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Charlie Parker #8
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Despojado de su licencia de investigador privado y vigilado por la policía, Charlie Parker trabaja en un bar de Portland y lleva aparentemente una vida apacible. Sin embargo, todavía le abruman ciertos episodios de su pasado, en particular las circunstancias en que se produjo la muerte de su padre, Will Parker. Cuando Charlie era niño, su padre, policía neoyorquino, mató a dos jóvenes, un chico y una chica un poco mayores que su hijo, y después se quitó la vida. Charlie decide averiguar qué ocurrió exactamente, y para ello tendrá que volver los ojos hacia su pasado, aunque eso signifique descubrir incómodas verdades y comprometedoras mentiras. Entre ellas, la implicación en aquellos acontecimientos de dos inquietantes figuras: un hombre y una mujer, tal vez amantes, cuya aparición no augura nada bueno. Para colmo, Parker tiene que evitar a un periodista insidioso, empeñado en hurgar en el lado más oscuro del investigador.
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2009
494 people are currently reading
4119 people want to read
About the author
John Connolly
220 books7,901 followersJohn Connolly was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and has, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a dogsbody at Harrods department store in London. He studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which he continues to contribute.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 596 reviews
October 14, 2016
As I was doing the unthinkable--physically browsing library shelves instead of requesting on-line--I saw a number of Connolly's Charlie Parker books. Despite friends' enthusiastic reviews, I've been unsure about trying the series, as I'm generally sensitive to horror. However, I really enjoyed his young adult series, so thought it was worth testing my squimishness and selected one of the books that didn't seem quite so focused on mass killings. I confess: I was riveted. How good? I drove back to work after I accidentally left the book there, because it would have been three days before I could finish it.
Charlie Parker has a deeply unfortunate past and is haunted--perhaps literally---by the murders of his wife and daughter. He had been working as a private investigator, but a recent suspension of his license leads him at loose ends, so he decides to investigate a very old case: his father murdering a young couple and subsequent suicide. Atmospheric, ranging in time and place, from the Parker's home in the Irish town of Pearl River, to New York City, to the bar Parker's working at in Maine.
Something about Connolly's writing just works for me. I found myself trying to read faster so that I'd find out what was happening, and the reasons for the father's crime. There's a nice balance between description and action, and in general, I find his characters intriguing.
"Or perhaps that was just a game memory was playing on me as I churned up the mud in the reservoir of the past and, when the dirt had settled, picked my way across the bottom to see what had been exposed."
Narrative did occasionally shift viewpoints, following Parker, a reporter, a young woman on the move, and a range of smaller players. Early in the book there is a section about a search for a missing boy. It's engrossing, and in only three pages, two of the searchers realistically created. Unfortunately, they are only bit characters in a scene most likely meant to titillate the reader into realizing the killing are continuing. It's too bad, as I thought the scene was exceptionally well done--yet as the dead character is a mere footnote to the larger story, it really had no plot significance. The most extensive non-Parker narrative was from someone recounting historical events, and it was one of the only times I found myself disengaging from the story. The text was entirely italicized, so it was also visually off-putting. It might have worked better for me had the viewpoint remained rooted in the present tense, with the narrator or Parker actively engaging. It just didn't flow as well for me. Come to think of it, it might have even worked as a flashback. Nonetheless, it remained an interesting sub-story that ended up explaining much.
"He stayed on the step until I reached the sidewalk, then he waved once and closed the door. I looked up at the window with the broken pane, but there was nobody there. That room was empty. Whatever remained there had no form; the ghost of the boy was inside me, where he had always been."
The horror-ish bits were bearable for me, and generally over quickly. There were some quiet, enjoyable but rather under-developed paranormal elements. It reminded me quite a bit of the early and grim episodes of the tv series Supernatural, including the hints at a larger agency/conspiracy. The climax was small letdown, as I expected more agency from Parker. His plan for the confrontation is kept from the reader until Parker the scene, and I thought it just a bit of a stylistic disappointment, an unimpressive surprise. Yet despite all these quibbles, it was a book that was difficult to put down. For book eight in a series, it was extremely readable and I don't think I lost much by my random pick-up point. I understand Parker has a bit of character growth through the series, so I think I'll go back and start with book one. But I guarantee I won't be reading before bedtime.
Charlie Parker has a deeply unfortunate past and is haunted--perhaps literally---by the murders of his wife and daughter. He had been working as a private investigator, but a recent suspension of his license leads him at loose ends, so he decides to investigate a very old case: his father murdering a young couple and subsequent suicide. Atmospheric, ranging in time and place, from the Parker's home in the Irish town of Pearl River, to New York City, to the bar Parker's working at in Maine.
Something about Connolly's writing just works for me. I found myself trying to read faster so that I'd find out what was happening, and the reasons for the father's crime. There's a nice balance between description and action, and in general, I find his characters intriguing.
"Or perhaps that was just a game memory was playing on me as I churned up the mud in the reservoir of the past and, when the dirt had settled, picked my way across the bottom to see what had been exposed."
