Spenser Confidential

Spenser #41

by Ace Atkins

NOW A NETFLIX FILM STARRING MARK WAHLBERG AS SPENSER!

Old friends. Small favors. Bitter rivals. Stirred together, it all makes for one explosive cocktail in this New York Times bestselling thriller that has Spenser feeling the heat...

Henry Cimoli and Spenser have been friends for years, yet the old boxing trainer has never asked the private eye for a favor. Until now. A developer is trying to buy up Henry's condo on Revere Beach—with a push from local thugs. Soon Spenser and his apprentice, Zebulon Sixkill, are on the trail of a mysterious woman, a megalomaniacal Las Vegas kingpin, and a shady plan to turn a chunk of land north of Boston into a sprawling casino. As alliances shift and twisted dreams surface, the Boston political machine looks to end Spenser's investigation one way or another—and once and for all.

Previously Published as Robert B. Parker's Wonderland

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

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2013

About the author

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

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for another enjoyable read in the Spenser series started by Parker and now written by Ace Atkins. This is an update prompted by the fact that I watched a movie based on the book. Mark Wahlberg stars as Spenser and there are major plot changes. My wife watched it, hated it and says "There goes 2 hours of my life that I will never get back." I watched it and noticed the plot changes, but accepted it as typical Hollywood adaptation.

[Kemper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently got to see some mystery writers including Ace Atkins and Megan Abbott at an event and signing in St. Louis and got one of my proudest moments when I met Atkins and mentioned that I liked the homage he’d done to True Grit in his first Spenser novel Lullaby.

“You know, you’re only like the third person I’ve talked to who picked up on that, and Megan Abbott there was one of the other ones,” Atkins told me. This made me so happy that I walked around with a big stupid grin on my face for the next week. Nothing like the current writer of one of your favorite characters telling you that you picked up on something that few others did to boost the old ego. (See the full write-up on my trip to St. Louis at Shelf Inflicted .)

I don’t think that I’ve got any equally insightful observations about Wonderland so I guess I’ll just have to stick to a basic review. Spenser’s old friend and former boxing mentor Henry Cimoli needs some help. Someone is trying to buy out the tenants of his building and they’re using hired thugs to intimidate people into selling. With Hawk out of town, Spenser relies on his protégé Zebulon Sixkill (a/k/a Z) to back him up. When it turns out that someone is looking to buy Henry’s building as part of a larger scheme to bring a casino to Boston, Spenser and Z find themselves in the middle of a mess that involves gangsters, politicians and a Las Vegas gaming tycoon.

In the first Spenser novel that Atkins wrote after taking over for the late Robert B. Parker, he took the character back to basics and proved that he could write a compelling story that wasn’t imitation but rather a new phase that kept familiar elements. In Wonderland, Atkins shows that he isn’t content to just keep Spenser in the same familiar cocoon that RBP had put him in during the later years of his career.

One sign that Atkins isn’t playing it safe is that in only his second book on this series is how he strips away two of the main supporting characters for most of the book. Hawk is off on his own mysterious mission in Miami, and Susan spends a lot of the book out of town for work. This means that Atkins has to make Spenser work without his trusty cohort and with minimal conversations with his girlfriend. Like many long-time Spenser fans, I believe that the less Susan, the better, but I still think that limiting their interactions was a brave choice because it means that Atkins deliberately put himself in a position where Spenser has to carry the book without two of the biggest RBP crutches.

It also allows the development of the Z character that RBP had introduced in his final book. Spenser took Z under his wing and the young man is showing a lot of potential as a tough guy detective, but he still has things to learn. There’s a nice sub-plot with Z trying to deal with an incident where he feels he didn’t meet expectations, and his disappointment in himself threatens to undo the progress he’s made.

If there’s anything unsatisfying in the book, it’s that it almost seems like a set-up for future stories in some ways. However, that’s not entirely a bad thing. RBP had Spenser in such a state of stasis for so long that getting some plot that may carry over to another book is welcome at this point. Plus, the idea that Spenser and Vinnie Morris are now at odds has a lot of potential. RBP threatened a confrontation between the two a couple of times but never paid it off. Now with Atkins at the wheel, it actually seems like we could finally get some intriguing drama and real conflict because of this. The idea that a long time Spenser relationship could actually end or change is one of the things that make this feel fresh again.

