful relationship with gangsters, whose wealth and power are based on robbing and killing innocents. COME ON. The message Parker is selling is that being a manly-man is a higher calling, above the trivialities such as laws and the lives, property, and feelings of those who are not COME ON members.
To make Spenser a bit more palatable, he expresses his love for his wife, marveling, repeatedly, about his inability to express just how deep and meaningful his love is. In fact, maybe ten percent of the book can be condensed to 'Hon, I can't explain how much I love you.' Hon: 'I know.' This is okay, especially if this is your first Spenser novel or you haven't read one for a while. I think it would get old (I'm about to find out as I read another) and I know, in later works, Parker cut the gangsters, guns, and story down to twenty-percent and upped the I-can't-say-how-much-I-love-you to eighty percent. This book, in the middle of the series, is much better balanced between plot and character development.
But this book, and maybe all of Parker's work, is really and fundamentally about The Code of Manly Expression Ordained Norm (COME ON.) Manly men have to show it all the time. They are a rare breed: brave, loyal, honorable, just, chivalrous, tough, and heroic. When two COME ON men meet, they recognize and respect each other, sharing their contempt for the lesser pretenders, who don't pack pistols, pummel opponents with their fists, attract women like hummingbirds to flowers, or drink good bourbon.
Parker drives this theme so hard and with such abandon that Spenser, the saver of damsels in distress, has a respectful relationship with gangsters, whose wealth and power are based on robbing and killing innocents. COME ON. The message Parker is selling is that being a manly-man is a higher calling, above the trivialities such as laws and the lives, property, and feelings of those who are not COME ON members.
To make Spenser a bit more palatable, he expresses his love for his wife, marveling, repeatedly, about his inability to express just how deep and meaningful his love is. In fact, maybe ten percent of the book can be condensed to 'Hon, I can't explain how much I love you.' Hon: 'I know.' This is okay, especially if this is your first Spenser novel or you haven't read one for a while. I think it would get old (I'm about to find out as I read another) and I know, in later works, Parker cut the gangsters, guns, and story down to twenty-percent and upped the I-can't-say-how-much-I-love-you to eighty percent. This book, in the middle of the series, is much better balanced between plot and character development.
December 17, 2025
Spenser helps a young man find his mother. She disappeared without an explanation. Finding her will be a contest. While the son wants to find his mother, the mob wants to find her boyfriend and kill him. They had taken off together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2017
(The word "maroon" appears 7 times in this novel)
I was appalled at the first chapter, so saccharin sweet and twee, silly, almost baby talk. Authors must remember we are not their babies or their pets. Chapters 1-6 are very poor, dull, no plot advancement at all. Skip them if you want.
The rest of the book is fine but not special. Reasonable plot.
Spenser and Susan have stablised for now.
Modest snappiness in dialogue.
I was appalled at the first chapter, so saccharin sweet and twee, silly, almost baby talk. Authors must remember we are not their babies or their pets. Chapters 1-6 are very poor, dull, no plot advancement at all. Skip them if you want.
The rest of the book is fine but not special. Reasonable plot.
Spenser and Susan have stablised for now.
Modest snappiness in dialogue.
January 7, 2021
Wow, there was some surprisingly lyrical writing in this one! That's pretty impressive considering this is the 18th book in the series. Parker was chucking these out one-per-year, while publishing other series books, and yet he managed to make parts of Pastime sing!
October 29, 2016
One of my favorites, but possibly a little too much of Spenser wandering in the woods.
January 19, 2020
Robert B Parker must have fallen in love or had something really emotional happen in is life which would cause him to write this book. This was a good one, however, it wasn't like the other books. Paul appears in this one. His mother has disappeared and he asks Spenser to help find her. The mob is involved and the search becomes really tricky and dangerous for Spenser.
Susan's ex-husband has given Susan his dog Pearl. Pearl has befriended Spenser and accompanies him wherever he goes.
Hawk makes an appearance but it's minor in this book.
It's been a while since I've read a Spenser book. I may read another one to continue my fix. I really liked this one.
Susan's ex-husband has given Susan his dog Pearl. Pearl has befriended Spenser and accompanies him wherever he goes.