Narrative did occasionally shift viewpoints, following Parker, a reporter, a young woman on the move, and a range of smaller players. Early in the book there is a section about a search for a missing boy. It's engrossing, and in only three pages, two of the searchers realistically created. Unfortunately, they are only bit characters in a scene most likely meant to titillate the reader into realizing the killing are continuing. It's too bad, as I thought the scene was exceptionally well done--yet as the dead character is a mere footnote to the larger story, it really had no plot significance. The most extensive non-Parker narrative was from someone recounting historical events, and it was one of the only times I found myself disengaging from the story. The text was entirely italicized, so it was also visually off-putting. It might have worked better for me had the viewpoint remained rooted in the present tense, with the narrator or Parker actively engaging. It just didn't flow as well for me. Come to think of it, it might have even worked as a flashback. Nonetheless, it remained an interesting sub-story that ended up explaining much.
"He stayed on the step until I reached the sidewalk, then he waved once and closed the door. I looked up at the window with the broken pane, but there was nobody there. That room was empty. Whatever remained there had no form; the ghost of the boy was inside me, where he had always been."
The horror-ish bits were bearable for me, and generally over quickly. There were some quiet, enjoyable but rather under-developed paranormal elements. It reminded me quite a bit of the early and grim episodes of the tv series Supernatural, including the hints at a larger agency/conspiracy. The climax was small letdown, as I expected more agency from Parker. His plan for the confrontation is kept from the reader until Parker the scene, and I thought it just a bit of a stylistic disappointment, an unimpressive surprise. Yet despite all these quibbles, it was a book that was difficult to put down. For book eight in a series, it was extremely readable and I don't think I lost much by my random pick-up point. I understand Parker has a bit of character growth through the series, so I think I'll go back and start with book one. But I guarantee I won't be reading before bedtime.
April 26, 2021
This addition to the Charlie Parker series was just outstanding!
The Lovers is the 8th book in the series and goes into the life and circumstances of Charlie’s parents and the actions his Dad commits on a dark and twisted night.
Honestly, I’m not sure how much to go into with this review. There’s too many spoilers, along with potentially ruining a new reader that decides to take on this series.
But here goes with some limited information!
The Lovers starts off with Charlie Parker not being in a good place. He’s working at a bar and has lost his private investigator license. Things are not going well in in his life and he’s got tons of questions.
One of those questions involves his Dad. He was a police officer for the NYPD and one night, his Dad kills two unarmed teenagers and then takes his own life.
This has haunted Charlie his whole life so he decides to jump into the mystery and uncover the why.
Besides this going down, Charlie has an investigative journalist, Mickey Wallace who’s on his tail. Mickey wants to write about Charlie’s life and all the cases he’s been involved in over the years. And Charlie wants nothing to do with Mickey!
The Lovers is such a great addition to the series.
It really gets into the backstory of Charlie and what I believe this whole series is going to be about.
And all I have to say about that is "Hello Darkness, My Old Friend!"
This series brings out lots of emotions and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next addition!
I’m so glad I finally started this series. It’s becoming a favorite and John Connolly has also become one of my favorite authors! His writing is descriptive, atmospheric and just damn good.
The Lovers is the 8th book in the series and goes into the life and circumstances of Charlie’s parents and the actions his Dad commits on a dark and twisted night.
Honestly, I’m not sure how much to go into with this review. There’s too many spoilers, along with potentially ruining a new reader that decides to take on this series.
But here goes with some limited information!
The Lovers starts off with Charlie Parker not being in a good place. He’s working at a bar and has lost his private investigator license. Things are not going well in in his life and he’s got tons of questions.
One of those questions involves his Dad. He was a police officer for the NYPD and one night, his Dad kills two unarmed teenagers and then takes his own life.
This has haunted Charlie his whole life so he decides to jump into the mystery and uncover the why.
Besides this going down, Charlie has an investigative journalist, Mickey Wallace who’s on his tail. Mickey wants to write about Charlie’s life and all the cases he’s been involved in over the years. And Charlie wants nothing to do with Mickey!
The Lovers is such a great addition to the series.
It really gets into the backstory of Charlie and what I believe this whole series is going to be about.
And all I have to say about that is "Hello Darkness, My Old Friend!"
This series brings out lots of emotions and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next addition!
I’m so glad I finally started this series. It’s becoming a favorite and John Connolly has also become one of my favorite authors! His writing is descriptive, atmospheric and just damn good.
January 12, 2012
Charlie Parker has lost his license and his gun as a private detective. With nothing to do, he decides to conduct his own investigation regarding his father’s suicide who shot himself after killing of a teenage couple, the lovers. We know that Parker’s wife and child were both murdered but for this book, he set this aside and concentrate on his father’s story. Since Charlie Parker was John Connolly’s creation, he latter can decide which part of this character’s life to tackle in which book in the series. This makes everything quite contrived in my opinion. It’s kind of funny too since I don’t believe in compartmentalized life. Still, I hope to complete reading this series since the time I read and liked The Unquiet last year.
Anyway, there is still this paranormal ingredient that makes John Connolly’s mystery-thriller books quite different from your usual fare. He is like Robert-Parker-meets-Stephen-King or Michael-Connolly-meets-Peter-Straubb kind of writer. Suspense Thriller and Gothic combined. He has this ability to scare a bit out of you when you thought that your heart should beat wildly only due to suspense for non-stop action like car chase or rapid shootings. Connolly also has that dramatic side, this being a story behind his father’s death, so almost everything is here except sex and romance. I still consider this a guy book, not that I am a sexist but I just personally belief that there are books written for each of the genders.
