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Jesse Stone #21
Robert B. Parker's Fallout
When two seemingly unconnected mysterious deaths occur on his watch, police chief Jesse Stone must pull out all the stops to unravel the truth and stop a killer from striking again.
The small town of Paradise is devastated when a star high-school baseball player is found dead at the bottom of a bluff just a day after winning the team’s biggest game. For Jesse, the loss is doubly difficult—the dead teen was the nephew of his colleague, Suitcase Simpson, and Jesse had been coaching the young shortstop. As he searches for answers about how the boy died and why, he is stonewalled at every turn, and it seems that someone is determined to keep him from digging further.
Jesse suddenly must divide his attention between two cases after the shocking murder of former Paradise police chief, Charlie Farrell. Before his death, Farrell had been looking into a series of scam calls that preyed upon the elderly. But how do these “ghost calls” connect to his death? When threats—and gunshots—appear on Jesse’s own doorstep, the race to find answers is on. Both old and new enemies come into play, and in the end, Jesse and his team must find the common factor between the two deaths in order to prevent a third.
The small town of Paradise is devastated when a star high-school baseball player is found dead at the bottom of a bluff just a day after winning the team’s biggest game. For Jesse, the loss is doubly difficult—the dead teen was the nephew of his colleague, Suitcase Simpson, and Jesse had been coaching the young shortstop. As he searches for answers about how the boy died and why, he is stonewalled at every turn, and it seems that someone is determined to keep him from digging further.
Jesse suddenly must divide his attention between two cases after the shocking murder of former Paradise police chief, Charlie Farrell. Before his death, Farrell had been looking into a series of scam calls that preyed upon the elderly. But how do these “ghost calls” connect to his death? When threats—and gunshots—appear on Jesse’s own doorstep, the race to find answers is on. Both old and new enemies come into play, and in the end, Jesse and his team must find the common factor between the two deaths in order to prevent a third.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2022
524 people are currently reading
644 people want to read
About the author
Mike Lupica
114 books1,219 followersMichael Lupica is an author and American newspaper columnist, best known for his provocative commentary on sports in the New York Daily News and his appearances on ESPN.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
October 16, 2023
So its back to Paradise were Jesse Stone chef of Police resides, there is Molly deputy chef and of course Suitcase.
This time its Suits nephew the starplayer of the highschool team and on his wat to the majors who is found dead. And on the same Day Jesse finds his friend Charlie's body, him being a previous chef of Police of Paradise.
What evil has Come to Paradise this time?- It is the police's job to solve the murders, in the boys case suïcide cannot be rules out. The formeren chief had been annoyed by telephone/internet scams on the elderly and it seems hé had more than a clue and paid for it with his life. What happened is more than enough to bring Healy out of retirement. And then there is Crow returning for a visit.
Plenty of dislogue even if Mike Lupica is not quiet the wordsmith the originaliteit writer was, tells a enjoyable tale, would like to see less F-words as they were never part of the original books that made me huge fan. As Jesse Stone is a big fan of the Bosch books.
An enjoyable return to Paradise and do not annoy its chief of police.
I shall return in the future.
This time its Suits nephew the starplayer of the highschool team and on his wat to the majors who is found dead. And on the same Day Jesse finds his friend Charlie's body, him being a previous chef of Police of Paradise.
What evil has Come to Paradise this time?- It is the police's job to solve the murders, in the boys case suïcide cannot be rules out. The formeren chief had been annoyed by telephone/internet scams on the elderly and it seems hé had more than a clue and paid for it with his life. What happened is more than enough to bring Healy out of retirement. And then there is Crow returning for a visit.
Plenty of dislogue even if Mike Lupica is not quiet the wordsmith the originaliteit writer was, tells a enjoyable tale, would like to see less F-words as they were never part of the original books that made me huge fan. As Jesse Stone is a big fan of the Bosch books.
An enjoyable return to Paradise and do not annoy its chief of police.
I shall return in the future.
November 11, 2022
I have been reading Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone series since its beginning. Jesse is the Chief of Police in the small town of Paradise, outside of Boston. Jesse’s background includes a once promising baseball prospect until suffering a career ending injury. He became a dedicated police officer in the Los Angeles Police department who developed a drinking problem that cost him his job.
Two years ago, Mike Lupica, who has done a surprisingly good job of resurrecting Parker’s Sunny Randall series, was given creative control of Jesse Stone, the city of Paradise, Molly, Suit, and all the rest of the characters. It was a tough transition for because Coleman set an incredibly high bar and Lupica had his work cut out for him. Unfortunately, for me, I felt like his first Jesse Stone outing – “Fool’s Paradise” had some problems, especially with Jesse’s character and behaviors. It drove me crazy how many times he used the “F” word for the first time ever. Fortunately, Lupica’s second and now his third outing have taken better steps in the right direction (except for Jesse’s continual uncharacteristic excessive use of the “F” word that just drives me bat crazy).
Like his last book, “Fallout” starts off with two serious dilemmas for Stone. Both that hit close to home and are very personal to him.
The first is the mysterious death of Paradise high school’s star baseball player, Jack Carlisle, who also happens to be Suitcase Simpson’s nephew. Jesse had been personally coaching the young man and preparing him for a potential future in the big leagues, and now he has to investigate why the senior was found dead at the bottom of a large bluff during a party following his team’s biggest win.
The second shock is the unexpected murder of Charlie Farrell, Paradise’s former police chief prior to Stone, and more importantly, Jesse’s close friend and mentor. Jesse had just had sinner with Farrell days before his being attacked and killed in his home. During that visit, Frank was telling Jesse that he was looking into some scam calls that his elderly friends had been ripped off from. Frank was on the hunt and seriously intent on tracking down those scam artists bothering his friends. Jesse’s left wondering what in the world did his mentor get caught up in that cost him his own life.
Jesse now has two deeply personal investigations, as well as an emotionally overwhelmed Suit to deal with. Suit is refusing to be left out of the investigation regardless of his inability to remain professional and he desperately needs Jesse and Molly to help hold him together during the loss of his family member.
As much as Jesse tries to divide and conquer between the two cases, things just don’t go as planned and before he knows it, a third body is found dead and the stakes are raised. To make matters worse, the baseball team has closed rank and nobody will talk about Jack or what he might have been going through prior to his death. There also doesn’t seem to be any clues left behind as to why Farrell was bludgeoned to death, until that killer goes after Farrell’s son, who was in charge of his father’s finances. Even then, Jesse cannot understand what’s possibly there that would make someone eliminate the father and son.