Ace Atkins shows again that he was the right writer for the job to continue the Spenser stories.

Also posted at Shelf Inflicted.

Next Up: Spenser huddles up in Cheap Shot.

[James Thane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second novel written by Ace Atkins featuring Boston P.I. Spenser, the late Robert B. Parker's best-known and best-loved series character. As the story opens, Spenser is approached by his long-time friend and trainer, Henry Cimoli, who owns the gym where Spenser works out. Henry has never before asked Spenser for a favor, but he needs one now.

Henry lives in a condo complex near an abandoned dog racing track called Wonderland. The units in the complex are owned mostly by elderly citizens like Henry and someone is making a play to buy them out. The developers are working through dummy agents, and when Henry and some others refuse to sell, the developers or their agents send in some thugs to intimidate them.

Naturally Spenser agrees to help. His long-time sidekick, Hawk, is out of town and so Spenser recruits his new apprentice, Zebulon Sixkill, a Cree from Box Elder, Montana to assist. Sixkill is no Hawk, at least not yet, but Spenser has high hopes for the young man and feels an obligation to pass on the knowledge and skills he has acquired through the years to someone who might follow in his footsteps.

Spenser and Sixkill deal pretty easily and effectively with the two hoods that have been threatening Henry and his pals, but of course the developers who want the land will not surrender the field nearly that easily. Upon further investigation, Spenser discovers that the developers have ambitions of bringing casino gambling to Boston and have settled on the Wonderland site for their development. Henry's condo complex is the last piece of property that they need to acquire, and so Spenser negotiates with the developers, as only he can, to get Henry and the other residents a much better price for their property. Now everyone is happy--until everything turns to crap. All of a sudden, people are dying and a sinister web of greed, ambition and violence threatens to ensnare and take down Spenser, Sixkill, Henry, and a whole lot of others.

With this book, Atkins hits the sweet spot that Robert B. Parker had achieved about halfway through the series. By then, the characters and their relationships were pretty well established and Parker was still writing complex and interesting plots. That's a polite way of saying that Wonderland is, frankly, a better book than some of the ones that Parker himself was churning out later in the series. By then, Parker seemed to be writing these stories about as fast as he could type. The plots were thin and not very believable, and the books seemed to exist largely as an excuse for Parker to write witty dialogue. And by then, the relationship between Spenser and his main squeeze, Susan Silverman, had become so saccharine as to seriously antagonize lots of long-time fans.

In this case, Atkins provides a lot of snappy dialogue but gives us a great plot and a number of interesting characters to go along with it. In particular, he handles the development of Zebulon Sixkill very nicely. Sixkill may not yet be ready for prime time and watching him react to the challenges that face him as the action progresses is one of the pleasures of this novel. And, mercifully, Atkins has also sent Susan out of town for the duration of the book. Readers have to endure a few telephone calls between the two and one weekend spent together, but virtually all of us I'm sure are in Atkins's debt for sparing us any more of this.

I'm a huge fan of Ace Atkins's other work, particularly his Quinn Colson series which has become one of my current favorites. It's nice to see that another of my favorite series characters has been left in such capable hands. (And you were right as always, Kemper.)

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced crime novel revisiting Robert B. Parkers Spenser character. Set in one of my favorite cities, Boston, the new author Ace Atkins captures the flavor, descriptiveness and catchy dialogue of the original author. I remember watching an episode of the tv series Spenser for Hire starring Robert Urich being filmed while I was in the area of the Boston Garden. Several hours to shoot what turns into a few minutes on screen. He was much taller in person. Anyway it was enjoyable spending time with old familiar characters in new complex situations.

[Lee Goldberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ace Atkins flawlessly captures Parker's narrative voice and has produced the best Spenser novel in years. It reads like Parker in his prime, even without Hawk appearing in the book. There isn't a single false note in the plotting, character or voice. It's an astonishing feat. It's actually better, and truer to Parker and his characters, than the last few Spenser novels that Parker himself wrote. It's a shame Atkins can't take on Jesse Stone and Virgil Cole, too.