Hawk makes an appearance but it's minor in this book.
It's been a while since I've read a Spenser book. I may read another one to continue my fix. I really liked this one.
May 31, 2024
I’m just going to say it but Paul’s mother is completely worthless. We all know it but Paul finally seeing it for himself is painful 😣
The main plot point is Paul asking Spenser for help in finding his mother. It’s been a minute since we’ve had a check in with Paul. He’s 25 now and seems to have his life together. He should have learned by now to leave his toxic mother in the dustbin of history BUT he doesn’t. Spenser is especially good here in letting Paul figure things out for himself. The hard lessons in life. Parents aren’t always the best of people.
We also meet Pearl(the 2nd) the pointer dog. Technically it’s Susan’s ex husband’s dog BUT becomes Susan’s and really Spenser’s dog by the end. I still loathe Susan. She’s not a worthy person. Anyway… lots of subplots in this one Joe and Gerry plus Vinnie all looking for Beaumont that’s attached to Paul’s mom make it a bit tricky. Spenser forcing the issue with the mobbed up family. Hawk is in this one too. Shells out lots of good advise for Spenser that he doesn’t take like he should.
Plus on top of all that we get a peak into Spenser’s past in Wyoming with his father and 2 uncles. Even some more of his past with Hawk even their first time meeting. Very solid book.
The main plot point is Paul asking Spenser for help in finding his mother. It’s been a minute since we’ve had a check in with Paul. He’s 25 now and seems to have his life together. He should have learned by now to leave his toxic mother in the dustbin of history BUT he doesn’t. Spenser is especially good here in letting Paul figure things out for himself. The hard lessons in life. Parents aren’t always the best of people.
We also meet Pearl(the 2nd) the pointer dog. Technically it’s Susan’s ex husband’s dog BUT becomes Susan’s and really Spenser’s dog by the end. I still loathe Susan. She’s not a worthy person. Anyway… lots of subplots in this one Joe and Gerry plus Vinnie all looking for Beaumont that’s attached to Paul’s mom make it a bit tricky. Spenser forcing the issue with the mobbed up family. Hawk is in this one too. Shells out lots of good advise for Spenser that he doesn’t take like he should.
Plus on top of all that we get a peak into Spenser’s past in Wyoming with his father and 2 uncles. Even some more of his past with Hawk even their first time meeting. Very solid book.
February 13, 2016
The 18th in the Spenser series. A search for a missing mother ties in with the local gangsters, with a side trip down memory lane to Spenser's roots.
March 20, 2019
In this addition to the series, Parker pulls a few narrative threads from the past to present a case which explores the meaning of family and the complicated relationships which define it.
Back in the novel titled Early Autumn (1980), readers were introduced to fifteen year old Paul Giacomin, a young boy caught in the middle of an ugly feud between his divorcing parents, neither of who cared for him. Spenser took him away from that discouraging environment, gave him shelter and helped him understand what being a man was all about. It helped pave the way for Paul to feel comfortable making dance his chosen career. Now twenty-five, Paul has thrived as Spenser’s adopted son, has a career in professional dance and is contemplating marriage to his girlfriend Paige. Despite their past difficulties, Paul has maintained a comfortable ongoing communication with his mother Patti, although any contact with his father ceased with the last cheque he deposited for Paul’s college tuition. But Paul is worried. His last attempts to contact his mother have all gone unanswered, so he has come to Boston to assure himself that she is all right.
Spenser offers to help and it is not long before they discover that his needy, man crazy mother Patti has run off with Richard Beaumont, a charming, handsome man who has suddenly come into a lot of cash. Rich has been working as a bagman for Gerry Broz and has foolishly stolen a large amount of cash so he can start a new life with his girlfriend.
Spenser has tangled with Gerry Broz in the past and knows him as the spoiled, clueless son of Joe Broz, head of the mob and a long time Spenser foe. When Joe discovers that Gerry hired someone who has run off with a million dollars of his money, he demands Gerry get the money back. He gives him no choice. It is what he must do to maintain his self- respect, the respect of his father and the entire organization. He must prove he has what it takes to run “the business” when Joe, now in his seventies, is ready to hand it over.