This is definitely turning out to be two of Jesse’s worst nightmare situations, creating a perfect storm, and forcing him and his team to discover the common factor between the two murders before they face more deaths in Paradise. Even worse, Jesse is pushed to the brink and his days of staying sober may be at an end…
Like his second Jesse Stone novel, Lupica’s third one continues to improve. His understanding of Paradise, its characters, and the rhythm of his storytelling heartbeat is better with each book he gets under his belt. I especially enjoy the personalities and depth of his characters, and the interactions together. Lupica has brought Molly and Suit to the forefront and developed into interesting and empathetic leading characters that have become part of Jesse’s family. Suit has become Jesse’s younger brother and Molly has turned into the aunt/older sister role that provides him with the grounding he desperately needs.
I love how other characters bounce in and out as needed, like the Burkes, Tony Marcus, Healy, Spike, and even a cameo by Sunny. One of my favorite choices that Lupica has made over the last two books has been the reappearance of Crow, the bad boy turning good (sometimes). Lupica has described in his interviews how he wanted to give Jesse his own version of Hawk (Spenser’s partner) so that he wouldn’t be such a loner. This was an interesting move, especially with Crow’s personal situation with Molly thrown own. However, I think that Lupica delivered on this storyline much better than I could have hoped for. Crow’s developing buddy role with Jesse is similar in many ways to Spenser and hawk, but it works for them. In addition, the tension between Crow and Molly adds tension and depth to both of their characters. I can’t wait to see how things between them develop moving forward.
The mystery plotlines and the character storylines are what Lupica is getting better and more comfortable with, and it’s working. I even appreciated how Lupica dealt with Jesse’s ongoing alcoholism is a very personal and intentional manner. It was subtle, strong, and serious when it needed to be, and reminded us that Jesse has a real problem. One that will never go away for the rest of his life.
Now for the elephant in the room. Some, or many readers, may not be bothered by it, and maybe it’s just my problem to deal with, but for some asinine and unexplainable reason, Lupica has changed Jesse Stone’s character in an unnecessary and stupid manner. For all of the Stone books that Robert B. Parker wrote, for all that Michael Brandman wrote, and Reed Farrel Coleman wrote, Jesse never used the “F” work. Jesse was never much of a swearer. He was always relaxed, casual, and a man of few words.
Now, just as he did in his first Stone novel, Lupica goes back to Jesse not only using the “F” word, but throwing it out often, not just when he’s angry, but in casual situations throughout the book. Please understand, that I am not condemning character’s that swear, but it’s just not in Jesse’s character to just throw it out all over the place when he didn’t do in the previous 18 books in the serious prior to Lupica taking it over. Every time Jesse uses that type of profanity, it is so out of character and I just cringe. It just isn’t Jesse and it ruins the reading experience. I have to take a deep breath and ignore such out of character behaviors. For as good as Lupica is in capturing Robert B. Parker’s world and characters, you would think that he would get this element correct. It’s just so silly like screeching chalk sounds on a chalkboard… Or hitting a wrong key on the piano… Awkward and ugly…
With three Jesse Stone novels under his belt, I am going to continue being patient because there are plenty of more positive things than just my raving about his use of Stone’s vocabulary. The strong plotlines and character development (4-stars) are showing an improvement that keeps my attention and offsets my pet peeves (minus a half-star), adding up to an overall 3.5-star review. An enjoyable one that has me looking forward with interest for Jesse’s next outing, along with Molly, Suit, and of course, Crow.
Until next year…
Two years ago, Mike Lupica, who has done a surprisingly good job of resurrecting Parker’s Sunny Randall series, was given creative control of Jesse Stone, the city of Paradise, Molly, Suit, and all the rest of the characters. It was a tough transition for because Coleman set an incredibly high bar and Lupica had his work cut out for him. Unfortunately, for me, I felt like his first Jesse Stone outing – “Fool’s Paradise” had some problems, especially with Jesse’s character and behaviors. It drove me crazy how many times he used the “F” word for the first time ever. Fortunately, Lupica’s second and now his third outing have taken better steps in the right direction (except for Jesse’s continual uncharacteristic excessive use of the “F” word that just drives me bat crazy).
Like his last book, “Fallout” starts off with two serious dilemmas for Stone. Both that hit close to home and are very personal to him.
The first is the mysterious death of Paradise high school’s star baseball player, Jack Carlisle, who also happens to be Suitcase Simpson’s nephew. Jesse had been personally coaching the young man and preparing him for a potential future in the big leagues, and now he has to investigate why the senior was found dead at the bottom of a large bluff during a party following his team’s biggest win.
The second shock is the unexpected murder of Charlie Farrell, Paradise’s former police chief prior to Stone, and more importantly, Jesse’s close friend and mentor. Jesse had just had sinner with Farrell days before his being attacked and killed in his home. During that visit, Frank was telling Jesse that he was looking into some scam calls that his elderly friends had been ripped off from. Frank was on the hunt and seriously intent on tracking down those scam artists bothering his friends. Jesse’s left wondering what in the world did his mentor get caught up in that cost him his own life.
Jesse now has two deeply personal investigations, as well as an emotionally overwhelmed Suit to deal with. Suit is refusing to be left out of the investigation regardless of his inability to remain professional and he desperately needs Jesse and Molly to help hold him together during the loss of his family member.
As much as Jesse tries to divide and conquer between the two cases, things just don’t go as planned and before he knows it, a third body is found dead and the stakes are raised. To make matters worse, the baseball team has closed rank and nobody will talk about Jack or what he might have been going through prior to his death. There also doesn’t seem to be any clues left behind as to why Farrell was bludgeoned to death, until that killer goes after Farrell’s son, who was in charge of his father’s finances. Even then, Jesse cannot understand what’s possibly there that would make someone eliminate the father and son.