I was able to relate to this book by imagining that my now dead father, who was a policeman in his 20’s and 30’s, committed suicide instead of cancer (in his early 60’s). That’s kinda really a push because my father would not have done that since he had a strong faith in God and he loved life. But say, it did happened, how would I react? What if I did not know the reason like he did not give any hint or suicide note prior to him killing himself? Would I spend time to find out for myself? Ask his friends or our relatives who he talked to last? Of course! And that’s why helped me appreciate this book. Parker’s father was even more intriguing because he first killed two teenagers prior to shooting himself.
John Connolly did not go right away into the scene though. After establishing that fact (the suicide) on the first couple of pages, he then introduced two stories without revealing their connection to Parker’s father’s death. Then he slowly and intricately weaves the connection and in the end, and I hope this is already what happened, gave light to the reason for the suicide. Again, I hope this will not crop up again in the succeeding books.
Overall, still a good story for the whole series particularly to understand Charlie Parker as a character. Although of course the question is: what comes next? His mother’s what?
Anyway, there is still this paranormal ingredient that makes John Connolly’s mystery-thriller books quite different from your usual fare. He is like Robert-Parker-meets-Stephen-King or Michael-Connolly-meets-Peter-Straubb kind of writer. Suspense Thriller and Gothic combined. He has this ability to scare a bit out of you when you thought that your heart should beat wildly only due to suspense for non-stop action like car chase or rapid shootings. Connolly also has that dramatic side, this being a story behind his father’s death, so almost everything is here except sex and romance. I still consider this a guy book, not that I am a sexist but I just personally belief that there are books written for each of the genders.
I was able to relate to this book by imagining that my now dead father, who was a policeman in his 20’s and 30’s, committed suicide instead of cancer (in his early 60’s). That’s kinda really a push because my father would not have done that since he had a strong faith in God and he loved life. But say, it did happened, how would I react? What if I did not know the reason like he did not give any hint or suicide note prior to him killing himself? Would I spend time to find out for myself? Ask his friends or our relatives who he talked to last? Of course! And that’s why helped me appreciate this book. Parker’s father was even more intriguing because he first killed two teenagers prior to shooting himself.
John Connolly did not go right away into the scene though. After establishing that fact (the suicide) on the first couple of pages, he then introduced two stories without revealing their connection to Parker’s father’s death. Then he slowly and intricately weaves the connection and in the end, and I hope this is already what happened, gave light to the reason for the suicide. Again, I hope this will not crop up again in the succeeding books.
Overall, still a good story for the whole series particularly to understand Charlie Parker as a character. Although of course the question is: what comes next? His mother’s what?
June 1, 2025
I am the shadow cast by all that once was.
John Connolly writes with a skill and beauty that few other writers can aspire to, as much as I might enjoy their work. The closest comparison I can think of is first class vs private flying - they're both luxury, but private flying is luxury to the nth degree. And reading John Connolly's books is luxurious, even in the darkest places, and they're not afraid to take things to an existential level of dark.
This particular book stands alone if you pick up the series out of order, as they all do, but when adding in the lead-in of the rest of the series, the answers found here take on a level of depth that it would be a shame to miss out on. The focus last time may have been almost entirely off our central hero, but ir's made up for; our central story is no hunt for a killer of a client, but instead looks into Charlie's own honeycomb past. By no means is every dangling thread of the series tied up at the end, so there's plenty of room for more, but it is one of the most satisfying experiences I've had yet.
This was one of the first series that introduced me to detective fiction, and though it occupies a special place in my heart because of it, I believe it truly is exceptional. John Connolly has horrified me, has absolutely enchanted me with his writing, and has broken my heart in both large and small moments. And book after book, he only proves his strength as an author is increasing.
John Connolly writes with a skill and beauty that few other writers can aspire to, as much as I might enjoy their work. The closest comparison I can think of is first class vs private flying - they're both luxury, but private flying is luxury to the nth degree. And reading John Connolly's books is luxurious, even in the darkest places, and they're not afraid to take things to an existential level of dark.
This particular book stands alone if you pick up the series out of order, as they all do, but when adding in the lead-in of the rest of the series, the answers found here take on a level of depth that it would be a shame to miss out on. The focus last time may have been almost entirely off our central hero, but ir's made up for; our central story is no hunt for a killer of a client, but instead looks into Charlie's own honeycomb past. By no means is every dangling thread of the series tied up at the end, so there's plenty of room for more, but it is one of the most satisfying experiences I've had yet.
This was one of the first series that introduced me to detective fiction, and though it occupies a special place in my heart because of it, I believe it truly is exceptional. John Connolly has horrified me, has absolutely enchanted me with his writing, and has broken my heart in both large and small moments. And book after book, he only proves his strength as an author is increasing.
November 16, 2014
Another brilliant book from John Connolly. He writes so well. All of his characters are well rounded, his story is full of suspense and there is always that touch of the supernatural that makes everything just a little more exciting. This book is particularly interesting in that we are at number 8 in the series and we are only just discovering a lot of Charlie's back story. I raced to the end of this book and now cannot wait to move on with the series. The author is hinting at so much more to come.
December 3, 2019
So many good things about this book but hard to review without spoilers.
This was a real page-turner and besides giving me the creeps a few times, it also answered many questions I’ve had about Charlie Parker.
The more I find out, the more I want to know about my favorite anti-hero. With every installment, Parker is looking and acting more like a traditional hero— albeit one with interesting friends, secretive allies and gruesome enemies.
Can’t wait to see where the next book goes...
This was a real page-turner and besides giving me the creeps a few times, it also answered many questions I’ve had about Charlie Parker.