It takes little time for Spenser and Paul to track down Rich and Patti who have done little to hide their identity or location. They have bought a house a short distance away and Spenser knows that Gerry and his men are fast on their heels behind them. It gives Paul little time to confront his mother with her behavior before they arrive. When they do, Spenser pushes them out of the house to escape and faces Gerry and his gang of hoodlums alone. It all culminates in a daring and suspenseful chase scene that Parker carries over several pages, skillfully maintaining the suspense.
The book is so much more than the crime story it presents. It is more about two young men, both sons, confronted with the challenge of proving themselves to their families. Paul must show his mother he is no longer a boy, he is a man and she must see him that way as he confronts her with her foolhardy plans. Spenser must stand by and watch, letting Paul handles this on his own. In the same way, Joe Broz cannot clean up Gerry’s mess, he must let his son hunt down Rich, retrieve the stolen money and if necessary take on Spenser in the process. Both Paul and Rich must prove they have what it takes to be a man and both Spenser and Joe must stand by and watch as their sons go through that struggle. Parker complements these scenes with some moving dialogue between Spenser and Joe, the aging gangster who is usually his foe. Both had to learn what it took to be men and both must let their sons do the same and earn the cost of manhood.
The mystery crime part of this novel is rather simple, the book for the most part focusing on the lives of the players. For the first time we learn about Spenser’s childhood living with his young father and his uncles, how he learned to cook and box and how he met Hawk. The relationship between fathers and sons and the importance of families underlies these stories. The notion of what constitutes a family and what one considers a father or a son is considered broadly embracing a variety of relationships. It includes the one between Spenser and Hawk, two people who care about each other but never speak of it or show it and the one between Joe Broz and Vinnie Morris, two men unrelated biologically, but bound together by years of time and experience.
Readers get a better understanding of Hawk who has remained a quiet enigma up to now. And somewhat unrelated to the central theme, there is a wonderful section of dialogue when Hawk gives a full account of his thoughts on Harvard faculty women that will give everyone a silent chuckle.
This is one of the better books in the series, filled with a long drawn out exciting chase scene and some endearing and emotional moments between fathers, sons and sometime enemies. In my view this is one of the best in the series so far with a good mix of detective work, psychological explorations and sharpshooting.
Back in the novel titled Early Autumn (1980), readers were introduced to fifteen year old Paul Giacomin, a young boy caught in the middle of an ugly feud between his divorcing parents, neither of who cared for him. Spenser took him away from that discouraging environment, gave him shelter and helped him understand what being a man was all about. It helped pave the way for Paul to feel comfortable making dance his chosen career. Now twenty-five, Paul has thrived as Spenser’s adopted son, has a career in professional dance and is contemplating marriage to his girlfriend Paige. Despite their past difficulties, Paul has maintained a comfortable ongoing communication with his mother Patti, although any contact with his father ceased with the last cheque he deposited for Paul’s college tuition. But Paul is worried. His last attempts to contact his mother have all gone unanswered, so he has come to Boston to assure himself that she is all right.
Spenser offers to help and it is not long before they discover that his needy, man crazy mother Patti has run off with Richard Beaumont, a charming, handsome man who has suddenly come into a lot of cash. Rich has been working as a bagman for Gerry Broz and has foolishly stolen a large amount of cash so he can start a new life with his girlfriend.
Spenser has tangled with Gerry Broz in the past and knows him as the spoiled, clueless son of Joe Broz, head of the mob and a long time Spenser foe. When Joe discovers that Gerry hired someone who has run off with a million dollars of his money, he demands Gerry get the money back. He gives him no choice. It is what he must do to maintain his self- respect, the respect of his father and the entire organization. He must prove he has what it takes to run “the business” when Joe, now in his seventies, is ready to hand it over.
It takes little time for Spenser and Paul to track down Rich and Patti who have done little to hide their identity or location. They have bought a house a short distance away and Spenser knows that Gerry and his men are fast on their heels behind them. It gives Paul little time to confront his mother with her behavior before they arrive. When they do, Spenser pushes them out of the house to escape and faces Gerry and his gang of hoodlums alone. It all culminates in a daring and suspenseful chase scene that Parker carries over several pages, skillfully maintaining the suspense.