This is definitely turning out to be two of Jesse’s worst nightmare situations, creating a perfect storm, and forcing him and his team to discover the common factor between the two murders before they face more deaths in Paradise. Even worse, Jesse is pushed to the brink and his days of staying sober may be at an end…
Like his second Jesse Stone novel, Lupica’s third one continues to improve. His understanding of Paradise, its characters, and the rhythm of his storytelling heartbeat is better with each book he gets under his belt. I especially enjoy the personalities and depth of his characters, and the interactions together. Lupica has brought Molly and Suit to the forefront and developed into interesting and empathetic leading characters that have become part of Jesse’s family. Suit has become Jesse’s younger brother and Molly has turned into the aunt/older sister role that provides him with the grounding he desperately needs.
I love how other characters bounce in and out as needed, like the Burkes, Tony Marcus, Healy, Spike, and even a cameo by Sunny. One of my favorite choices that Lupica has made over the last two books has been the reappearance of Crow, the bad boy turning good (sometimes). Lupica has described in his interviews how he wanted to give Jesse his own version of Hawk (Spenser’s partner) so that he wouldn’t be such a loner. This was an interesting move, especially with Crow’s personal situation with Molly thrown own. However, I think that Lupica delivered on this storyline much better than I could have hoped for. Crow’s developing buddy role with Jesse is similar in many ways to Spenser and hawk, but it works for them. In addition, the tension between Crow and Molly adds tension and depth to both of their characters. I can’t wait to see how things between them develop moving forward.
The mystery plotlines and the character storylines are what Lupica is getting better and more comfortable with, and it’s working. I even appreciated how Lupica dealt with Jesse’s ongoing alcoholism is a very personal and intentional manner. It was subtle, strong, and serious when it needed to be, and reminded us that Jesse has a real problem. One that will never go away for the rest of his life.
Now for the elephant in the room. Some, or many readers, may not be bothered by it, and maybe it’s just my problem to deal with, but for some asinine and unexplainable reason, Lupica has changed Jesse Stone’s character in an unnecessary and stupid manner. For all of the Stone books that Robert B. Parker wrote, for all that Michael Brandman wrote, and Reed Farrel Coleman wrote, Jesse never used the “F” work. Jesse was never much of a swearer. He was always relaxed, casual, and a man of few words.
Now, just as he did in his first Stone novel, Lupica goes back to Jesse not only using the “F” word, but throwing it out often, not just when he’s angry, but in casual situations throughout the book. Please understand, that I am not condemning character’s that swear, but it’s just not in Jesse’s character to just throw it out all over the place when he didn’t do in the previous 18 books in the serious prior to Lupica taking it over. Every time Jesse uses that type of profanity, it is so out of character and I just cringe. It just isn’t Jesse and it ruins the reading experience. I have to take a deep breath and ignore such out of character behaviors. For as good as Lupica is in capturing Robert B. Parker’s world and characters, you would think that he would get this element correct. It’s just so silly like screeching chalk sounds on a chalkboard… Or hitting a wrong key on the piano… Awkward and ugly…
With three Jesse Stone novels under his belt, I am going to continue being patient because there are plenty of more positive things than just my raving about his use of Stone’s vocabulary. The strong plotlines and character development (4-stars) are showing an improvement that keeps my attention and offsets my pet peeves (minus a half-star), adding up to an overall 3.5-star review. An enjoyable one that has me looking forward with interest for Jesse’s next outing, along with Molly, Suit, and of course, Crow.
Until next year…
September 12, 2022
Chief of Police Jesse Stone must solve 2 murders in this book. One involves a talented high school shortstop and the other is the former chief of police. The former chief has been investigating scam phone calls. Ha, I get those every single day.
I love to read this series and this story is a good addition to the series. I enjoyed seeing old friends Molly, Suitcase, Healy, and Crow. The story touched on cryptocurrency which has always seemed shady and not real to me, maybe because I can't grasp the concept.
I love to read this series and this story is a good addition to the series. I enjoyed seeing old friends Molly, Suitcase, Healy, and Crow. The story touched on cryptocurrency which has always seemed shady and not real to me, maybe because I can't grasp the concept.
November 10, 2022
Mike Lupica is keeping Jesse Stone alive and boy does he do a good job. Fallout is the latest in this wonderful series created by Robert B. Parker. In this book it starts with a suspicious death of a young baseball player and soon we have two murders and maybe a divorce? Could this be the opportunity for Jesse and Molly? They sure fit well together. I am always glad to get to keep up with my friends in Paradise and even Boston. I like the fact that Spike now has a place in Paradise so we will get twice as much of him. If you haven't tried this series by Parker you should start at once.
December 18, 2025
Well written but depressing story.
December 21, 2022
Too much unnecessary cursing.
Nice to have Jesse back with many returning friends. Fun reading!
Nice to have Jesse back with many returning friends. Fun reading!
September 6, 2022
A jogger finds a body on the rocks below a cliff. The Paradise police soon identify the victim as Jack Carlisle, a standout high school shortstop who had seemed destined for the big leagues. Complicating matters is that Jack Carlisle is the nephew of Luther “Suitcase” Simpson, one of Jesse Stone’s detectives. Was it murder or something else? While Jesse and the usual cast of characters try to determine how Carlisle died, more bodies pile up. Former Paradise chief of police Charlie Farrell, one of Stone’s close friends, gets murdered inside his home after he investigates some phone scammers. Jesse has no reason the think a link exists between the deaths, so the Paradise cops investigate them separately, with Stone taking the lead on the Farrell murder for personal reasons. Healy, a former captain with the Massachusetts State Police, lends a hand. Before the police make any actual progress in either case, a wheelchair bound man, an employee at More Chocolate, one of Paradise’s largest concerns and employers, gets found murdered on the same beach as Jack Carlisle. Jesse and the Paradise police cast about, hoping for clues to smack them in the face since it seems there isn’t a competent investigator in the bunch. They even bring in almost everyone Jesse Stone has ever met since he arrived in Paradise to help, from his current girlfriend, a local news reporter, to his ex-girlfriend, private investigator Sunny Randall, to Wilson “Crow” Cromartie, a thug who is now one of Stone’s best friends. But still Stone can’t gain any traction, much less solve any of the suspicious deaths until Molly, now his assistant chief, finally uses her women’s intuition and motherly instincts to figure things out.