The more I find out, the more I want to know about my favorite anti-hero. With every installment, Parker is looking and acting more like a traditional hero— albeit one with interesting friends, secretive allies and gruesome enemies.
Can’t wait to see where the next book goes...
November 30, 2021
5 stars
I plan to reread this again. The more I learn about Charlie, the more I admire him. Charlie truly defines the old saying”Life is never as it seems….” He has his imperfections but who does not. When he discovered the truth with his parents, I just want to hug him. Charlie reminds me of many things but one is Robert Frost Poem, “The Road Not Taken”. I am looking forward to continue this series.
I plan to reread this again. The more I learn about Charlie, the more I admire him. Charlie truly defines the old saying”Life is never as it seems….” He has his imperfections but who does not. When he discovered the truth with his parents, I just want to hug him. Charlie reminds me of many things but one is Robert Frost Poem, “The Road Not Taken”. I am looking forward to continue this series.
June 3, 2018
Οι εραστές είναι αισίως το 8ο βιβλίο του Τζον Κόνολι με πρωταγωνιστή τον Τσάρλι Πάρκερ.
Στο αμέσως προηγούμενο (Οι θεριστές) είχα δηλώσει ότι “αναμένω στα επόμενα βιβλία της σειράς μια εκτίναξη σε γεγονότα και καταστάσεις του παρελθόντος που μοιάζουν να καραδοκούν για να αναβιώσουν”. Κατά μία έννοια η πρόβλεψη βγήκε σωστή. Για την ακρίβεια ο Κόνολι το πήγε από ακόμα παραπίσω αφού ο Τσάρλι Πάρκερ αποφασίζει να σκαλίσει ένα γεγονός που σημάδεψε ανεξίτηλα όλη του ζωή: αρχίζει και ψάχνει απαντήσεις γύρω από την αυτοκτονία του πατέρα του, η οποία είχε έρθει λίγες ώρες αφότου είχε σκοτώσει σε ένα μικρό στενάκι ένα νεαρό και ανυπεράσπιστο ζευγαράκι δίχως προφανή λόγο…
Το βιβλίο στην αρχή μου φάνηκε κάπως άνευρο. Άφηνε έτσι κι αλλιώς μια αναδρομική αίσθηση και λίγο πολ�� με έκανε να σκεφτώ ότι ο συγγραφέας ήθελε να δώσει ένα “ρεπό” στον Πάρκερ από τρέχουσες καταστάσεις για να χαλαρώσει κι άλλο την ασταμάτητη ροή των γεγονότων που γίνονταν στη ζωή του κι ότι γι’ αυτό και τον έβαλε να “σκαλίζει την προϊστορία του”.
Τελικά όμως μου την έφερε κανονικά!
Η αυτοκτονία του πατέρα του Πάρκερ αποδεικνύεται τελικά το γεγονός-ορόσημο για όλα όσα έχουμε διαβάσει μέχρι τώρα. Δένει γεγονότα από όλα σχεδόν τα βιβλία της σειράς και το κάνει –κατ’ εμέ– με ιδιαίτερη μαεστρία. (Σχεδόν) όλοι εκείνοι οι αλλόκοτοι άνθρωποι που βρέθηκαν στον δρόμο του Πάρκερ είχαν συγκεκριμένο λόγο ύπαρξης και κατά κάποιον τρόπο όλοι πήγαζαν από τον ίδιο σκοπό –ή έστω ο Πάρκερ τους “τραβούσε” για τον ίδιο λόγο.
Εδώ εκφράζω και μια απορία: αναρωτιέμαι αν ο Κόνολι είχε σκεφτεί εξαρχής να χρησιμοποιήσει την αυτοκτονία του πατέρα του Πάρκερ κατ’ αυτόν τον τρόπο ή αν η σκέψη τού ήρθε στην πορεία. Όποια και αν είναι η απάντηση, του βγάζω το καπέλο!
Στο μεγαλύτερο μέρος του βιβλίου (αν όχι σε όλο) η πλοκή είναι και πάλι γραμμική, αφήνοντας εκείνες τις αλυσιδωτές εξελίξεις που ο Κόνολι χρησιμοποιούσε κυρίως στα #2, #3 και #4. Στα δικά μου μάτια αυτό λειτούργησε κι εδώ πολύ καλά. Μετά τη σελίδα 100 περίπου, που άρχισα να καταλαβαίνω τι με περιμένει, το βιβλίο έγινε ξαφνικά εντελώς page turner και μου προσέφερε δύο απανωτά ξενύχτια για να το τελειώσω. Οι μόνοι που μου έλειψαν λίγο ήταν οι Λούις και Έιντζελ (νέα εκδίκηση του συγγραφέα για κάτι που δήλωσα στο βιβλίο #6 της σειράς), οι οποίοι εμφανίζονται σχεδόν ελάχιστα. Και με μια δεύτερη σκέψη, μου έλειψαν τελικά αρκετά και οι σούπερ-διασκεδαστικοί και “ωδή στην καρικατούρα” αδερφοί Φούλτσι. Αυτοί τουλάχιστον είναι έτσι κι αλλιώς κομπάρσοι της σειράς.