The book is so much more than the crime story it presents. It is more about two young men, both sons, confronted with the challenge of proving themselves to their families. Paul must show his mother he is no longer a boy, he is a man and she must see him that way as he confronts her with her foolhardy plans. Spenser must stand by and watch, letting Paul handles this on his own. In the same way, Joe Broz cannot clean up Gerry’s mess, he must let his son hunt down Rich, retrieve the stolen money and if necessary take on Spenser in the process. Both Paul and Rich must prove they have what it takes to be a man and both Spenser and Joe must stand by and watch as their sons go through that struggle. Parker complements these scenes with some moving dialogue between Spenser and Joe, the aging gangster who is usually his foe. Both had to learn what it took to be men and both must let their sons do the same and earn the cost of manhood.
The mystery crime part of this novel is rather simple, the book for the most part focusing on the lives of the players. For the first time we learn about Spenser’s childhood living with his young father and his uncles, how he learned to cook and box and how he met Hawk. The relationship between fathers and sons and the importance of families underlies these stories. The notion of what constitutes a family and what one considers a father or a son is considered broadly embracing a variety of relationships. It includes the one between Spenser and Hawk, two people who care about each other but never speak of it or show it and the one between Joe Broz and Vinnie Morris, two men unrelated biologically, but bound together by years of time and experience.
Readers get a better understanding of Hawk who has remained a quiet enigma up to now. And somewhat unrelated to the central theme, there is a wonderful section of dialogue when Hawk gives a full account of his thoughts on Harvard faculty women that will give everyone a silent chuckle.
This is one of the better books in the series, filled with a long drawn out exciting chase scene and some endearing and emotional moments between fathers, sons and sometime enemies. In my view this is one of the best in the series so far with a good mix of detective work, psychological explorations and sharpshooting.
August 7, 2020
Half the appeal of the Spenser series, for me, is just hanging out in our titular hero's company. I love his one-liners and his occasional words of wisdom; I love it when he beats up bad guys, sometimes just for the hell of it. I even love hearing about what he's cooking while he's in the kitchen mulling over a case. Occasionally though, Robert B Parker would get the urge to dive a bit deeper, and that is the case here. It's very welcome, and comes just when it was needed; the series had been on autopilot for three or books by this point, and Parker's decision to explore the theme of fathers and sons was a timely one.
Paul Giamcomin, the kid Spenser basically adopted in Early Autumn, is all grown up now, and contemplating marriage, which has made him get in touch with his mother, Patty, but she's vanished into thin air. Paul enlists Spenser's help to find her, and it soon turns out she's mixed up with yet another no-good fella; this time, one who has taken money from gangsters Joe and Gerry Broz. This had the potential to be a run-of-the-mill story about Spenser saving people from bad guys, but not being able to save them from themselves; but instead, Parker looks at the relationship between Spenser and Paul, which causes Spenser to ruminate on his own upbringing - and this is where the gold lies. We've never heard much about Spenser's younger years, but we get lots here about how he was raised by his father and two uncles after his mother died giving birth; how they trained him to fight, and to cook, and, in one particularly memorable passage, to hunt. We also get the lowdown (well, most of it) on how Spenser and Hawk first met. And, on the fathers and sons theme, Parker also explores the relationship between long-time Spenser foe Joe Broz, and his son, Gerry, who, it's clear, does not have the chops to take over the family business when the time comes. This also leads to a neat little side-story involving Joe Broz's enforcer Vinnie Morris (probably my favourite returning character in the series), and his struggle about whether to leave the sinking Broz ship.
This is a gem; definitely one of the better Spenser stories. Next up is Double Deuce, where, if I remember correctly, we may get a bit more insight into Hawk's younger years. I'm here for it.