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. There's an old dog track in Boston called "Wonderland." Now closed, bankrupt and derelict. Before that, it had been an amusement park. Spenser notes that the park seemed dated even when he visited as a child. How does this become part of a Spenser novel? Do you recall that our hero loves to box, had done a little professionally, and still works out at Henry Cimoli's Harbor Club? Someone is trying to buy Henry's condo building on Revere Beach near the old track. To level it? The developer, or his lovely agent, sends in a few heavies to rough up the "I don't want to sell" hold-outs who include Cimoli. Spenser and PI in training, Zebulon "Zee" Sixkill, offer to dig into the matter. What do you know? They find the Las Vegas casino crowd are in town, with billionaire owners and their wives, suave chauffeurs, beautiful women, corrupt politicians, and always the mob back there somewhere. Will Wonderland have another reincarnation? The more important question through all of this is whether Spenser and Zee will also have a future. Spenser novels are just so enjoyable. (March 2019)

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

You all know how I love Spenser.

And if you remember I was concerned when author Robert Parker died and Ace Atkins took over the Spenser series. His first book, Sixkill was good, had that Parker feel, almost seamless in the turnover. Edit: This is actually Parker's last book, Atkins took over the next one...d"oh!

This one...well, it was good, still has the Parker feel but something was a little bit off. Not bad...but off.

At first I thought it was because Atkins didn't have enough of that quick, witty dialogue that defines Parker's writing. Often throughout the book I thought, "Oh please, don't lose all the conversation, the fast paced back and forth between characters." Now that I'm done I'm not sure that was the case. It might just have been that many of the characters were guest stars so they didn't have the history with Spenser, the give and take of smart remarks. See Hawk is in Florida for this book so we are not treated to his witty repartee. Susan is teaching in Berkeley and while she comes in for a visit and there are phone calls, she's essentially on the back burner. Even the old police friends are not there for more than a few short scenes. I'm hoping this is because of this complicated storyline and not a sign of things to come.

The Z character is intriguing...and he did get developed a lot so that may even be part of it.

None of this will, of course, cause me to break up with my Spenser. We are likethis, destined to always be together.

(And no, that last sentence is not in any way weird or awkward...shut up.)

[Jay Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second outing for Ace Atkins as the successor to the great Robert B. Parker in continuing the Spenser series. Though not quite as strong as Lullaby, Wonderland is a fine addition.

New authors picking up the baton from a deceased author has been done before. Parker himself wrote two Philip Marlowe novels. John Gardner took a run at James Bond. Eric Van Lustbader picked up Jason Bourne. Joe Gores gave us a new Sam Spade novel. And Sherlock Holmes has been tackled by everyone from Stephen King and Caleb Carr to Loren D. Estleman and Michael Chabon.

On that last point, Holmes serves as a good illustration of a larger issue. Atkins didn’t succeed by trying to do a paint-by-numbers impersonation of Parker, rather he succeeded by understanding what in fact Robert B. Parker had created.

When done well, a series character tends to take on a life of his (or her) own. No one writes Holmes as well as Doyle, but since we keep lapping up new variations on the old boy (there’s a TV series with Lucy Liu as Watson), Holmes himself must have qualities that extend beyond the excellence of Doyle’s writing. I’m sensitive to the argument that no one could ever write Spenser as well as Parker (I’m utterly convinced of it, in fact), but I must say I am intrigued by the idea that Parker might have created a character who could conceivably become as archetypal as Holmes, Spade, and Marlowe.

Unlike Walter Mosley’s continuing development of Easy Rawlins, Parker did not see fit to evolve his hero beyond a certain point. You don’t turn to Spenser for originality. You turn to him for familiarity. Forget the new stuff, play your hits! This is why Spenser stopped aging sometime in the 1980s (and why he stopped talking about serving in Korea). Parker wanted the character to be the perpetual embodiment of a certain kind of emotionally aware masculinity: self-possessed and autonomous, but also selfless and capable of intimacy. These qualities found their expression in a formula as dependable as a three-minute pop song. Spenser in his office smart-mouthing a new client. Spenser and Susan Silverman flirting over dinner. Hawk showing up about halfway through, his bald head gleaming and his face coolly bemused. Spenser hilariously insulting some would-be tough guy. Spenser handing that guy his ass when the doofus can’t take a hint. And, most of all, Spenser sticking to his code of ethics even as he navigates the nasty end of the Boston underworld. You read Spenser to watch him keep being Spenser: the perfect man in an imperfect world.