While not complex, the plot is convoluted enough since Stone seems virtually clueless and faces multiple investigations he seems powerless to make headway on. Once a very competent murder investigator who arrived in Paradise after being a homicide detective in the LAPD, he now seems incapable of adding 2 + 2 and getting 4. But that should be expected since Jesse spends most of his time chasing women, obsessing over past girlfriends, and white knuckling it a day at a time through his battle with alcoholism. The old Jesse Stone tropes seem old and overused in this book. And the use of outside tips from Boston characters that show up just in the nick of time to help the investigations crawl forward and women’s intuition as the chief crime solving tool seems both gratuitous and unconvincing. After wading through the book, it’s no surprise the only thing close to an exciting sequence comes in the last pages.
Let’s end with a brief look at the use of swearing and profanity in contemporary literature. In recent decades, experts have noticed a decided uptick in the use of more and more swearing and profanity in creative writing. Some authors who use profanity in books believe they are representing the world as it is, and that using profanity makes their writing more authentic and powerful. In this novel, the first f-bombs fell in the fifth chapter and Lucia sprinkled them in copiously to the very end.
Swearing and profanity don’t offend me, except when used in inappropriate situations. I can and to my shame, often do swear like a sailor, probably because I used to be one, not because we now live in a cesspool of vulgarity. But I have a good reason f-bombs spewing from Jesse Stone’s mouth just don’t work. If you’ve read all of Robert B. Parker’s original Jesse Stone novels, as I have, then you would know Parker’s use of swearing and profanity in his writing was sparse indeed. That’s true of both the Jesse Stone and Spenser series. It was so infrequent that it shocked you when he used either. And it wasn’t because times were different back then. It was because Parker didn’t have to drop f-bombs and its variations around thirty-nine times in one book to achieve contemporary authenticity or make his writing powerful. Robert B. Parker wrote so well he didn’t need to use cheap, convenient crutches like swearing and profanity to give the impression that his books were up-to-date and realistic. Dropping f-bombs is not the history of the Jesse Stone character and having him do that makes him seem like a laughable caricature of the true character to grotesque effect. That, along with making him seem incompetent and having him wearing a Boston Red Sox baseball cap, another thing he would never do, only diminished the franchise character of this series.
My recommendation for this one is to skip reading it. As a nod to the book’s baseball theme, it’s a swing and miss.
While not complex, the plot is convoluted enough since Stone seems virtually clueless and faces multiple investigations he seems powerless to make headway on. Once a very competent murder investigator who arrived in Paradise after being a homicide detective in the LAPD, he now seems incapable of adding 2 + 2 and getting 4. But that should be expected since Jesse spends most of his time chasing women, obsessing over past girlfriends, and white knuckling it a day at a time through his battle with alcoholism. The old Jesse Stone tropes seem old and overused in this book. And the use of outside tips from Boston characters that show up just in the nick of time to help the investigations crawl forward and women’s intuition as the chief crime solving tool seems both gratuitous and unconvincing. After wading through the book, it’s no surprise the only thing close to an exciting sequence comes in the last pages.
Let’s end with a brief look at the use of swearing and profanity in contemporary literature. In recent decades, experts have noticed a decided uptick in the use of more and more swearing and profanity in creative writing. Some authors who use profanity in books believe they are representing the world as it is, and that using profanity makes their writing more authentic and powerful. In this novel, the first f-bombs fell in the fifth chapter and Lucia sprinkled them in copiously to the very end.
Swearing and profanity don’t offend me, except when used in inappropriate situations. I can and to my shame, often do swear like a sailor, probably because I used to be one, not because we now live in a cesspool of vulgarity. But I have a good reason f-bombs spewing from Jesse Stone’s mouth just don’t work. If you’ve read all of Robert B. Parker’s original Jesse Stone novels, as I have, then you would know Parker’s use of swearing and profanity in his writing was sparse indeed. That’s true of both the Jesse Stone and Spenser series. It was so infrequent that it shocked you when he used either. And it wasn’t because times were different back then. It was because Parker didn’t have to drop f-bombs and its variations around thirty-nine times in one book to achieve contemporary authenticity or make his writing powerful. Robert B. Parker wrote so well he didn’t need to use cheap, convenient crutches like swearing and profanity to give the impression that his books were up-to-date and realistic. Dropping f-bombs is not the history of the Jesse Stone character and having him do that makes him seem like a laughable caricature of the true character to grotesque effect. That, along with making him seem incompetent and having him wearing a Boston Red Sox baseball cap, another thing he would never do, only diminished the franchise character of this series.
My recommendation for this one is to skip reading it. As a nod to the book’s baseball theme, it’s a swing and miss.
August 22, 2022
Two deaths too close to home have Paradise, Massachusetts, police chief and recovering alcoholic Jesse Stone ready to fall off the wagon in this, the 21st book in this series. The first, a high school baseball star and nephew of Jesse's right-hand man, "Suitcase" Simpson, started Jesse's downhill spiral; the next to go, retired police chief and Jesse's close friend Charlie Farrell, put a glass in one hand and a bottle of Scotch in the other.
Such unexpected deaths are never easy on those left behind, but in both of these cases, they were unexplainable, at least on the surface. The teenager, for whom everyone had high hopes for a stellar career in baseball, is a possible suicide. But with such a wonderful future such a near certainty, why on earth would he kill himself? Clearly, Charlie was murdered; but what is the motive? The only thing the man was doing right before his death was looking into a string of phone calls to some of the town's elderly residents trying to separate them from their money. Even if he'd found out who was making the calls, would it have upset the perpetrator enough to commit murder?
Most of the action follows Jesse and his team, which includes series regulars Molly, Healy, Crow and Jesse's therapist Dix, as they try to find loose ends and tie them up. It also touches on Jesse's struggle with his own inner demons as well as his relationships, former, current and ongoing, with on-again, off-again main squeeze Sunny Randell and a few well-known mobsters. It even puts Jesse square in the middle of current events, trying to learn the ins and outs of cryptocurrency (good luck with that - I certainly haven't figured it out yet).
It is, all told, another stellar entry in a favorite series. I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Keep 'em coming!
Such unexpected deaths are never easy on those left behind, but in both of these cases, they were unexplainable, at least on the surface. The teenager, for whom everyone had high hopes for a stellar career in baseball, is a possible suicide. But with such a wonderful future such a near certainty, why on earth would he kill himself? Clearly, Charlie was murdered; but what is the motive? The only thing the man was doing right before his death was looking into a string of phone calls to some of the town's elderly residents trying to separate them from their money. Even if he'd found out who was making the calls, would it have upset the perpetrator enough to commit murder?