Paul Giamcomin, the kid Spenser basically adopted in Early Autumn, is all grown up now, and contemplating marriage, which has made him get in touch with his mother, Patty, but she's vanished into thin air. Paul enlists Spenser's help to find her, and it soon turns out she's mixed up with yet another no-good fella; this time, one who has taken money from gangsters Joe and Gerry Broz. This had the potential to be a run-of-the-mill story about Spenser saving people from bad guys, but not being able to save them from themselves; but instead, Parker looks at the relationship between Spenser and Paul, which causes Spenser to ruminate on his own upbringing - and this is where the gold lies. We've never heard much about Spenser's younger years, but we get lots here about how he was raised by his father and two uncles after his mother died giving birth; how they trained him to fight, and to cook, and, in one particularly memorable passage, to hunt. We also get the lowdown (well, most of it) on how Spenser and Hawk first met. And, on the fathers and sons theme, Parker also explores the relationship between long-time Spenser foe Joe Broz, and his son, Gerry, who, it's clear, does not have the chops to take over the family business when the time comes. This also leads to a neat little side-story involving Joe Broz's enforcer Vinnie Morris (probably my favourite returning character in the series), and his struggle about whether to leave the sinking Broz ship.
This is a gem; definitely one of the better Spenser stories. Next up is Double Deuce, where, if I remember correctly, we may get a bit more insight into Hawk's younger years. I'm here for it.
February 13, 2016
“Pastime”, Parker’s 18th novel in the 39-book Spenser set, seems a little ho-hum for a while. Spenser’s informally-adopted son Paul Giacomin {see #7, “Early Autumn”}, now 25 and soon to be married, is upset that he can’t find his mother. He asks Spenser to help out, but their search goes nowhere until they find out about her latest boyfriend, Richard Beaumont, who it turns out was a “bagman” (cash collector) for the mob family headed by Joe Broz. So when Spenser’s search focuses on Beaumont, that upsets the mob guys, especially Joe’s inept son Gerry; and so the crux of the plot is the interaction between the two groups that both want Beaumont. Things get ugly, leading to a fun scene where Spenser escapes with Pearl through a forest. In at least two encounters, during which Spenser could easily have killed Gerry, our hero ironically comes off as a pretty good guy to the mob, even if on the other side!
Possibly overshadowing a somewhat unexceptional plot are a bevy of relationship issues. We find out much about Spenser’s childhood being raised exclusively by three men – his dad and three uncles. {Parker’s young adult novel “Chasing the Bear” covers that period even better…} We find out how he and Susan got their dog Pearl. We find out how Spenser met Hawk and what made them so tight. We share the angst of Paul about his mother, not to mention the frustrations of Joe Broz with a son he loved but knew could never run the family “business”. We even learn why much later on in the series Joe’s enforcer Vinnie surprisingly sometimes plays a similar role for Spenser and Hawk.
So “Pastime” is not so much a superb example of sleuthing as it is an opportunity for Parker to explore the many psychological issues surrounding adult life that so often captivate his thinking and his writing. Knowing that in advance might change a reader’s outlook on this particular novel…
Possibly overshadowing a somewhat unexceptional plot are a bevy of relationship issues. We find out much about Spenser’s childhood being raised exclusively by three men – his dad and three uncles. {Parker’s young adult novel “Chasing the Bear” covers that period even better…} We find out how he and Susan got their dog Pearl. We find out how Spenser met Hawk and what made them so tight. We share the angst of Paul about his mother, not to mention the frustrations of Joe Broz with a son he loved but knew could never run the family “business”. We even learn why much later on in the series Joe’s enforcer Vinnie surprisingly sometimes plays a similar role for Spenser and Hawk.
So “Pastime” is not so much a superb example of sleuthing as it is an opportunity for Parker to explore the many psychological issues surrounding adult life that so often captivate his thinking and his writing. Knowing that in advance might change a reader’s outlook on this particular novel…
May 2, 2017
#18 in the Spenser series, though my husband and I are not reading them in order, we can enjoy them just the same. They are short fast reads, and we like Spenser's glib sense of humor, his choices and descriptions of the food they eat and the drinks he orders. We have a list going of what we want to try. We also admire his tenacity in giving his best shot at whatever case he has taken on. For those of you who may not know, Spenser is a P.I. known by many in the Boston area where he lives with his lady-love, a shrink by the name of Susan, and their dog, Pearl.
