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Jesse Stone #4
Stone Cold
Paradise Police Chief Jesse Stone has a problem no officer of the law likes to face: dead bodies keep appearing but clues do not.
Let's take them in order. A man takes his dog out for a run on the beach, only to be discovered hours later - with two holes in his chest. A woman drives her Volvo to the store to do some grocery shopping, and is then found dead, her body crumpled behind her loaded shopping cart. A commuter takes a shortcut home from the train, and never makes it back to his house. And there's a fourth that comes close to Jesse personally.
Hunting down a serial killer is difficult and dangerous in any town, but in a town like Paradise, where the selectmen and the media add untold pressures, Jesse feels considerable heat. Already walking an emotional tightrope, he stumbles; he's spending too much time with the bottle, and with his ex-wife - neither of which helps him, or the case. The harder these outside forces push against him, the more Jesse retreats into himself, convinced - despite all the odds - that it's up to him alone to stop the killing.
Let's take them in order. A man takes his dog out for a run on the beach, only to be discovered hours later - with two holes in his chest. A woman drives her Volvo to the store to do some grocery shopping, and is then found dead, her body crumpled behind her loaded shopping cart. A commuter takes a shortcut home from the train, and never makes it back to his house. And there's a fourth that comes close to Jesse personally.
Hunting down a serial killer is difficult and dangerous in any town, but in a town like Paradise, where the selectmen and the media add untold pressures, Jesse feels considerable heat. Already walking an emotional tightrope, he stumbles; he's spending too much time with the bottle, and with his ex-wife - neither of which helps him, or the case. The harder these outside forces push against him, the more Jesse retreats into himself, convinced - despite all the odds - that it's up to him alone to stop the killing.
323 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2003
1689 people are currently reading
2149 people want to read
About the author
Robert B. Parker
492 books2,311 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database named Robert B. Parker.
Robert Brown Parker was an American writer, primarily of fiction within the mystery/detective genre. His most famous works were the 40 novels written about the fictional private detective Spenser. ABC television network developed the television series Spenser: For Hire based on the character in the mid-1980s; a series of TV movies was also produced based on the character. His works incorporate encyclopedic knowledge of the Boston metropolitan area. The Spenser novels have been cited as reviving and changing the detective genre by critics and bestselling authors including Robert Crais, Harlan Coben, and Dennis Lehane.
Parker also wrote nine novels featuring the fictional character Jesse Stone, a Los Angeles police officer who moves to a small New England town; six novels with the fictional character Sunny Randall, a female private investigator; and four Westerns starring the duo Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. The first was Appaloosa, made into a film starring Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen.
Robert Brown Parker was an American writer, primarily of fiction within the mystery/detective genre. His most famous works were the 40 novels written about the fictional private detective Spenser. ABC television network developed the television series Spenser: For Hire based on the character in the mid-1980s; a series of TV movies was also produced based on the character. His works incorporate encyclopedic knowledge of the Boston metropolitan area. The Spenser novels have been cited as reviving and changing the detective genre by critics and bestselling authors including Robert Crais, Harlan Coben, and Dennis Lehane.
Parker also wrote nine novels featuring the fictional character Jesse Stone, a Los Angeles police officer who moves to a small New England town; six novels with the fictional character Sunny Randall, a female private investigator; and four Westerns starring the duo Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. The first was Appaloosa, made into a film starring Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 433 reviews
August 3, 2015
There’s a married couple in this book whose idea of fun is stalking strangers and then killing them together. The sad thing is that those two murderers have a healthier relationship than the hero of the story does with the love of his life.
In addition to trying to track down the thrill killers that are terrorizing his town, police chief Jesse Stone is also looking into the gang rape of a teenage girl. As usual, any detective work has to take a back seat to Jesse’s personal life which continues to be a mess thanks to his obsession with his ex-wife Jenn.
The relationship between Jesse and Jenn is the anchor that drags this series down. Jenn insists that she can’t imagine a life without Jesse even as she continues to sleep with other men, and Jesse devotion is such that he puts up with it in the hope of getting her back permanently. As many other characters point out to Jesse this means that Jenn gets to do whatever she wants while knowing that she can always come back to him at some point. Jesse always replies that while he knows that it's not fair to himself that he loves her and won’t give up unless she tells him that it’s over for good. While Robert B. Parker obviously meant for this to make Jesse seem kind of tragically noble and a romantic at heart, it really just makes him a tiresome idiot.
There finally appears to be a ray of hope in this that Jesse will wise up after Jenn does something that asks too much of him and pushes him past what seems to be a breaking point. During this time Jesse hooks up with sexy attorney Rita Fiore who is a character imported from RBP’s Spenser series, and for one brief shining moment it seems that Jesse is finally ditching the shallow and selfish Jenn for a far superior upgrade. Jesse even finally gets his drinking under control. Alas, RBP will always write his characters to be entirely sold on his twisted concept of true love so Jesse will once again turn his back on a potentially good relationship so that sub-plot turns into a cruel tease.
So much of the book is spent on this aspect that it seems like RBP didn’t put much effort into the actual crime and mystery parts. Jesse investigations are lackadaisical on both plots as one of his cops leads the charge on the rape case, and most of the serial killer investigation consists of Jesse waiting on the state police to provide him some lists of gun owners as weeks/months pass and more people die. It’s also a bit unseemly that
There was probably a better book in the crime story here that was completely overshadowed by the frustrating nature of Jesse’s personal sub-plots.
In addition to trying to track down the thrill killers that are terrorizing his town, police chief Jesse Stone is also looking into the gang rape of a teenage girl. As usual, any detective work has to take a back seat to Jesse’s personal life which continues to be a mess thanks to his obsession with his ex-wife Jenn.
The relationship between Jesse and Jenn is the anchor that drags this series down. Jenn insists that she can’t imagine a life without Jesse even as she continues to sleep with other men, and Jesse devotion is such that he puts up with it in the hope of getting her back permanently. As many other characters point out to Jesse this means that Jenn gets to do whatever she wants while knowing that she can always come back to him at some point. Jesse always replies that while he knows that it's not fair to himself that he loves her and won’t give up unless she tells him that it’s over for good. While Robert B. Parker obviously meant for this to make Jesse seem kind of tragically noble and a romantic at heart, it really just makes him a tiresome idiot.