The only shortfall by Atkins here is his handling of a character Parker bequeathed in his last Spenser novel, Sixkill. As yet it is not clear whether this is just a fumble or a game-changer for Atkins as the keeper of the Spenser flame. The problem is not the use of Sixkill as Spenser's wingman, instead of Hawk, for it is totally appropriate to the story. Rather, the issue is the the story diminished Sixkill. A central strength of Parker's style was the fact that each of his characters advance -- no longer chronologically, but as crisp personalities. They learn. Whether it is thug or therapist, the characters remain true to themselves yet not stuck in themselves. We did not see this with Sixkill.

At this point I'm very comfortable in chalking it up to Atkin's learning curve. But it will be something to watch in future installments. We hope to see in Atkins hands, that Spenser becomes something larger than a character in thirty-nine novels by Robert B. Parker. If that becomes true—if Spenser can continue beyond the prose and plots of the original books—then it will only deepen Parker’s achievement. That is the testament we are all hoping Atkins can deliver.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant Wonderland

Having read Wonderland by Robert B. Parker I can see why they called him “...one of the greats of the American hard-boiled genre” because this book is brilliance defined. If you want to know how to write about private detectives then he has to be a must read. For me, Spence is the best private detective in modern American crime fiction. I know want to read more of what Parker has written as he is succinct does not drag anything out and his prose speaks Bostonian hard working blue collar meets bourbon. Spenser is the new Phillip Marlowe for our age.

Spenser is asked by his old friend Henry Cimoli to find out who is putting pressure to sell their condos on Revere Beach and worse still who sent thugs to scare pensioners out of their homes. As Spenser digs deeper in to who is doing what he finds that someone has bought the old fairground Wonderland but is hiding behind various front companies and a beautiful English woman.

After digging around Spenser finds that a Vegas casino mogul has been buying up land and is hoping to buy up the condos. Things seem to go well until his head turns up minus the rest of him, this is when Spenser comes in to his own and gets to the bottom of which gangster and corporation is doing what to whom and who is taking bribes up at the State House. Spenser finds the answers as the bodies drop and somehow keeps himself from dodging the bullets.

Wonderland maybe only 190 pages long but it such a brilliantly paced crime thriller no words are wasted and all count to build up the story. This was a wonderful read in that I would love to be able to get my hands on the back catalogue read and review them. This brings a new definition to short but sweet and worth every minute of reading the novel.

[Randy Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was devastated when Robert B. Parker died in 2010, as he was one of my favorite writers for decades. I have read every one of his books, and his death left a huge hole in my literary pleasure. I was hugely skeptical when I learned that his books were to be written by an unknown (to me, at that point)author. Thankfully, his estate hand-picked a fitting writer to carry on the tradition. "Wonderland" is the second Spenser novel written by Ace Atkins, and it's a dandy. The language is the same, as are the relationships. The witty repartee remains, and the highbrow (and lowbrow) snark is intact. RBP would be proud that his legacy is yet untarnished. My only complaint is a minor one; I missed Spenser's other half. Don't get me wrong, I like Z, but he's no Hawk. But then, who is? The mysteries remain fresh, and Spenser never bores.

[David Anthony Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good effort at channeling Robert Parker's Spenser: Better than some Parker wrote near the end, but not anywhere as good as Mortal Stakes, Judas Goat and others from the period thru Pale Kings---but then not much is that good.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good job ace !!! But i miss hawk :)

[ML · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great Spenser installment. Little to no Susan and Henry Cimoli was where the case started.

It has a semi shocking end and nobody got out unscathed. Legal Gambling is coming to Boston and not everyone is happy about it. Chaos ensues.

Sixkill, Spenser’s new protege gets hurt along the way, yikes! Lesson to learn: Trust the wrong person and you are dead.