Άφησα για τελευταίο ένα ερώτημα που απασχολεί αρκετά τους φίλους της σειράς και έχει να κάνει με το “ποσοστό μεταφυσικού” που υπάρχει στο βιβλίο. Εδώ λοιπόν, το στοιχείο αυτό ήταν σαφώς πιο έντονο σε σχέση με τα αμέσως προηγούμενα βιβλία. Περίμενα ότι αυτό θα με ξένιζε (έχω δηλώσει ότι προτιμώ τη σειρά με ένα ποσοστό 80/20 μεταξύ αστυνομικού/υπερφυσικού) αλλά δεν το έκανε καθόλου, ίσως επειδή επιχειρείται και μια “απόλυτη εκλογίκευση” μέσα από συγγράμματα που θα μπορούσαν να έχουν περισωθεί από πολύ παλιά. Ίσως πάλι να έγινε επειδή έχω εξοικειωθεί απόλυτα με τον συγγραφέα.
Αν παρ’ όλα αυτά δεν νιώσετε την ανάγκη να γυρνάτε τις σελίδες που ένιωσα εγώ, όλα τα παραπάνω μπορεί να λειτουργήσουν και αντίστροφα. Πιστεύω όμως ότι θα τη νιώσετε!
Στο αμέσως προηγούμενο (Οι θεριστές) είχα δηλώσει ότι “αναμένω στα επόμενα βιβλία της σειράς μια εκτίναξη σε γεγονότα και καταστάσεις του παρελθόντος που μοιάζουν να καραδοκούν για να αναβιώσουν”. Κατά μία έννοια η πρόβλεψη βγήκε σωστή. Για την ακρίβεια ο Κόνολι το πήγε από ακόμα παραπίσω αφού ο Τσάρλι Πάρκερ αποφασίζει να σκαλίσει ένα γεγονός που σημάδεψε ανεξίτηλα όλη του ζωή: αρχίζει και ψάχνει απαντήσεις γύρω από την αυτοκτονία του πατέρα του, η οποία είχε έρθει λίγες ώρες αφότου είχε σκοτώσει σε ένα μικρό στενάκι ένα νεαρό και ανυπεράσπιστο ζευγαράκι δίχως προφανή λόγο…
Το βιβλίο στην αρχή μου φάνηκε κάπως άνευρο. Άφηνε έτσι κι αλλιώς μια αναδρομική αίσθηση και λίγο πολ�� με έκανε να σκεφτώ ότι ο συγγραφέας ήθελε να δώσει ένα “ρεπό” στον Πάρκερ από τρέχουσες καταστάσεις για να χαλαρώσει κι άλλο την ασταμάτητη ροή των γεγονότων που γίνονταν στη ζωή του κι ότι γι’ αυτό και τον έβαλε να “σκαλίζει την προϊστορία του”.
Τελικά όμως μου την έφερε κανονικά!
Η αυτοκτονία του πατέρα του Πάρκερ αποδεικνύεται τελικά το γεγονός-ορόσημο για όλα όσα έχουμε διαβάσει μέχρι τώρα. Δένει γεγονότα από όλα σχεδόν τα βιβλία της σειράς και το κάνει –κατ’ εμέ– με ιδιαίτερη μαεστρία. (Σχεδόν) όλοι εκείνοι οι αλλόκοτοι άνθρωποι που βρέθηκαν στον δρόμο του Πάρκερ είχαν συγκεκριμένο λόγο ύπαρξης και κατά κάποιον τρόπο όλοι πήγαζαν από τον ίδιο σκοπό –ή έστω ο Πάρκερ τους “τραβούσε” για τον ίδιο λόγο.
Εδώ εκφράζω και μια απορία: αναρωτιέμαι αν ο Κόνολι είχε σκεφτεί εξαρχής να χρησιμοποιήσει την αυτοκτονία του πατέρα του Πάρκερ κατ’ αυτόν τον τρόπο ή αν η σκέψη τού ήρθε στην πορεία. Όποια και αν είναι η απάντηση, του βγάζω το καπέλο!
Στο μεγαλύτερο μέρος του βιβλίου (αν όχι σε όλο) η πλοκή είναι και πάλι γραμμική, αφήνοντας εκείνες τις αλυσιδωτές εξελίξεις που ο Κόνολι χρησιμοποιούσε κυρίως στα #2, #3 και #4. Στα δικά μου μάτια αυτό λειτούργησε κι εδώ πολύ καλά. Μετά τη σελίδα 100 περίπου, που άρχισα να καταλαβαίνω τι με περιμένει, το βιβλίο έγινε ξαφνικά εντελώς page turner και μου προσέφερε δύο απανωτά ξενύχτια για να το τελειώσω. Οι μόνοι που μου έλειψαν λίγο ήταν οι Λούις και Έιντζελ (νέα εκδίκηση του συγγραφέα για κάτι που δήλωσα στο βιβλίο #6 της σειράς), οι οποίοι εμφανίζονται σχεδόν ελάχιστα. Και με μια δεύτερη σκέψη, μου έλειψαν τελικά αρκετά και οι σούπερ-διασκεδαστικοί και “ωδή στην καρικατούρα” αδερφοί Φούλτσι. Αυτοί τουλάχιστον είναι έτσι κι αλλιώς κομπάρσοι της σειράς.