There finally appears to be a ray of hope in this that Jesse will wise up after Jenn does something that asks too much of him and pushes him past what seems to be a breaking point. During this time Jesse hooks up with sexy attorney Rita Fiore who is a character imported from RBP’s Spenser series, and for one brief shining moment it seems that Jesse is finally ditching the shallow and selfish Jenn for a far superior upgrade. Jesse even finally gets his drinking under control. Alas, RBP will always write his characters to be entirely sold on his twisted concept of true love so Jesse will once again turn his back on a potentially good relationship so that sub-plot turns into a cruel tease.
So much of the book is spent on this aspect that it seems like RBP didn’t put much effort into the actual crime and mystery parts. Jesse investigations are lackadaisical on both plots as one of his cops leads the charge on the rape case, and most of the serial killer investigation consists of Jesse waiting on the state police to provide him some lists of gun owners as weeks/months pass and more people die. It’s also a bit unseemly that
There was probably a better book in the crime story here that was completely overshadowed by the frustrating nature of Jesse’s personal sub-plots.
December 23, 2018
Extraordinary. The culmination of Parker's real life marriage.
This is the single most important book in Parker's life.
The book dedication says it all -
All the Spenser books, and now the Stone books, lead to this.
After Joan's brush with death, she changed, and needed more freedom, felt trapped by Parker's intense love and focus on her, and had at least one affair. Then she and Parker managed over time to take the strength of their mutual love to construct a new, somewhat unconventional marriage that worked well for them for almost thirty years.
All his life, before and after that critical point, Parker loved and worshipped his joy and mate, Joan. They first met at 3 years old, and again at college in the 1950s, fell in love and were married. She was brilliant, unconventional, witty and educated, and loved the banter that defined so much of their relationship. She was a true force of nature. For Parker it was permanent, abiding love forever, even on the day he died. It was in many ways a fairytale romance, complete with dragons and villains.
This real-life mystery is the central binding foundation of all of Parker's writing from 1980 onwards.
Parker's search to reconstruct his marriage is shown by the tales of Spenser-Susan and now here through Jesse-Jenn. I love it. It's an extraordinary redemption for an author I love so much.
Parker began writing Spenser in the early 1970s, including relating his "discovery and romance with Susan". As you read that series, be aware of the publication dates, to understand how the crime-noir genius of Parker lived and developed. Unfortunately, the character/style of the Spenser character made him unsuitable to be used as the vehicle for this story of discovery and redemption. Parker tried that, but Spenser was already locked in as a character.
So Parker chose Jesse Stone to tell his own, personal story wrapped up in mostly adequate crime-noirs. Don't be fooled though, the Stone series books #1-4 are about Parker and Joan, woven into the medium of crime-noir.
Parker uses the Stone series to examine what happened to Joan and himself, the repercussions of infidelity and obession, and how he repaired his heart and learned to be a better man, and a better mate to Joan.
See the references and links below for more.
-
This is the best of the Jesse Stone series so far, although Death in Paradise was pretty good. Here we have two central crime stories, (WARNING) one of the rape of a 14 year-old girl which is (mostly) sensitively handled by Parker, but still hard for those of us with hearts broken this way.
There is also a serial killer mystery, but it takes a backseat to the rape crime-noir and the story of Jesse and his loves, and their lessons to him about life. One well-loved character in the series so far does not fare well, and I was saddened and a bit outraged at this act. However, there was a lesson for Stone (Parker) in this as well, so I accept it.
A flash of insight: All the snappy dialogue between Jesse (Parker) and other characters was actually real-life banter that Parker and Joan worked out together. The voices of banter are always the same: Stone and Molly, Spenser and Hawk, Healy and Belson, etc. Banter was the magic ingredient in Parker and Joan's lives.
Justice is served in all the stories, and Jesse accepts this. The thug in Jesse accepts this ultimately, which probably Spenser's thug could not.
Once the epiphany of Parker happens, told through his relation to Jenn and the psychologist, Dix, the remainder of the book is almost by-the-numbers; not bad, just a bit predictable procedural police work.
The ending chapter is fine, heartfelt, careful and respectful of Parker's acceptance of who he is, his flaws, and how to live life with joy and his love, Joan.
From Parker's Crimson Joy
“Because I love you,” I said. “Because you are in my life like the music at the edge of silence.”
From Raymond Chandler's letter regarding his dead wife:
She was the music at the edge of silence
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2013/07/...
More here, NY Times:
"AND now, the Ballad of the Sad Chair and How It Was Tamed and Returned to Happy Domestic Life
The teller is Joan Parker, the widow of Robert B. Parker, the best-selling mystery writer who died in January 2010."
Death and the Private Eye
Truly extraordinary woman: Joan H. Parker obituary 2013
7.0% ... I'm not keen on seeing the villain up front..."
15.0% .... aren't there laws about investigations of the rape of a child? Can the parents stop such an investigation? Parker seems to think so in 2002. And on the previous book as well. WTF !"
26.0% ... Reading detective stories, I often think how many people would be alive if the detective had not started digging..."
27.0% ... the word "maroon" appears 6 times in this book"
62.0% .... Parker has some strange claims about sexual consent of minors, and about rigorous laws protecting them above and beyond parental wishes."
64.0% .... Jesse Stone seems far more existential than Spenser."
72.0% ... bingo. The truth comes out.
“It matters what happens to you,”Molly said.
“The ugly truth of it, Moll, is that it doesn’t matter a hell of a lot to me.”
76.0% ".... don't bully boy rapists in Gangs get expelled from school? How come the assholes are at Candy's school, still?"
94.0%
.... You could protect, Jesse thought, and you could serve. But you couldn’t really save.
97.0%".... a flash of insight:
All the snappy dialogue between Jesse (Parker) and other characters was actually real-life banter that Parker and Joan worked out together. The voices of banter are always the same: Stone and Molly, Spenser and Hawk, Healy and Belson, etc. Banter was the magic in Parker and Joan's lives.