Most of the action follows Jesse and his team, which includes series regulars Molly, Healy, Crow and Jesse's therapist Dix, as they try to find loose ends and tie them up. It also touches on Jesse's struggle with his own inner demons as well as his relationships, former, current and ongoing, with on-again, off-again main squeeze Sunny Randell and a few well-known mobsters. It even puts Jesse square in the middle of current events, trying to learn the ins and outs of cryptocurrency (good luck with that - I certainly haven't figured it out yet).
It is, all told, another stellar entry in a favorite series. I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Keep 'em coming!
November 2, 2022
Mike Lupica does a really good job of capturing Robert Parker’s voice. I always loved the intermittent bits of humorous exchanges in the midst of his mysteries. Jesse’s voice is very strong here.
September 4, 2022
I am always ready for a Jesse Stone story. Mike Lupica continues to bring out the best in this series created by Robert B. Parker.
Two murders is what Jesse is trying to figure out. With so many people keeping secrets, he isn’t having a easy time. But,is it ever easy for Jesse? He fights his inner demon of being an alcoholic while trying to go forward in the investigation.
Love the reoccurring characters.
There is humor throughout the story and a big twist at the end.
Definitely recommended to all Jesse Stone lovers.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Two murders is what Jesse is trying to figure out. With so many people keeping secrets, he isn’t having a easy time. But,is it ever easy for Jesse? He fights his inner demon of being an alcoholic while trying to go forward in the investigation.
Love the reoccurring characters.
There is humor throughout the story and a big twist at the end.
Definitely recommended to all Jesse Stone lovers.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 11, 2022
As alway, loved the book. As a huge Parker fan, I marvel at the smooth transition from Robert Parker to Mike Lupica. In this novel, Jesse Stone’s world is rocked by a murder of a dear friend and the unexplained death of a colleague’s nephew.
As always, Stone decides to solve these crimes with the help of some of his stalwart helpers. Lupica manages to include other Parker characters from both Spenser and Sunny Randall novels.
This novel was made incredibly timely by including storylines about Crypto currency and the endless telephone scams, often targeting seniors. It’s also a nod to the community of “handicapable” workers who are too often unable to find suitable jobs. Lupica is also cognizant of the pain that young people feel as they recognize their sexuality.
Note to Mike: Sandra Dee was the original Gidget, Debbie Reynolds was the original Tammy.
I highly recommend this to all Parker fans, you won’t be disappointed! Thank you Netgalley for this delightful ARC.
As always, Stone decides to solve these crimes with the help of some of his stalwart helpers. Lupica manages to include other Parker characters from both Spenser and Sunny Randall novels.
This novel was made incredibly timely by including storylines about Crypto currency and the endless telephone scams, often targeting seniors. It’s also a nod to the community of “handicapable” workers who are too often unable to find suitable jobs. Lupica is also cognizant of the pain that young people feel as they recognize their sexuality.
Note to Mike: Sandra Dee was the original Gidget, Debbie Reynolds was the original Tammy.
I highly recommend this to all Parker fans, you won’t be disappointed! Thank you Netgalley for this delightful ARC.
August 22, 2022
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review an advanced copy of this book.
As usual, Jesse Stone, Molly, and Suit are investigating some suspicious deaths in the town of Paradise, MA. Jesse does not like not knowing why these people are dead, and does not avoid ‘stepping on toes’ and ‘pushing the limits’ when it comes to solving a crime. For some reason a Boston mob boss seems to be connected and Jesse enlists an old friend to help out, while ‘poking the bear’ and possibly putting himself in danger. While Jesse still fights to remain sober, he uses his therapist and AA meetings to resist ‘hitting the bottle’.
This continuation of the stories about Jesse Stone includes all of the usual storylines, characters, and drama that have made them popular, possibly over doing it. They are fun stories to read, but they need something to refresh the franchise.
As usual, Jesse Stone, Molly, and Suit are investigating some suspicious deaths in the town of Paradise, MA. Jesse does not like not knowing why these people are dead, and does not avoid ‘stepping on toes’ and ‘pushing the limits’ when it comes to solving a crime. For some reason a Boston mob boss seems to be connected and Jesse enlists an old friend to help out, while ‘poking the bear’ and possibly putting himself in danger. While Jesse still fights to remain sober, he uses his therapist and AA meetings to resist ‘hitting the bottle’.
This continuation of the stories about Jesse Stone includes all of the usual storylines, characters, and drama that have made them popular, possibly over doing it. They are fun stories to read, but they need something to refresh the franchise.
May 16, 2024
Robert B. Parker passed away in 2010. Writers such as Harlem Coben say he changed the detective genre. Since his death the character of Jesse Stone has lived on through ghost writers and Mike Lupica is the third one. He has written the last three in the series.
Well written with complex characters and the classic coming together of seemingly separate storylines in the end. Jesse Stone is a west coast native who moves to New England as chief of police. Cast of characters is mature over a long series and I felt a bit like the plus one at a high school reunion. I felt all the recurring characters had rich backgrounds that had been explained before but I’d just missed it. Wouldn’t mind reading one of the early ones that Parker had written.
Well written with complex characters and the classic coming together of seemingly separate storylines in the end. Jesse Stone is a west coast native who moves to New England as chief of police. Cast of characters is mature over a long series and I felt a bit like the plus one at a high school reunion. I felt all the recurring characters had rich backgrounds that had been explained before but I’d just missed it. Wouldn’t mind reading one of the early ones that Parker had written.
September 10, 2022
Didn't really like this book.
I have all the Jesse Stone books and this one did not measure up to the others. So I will probably not re-read it as I have all the other books.
I have all the Jesse Stone books and this one did not measure up to the others. So I will probably not re-read it as I have all the other books.
September 9, 2022
Why must authors use the GD word. It doesn't add anything to the story and I find it so annoying.
March 3, 2023
Not my favorite. Why wouldn’t anybody tell? Chief Stone isn’t very likable or relatable in this one. All the relationships and dialogue are stilted. I have never missed RBP so much
September 12, 2022
(3). Always nice to head back to Paradise and hang out with Chief Stone. There certainly is lots going on there and Lupica is doing a very nice job of keeping this franchise thriving. We have lots of Molly and Suit in this one, plus a cameo of sorts by Crow. The Boston crew is also here in a small way from the Spenser relations and even Sunny Randall makes a brief appearance. Jesse is portrayed as a little more of a tough guy in this latest episode, but that was never really a stretch. A good story, lots of action, and interesting love interests as well. A fun time is had by all. Good stuff.