Άφησα για τελευταίο ένα ερώτημα που απασχολεί αρκετά τους φίλους της σειράς και έχει να κάνει με το “ποσοστό μεταφυσικού” που υπάρχει στο βιβλίο. Εδώ λοιπόν, το στοιχείο αυτό ήταν σαφώς πιο έντονο σε σχέση με τα αμέσως προηγούμενα βιβλία. Περίμενα ότι αυτό θα με ξένιζε (έχω δηλώσει ότι προτιμώ τη σειρά με ένα ποσοστό 80/20 μεταξύ αστυνομικού/υπερφυσικού) αλλά δεν το έκανε καθόλου, ίσως επειδή επιχειρείται και μια “απόλυτη εκλογίκευση” μέσα από συγγράμματα που θα μπορούσαν να έχουν περισωθεί από πολύ παλιά. Ίσως πάλι να έγινε επειδή έχω εξοικειωθεί απόλυτα με τον συγγραφέα.
Αν παρ’ όλα αυτά δεν νιώσετε την ανάγκη να γυρνάτε τις σελίδες που ένιωσα εγώ, όλα τα παραπάνω μπορεί να λειτουργήσουν και αντίστροφα. Πιστεύω όμως ότι θα τη νιώσετε!
April 24, 2021
My favorite installment yet in the series! This book really starts to get us to the heart of what is going on with our main character. The past is filled in, and we learn so much about the big picture. That's not to say that there aren't still lots of questions I'm asking or wondering. There are a lot more things we need to learn, and I hope the continuing books give us answers!
One of the things about this series, and Mr. Connolly's telling of this tale is the emotional impact that it has. Each book, while having dark themes, plays on all kinds of different emotional heartstrings. My comment to my buddy reading friends during this read was that I didn't know from one minute to the next how I was going to feel. It really creates an edge-of-the seat experience. This particular book was very well done from this aspect.
And these characters, I love them all!
Great book, 5/5 stars all the way!
One of the things about this series, and Mr. Connolly's telling of this tale is the emotional impact that it has. Each book, while having dark themes, plays on all kinds of different emotional heartstrings. My comment to my buddy reading friends during this read was that I didn't know from one minute to the next how I was going to feel. It really creates an edge-of-the seat experience. This particular book was very well done from this aspect.
And these characters, I love them all!
Great book, 5/5 stars all the way!
October 31, 2021
Excellently written, as always. This feels like an essential part of the Charlie Parker mythos. Charlie digs into his own, and his parents’ past, finding some answers but also raising many more questions. A story of ghosts and demons, this instalment recaptures some of the supernatural darkness and menace of The Black Angel, which remains my favourite book in the series so far.
June 29, 2012
The Lovers starts of with a quest of the bar-manager Charlie Parker, he has lost his PI license, for answers on a question about his father. Why did he go out and execute a young couple and then commit suicide after that. Charlie will get some answers in this book that push the story of his life from a thriller aspect into the supernatural. Having read the previous 7 books this book ais a welcome gift by the writer. We get quite some explanations with Charlie even on matters where he did not expect to get some answers. In essence this book could finish the series easily.
This book should be read last in the series of 8, and then you'll find a reward well earned for sticking with this character (which in itself is not a difficult feat). A well written book that delivers satisfactory answers and does so in well-penned prose and the creativity behind those well chosen words is so visible. As a last book in a series very well worked out.
However after this the tale of Charlie Parker continues. That is the even better news.
This book should be read last in the series of 8, and then you'll find a reward well earned for sticking with this character (which in itself is not a difficult feat). A well written book that delivers satisfactory answers and does so in well-penned prose and the creativity behind those well chosen words is so visible. As a last book in a series very well worked out.
However after this the tale of Charlie Parker continues. That is the even better news.
October 24, 2024
It's getting difficult keeping track of my favorite mystery authors. It changes from week to week. While I love discovering new authors, there are a bevy of authors I will continuously go back to, like close friends or security blankets. One week it may be Lee Child, another week it may be Michael Connelly, another week James Lee Burke. One author I have discovered that offers, without fail, beautiful writing and edge-of-the-seat thrills (two things that rarely come together in the mystery genre) is John Connolly.
Connolly's recurring protagonist is a private detective named Charlie Parker. Like the best literary p.i.s, Parker has a lot of baggage. A recovering alcoholic, Parker has had to endure the brutal murder of his wife and daughter. He subsequently hunted down and killed their killer---the serial killer known as the Traveling Man---but vengeance brought very little relief. It did, however, bring him the ability to see the world differently, a "gift" that he neither wants nor relishes. Because, unlike other literary private eyes, the demons that plague Parker's life aren't always just psychological. He is actually plagued with very real, literal demons. The kind from Hell. Or, in some cases, Heaven. These creatures walk among us, and they are not easy to kill. In fact, they are actually unkillable, because they are technically immortal. Their human forms can be stopped, but they have the supernatural ability to return, years later, in other forms.
Parker's life and history has always been shrouded in mystery and darkness, starting with his birth. In "The Lovers", Connolly's eighth book to feature Parker, the haunted detective learns more about his family background, starting with why his father, an NYPD veteran, pulled over a car with a teenaged couple, shot both of them in the head, and then later shot himself. It's a mystery that has always haunted him and the NYPD, as Will Parker was always, up until that night, a cop known for his integrity.
Parker, whose Maine P.I. license has been taken away pending an investigation, has been working as a bartender. It's a boring job, serving drinks to alcoholics and loud men, but it has given him plenty of time to think. He decides to travel to New York to personally investigate what happened that night between his father and those two teenagers.
What he discovers, of course, leads him to the circumstances surrounding his own birth: were his parents his real parents? If not, who are his real parents? Why has Parker always been a barometer for the strange and supernatural?