99.0% .... I wonder if Joan actually said this to Parker in real life ... I think she did:
“I have not really been happy,”Jenn said, “since the first time I cheated on you.”
This is the single most important book in Parker's life.
The book dedication says it all -
FOR JOAN:This book is really the Culmination, the self-realisation and integration of all the pain and self-discovery of Parker's life from the time of Joan's recovery from a double-mastectomy and breast cancer.
everything started to hum
All the Spenser books, and now the Stone books, lead to this.
After Joan's brush with death, she changed, and needed more freedom, felt trapped by Parker's intense love and focus on her, and had at least one affair. Then she and Parker managed over time to take the strength of their mutual love to construct a new, somewhat unconventional marriage that worked well for them for almost thirty years.
All his life, before and after that critical point, Parker loved and worshipped his joy and mate, Joan. They first met at 3 years old, and again at college in the 1950s, fell in love and were married. She was brilliant, unconventional, witty and educated, and loved the banter that defined so much of their relationship. She was a true force of nature. For Parker it was permanent, abiding love forever, even on the day he died. It was in many ways a fairytale romance, complete with dragons and villains.
This real-life mystery is the central binding foundation of all of Parker's writing from 1980 onwards.
Parker's search to reconstruct his marriage is shown by the tales of Spenser-Susan and now here through Jesse-Jenn. I love it. It's an extraordinary redemption for an author I love so much.
Parker began writing Spenser in the early 1970s, including relating his "discovery and romance with Susan". As you read that series, be aware of the publication dates, to understand how the crime-noir genius of Parker lived and developed. Unfortunately, the character/style of the Spenser character made him unsuitable to be used as the vehicle for this story of discovery and redemption. Parker tried that, but Spenser was already locked in as a character.
So Parker chose Jesse Stone to tell his own, personal story wrapped up in mostly adequate crime-noirs. Don't be fooled though, the Stone series books #1-4 are about Parker and Joan, woven into the medium of crime-noir.
Parker uses the Stone series to examine what happened to Joan and himself, the repercussions of infidelity and obession, and how he repaired his heart and learned to be a better man, and a better mate to Joan.
Jenn put her hand out, and Jesse took it. Holding hands, they looked silently at the snow and
the ocean.
“I have not really been happy,” Jenn said, “since the first time I cheated on you.”
Jesse didn’t say anything. He looked straight ahead at the snow and the water.
“You haven’t either,” Jenn said.
See the references and links below for more.
-
This is the best of the Jesse Stone series so far, although Death in Paradise was pretty good. Here we have two central crime stories, (WARNING) one of the rape of a 14 year-old girl which is (mostly) sensitively handled by Parker, but still hard for those of us with hearts broken this way.
There is also a serial killer mystery, but it takes a backseat to the rape crime-noir and the story of Jesse and his loves, and their lessons to him about life. One well-loved character in the series so far does not fare well, and I was saddened and a bit outraged at this act. However, there was a lesson for Stone (Parker) in this as well, so I accept it.
A flash of insight: All the snappy dialogue between Jesse (Parker) and other characters was actually real-life banter that Parker and Joan worked out together. The voices of banter are always the same: Stone and Molly, Spenser and Hawk, Healy and Belson, etc. Banter was the magic ingredient in Parker and Joan's lives.
Justice is served in all the stories, and Jesse accepts this. The thug in Jesse accepts this ultimately, which probably Spenser's thug could not.
Once the epiphany of Parker happens, told through his relation to Jenn and the psychologist, Dix, the remainder of the book is almost by-the-numbers; not bad, just a bit predictable procedural police work.
The ending chapter is fine, heartfelt, careful and respectful of Parker's acceptance of who he is, his flaws, and how to live life with joy and his love, Joan.
From Parker's Crimson Joy
“Because I love you,” I said. “Because you are in my life like the music at the edge of silence.”
From Raymond Chandler's letter regarding his dead wife:
She was the music at the edge of silence
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2013/07/...
More here, NY Times:
"AND now, the Ballad of the Sad Chair and How It Was Tamed and Returned to Happy Domestic Life
The teller is Joan Parker, the widow of Robert B. Parker, the best-selling mystery writer who died in January 2010."
Death and the Private Eye
Truly extraordinary woman: Joan H. Parker obituary 2013
7.0% ... I'm not keen on seeing the villain up front..."
15.0% .... aren't there laws about investigations of the rape of a child? Can the parents stop such an investigation? Parker seems to think so in 2002. And on the previous book as well. WTF !"
26.0% ... Reading detective stories, I often think how many people would be alive if the detective had not started digging..."
27.0% ... the word "maroon" appears 6 times in this book"
62.0% .... Parker has some strange claims about sexual consent of minors, and about rigorous laws protecting them above and beyond parental wishes."
64.0% .... Jesse Stone seems far more existential than Spenser."
72.0% ... bingo. The truth comes out.
“It matters what happens to you,”Molly said.
“The ugly truth of it, Moll, is that it doesn’t matter a hell of a lot to me.”
76.0% ".... don't bully boy rapists in Gangs get expelled from school? How come the assholes are at Candy's school, still?"
94.0%
.... You could protect, Jesse thought, and you could serve. But you couldn’t really save.
97.0%".... a flash of insight:
All the snappy dialogue between Jesse (Parker) and other characters was actually real-life banter that Parker and Joan worked out together. The voices of banter are always the same: Stone and Molly, Spenser and Hawk, Healy and Belson, etc. Banter was the magic in Parker and Joan's lives.
99.0% .... I wonder if Joan actually said this to Parker in real life ... I think she did:
“I have not really been happy,”Jenn said, “since the first time I cheated on you.”
May 27, 2023
I liked Jesse Stone # 4 better than Jesse Stone # 3.
First of all, I liked the fact that Parker lets us know right away who the bad people are and concentrates all the suspense on their discovery and apprehension. Usually I prefer to be kept in the dark, but this pair of Yuppie sociopathic lovers and murderers—who joy in the arbitrariness of their targets—are fascinating to ponder and a pleasure to loathe. Besides, the subplot—involving a high school girl assaulted by three members of the football team—show Jesse at his sentimental and paternal best. (I like corny stuff like this. I always loved it when Edward Woodward helped little kids be brave in The Equalizer too.)