December 26, 2022
In Robert B. Parker’s Fallout Mike Lupica pens that classic Jesse Stone tale with its slower pace and villains that remind you of ones you’ve met before simply with new names. Nothing particularly new or unexpected occurs, but that’s exactly the appeal and why I keep returning to this series. They provide that nostalgic feel, reminiscent of Parker’s original books, which I reread to this day. Twenty-five years after the first book released, there is something timeless about these mysteries and the reason they keep working.
Suitcase Simpson has been a favorite character from day one, so having this case hit him hard, did the same to me. I loved returning to Paradise. After all these years, it’s like coming home and spending time with dear friends. The chocolate factory was a fun little addition to the town. Returning fans will enjoy this latest installment, while newcomers won’t have a problem following as the book easily stands alone. I am now waiting for the next time I can join Jesse, Suitcase, and Molly. After all, this is Paradise so trouble is undoubtedly headed their way.
Review copy provided by publisher via NetGalley. Thanks!
Suitcase Simpson has been a favorite character from day one, so having this case hit him hard, did the same to me. I loved returning to Paradise. After all these years, it’s like coming home and spending time with dear friends. The chocolate factory was a fun little addition to the town. Returning fans will enjoy this latest installment, while newcomers won’t have a problem following as the book easily stands alone. I am now waiting for the next time I can join Jesse, Suitcase, and Molly. After all, this is Paradise so trouble is undoubtedly headed their way.
Review copy provided by publisher via NetGalley. Thanks!
April 1, 2023
Robert Parker's legacy lives on! Another Jesse Stone story...with a cameo by Sunny and a few other common characters. Always a treat snd enjoyed this story largely featuring Suit (and Crow). Keep them coming!
September 24, 2022
This book stunk to high heavens. Utterly pointless. Usually a Stone novel has some twists and keeps the reader interested. This one was a STRUGGLE. Little going on, characters are stale. Even the new characters lacked depth.
October 30, 2022
A Jesse Stone novel is like visiting old friends, old friends who face peril and loss and persevere in the face of danger (and temptation; it is Jesse Stone after all) while humor lightens the load. Listening to James Naughton narrate is a true treat and a bonus.
January 19, 2023
Another series I have followed for years -- nothing exceptional about this one but undoubtedly I will continue to follow Paradise PD.
September 9, 2022
Robert B. Parker's Fallout by Mike Lupica was a fast and entertaining read. I have to admit to not being as familiar with the character of Jesse Stone as I am with some of Robert B. Parker's other characters, namely Spencer, but I have to say that from this book Mike Lupica may be the author chosen after Robert B. Parker's death who best captures the vibe and voice of the characters.
"When two seemingly unconnected mysterious deaths occur on his watch, police chief Jesse Stone must pull out all the stops to unravel the truth and stop a killer from striking again." Is a fairly basic plot and I figured out the who done it and why early on but Mr Lupica's characterization and pacing make it a page turner. I may have to become more familiar with both the character and the author.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #PenguinGroup and Mike Lupica for the ARC of #RobertBParkersFallout.
"When two seemingly unconnected mysterious deaths occur on his watch, police chief Jesse Stone must pull out all the stops to unravel the truth and stop a killer from striking again." Is a fairly basic plot and I figured out the who done it and why early on but Mr Lupica's characterization and pacing make it a page turner. I may have to become more familiar with both the character and the author.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #PenguinGroup and Mike Lupica for the ARC of #RobertBParkersFallout.
August 26, 2025
IAmong the several writers who have attempted Robert B. Parker novels, Mike Lupica comes closest to capturing Parker’s style, in this case with Jesse Stone.
September 13, 2022
Written by Mike, like Robert would have. A real page turner. Thx.
September 6, 2022
Mike Lupica does it again! He is the only author that seems to really be able to capture the characters created by Robert Parker. I loved everything about this book - from the first page I couldn't wait to read more. I can't wait to see what is in store for Jesse next.
Thank you #penguingroupputnam and #netgalley for the eARC.
Thank you #penguingroupputnam and #netgalley for the eARC.
February 1, 2023
I have read each of the Jesse Stone books. Enjoyed each one. Mike Lupica understands Parker’s style and writes the same as Parker did. The story flows which allows this reader to throughly enjoy the experience. When I finish a Jesse Stone book I can’t wait for the next one!
September 20, 2022
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S FALLOUT ABOUT?
There are two murders for the Paradise Police Department to focus on in this book—and both have a lot of personal resonance.
The first is the suspicious death of Suit's nephew. He was a senior in High School and a hot college baseball prospect—naturally, a great athlete—and had been getting better because of Jesse's mentoring. Suit thought of Jack as a son more than a nephew and he's devastated by this. It's unclear if he died after a drunken fight at a party, or if he'd been driven by inner demons to end his own life. No one wants to believe the latter—but they can't rule it out. A very not-subtle cone of silence around the team is being enforced—as that was pretty much all of Jack's life, that means the investigation isn't getting very far.
Some time ago, a former Paradise Police Chief moved back to town and befriended Jesse. The two regularly had dinner together, and one of the first things we see is a meal between Jessee and Charlie Farrell. The woman that Charlie's been seeing was recently swindled out of a few thousand dollars and now it looks like scammers have targeted Charlie. He's been retired for decades, but still has the instincts and reflexes to try to track them down himself rather than turn things over to Jesse's crew. He must've been on the right track because he was killed. This shakes (an already shaken) Jesse, who sets his sights on this case so much that he turns Jack's death primarily over to Molly. He was Chief before any of the officers we know joined the force (as far as I can tell), but it's still about "one of their own."
JESSE'S BATTLE WITH ALCOHOL
I'm not crazy about Lupica's way of dealing with Jesse's alcoholism compared to Coleman's—but it's better than Parker or Brandman did. But I really liked Jesse's ruminations about people being able to stop drinking while the bottle still had something left, or when the option to order another glass was available. Actually, all of the material about his drinking in this book was good—better than he's given us so far. Hopefully, the trend continues.
MISCELLANEOUS BULLET POINTS
I don't have time/inclination to expand these beyond brief paragraphs—but I felt compelled to mention a few things.