I think Ace Atkins definitely gets the essence of Spenser and I’m really enjoying his take on RBP’s series. Off to read the next one.. my last book of 2024 🙂

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Robert B Parker Spenser legacy series. As I noted in my review of Ace Atkin's freshman effort in this series, having read all 30+ Spenser novels, often more than once, it is difficult to accept someone else writing the series. After reading, Lullaby, Atkins's first Spenser book, I generally liked it a lot. I had some issues of tone and description but overall it was well worth reading. Wonderland is more of a mixed bag for me. On the one hand Atkins has done the most difficult thing in capturing Spenser's tone, his attitude and general worldview in a throughly entertaining manner. The plot is first rate, crime and violence all related to turning the old Wonderland dog track into Boston's first casino. Atkins brings a character Parker introduced in his last novel, Zebulon Sixkill, into the thick of the action. There's no Hawk but Sixkill, the detective in training, provides an interesting companion to Spenser. Two aspects of the novel disturbed me somewhat, first, a sense of over-describing certain actions, For instance, Boston becomes much more present in a travelog sort of manner. This may be due to the fact that Atkins, unlike Parker, doesn't live in Boston. It's not that his descriptions are wrong. I can follow Spenser's journey through the city, over to Cambridge and Revere with ease. It's just that Parker's descriptions were a little more subtle. Another example of over-describing things is the food and drink that is consumed throughout the novel. Again, there seems to be more detail than I remember from the original novels.

Parker's novels are all dialogue and Spenser's inner narration. Atkins becomes a little more detailed in everything and truth be told he has produced a "meatier" Spenser than long-time fans have experienced. What needs to be said is that for all the occasional missteps that Atkins might have taken he is clearly a talented writer who is working hard to make Spenser his own. For me, having more Spenser around is worth the wait.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read every one of the Spenser, Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall books. I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep reading the non-Parker novels. Even after reading the first Atkins book I wasn't totally convinced. The story was ok, and seemed Parker-ish but the dialogue seemed forced to me and it seemed like Atkins was trying a bit too hard. After reading his new book, Wonderland, I'm definitely in for the long haul. I really enjoyed it. The story is good, and the dialogue much better. I even like Spenser's new apprentice, Z. Lots of Spenser characters show up in this one, at least briefly. I'm glad I continued with them and look forward to many new Spenser books to come!

[Angela Juline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just enjoy these Spenser books - certainly not works of fiction, but I've always appreciated how well the stories are told. Atkins does a respectable job of keeping the books as Robert B. Parker would have written them - I love books with lots of dialog, especially well written dialog.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable Spenser adventure but it is a book of two halves. The first half is a sedate affair but it's worth sticking with it as it takes off in the second half.

[Mack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ace Atkins has done well at continuing Robert Parker’s Spenser series, but it’s a little melancholy, a little less humorous. I can’t imagine a harder job than continuing a long series like the Spenser series.

[Kevintipple · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henry Cimoli has known Hawk and Spenser for years. He has never once asked for a favor and certainly wouldn't now if he wasn't being squeezed. He might have even tolerated being squeezed a little bit, but, when three thugs showed up at his fourth floor condo things got serious. The thugs threatened to throw him out his own window if he didn’t shut up about not wanting to move. Somebody wants to buy the condo building for a project and hired thugs are now visiting the mostly elderly holdouts and making threats.

Even if Spenser didn't owe Henry whatever he asked he would look into things just because this sort of deal ticks him off. His initial goal is to stop the threats and to find out who the buyer is that wants the property. Once that is done, maybe some common sense will prevail, and then a fair price for all can be found. With Hawk out of town, Spenser enlists the aid of his protégé in training, Zebulon Sixkill, who also figures he owes Henry.

Before long things in the case start going sideways in Robert B. Parker's Wonderland: A Spenser Novel by Ace Atkins. Not just in the case, but in the book itself. Unfortunately, while all the familiar names and locations are present in this series and doing all the usual things one expects, the books no longer read like Spenser novels. As always the scenic descriptions and narration are very limited, the chapters are as short as ever, the witty (or not depending on your perspective) dialogue between Spenser and everyone else still exists--in fact every single character engages in witty repartee with every other character. All the usual elements are firmly in place and the tagline A Spenser Novel is still on the cover.

But, where it truly matters, in the hard to pin down and define it style of voice, the distinctive Spenser voice is now gone. It is not just because Sixkill plays a prominent role, or that Hawk never makes an appearance, or that Susan has been regulated to a cupboard above the stove (she doesn't even get a back burner role here to the ecstatic joy of many according to reviews seen elsewhere. This is a different and often harder edged Spenser in terms of thought and action.