One other thing. Last time I railed about Jesse’s ex-wife Jen and how tired I was getting of her on-again-off-again act. I’m beginning to realize that—unlike Spenser’s Susan—we are supposed to dislike her and every one of her transparent manipulative moves. I think Parker may be exploring an even darker side of his marriage—and his own impulses—in this series, and that exploration is beginning to interest me.
Guess I’m in for the long haul. Jess Stone #5 coming up.
December 27, 2023
4 Stars. A really good Police Chief Jesse Stone novel. He's confronted with three issues and he grapples all the way. Regrettably for Jesse, nothing comes easy. It's hard to decide on the first two. Which is the most important? He gives both his best. An interesting young person, 16-year-old Candace, gets raped by three punks in her high school, and Jesse has a dilemma. She is frantic to avoid being identified as the complainant for fear of it being revealed to her peers, and for fear of retribution by the three. Yet she wants them punished. I enjoyed Jesse's method of bringing them to justice without putting her at risk. Is he successful? That's for you to decide! The second concerns some puzzling murders in Paradise. Random? A man running on the beach, a woman returning to her car at the shopping mall, and a third and a fourth. All with the same modus operandi - two .22 shots to the heart. The last killing is personally upsetting to Jesse - a person we have met previously who is close to the Chief. It doesn't take long for Stone to identify the killers, but evidence is non-existent. What's his third issue? Jenn, his former wife, and there's good news on that front too. (Ap2022/De2023)
September 10, 2011
Jesse Stone has a major problem in Paradise in this fourth installment of Parker's Jesse Stone series. It seems a pair of thrill killers, man and wife, have come to Paradise with intent to keep their thrills alive. Parker does a wonderful job of letting the reader see what type of madness swirls within the minds of these types of people, while at the same time never trying to give blanket answers to why some people are this crazy.
But the killers are only a small portion of this book. It seems that Parker really wanted to get somewhere with Stone in this one. Of course there is still the wayward relationship of Jesse and his ex-wife, Jen, a weather reporter for Channel 3. I have to admit, I would have dropped Jen like a lead balloon, cut my losses and moved on. Jesse is different; he still loves her. Whatever...
There is also a rape subplot (three rich kids, loner girl) that really seemed to work. However, although I was not happy with how it was resolved, Parker concluded it in a way that makes sense, and probably in a manner that would happen today. (Think Duke lacrosse, even though we all know the twists and turns and lies in that case.)
But what worked for me the most in this book is how Parker comes out right away and tells the reader who the killers are. This worked because of the cat and mouse game played between Jesse and the killers; the reader sometimes had a hard time of deciphering who was the mouse and who was the cat during these scenes.
Overall, STONE COLD was a fun read and a great addition to the Parker pantheon.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
But the killers are only a small portion of this book. It seems that Parker really wanted to get somewhere with Stone in this one. Of course there is still the wayward relationship of Jesse and his ex-wife, Jen, a weather reporter for Channel 3. I have to admit, I would have dropped Jen like a lead balloon, cut my losses and moved on. Jesse is different; he still loves her. Whatever...
There is also a rape subplot (three rich kids, loner girl) that really seemed to work. However, although I was not happy with how it was resolved, Parker concluded it in a way that makes sense, and probably in a manner that would happen today. (Think Duke lacrosse, even though we all know the twists and turns and lies in that case.)
But what worked for me the most in this book is how Parker comes out right away and tells the reader who the killers are. This worked because of the cat and mouse game played between Jesse and the killers; the reader sometimes had a hard time of deciphering who was the mouse and who was the cat during these scenes.
Overall, STONE COLD was a fun read and a great addition to the Parker pantheon.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
August 5, 2012
In his 4th book of the Jesse Stone tales Paradise is being visted by a set of killers. With the amount of carnage they are quickley updated to serial Killers. As usual the head of the State police homicide squad leaves the investigation in the capable hands of Jesse Stone who has proved by now that he is not the hick police-officer most people think he should be.
We do get insight in the minds and motivations of this set of killers, husband and wife. And yet the writer never tries to explain everything and tries to leave judgement to the reader. I liked it how Parker showed fairly quick who the perps were in exchange for making them real characters instead of an afterthought.
But the killers are only a small portion of this book. There is also a rape subplot (three rich kids, loner girl) that really works. Even if the endresult fails to satisfy but smells of the sad realism in these cases.
Then there is Jenn the ex-wife, who unlike in the movies plays a far too large a part in STones life. It is the one thing I find hard to swallow about Jesse Stone namely how he can love the harpy.
STONE COLD was a fun & great read and a great addition to the Parker series.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
We do get insight in the minds and motivations of this set of killers, husband and wife. And yet the writer never tries to explain everything and tries to leave judgement to the reader. I liked it how Parker showed fairly quick who the perps were in exchange for making them real characters instead of an afterthought.
But the killers are only a small portion of this book. There is also a rape subplot (three rich kids, loner girl) that really works. Even if the endresult fails to satisfy but smells of the sad realism in these cases.
Then there is Jenn the ex-wife, who unlike in the movies plays a far too large a part in STones life. It is the one thing I find hard to swallow about Jesse Stone namely how he can love the harpy.
STONE COLD was a fun & great read and a great addition to the Parker series.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
November 9, 2025
This story is a straight forward serial killer investigation. The suspects are identified early on and it’s just a matter of getting the evidence. The central character is a popular small town police chief who is also dealing with a troubled relationship. The other characters are quite interesting. Good story and good series.
December 10, 2015
Audiobook.
First time reading this author. I'm categorizing this as romantic as there is that element in the book, just not in a good way.