In this novel, Spenser is asked a favor by a young man named Paul whom he helped out before, some novels back when Paul was a teen. Now he is 25 years old and it appears his mother is missing. They have not had the ideal mother-son relationship but Paul cares for her and wants to find her. Spenser agrees to help him and they take on this endeavor together. Naturally they come across unfavorable characters, and unexpected circumstances.
What I enjoyed more than the case they were working on was the example that Spenser has been for Paul and his conversations with Susan that transpired during this investigation. She, being a shrink, has a tendency to ask a lot of questions, as is her nature, and is a good listener. She and Spenser are in a good, contented place in their relationship, but she still doesn't know some things about him, so she easily draws him out and in the process we get better acquainted with this likable, funny and yet admirable character.
This was informative if you are a Spenser fan, and entertaining as well. Parker was good at what he did. Thankfully he wrote many novels before his demise a few years ago, and we're enjoying them when we need a bit of easy reading.
In this novel, Spenser is asked a favor by a young man named Paul whom he helped out before, some novels back when Paul was a teen. Now he is 25 years old and it appears his mother is missing. They have not had the ideal mother-son relationship but Paul cares for her and wants to find her. Spenser agrees to help him and they take on this endeavor together. Naturally they come across unfavorable characters, and unexpected circumstances.
What I enjoyed more than the case they were working on was the example that Spenser has been for Paul and his conversations with Susan that transpired during this investigation. She, being a shrink, has a tendency to ask a lot of questions, as is her nature, and is a good listener. She and Spenser are in a good, contented place in their relationship, but she still doesn't know some things about him, so she easily draws him out and in the process we get better acquainted with this likable, funny and yet admirable character.
This was informative if you are a Spenser fan, and entertaining as well. Parker was good at what he did. Thankfully he wrote many novels before his demise a few years ago, and we're enjoying them when we need a bit of easy reading.
June 14, 2012
I absolutely loved this book. The description of the woods as Spenser fights for his life, the unerring loyalty he feels for Paul, and the way Spenser lets Paul be himself as he grows into his adulthood were absolutely all they needed to be. In this story, Spenser is totally himself and self-reliant but still he needs Susan and what their relationship has to offer - not to be himself but to complete himself.
I never tire of this series or any of Mr. Parker's stories. He was a wonderful writer, and he will be sorely missed.
I never tire of this series or any of Mr. Parker's stories. He was a wonderful writer, and he will be sorely missed.
March 15, 2022
A different sort of Spencer novel. It reeks of middle age and melancholy, and Parker works hard at character development and tone.
This is not a novel for anyone who is new to the series. Parker makes many assumptions about his reader and expects he or she will come to the table with set expectations and background.
This is not a novel for anyone who is new to the series. Parker makes many assumptions about his reader and expects he or she will come to the table with set expectations and background.
December 5, 2019
Paul G. got to headline this one, and Gerry Broz. The main crew were supporting cast. It was very good. Spenser really showed compassion and self control at the end. I’m not sure it won’t come back to haunt him. Pearl is the newest member of the family. The fact that Spenser is a dog lover makes him even more likable.
February 16, 2018
Parker has a knack of telling sometimes great stories about Spenser and Hawk and Paul and Joe and Vinnie and others, with atmosphere and deep character, without that nagging suspense but rather with such confidence that you can enjoy the chase.
November 15, 2023
Paul, the boy, now young man, whom Spenser mentored comes for help finding his mother, who has gone missing.
Adventure, guns, near-death, and a really good dog.
Adventure, guns, near-death, and a really good dog.
March 12, 2017
This is likely the most revealing of the Spenser novels, we not only learn a great deal about his childhood, but also discover that not even Susan knows much about his past. We learn that Spenser grew up in an all-male household by men that did not have a lot of formal education but appreciated it more than most in that situation.
We also learn about the hunter’s code when Spenser recounts the encounter that he and his father had with a bear while hunting birds. It was a father-son bonding moment, ending in an underage boy being given a strong alcoholic drink.
Aspects of the code of understanding between the gangsters and the people that stand against them. It is summarized when Vinnie Morris, then working as an efficient hired gun for Joe Broz, encounters Spenser. As they talk, Spenser thinks, “Vinnie may kill you, but he will not lie to you.”