Gradually, the answers to these questions begin to unfold, each one offering less solace and more confusion. Adding to the confusion is the reappearance of Rabbi Epstein, an expert on demonology that Parker has reluctantly worked with in the past and whose presence is never a good sign, and the annoying hovering presence of Mickey Wallace, a true-crime author who wants to write a book about Parker and is surprised that no one has ever tried.
Things go south very quickly, as is par for the course for Parker, and he is soon having to race against time (and Heaven and Hell) to save himself, his loved ones, and the good reputations of his parents.
Another phenomenal winner from Connolly...
Connolly's recurring protagonist is a private detective named Charlie Parker. Like the best literary p.i.s, Parker has a lot of baggage. A recovering alcoholic, Parker has had to endure the brutal murder of his wife and daughter. He subsequently hunted down and killed their killer---the serial killer known as the Traveling Man---but vengeance brought very little relief. It did, however, bring him the ability to see the world differently, a "gift" that he neither wants nor relishes. Because, unlike other literary private eyes, the demons that plague Parker's life aren't always just psychological. He is actually plagued with very real, literal demons. The kind from Hell. Or, in some cases, Heaven. These creatures walk among us, and they are not easy to kill. In fact, they are actually unkillable, because they are technically immortal. Their human forms can be stopped, but they have the supernatural ability to return, years later, in other forms.
Parker's life and history has always been shrouded in mystery and darkness, starting with his birth. In "The Lovers", Connolly's eighth book to feature Parker, the haunted detective learns more about his family background, starting with why his father, an NYPD veteran, pulled over a car with a teenaged couple, shot both of them in the head, and then later shot himself. It's a mystery that has always haunted him and the NYPD, as Will Parker was always, up until that night, a cop known for his integrity.
Parker, whose Maine P.I. license has been taken away pending an investigation, has been working as a bartender. It's a boring job, serving drinks to alcoholics and loud men, but it has given him plenty of time to think. He decides to travel to New York to personally investigate what happened that night between his father and those two teenagers.
What he discovers, of course, leads him to the circumstances surrounding his own birth: were his parents his real parents? If not, who are his real parents? Why has Parker always been a barometer for the strange and supernatural?
Gradually, the answers to these questions begin to unfold, each one offering less solace and more confusion. Adding to the confusion is the reappearance of Rabbi Epstein, an expert on demonology that Parker has reluctantly worked with in the past and whose presence is never a good sign, and the annoying hovering presence of Mickey Wallace, a true-crime author who wants to write a book about Parker and is surprised that no one has ever tried.
Things go south very quickly, as is par for the course for Parker, and he is soon having to race against time (and Heaven and Hell) to save himself, his loved ones, and the good reputations of his parents.
Another phenomenal winner from Connolly...
April 27, 2016
Λαδι πολυ και τηγανιτα τιποτα!!!!!!
May 21, 2013
The Lovers progresses the Charlie Parker character in a way that has not been done since The White Road. In his last two outings, excluding The Reapers, we’ve been given small advancements here and there in Parker’s fledgling relationship and his continued haunting by his deceased wife and child – but nothing major.
In the final pages of The Unquiet’s superb ending, Connolly alludes to something being covered up in Charlie’s childhood. One of Parker’s more recent associates (The Collector), who lightly dances on the line of good and evil, hints at Parker’s lineage. The circumstances surrounding his father’s death have never really been explained or investigated in the Parker series until now. The Lovers dives deep into Parker’s history and subsequently throws the entire series upside down establishing the foundation of why Parker is who he is. Forcing the reader to jump back and forth from the present to the past, we come to realize that Parker will be forever surrounded by evil.
It might seem like I’m telling you that Connolly reveals all, but truly he knows better. Why spoil the fun? Clearly he has ambitious hopes for the character as he continues to write more and more novels. He’s careful to leave just enough out to keep us all interested.
I blew through this book rather quickly. Not quite as swiftly as The Reapers but it was pretty enthralling. As with every Parker book, it’s really hard to maintain an opinion that this is fantastic from start to finish as he usually bogs down in character development; which has its advantages but on some occasions can feel tiresome. That being said, on a good note, the flashback scenes and the character histories are a little lighter.
I was a little disappointed in the fact that Louis and Angel are rarely in this one. However, as having just starred in their first stand alone novel, Connolly seemed to feel that he could keep them at bay as this was a case strictly to do with Parker and his family. I was a little wary at first but it all worked out for the best. Parker’s estranged girlfriend and daughter are kept at a minimum, only surfacing once or twice to continue an acknowledgment of their existence. Basically, they seem to be there so Parker can get rid of his dog.
All in all, while not as good as The Reapers, it’s still a solid entry that I enjoyed more than The Black Angel and The Unquiet. I may have had some critical things to say about The Lovers but my Connolly fandom will always shine through. Maybe I’m just analyzing a little closer than I’m used to due to my overwhelming appreciation for the series.
In the final pages of The Unquiet’s superb ending, Connolly alludes to something being covered up in Charlie’s childhood. One of Parker’s more recent associates (The Collector), who lightly dances on the line of good and evil, hints at Parker’s lineage. The circumstances surrounding his father’s death have never really been explained or investigated in the Parker series until now. The Lovers dives deep into Parker’s history and subsequently throws the entire series upside down establishing the foundation of why Parker is who he is. Forcing the reader to jump back and forth from the present to the past, we come to realize that Parker will be forever surrounded by evil.