I have this stupid prejudice against male suspense/mystery writers because usually they're too gory for me or I just can't connect with the characters. That's not the case with this book. Robert Parker has probably changed my conception because this book was excellent. I loved Jesse Stone. There's a serial killer case and a rape case that's he trying to solve and bring the criminals to justice. I like that this author realizes the police have no power over plea bargains or sentencing. I've read other authors that make it appear that the police can make these huge deals, just not true. Regarding Jesse's relationship with his ex-wife, at first I'm sitting there in judgement thinking he should just cut her loose and get on with his life, that she's sucking him dry. But when I look over my own life, I've stayed in relationship that weren't good for me either and nothing would have turned me from that path until I made the choice. So, the book ends with a choice - good or bad. I like that too that the ending isn't all tied up in bows with all the cases solved and all the relationship problems dealt with. Great book. I'm planning on reading more of this series.
PS Robert ForsterRobert Forster is an excellent narrator!
First time reading this author. I'm categorizing this as romantic as there is that element in the book, just not in a good way.
I have this stupid prejudice against male suspense/mystery writers because usually they're too gory for me or I just can't connect with the characters. That's not the case with this book. Robert Parker has probably changed my conception because this book was excellent. I loved Jesse Stone. There's a serial killer case and a rape case that's he trying to solve and bring the criminals to justice. I like that this author realizes the police have no power over plea bargains or sentencing. I've read other authors that make it appear that the police can make these huge deals, just not true. Regarding Jesse's relationship with his ex-wife, at first I'm sitting there in judgement thinking he should just cut her loose and get on with his life, that she's sucking him dry. But when I look over my own life, I've stayed in relationship that weren't good for me either and nothing would have turned me from that path until I made the choice. So, the book ends with a choice - good or bad. I like that too that the ending isn't all tied up in bows with all the cases solved and all the relationship problems dealt with. Great book. I'm planning on reading more of this series.
PS Robert ForsterRobert Forster is an excellent narrator!
November 25, 2017
A noir type police procedural. The first I’ve read by Parker. And I enjoyed it. Lots and lots of conversation which is well written. You learn about Jesse’s unadulterated love for his wife Jenn. No matter what she does, he’ll love her forever. And the serial killers - easy to love and hate. The rape case - disgusting yet the outcome was rather realistic.
April 16, 2011
Some people feel like all of Parker’s protagonists are the same. They all like to eat, they all have relationship issues, they all have a past (authority issues and/or drinking problem, possibly guilt). Yet, after reading Stone Cold, the first of the Jesse Stone mysteries I’ve read, I’m not certain I agree. First of all, one of the things I really enjoy in the Spenser series is the fact that this anti-authority figure as private eye makes smart comments all the time—even when admitting in his narrator role that he knew it was the wrong thing to say before he said it or confessing that he knew it would offend someone. I did notice that Parker couldn’t help himself on a couple of occasions in Stone Cold, but they were subdued compared to the Spenserian comments in the other series. Of course, some have suggested that Sunny Randall is merely a female version of Spenser. She does, after all, crack wise at every opportunity, but she does seem to have a better relationship with the law enforcement authorities than Spenser does. I’ll have to read a couple more outside of the Spenser series before I form my opinion on this.
I also need to confess that I like to read escape fiction to get into the heads of people who think and act differently than I do. Spenser waxes philosophical from time to time and would often make Ayn Rand a happy camper. Yet, just when you think he is objectivist to the core, he shows compassion that the novelist/philosopher/movie extra wouldn’t have admitted if she had such feelings. Jesse Stone doesn’t fit that mold. He’s a victim, not the remote loner that Spenser wants to be. Spenser, of course, is committed at a level that Stone can’t be. As a victim of sexual infidelity, he finds himself constantly searching for intimacy but denying himself a chance for authentic relationship because of a, probably false, hope for reconciliation with the very one who victimized him. I find myself feeling both sad and fascinated by this combination of desperation and deprivation (the former in multiple liaisons and the latter in lack of emotional fulfillment).
The other fascinating aspect of Stone Cold for me was the almost Columbo-esque nature of the interplay between the murderers and the protagonist. It felt strange to be reading in this genre when I actually knew who committed the crime, the protagonist knew who committed the crime, and we were just trying to get enough evidence together to be able to prosecute them. This aspect reminded me of the old television series mentioned above, but the irony here is that it was the murderers who kept coming back for that “one more question.” This felt very fresh to me.
The main “mystery” in Stone Cold revolves around a couple who kill pre-selected victims as an aphrodisiac. Normally, I would consider such information to be a “spoiler,” but the information is given straight-up at the beginning of the book. In telling the story, Parker alternates between an omniscient viewpoint where we see all and know-all to being regaled by Stone himself. For this book, I found the mix to be refreshing and interesting. I may find it too convenient if Parker uses that approach in the rest of the “episodes.”
Although I read the entire book in one commuter train round-trip plus a bedtime perusal of about an hour, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the ending. It felt anticlimactic. Of course, I’m probably more like those Hollywood audiences at test screenings who don’t like unclear or unhappy endings. I can live with those in books and films, but I usually don’t re-read the books or watch the movies again. I’m not sure Stone Cold can be classified as a happy ending or unhappy ending, but I can definitely say that it doesn’t provide the catharsis that either Jesse Stone wanted or that I wanted. On the other hand, it was a very realistic ending. The hand of justice is limited.
In fact, there is a parallel “mystery” that is very similar to the main story arc of this book and it also comes to a less than satisfying ending, in spite of the fact that justice has cranked through its normal process. The secondary “mystery” has to do with a rape and even though the perpetrators are brought to justice, it’s very unsatisfying—realistic, but unsatisfying. I can live with that once in a while, but I don’t want a steady diet of it.
I also need to confess that I like to read escape fiction to get into the heads of people who think and act differently than I do. Spenser waxes philosophical from time to time and would often make Ayn Rand a happy camper. Yet, just when you think he is objectivist to the core, he shows compassion that the novelist/philosopher/movie extra wouldn’t have admitted if she had such feelings. Jesse Stone doesn’t fit that mold. He’s a victim, not the remote loner that Spenser wants to be. Spenser, of course, is committed at a level that Stone can’t be. As a victim of sexual infidelity, he finds himself constantly searching for intimacy but denying himself a chance for authentic relationship because of a, probably false, hope for reconciliation with the very one who victimized him. I find myself feeling both sad and fascinated by this combination of desperation and deprivation (the former in multiple liaisons and the latter in lack of emotional fulfillment).