On its own a harder edged Spenser is not necessarily a bad thing. But, that harder edge Spenser doesn’t go far enough when it happens and often flips back to a far weaker Spenser. Clearly author Ace Atkins had a nearly insurmountable task in taking over for the late Robert B. Parker to keep the series going. Every now and then one gets the sense that if he could take the hobbles off he would shove Spenser hard and fast in a new direction that could easily lose those who insist on Spenser never changing. At the same time, he is losing readers like me who recognize he is sitting on the fence with his version of Spenser.



Robert B. Parker’s Wonderland: A Spenser Novel
Ace Atkins
http://www.aceatkins.com
G.P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Group)
http://www.penguin.com
May 2013
ISBN# 978-0-399-16157-5
Hardback (also available as e-book and audio book)
$26.95
306 Pages

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writer Ace Atkins continues the Spenser tradition established by the late Robert B. Parker, and once again, he hits the nail on the head nine times out of 10. In this one, private investigator Spenser at first takes on a pro bono job for old friend and boxing trainer Henry Cimoli; he and members of his condo association are being harassed both mentally and physically as they steadfastly refuse to sell their building for a bargain-basement price.

The attacks, Henry believes, are coming at the hands of developers who desperately want the property (which used to be an on-the-water amusement park called Wonderland) to give them an edge in winning the right to build a gambling casino there - Boston's first and only such facility. But it's possible there's another faction at work here - a group that wants that deal to fall through so it will win the gambling license. The question is, who's behind it all? The answers run from Boston to Vegas to the mob, and Spenser - aided by his P.I. apprentice, Zebulon Sixkill ("Z"), a native American of the Cree tribe - needs to figure it out without getting himself, Z or Henry killed. Meanwhile, Z has problems of his own learning the business as Spenser runs it; he still tends to act before he thinks and has a fondness for alcohol.

When one of the major casino players ends up dead, Spenser is hired to find out what happened. As things go from bad to worse, the body count and number of close encounters Spenser and his sidekick must skillfully survive increase as well, although the outcomes are fairly predictable (with one surprise near the end). Spenser's dry humor and penchant for fine cuisine are fairly close to Parker's originals - and all that adds up to an enjoyable experience.

If I have a complaint, it's that there seems to be an overabundance of characters. I know I'm getting old and my memory isn't what it used to be, but I had a bit of a struggle keeping all the who's who straight in my head. Also, two characters are noticeably gone from the day-to-day action: Spenser's long-time companion Hawk, who's said to be on a job in Miami, and Susan Silverman, Spenser's beautiful psychiatrist girlfriend. Susan does make an occasional appearance, but Hawk never shows his face. I'm not sure why unless Atkins is trying to establish a character that's all his own, but I do know I miss Hawk (although I admit Z makes a rather likable substitute).

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ace Atkins, author of the excellent Quinn Colson series, captures Spenser's voice, though it's more the voice of the last couple of dozen Spenser novels and not the more tautly paced first dozen. Spenser's old pal, Henry Cimoli, is being pressured out of his condo (along with all of the other older people who live there) by gaming interests who are out to build a giant casino. Spenser and his protege, Zebulon Sixkill (Hawk is in Miami on a job, unfortunately) move against the thugs who are pressuring Henry, but flounder around trying to make sense of the financial end of things. (Read Peter Speigleman's John March books, especially "Black Maps," to see how a p.i. can unravel financial crime.) It takes a long time to prove the obvious, and too much of the book is dedicated to the redemption of Zee (Zebulon). There is one mild surprise at the heart of things, but it's not much of a surprise. It's a pleasant book, but not as good as it's predecessor, and I still miss early Spenser. Like Hawk, Susan is out of town. That's not bad, actually, though she has a nice scene when she and Spenser dine out with two of the would-be developers. (This week's re-reading doesn't change my judgment, but it's a sign of how much I miss those early books. Still, Atkins gets the big pieces down cold, and Spenser wasn't a detective as much as a smart thug who knew how to make people overreact.)

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like what Ace Atkins is doing. He is staying true to the characters, the style, and the overall feel of the Spenser series, but he is also nudging the series forward. I was curious what Parker would have done with Z when he introduced the character. But, since Z was left under-developed and without a history, Atkins can and is using him to explore the Spenser-verse in a new ways. Most significantly for the series going forward are the developments with Vinnie and Gino Fish.