* Okay, the over-use/over-reliance on Crow, basically making him Jesse's Hawk, bugs me. It also doesn't do that any favors for the character of Crow or Jesse—and really doesn't help Molly's character in any conceivable way (although Lupica may have a long game there). Parker (inadvertently?) tamed Hawk by using him too much—and was well on the way to doing that with Bobby Horse and Chollo, too. And now Lupica's doing that with Crow. Use him less (far less) and he retains his mystery, his edge, and his ability to do the things that Jesse won't do.
* This isn't evaluative, per se, I guess I'd file it as a general musing—it felt to me like this book was (for lack of a better term) swear-ier than I'm used to. Parker and the other authors in the Spenser-verse have never been reluctant to use a four-letter word when the situation called for it, by any means. It seemed like a noticeable uptick in those words. I'm not saying that Lupica's turned into Kevin Smith or anything, it just gave everything a slightly different feel. I wonder if that'll continue, if it was just a blip, or if I'm imagining things.
* It really feels like Lupica is trying to write off Jesse's son, Cole. Had Coleman continued with the series, I'm curious about how he'd have handled the character. I've had so many questions about his introduction in the first place, and now it feels like Lupica's trying to pull a Chuck Cunningham with him—sending him to law school in London and taking him out of Jesse's life. He actually thinks, "The kid sounded happy. Leave him alone."
* So Molly came clean with her husband about her fling with Crow several years ago. Now her marriage is all but over. No one has given us enough time with Molly's husband over the previous 20 books for us to get that invested in the marriage—so putting it on the rocks doesn't do much for the character either. I really don't care either way, except that it feels like Molly's character is drifting and becoming a different person. But that happens to all of us, so I can't complain on principle, just...
* Yeah, Parker created his three series in a way to allow the characters to intersect—but other than the Jesse/Sunny love story, and the Sunny/Susan therapy relationship, the primary characters didn't intermingle too much. I'm not sure if the current approach of bringing them all together so much is the right way to deal with them. I'm not sure it's not, either.
* Building from that—if you're going to bring these worlds together so much, and if you're going to introduce and kill off a police chief that coincidentally(??) shares the last name of a frequently used supporting character who is also a cop? Someone had better say something. If only so that readers stop thinking about it. In a Spenser-verse book, if someone talks about "Farrell," I reflexively think, "Lee." I can't imagine I'm alone there—I just don't get that character name choice. I bumped on it every time it was mentioned (and, as the central death in one of the two major storylines, it came up a lot).
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT FALLOUT?
This was entertaining and occasionally clever. I don't know that I felt the emotional impact of either murder—I felt for Suit, but I'm not sure I cared too much about it. Maybe if we'd been able to focus on what Suit was going through while he was doing the investigation—keep it a Jesse and Suit thing with some backup from Molly. In the end, it became primarily a Molly and Jesse thing with Suit in the background.
I don't know if Lupica's capable of delivering a great Jesse Stone novel, instead, I think we're going to get a streak of pretty good—and consistently so—novels (well, he's probably capable, but I don't get the impression that it's his goal). That's good enough for me, I might want something more, but consistently good and entertaining will sustain my interest.
I'm not sure if this is the place to jump onto the series—but it's not necessarily a bad place. It's the 21st in the series, but you don't need the knowledge that comes from the previous twenty. It might help, but not that much, you'll not miss much at all.
A good time will be had by those who take a dip into these waters.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
“I guess drinking was his way of dealing with it tonight.”
“That was always my first option,” Jesse said. “And second. And third. But no matter how many times I tried, it never seemed to work.”
There was a pause at her end.
"He didn’t get into any fights, did he?”
“Just with himself,” Jesse said. “Spoiler alert? He lost.”
WHAT'S FALLOUT ABOUT?
There are two murders for the Paradise Police Department to focus on in this book—and both have a lot of personal resonance.
The first is the suspicious death of Suit's nephew. He was a senior in High School and a hot college baseball prospect—naturally, a great athlete—and had been getting better because of Jesse's mentoring. Suit thought of Jack as a son more than a nephew and he's devastated by this. It's unclear if he died after a drunken fight at a party, or if he'd been driven by inner demons to end his own life. No one wants to believe the latter—but they can't rule it out. A very not-subtle cone of silence around the team is being enforced—as that was pretty much all of Jack's life, that means the investigation isn't getting very far.
Some time ago, a former Paradise Police Chief moved back to town and befriended Jesse. The two regularly had dinner together, and one of the first things we see is a meal between Jessee and Charlie Farrell. The woman that Charlie's been seeing was recently swindled out of a few thousand dollars and now it looks like scammers have targeted Charlie. He's been retired for decades, but still has the instincts and reflexes to try to track them down himself rather than turn things over to Jesse's crew. He must've been on the right track because he was killed. This shakes (an already shaken) Jesse, who sets his sights on this case so much that he turns Jack's death primarily over to Molly. He was Chief before any of the officers we know joined the force (as far as I can tell), but it's still about "one of their own."
JESSE'S BATTLE WITH ALCOHOL
I'm not crazy about Lupica's way of dealing with Jesse's alcoholism compared to Coleman's—but it's better than Parker or Brandman did. But I really liked Jesse's ruminations about people being able to stop drinking while the bottle still had something left, or when the option to order another glass was available. Actually, all of the material about his drinking in this book was good—better than he's given us so far. Hopefully, the trend continues.
MISCELLANEOUS BULLET POINTS
I don't have time/inclination to expand these beyond brief paragraphs—but I felt compelled to mention a few things.
* Okay, the over-use/over-reliance on Crow, basically making him Jesse's Hawk, bugs me. It also doesn't do that any favors for the character of Crow or Jesse—and really doesn't help Molly's character in any conceivable way (although Lupica may have a long game there). Parker (inadvertently?) tamed Hawk by using him too much—and was well on the way to doing that with Bobby Horse and Chollo, too. And now Lupica's doing that with Crow. Use him less (far less) and he retains his mystery, his edge, and his ability to do the things that Jesse won't do.
* This isn't evaluative, per se, I guess I'd file it as a general musing—it felt to me like this book was (for lack of a better term) swear-ier than I'm used to. Parker and the other authors in the Spenser-verse have never been reluctant to use a four-letter word when the situation called for it, by any means. It seemed like a noticeable uptick in those words. I'm not saying that Lupica's turned into Kevin Smith or anything, it just gave everything a slightly different feel. I wonder if that'll continue, if it was just a blip, or if I'm imagining things.