The other fascinating aspect of Stone Cold for me was the almost Columbo-esque nature of the interplay between the murderers and the protagonist. It felt strange to be reading in this genre when I actually knew who committed the crime, the protagonist knew who committed the crime, and we were just trying to get enough evidence together to be able to prosecute them. This aspect reminded me of the old television series mentioned above, but the irony here is that it was the murderers who kept coming back for that “one more question.” This felt very fresh to me.
The main “mystery” in Stone Cold revolves around a couple who kill pre-selected victims as an aphrodisiac. Normally, I would consider such information to be a “spoiler,” but the information is given straight-up at the beginning of the book. In telling the story, Parker alternates between an omniscient viewpoint where we see all and know-all to being regaled by Stone himself. For this book, I found the mix to be refreshing and interesting. I may find it too convenient if Parker uses that approach in the rest of the “episodes.”
Although I read the entire book in one commuter train round-trip plus a bedtime perusal of about an hour, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the ending. It felt anticlimactic. Of course, I’m probably more like those Hollywood audiences at test screenings who don’t like unclear or unhappy endings. I can live with those in books and films, but I usually don’t re-read the books or watch the movies again. I’m not sure Stone Cold can be classified as a happy ending or unhappy ending, but I can definitely say that it doesn’t provide the catharsis that either Jesse Stone wanted or that I wanted. On the other hand, it was a very realistic ending. The hand of justice is limited.
In fact, there is a parallel “mystery” that is very similar to the main story arc of this book and it also comes to a less than satisfying ending, in spite of the fact that justice has cranked through its normal process. The secondary “mystery” has to do with a rape and even though the perpetrators are brought to justice, it’s very unsatisfying—realistic, but unsatisfying. I can live with that once in a while, but I don’t want a steady diet of it.
October 5, 2015
An excellent Jesse Stone novel which illustrates one of Parker's great strengths: his simple but realistic plots. Yes, the witty repartee is here, so is the quick, but incisive character development and the energy and excitement. But it is the simple, well done plots that dominate all of Parker's writing. Highly recommended.
June 6, 2016
This book #4 in the Jessie Stone series. I found this one to be so much better than the prior 3. I think at this point the Author was finally settling into the story and getting to know hi characters much better.
Synopsis
I decided to write my own synopsis for this book because the one that comes with it is just not very pleasing at all.
In this story we have a couple who are thrill killers and they get a real kick out of killing the residents of Paradise. After several murders Jesse begin to put two and two together and the closer Jesse gets to figuring out who they are. the pair decide to set their sights on him.
I really enjoyed the plot of this story. I found it to be much more exciting and a lot more action then the previous books in the series. I was glad to see that the author finally took the series up a notch and I hope it stays that way with the rest of them. One thing that I really love about Parker's writing is the fluidity of the story telling. I find the author is quick and to the point. I love that there are not long processes between each clue when our protagonist is trying to figure things out. It keeps the story exciting when it moves at such a great pace. There is also a lot of dialogue which also keeps the story moving and I love that.
I have to say that I love Jesse Stone. He is not perfect, and he has many issues, but he is not whiny. He goes on with his life as takes things as they come. He does not feel threatened by the bad guys and just takes the bull by the horns and gets the job done. I love that about his character. I am sure I will love him more with each installment to the series. There are many great characters in the series to enjoy, but I have to say I do not care for Jesse's ex-wife at all. She stays around so that he can beat himself up over her, so he wont forget her. She is toxic to him and that is what makes her character great to hate.
I recommend this to anyone who loves mystery. The first 3 books are a little slower, but I think they are worth the read just to learn about Jesse himself if nothing else. This one picked up a lot and I look forward to the rest of the series.
Synopsis
I decided to write my own synopsis for this book because the one that comes with it is just not very pleasing at all.
In this story we have a couple who are thrill killers and they get a real kick out of killing the residents of Paradise. After several murders Jesse begin to put two and two together and the closer Jesse gets to figuring out who they are. the pair decide to set their sights on him.
I really enjoyed the plot of this story. I found it to be much more exciting and a lot more action then the previous books in the series. I was glad to see that the author finally took the series up a notch and I hope it stays that way with the rest of them. One thing that I really love about Parker's writing is the fluidity of the story telling. I find the author is quick and to the point. I love that there are not long processes between each clue when our protagonist is trying to figure things out. It keeps the story exciting when it moves at such a great pace. There is also a lot of dialogue which also keeps the story moving and I love that.
I have to say that I love Jesse Stone. He is not perfect, and he has many issues, but he is not whiny. He goes on with his life as takes things as they come. He does not feel threatened by the bad guys and just takes the bull by the horns and gets the job done. I love that about his character. I am sure I will love him more with each installment to the series. There are many great characters in the series to enjoy, but I have to say I do not care for Jesse's ex-wife at all. She stays around so that he can beat himself up over her, so he wont forget her. She is toxic to him and that is what makes her character great to hate.
I recommend this to anyone who loves mystery. The first 3 books are a little slower, but I think they are worth the read just to learn about Jesse himself if nothing else. This one picked up a lot and I look forward to the rest of the series.
December 26, 2014
Jesse REALLY needs to ditch Jenn.
May 4, 2009
Any book of Robert B. Parker's is an exercise in crisp dialogue, and this one's no exception. His Jesse Stone novels are interesting in that he allows the point of view to expand from his hero to include others - the two serial killers narrate some chapters in this book, for a distinctly creepy effect. My one complaint, as with all the Jesse Stone books, is that I find his wife Jenn unbearable. I hope he will soon acknowledge her for the selfish cow she is, and drop her like a bad habit.
July 29, 2021
This started like other Jessie Stone novel until some extremely unlikeable characters. To add to it, the reader gave them screeching voices worse than nails on a chalkboard. I could not finish this one.
April 29, 2018
The character Jesse Stone is what makes this series work. I prefer character driven stories.
October 8, 2019
first time i've read this author-4 stars because NO ONE in the story 'made love'....they all just f..ked-maybe the author doesn't know the difference?
July 29, 2021
A strong start was followed by several very unlikeable characters. The narrator read them in a screeching voice. I will not finish this book.