As I said in my first Atkins review, this is Spenser and his world, but is also not Parker. That is a neat trick and real testament to Atkins ability. He has managed to continue Spenser without merely engaging in mimicry. Atkins is not quite as witty as Parker was, but Atkins brings a richer level of description. It may just be that I had grown so comfortable and familiar with Parker’s plots, but I am less sure (in a good way) about where the story is going to go with Atkins.

[Janet Major · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ace Atkins continues his winning ways with the Robert Parker series. Spenser is asked to help Henry Cimoni, owner of the gym where he and Hawk have trained for years. Cimoni currently lives in a high rise condo on Revere beach which is under attack from someone who wants to buy the whole condo building. It has turned dangerous for those who haven't signed the agreement. Spenser and his sidekick-in-training, Zebulon Sixkill, endeavor to solve the situation. It seems that groups want the land to build a luxurious casino. And so the adventure begins...
Both Hawk and Susan are away: Hawk working in Miami and Susan teaching out-of-state. Wish Mattie Sullivan from Lullaby had made an appearance. Hope to see more of her.
While I enjoyed Lullaby more, this story held my interest. Brisk banter and male bonding, staples of Parker, were evident. The reader learns more about "Z", his past trials and current challenges.
Well done, Ace!

[Lele Montgomery · Rating 3 out of 5]

(scheduled for February 04, 2023 read December 25, 2023)

I have seen the movie in early 2023 because it was on Netflix and Mark Wahlberg is in it, so I had to watch it. I then noticed that there is book which seems to be the same as the movie, but later I noticed that it belongs to a series with over 40 books so sadly I didn't really understand this one - except that I had seen the movie before and knew what it was about.
The book is different from the movie and follows a different storyline but can be read when you need something different between other books you currently read.


I wouldn't consider this as a favorite but I think in order to understand the story you need to read the whole series starting with book one - maybe I will do in the future but as of now I'm not interested into reading this series because it's not really my genre I read in and I have other books I want to read before I start a huge series again.

[Frank Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Parker died in 2010. Ace Atkins took over without skipping a beat. This former newspaper reporter for the Tampa Tribune and the St Pete Times is described by Michael Connelly as "one of the best crime writers working today". The dialog is hard bitten and full of sardonic humor and Hawk isn't even there. He is in Miami. This is a case where criminal types are trying to force their way into buying property in beantown which happens to include the condo of one of Spenser's friends named Henry who runs the gym where Spenser works out and this sets Spenser and his protege "Z" on the case. A fast moving crime story that keeps your interest, but what else would you expect from Ace Atkins, who is certainly becoming one of my favorite writers.

[Melodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked Atkins first Spenser outing, LULLABY. While this was a good read, it wasn't as good as that one. Seemed to take the plot awhile to get going, and I REALLY missed Hawk. A Spenser book without Hawk, even a cameo appearance, is like a day without sunshine. The plot was a bit involved and you had to pay attention. Spenser's relationship with Z is kind of odd to me, and I wonder what's going to happen with him after the ending of this one. Mostly nit-picky things for me, but one very good one.....Susan only popped up here & there! On the whole, I'm glad I can still read about Spenser, and if you're a fan you'll want to read this one, too.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

For any Parker conneisseur, immeasurable thanks are due the Parker Estate for selecting Ace Atkins who continues Spenser's story without missing a beat. Yes, all of the humor and wonderful quick, snappy dialogue brilliantly appears in Wonderland as if the sad, sad day in January of 2010 was incorrectly reported. As all of the other Spenser novels, the great enjoyment rides on at Wonderland.

I received a free copy of Wonderland through Goodreads First-reads.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ace Atkins has done a wonderful job of bringing Spenser back to his original unique self - a sophisticated, literate thug! I've been reading the Spenser novels since the 70's when the series first started. I was disappointed when the novels started to slip after Parker hit the best seller list. Now, my heart is happy. In fact, I was so impressed with the "real" Spenser's return that I emailed Atkins and thanked him. What was really cool, he answered me!!!

[Byron Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty Good

A fairly decent facsimile of the inimitable Robert B. Parker's writing style. My favorite character was not present in this book, but the story was still enjoyable. Spenser, with an S, fans won't be disappointed.

Buy it, read it and enjoy!👍🏾😂👍🏾😂👍🏾😂👍🏾😂👍🏾😂

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Parker's Spenser so much I was hesitant to give Atkins a try, but I'm glad I did and encourage other Parker fans follow suit. Thank you James!