* It really feels like Lupica is trying to write off Jesse's son, Cole. Had Coleman continued with the series, I'm curious about how he'd have handled the character. I've had so many questions about his introduction in the first place, and now it feels like Lupica's trying to pull a Chuck Cunningham with him—sending him to law school in London and taking him out of Jesse's life. He actually thinks, "The kid sounded happy. Leave him alone."
* So Molly came clean with her husband about her fling with Crow several years ago. Now her marriage is all but over. No one has given us enough time with Molly's husband over the previous 20 books for us to get that invested in the marriage—so putting it on the rocks doesn't do much for the character either. I really don't care either way, except that it feels like Molly's character is drifting and becoming a different person. But that happens to all of us, so I can't complain on principle, just...
* Yeah, Parker created his three series in a way to allow the characters to intersect—but other than the Jesse/Sunny love story, and the Sunny/Susan therapy relationship, the primary characters didn't intermingle too much. I'm not sure if the current approach of bringing them all together so much is the right way to deal with them. I'm not sure it's not, either.
* Building from that—if you're going to bring these worlds together so much, and if you're going to introduce and kill off a police chief that coincidentally(??) shares the last name of a frequently used supporting character who is also a cop? Someone had better say something. If only so that readers stop thinking about it. In a Spenser-verse book, if someone talks about "Farrell," I reflexively think, "Lee." I can't imagine I'm alone there—I just don't get that character name choice. I bumped on it every time it was mentioned (and, as the central death in one of the two major storylines, it came up a lot).
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT FALLOUT?
This was entertaining and occasionally clever. I don't know that I felt the emotional impact of either murder—I felt for Suit, but I'm not sure I cared too much about it. Maybe if we'd been able to focus on what Suit was going through while he was doing the investigation—keep it a Jesse and Suit thing with some backup from Molly. In the end, it became primarily a Molly and Jesse thing with Suit in the background.
I don't know if Lupica's capable of delivering a great Jesse Stone novel, instead, I think we're going to get a streak of pretty good—and consistently so—novels (well, he's probably capable, but I don't get the impression that it's his goal). That's good enough for me, I might want something more, but consistently good and entertaining will sustain my interest.
I'm not sure if this is the place to jump onto the series—but it's not necessarily a bad place. It's the 21st in the series, but you don't need the knowledge that comes from the previous twenty. It might help, but not that much, you'll not miss much at all.
A good time will be had by those who take a dip into these waters.
September 15, 2022
Jesse Stone is back, but does he really need to be? That answer may lay with each individual reader.
Stone is confronted early with two suspicious deaths; the apparent suicide of a promising athlete, and soon after the murder of a mentor. These engage him into looking into the circumstances and solving the mysteries.
On the good side, Mike Lupica, who first did stellar work in resurrecting the Sonny Randall series, does a fine job in writing for the Jesse Stone one as well. The mystery is solid, modern and kept me interested through the end.
Now, what I can do without has also to do with how well the author mirrors Robert B. Parker’s talents. The original writer got into the habit of having characters from other novels in and out of this series moving through each book. Lupica does the same. However, with characters added since new writers took over it becomes a literary parade of characters, way too many in my humble opinion, that often added little to the story except for increasing the page count.
On the one hand it does affirm to the reader that the once quaint area of Paradise is truly growing but it really was too much, unless there is an accompanying bingo chart where people can check off which characters come to visit.
For what could have been a terse tale, the elongated text bogged the story down for me. I love Parker’s initial characters and I for one will keep reading these if only to “visit” them! For readers like me, I recommend this book which, despite what I see as flaws, is a satisfying entry in the series.
If, however, you are not a Jesse Stone aficionado I suggest you go back to any one of the books in the original canon as written by Robert B. Parker.
Stone is confronted early with two suspicious deaths; the apparent suicide of a promising athlete, and soon after the murder of a mentor. These engage him into looking into the circumstances and solving the mysteries.
On the good side, Mike Lupica, who first did stellar work in resurrecting the Sonny Randall series, does a fine job in writing for the Jesse Stone one as well. The mystery is solid, modern and kept me interested through the end.
Now, what I can do without has also to do with how well the author mirrors Robert B. Parker’s talents. The original writer got into the habit of having characters from other novels in and out of this series moving through each book. Lupica does the same. However, with characters added since new writers took over it becomes a literary parade of characters, way too many in my humble opinion, that often added little to the story except for increasing the page count.
On the one hand it does affirm to the reader that the once quaint area of Paradise is truly growing but it really was too much, unless there is an accompanying bingo chart where people can check off which characters come to visit.
For what could have been a terse tale, the elongated text bogged the story down for me. I love Parker’s initial characters and I for one will keep reading these if only to “visit” them! For readers like me, I recommend this book which, despite what I see as flaws, is a satisfying entry in the series.
If, however, you are not a Jesse Stone aficionado I suggest you go back to any one of the books in the original canon as written by Robert B. Parker.
October 2, 2022
There is not a lot to this book except style. It is a quick read and entertaining, yes, and that is enough but it did leave me wishing for a little more character insight and relationship definition.
Mr. Lupica depends on his hero Jesse Stone’s quips, which are trademarked, and his bantering back and forth with his crew at PPD, to carry the story, but a new reader would have hardly any insight into Stone’s character. Those one- liners make Jesse Stone shallow, and those who have read past books and know the character’s troubled past, know that he is anything but simple minded. One should read the Jesse Stone books written by Michael Brandeman for the depth of character and his inner darkness missing here.
“Fallout” was, to me, disappointing much like watching a remake of a great movie is when handled by less talented people.
Summing: entertaining, but disappointingly lightweight.
Mr. Lupica depends on his hero Jesse Stone’s quips, which are trademarked, and his bantering back and forth with his crew at PPD, to carry the story, but a new reader would have hardly any insight into Stone’s character. Those one- liners make Jesse Stone shallow, and those who have read past books and know the character’s troubled past, know that he is anything but simple minded. One should read the Jesse Stone books written by Michael Brandeman for the depth of character and his inner darkness missing here.
“Fallout” was, to me, disappointing much like watching a remake of a great movie is when handled by less talented people.
Summing: entertaining, but disappointingly lightweight.
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