April 2, 2024
⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
🚨🚨Spoiler alert🚨🚨
NGL I was hoping Jenn would die in this book. Unfortunately, she survived ugh. Not only that but they are getting back together 🙄🙄🙄 Jesse is a smart cop but an epic idiot in his personal life. Jenn will just cheat on him again. It’s inevitable. It’s who she is.
This was a hard book to read. Lots of deaths. Some of my favorite characters were killed. NOT good!
The 2 villains were especially horrible. At least Jesse got a bit of pay back.
The case was heinous AND the side case in this book was also especially horrific. A gang rape of a teenage girl. None of this book was particularly happy. Jesse is not a very sympathetic figure either. He’s a shit magnet. I still can’t believe he had sex with Abby…she is murdered hours later THEN he has sex with Rita a few scenes later. Rita IS a defense attorney in a case Jesse is involved in. Totally bizarre and callous behavior. And when his deputy is murdered that has 5 kids!?!? He’s not very emotional about it and quite indifferent. Maybe Jesse deserves Jenn.
This book was depressing from start to finish, ughhhhh. 😣😣😣😣.
🚨🚨Spoiler alert🚨🚨
NGL I was hoping Jenn would die in this book. Unfortunately, she survived ugh. Not only that but they are getting back together 🙄🙄🙄 Jesse is a smart cop but an epic idiot in his personal life. Jenn will just cheat on him again. It’s inevitable. It’s who she is.
This was a hard book to read. Lots of deaths. Some of my favorite characters were killed. NOT good!
The 2 villains were especially horrible. At least Jesse got a bit of pay back.
The case was heinous AND the side case in this book was also especially horrific. A gang rape of a teenage girl. None of this book was particularly happy. Jesse is not a very sympathetic figure either. He’s a shit magnet. I still can’t believe he had sex with Abby…she is murdered hours later THEN he has sex with Rita a few scenes later. Rita IS a defense attorney in a case Jesse is involved in. Totally bizarre and callous behavior. And when his deputy is murdered that has 5 kids!?!? He’s not very emotional about it and quite indifferent. Maybe Jesse deserves Jenn.
This book was depressing from start to finish, ughhhhh. 😣😣😣😣.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2018
Let's see.......did Jesse sleep with 3 or 4 different women during the course of this book? And all while pining away for his ex-wife. This body count distracted me from the story of the real body count, courtesy of a loving couple of serial killers. Honestly, I wished we had learned more about them and their backstories than reading about Jesse and his string of women. I did admire that he was honest with all the women and I liked how he treated the young rape victim. Maybe popping into a series' 4th book is akin to taking bits and pieces out of context? No, I don't think so. Still too many women.
May 6, 2019
I can't say I liked everything about it, but I did like very much that it kept rolling along at a brisk pace. The lead character, the police chief Jesse Stone was a fairly believable mass of contradictions. The murderers... maybe not so believable. I won't get into a detailed character analysis; this was my first time to read this author. Worth another try, anyhow.
June 7, 2016
I have been reading the Jesse Stone series in order and think this is the best book so far.
Jesse is working on two cases: one involves a serial killer who appears to be making random killings in the small town of Paradise. Each victim has been shot in the chest at close range and was brought down with two bullets fired simultaneously from two different guns. Each shot that was fired was deadly and would have killed the victim, so it is curious that two guns have been used. There appears to be no motive for the crime. Each victim still has their wallet, purse and/or jewelry. And there seems to be no connection between the victims. How and why they were chosen remains a mystery.
In the second case, Jesse is trying to bring some sense of justice to three high school boys, football heroes who have raped an innocent sixteen year old girl. They photographed the crime and told her that if she revealed what happened they would show the photographs all over the school and rape her again, this time being sure to hurt her. The young girl is humiliated and terrorized when her mother brings her to the police station to report the crime. But the girl is from a prominent family in town and her mother is desperate to avoid the scandal of an investigation.
As the number of victims taken down by the serial killer mounts, Jesse is brought under close scrutiny by the town’s elders who pressure him about his methods. And with a serial killer loose, the media are a constant presence in the small town unaccustomed to this kind of attention. They are parked outside the police station providing regular reports of an investigation which seems to be going nowhere. The reader knows who the killers are and eventually so does Jesse, but he has trouble obtaining the evidence he needs to arrest and convict them. Under all this pressure, and knowing he must be sharp and alert at all times, he stops drinking, although it is not clear how long he can stay away from the bottle this time.
It’s Jesse’s determination, persistence and patience that helps him put together the few clues he has gathered to piece together the details of the crimes. And eventually when he comes to understand that he is probably the killer’s next victim, he creates a situation to bait them, a plan that has unintended consequences.
Meanwhile Jesse continues his various romantic excursions, this time concentrating on bedding Rita Fiore, a beautiful criminal defense attorney. He is still not ready to establish an ongoing commitment with anyone and maintains ongoing relationships with Abby Taylor and Marci Campbell, women with whom he has enjoyed casual and intimate dates in the past. He is clear to each of them that he is not really available to anyone until he resolves his relationship with Jenn, but beautiful woman are attracted to him and seem to fall all over him.
His annoying co-dependent connection with Jenn limps on, but Jesse is slowly gaining some understanding into the quagmire of emotions and thinking embedded in that relationship. He continues to see his therapist Dix, who is helping him think through his life, his relationships and his addiction. And when Jenn approaches Jesse about providing her with the inside track on the serial killer investigation, Jesse finally begins to understand that Jenn has always wanted what is best for herself, rather than what is best for him or their relationship.
The resolution to the crimes provides a satisfying ending but one would like to shake Jesse to get some sense into him about Jenn. At the end of the novel the two make a commitment to try a monogamous relationship once more, four years after their divorce. It makes one want to scream. The two just need to move on with their own individual lives. Jesse’s knows his life would be so less complicated without this turmoil, but he can’t seem to be happy without her.
Parker continues with his characteristically short chapters, his stark prose and his fast action sequences. They provide a quick entertaining read.