We also learn of the first encounter between Spenser and Hawk, which took place in the boxing ring. Apparently, it was quite a bout, because Hawk mentions how it wore him out. Their friendship was cemented shortly after the fight, when Spenser came to Hawk’s aid when he is accosted by a group of racist men. They never fought each other after that, but often encountered each other in the dressing rooms.
The plot is based on the disappearance of Paul Giacomin’s mother and his desire to find her and determine if she is all right. She has run off with a man that worked for Joe Broz and betrayed him. Broz is after him with the goal being to kill him and that puts Spenser and Broz at odds.
A great deal of the plot is also taken up with describing the adventures of Pearl, the wonder dog. A great deal of ink is expended in describing her life and the love that others have for her. This is without question one of the best Spenser novels.
We also learn about the hunter’s code when Spenser recounts the encounter that he and his father had with a bear while hunting birds. It was a father-son bonding moment, ending in an underage boy being given a strong alcoholic drink.
Aspects of the code of understanding between the gangsters and the people that stand against them. It is summarized when Vinnie Morris, then working as an efficient hired gun for Joe Broz, encounters Spenser. As they talk, Spenser thinks, “Vinnie may kill you, but he will not lie to you.”
We also learn of the first encounter between Spenser and Hawk, which took place in the boxing ring. Apparently, it was quite a bout, because Hawk mentions how it wore him out. Their friendship was cemented shortly after the fight, when Spenser came to Hawk’s aid when he is accosted by a group of racist men. They never fought each other after that, but often encountered each other in the dressing rooms.
The plot is based on the disappearance of Paul Giacomin’s mother and his desire to find her and determine if she is all right. She has run off with a man that worked for Joe Broz and betrayed him. Broz is after him with the goal being to kill him and that puts Spenser and Broz at odds.
A great deal of the plot is also taken up with describing the adventures of Pearl, the wonder dog. A great deal of ink is expended in describing her life and the love that others have for her. This is without question one of the best Spenser novels.
May 21, 2019
In the 18th Spenser mystery by Robert Parker problems are somewhat solved and the bad guys are sort of defeated. Paul Giacomin, who is the closest thing Spenser has to a son, arrives with a problem. His mother has disappeared. Spenser does not like Patty, Paul's mother, at all. Ten years before Paul was in the middle of a big divorce fight between his parents. Spenser rescued him from his parents and gave Paul the parenting that he would never get otherwise. Patty, who is never without a man, has a new boyfriend who is in hot water with the local mobsters. This book is full of characters we have met in earlier Spenser novels. As always the dialog is great, especially between Spenser and his friend Hawk. The sentences are short, spare and believable. Do they find Paul's mother and how does Spenser handle the mobsters who want to kill Patty's new boyfriend Richard? If they find Patty and Richard where are they hiding? Hint; this story goes from one end of Massachusetts to the other.
August 11, 2018
This Spenser novel covers his growing up, giving some background. He’s trying to find a young man’s mother, who has apparently taken off with her boyfriend.
I read it more than fourteen years ago and don’t really remember any details. At the time I rated it 8 out of 10.
I read it more than fourteen years ago and don’t really remember any details. At the time I rated it 8 out of 10.
May 20, 2021
Gentler than many (although our hero does get shot). Susan and quasi-son Paul figure majorly in this book. I'll keep reading right through Parker's opus.
June 27, 2022
Another great addition to the Spencer series.
This one had a new narrator and I have to say I am not a fan. Hopefully I will get use to him as the series goes on.
This one had a new narrator and I have to say I am not a fan. Hopefully I will get use to him as the series goes on.
December 27, 2025
RATING: 4.0
June 28, 2022
18 down, and 31 to go!
July 3, 2018
Another disappointing book. I was here for a detective novel not this thing.
March 23, 2018
The book was entertaining. A good mystery while we follow Spenser find someone. It gets complicated of course. The ending with Joe and his kid was kind of sappy and the all the philosophizing between Spenser and Susan was a bit much at the end. So only 4 stars instead of 5. But still a good read.
October 6, 2016
When Spencer met the new Pearl & Vinnie quite working for Joe ~ historical stuff. I absolutely love this story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
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