Jesse is working on two cases: one involves a serial killer who appears to be making random killings in the small town of Paradise. Each victim has been shot in the chest at close range and was brought down with two bullets fired simultaneously from two different guns. Each shot that was fired was deadly and would have killed the victim, so it is curious that two guns have been used. There appears to be no motive for the crime. Each victim still has their wallet, purse and/or jewelry. And there seems to be no connection between the victims. How and why they were chosen remains a mystery.
In the second case, Jesse is trying to bring some sense of justice to three high school boys, football heroes who have raped an innocent sixteen year old girl. They photographed the crime and told her that if she revealed what happened they would show the photographs all over the school and rape her again, this time being sure to hurt her. The young girl is humiliated and terrorized when her mother brings her to the police station to report the crime. But the girl is from a prominent family in town and her mother is desperate to avoid the scandal of an investigation.
As the number of victims taken down by the serial killer mounts, Jesse is brought under close scrutiny by the town’s elders who pressure him about his methods. And with a serial killer loose, the media are a constant presence in the small town unaccustomed to this kind of attention. They are parked outside the police station providing regular reports of an investigation which seems to be going nowhere. The reader knows who the killers are and eventually so does Jesse, but he has trouble obtaining the evidence he needs to arrest and convict them. Under all this pressure, and knowing he must be sharp and alert at all times, he stops drinking, although it is not clear how long he can stay away from the bottle this time.
It’s Jesse’s determination, persistence and patience that helps him put together the few clues he has gathered to piece together the details of the crimes. And eventually when he comes to understand that he is probably the killer’s next victim, he creates a situation to bait them, a plan that has unintended consequences.
Meanwhile Jesse continues his various romantic excursions, this time concentrating on bedding Rita Fiore, a beautiful criminal defense attorney. He is still not ready to establish an ongoing commitment with anyone and maintains ongoing relationships with Abby Taylor and Marci Campbell, women with whom he has enjoyed casual and intimate dates in the past. He is clear to each of them that he is not really available to anyone until he resolves his relationship with Jenn, but beautiful woman are attracted to him and seem to fall all over him.
His annoying co-dependent connection with Jenn limps on, but Jesse is slowly gaining some understanding into the quagmire of emotions and thinking embedded in that relationship. He continues to see his therapist Dix, who is helping him think through his life, his relationships and his addiction. And when Jenn approaches Jesse about providing her with the inside track on the serial killer investigation, Jesse finally begins to understand that Jenn has always wanted what is best for herself, rather than what is best for him or their relationship.
The resolution to the crimes provides a satisfying ending but one would like to shake Jesse to get some sense into him about Jenn. At the end of the novel the two make a commitment to try a monogamous relationship once more, four years after their divorce. It makes one want to scream. The two just need to move on with their own individual lives. Jesse’s knows his life would be so less complicated without this turmoil, but he can’t seem to be happy without her.
Parker continues with his characteristically short chapters, his stark prose and his fast action sequences. They provide a quick entertaining read.
April 27, 2022
This was good, typical Parker...neither extraordinary nor disappointing. The Jesse Stone character seems to be evolving somewhat, which is interesting, if not always realistic. The one thing I found myself wondering is how Luther "Suitcase" Simpson would have gotten his nickname. It's supposedly after a journeyman outfielder/first baseman who played for six different major league teams from 1946 through 1959 with three seasons off (Harry Simpson). I can't remember from the first book if Jesse gave him the nickname; he must have, but I'm not sure how this particular Simpson would have occurred to him. Stone is supposed to be in his mid-thirties when the book is set putting him born about 1969. He has a background in Arizona, New Mexico, and Los Angeles (Simpson never played west of Kansas City). If it came from someone else in the department, I can't imagine a parochial New Englander (I'm of the same tribe) thinking of an obscure African American major leaguer who never played for the Red Sox, but did play for the Yankees as a nickname source for a young, overweight redheaded white local cop.
August 2, 2015
Been a while since I've read a book from the late author, and this is vintage Parker. Spare prose. Laconic characters. A straight mystery solved simply.
I enjoyed the book for the most part. Great story-telling. The ending is not so hot as if the author ran out of neat ideas to catch two runaway crooks.
Anyway, a nice visit to a favored author, and a good intro to a series I haven't tried before. More books to add to the queue.
I enjoyed the book for the most part. Great story-telling. The ending is not so hot as if the author ran out of neat ideas to catch two runaway crooks.
Anyway, a nice visit to a favored author, and a good intro to a series I haven't tried before. More books to add to the queue.
Read
July 22, 2022When a well educated successful couple decides to become serial killers, they should never choose to reside and kill in Paradise, Massachusetts with the likes of Jesse Stone as Chief of Police.
Anthony and Breanna Lincoln are ruthless people. They randomly choose citizens in the community, to include Jesse's companion Abbey Taylor.
There are no clues but the killers messed up......won't spoil the story. They just underestimated Chief Stone.
Anthony and Breanna Lincoln are ruthless people. They randomly choose citizens in the community, to include Jesse's companion Abbey Taylor.
There are no clues but the killers messed up......won't spoil the story. They just underestimated Chief Stone.
December 10, 2014
Like many others, I picture Tom Selleck as Jesse....saw all the movies on Hallmark a few years ago. Stone Cold followed Parker's novel closely with the usual quirks and nuances of the others in the series. Not much to offer here other than sometimes 'light' reading is relaxing and entertaining.
November 15, 2023
Good book. It's obvious in this one that Mr. Parker has gotten comfortable with his characters, and even manages to convey the small town feel. I love Jesse Stone - who looks like Tom Selleck, of course - and the regular cast of characters, but, really, can't we drop Jenn off a cliff or something?
May 16, 2021
In the fourth Jesse Stone novel, Jesse deals with a drinking problem, an ex-wife problem, a pair of very twisted serial killers, and three high school rapists and their victim. I see Kevin Spacey in this role.
(N. B.: I wrote that last sentence in 2004.)
(N. B.: I wrote that last sentence in 2004.)
June 30, 2024
Enough about Jenn!!! Good grief, move on!
May 8, 2019
Another fantastic read from Parker. Stone is a great character. The book was great despite the fact that everything was right out front, no real mystery at all. That’s pretty incredible writing.
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