It might seem like I’m telling you that Connolly reveals all, but truly he knows better. Why spoil the fun? Clearly he has ambitious hopes for the character as he continues to write more and more novels. He’s careful to leave just enough out to keep us all interested.
I blew through this book rather quickly. Not quite as swiftly as The Reapers but it was pretty enthralling. As with every Parker book, it’s really hard to maintain an opinion that this is fantastic from start to finish as he usually bogs down in character development; which has its advantages but on some occasions can feel tiresome. That being said, on a good note, the flashback scenes and the character histories are a little lighter.
I was a little disappointed in the fact that Louis and Angel are rarely in this one. However, as having just starred in their first stand alone novel, Connolly seemed to feel that he could keep them at bay as this was a case strictly to do with Parker and his family. I was a little wary at first but it all worked out for the best. Parker’s estranged girlfriend and daughter are kept at a minimum, only surfacing once or twice to continue an acknowledgment of their existence. Basically, they seem to be there so Parker can get rid of his dog.
All in all, while not as good as The Reapers, it’s still a solid entry that I enjoyed more than The Black Angel and The Unquiet. I may have had some critical things to say about The Lovers but my Connolly fandom will always shine through. Maybe I’m just analyzing a little closer than I’m used to due to my overwhelming appreciation for the series.
February 10, 2024
В тази част от сагата за Чарли Паркър, той разследва собственото си минало.
Обстоятелст��ата около раждането си, защо баща му убива двама тийнейджъри и се самоубива?
Оказва се, че Злото го е белязало още преди рождението му и е предопределено двубой да има, колкото и неравностоен да е той. Изяснва се и част от мистерията около тайнствения Пети отдел.
Конъли определено знае как да напипа мрачното и да го накара да оживее.
Обстоятелст��ата около раждането си, защо баща му убива двама тийнейджъри и се самоубива?
Оказва се, че Злото го е белязало още преди рождението му и е предопределено двубой да има, колкото и неравностоен да е той. Изяснва се и част от мистерията около тайнствения Пети отдел.
Конъли определено знае как да напипа мрачното и да го накара да оживее.
March 7, 2019
One of my favourites of the series so far. The supernatural elements that have featured in previous books really comes to the fore in The Lovers ,with great effect. If you haven't already started reading about Charlie Parker then you need to start. You're seriously missing out ! Poetic ,literate and chilling ; John Connollys' writing is of an exceptional high standard. A must read.
November 13, 2013
Its a shame that the first half of this novel is so long and gruesome. But I suppose some was needed to reach the second half which was better paced. 7 of 10 stars
August 3, 2020
Not a lot to say except this is ridiculously good. We get to find out about Charlie's mother and father, and about two mysterious beings that seem hell-bent on killing him. We also get the return of "The Collector". I don't want to give a lot of spoilers here, but it's definitely a fantastic book that gets back the rhythm that the series needed when it comes to Charlie.
Charlie is now working as a bartender after his PI license is pulled. Due to that he has time to think on things that were revealed to him in "The Unquiet." Charlie decides that if he can't help out others, he will investigate his family and find out why his father murdered two teenagers decades ago. Doing this leads Charlie back to many familiar characters and you get to see the strings that have been pulling Charlie along since before he was born.
This book deals even more in the supernatural and the weird and makes you wonder about who or what Charlie could be. There's also a reporter that is hell-bent on doing an unauthorized story about Charlie who gets involved in things that are better left undisturbed.
There's a lot of twists in this one and the reveal towards the end made my jaw drop. This was very well done and there's not much more to say.
I love in the end though that the powers that be allow Charlie to get back to doing what he is great at, luring evil doers to reveal themselves so they can be dealt with.
Charlie is now working as a bartender after his PI license is pulled. Due to that he has time to think on things that were revealed to him in "The Unquiet." Charlie decides that if he can't help out others, he will investigate his family and find out why his father murdered two teenagers decades ago. Doing this leads Charlie back to many familiar characters and you get to see the strings that have been pulling Charlie along since before he was born.
This book deals even more in the supernatural and the weird and makes you wonder about who or what Charlie could be. There's also a reporter that is hell-bent on doing an unauthorized story about Charlie who gets involved in things that are better left undisturbed.
There's a lot of twists in this one and the reveal towards the end made my jaw drop. This was very well done and there's not much more to say.
I love in the end though that the powers that be allow Charlie to get back to doing what he is great at, luring evil doers to reveal themselves so they can be dealt with.
June 15, 2021
'In the end, as is so often the case, there is nothing stranger than reality.'
Another fantastic book in the Charlie Parker series. Angel and Louis are not involved as much, as loved as they are, it still did not take any greatness away from this superb thriller.
I loved delving into Parkers past and found myself fully appreciating how everything was set in motion right from the start to all come perfectly together, 8 books down the road! There are some great creepy ghostly moments and the webbed world is definitely unfolding even more!
I have absolutely no idea where these Parker series will go but thats what I love about them. They are so different from anything Iv read before and by the end of each book Connolly succeeds in surrounding me in Parkers darkness, giving me just enough light to learn a little more of what is to come whilst still managing to leave me completely blank in just where the hell its all going to go next! My favourite kind of ride!
Another fantastic book in the Charlie Parker series. Angel and Louis are not involved as much, as loved as they are, it still did not take any greatness away from this superb thriller.
I loved delving into Parkers past and found myself fully appreciating how everything was set in motion right from the start to all come perfectly together, 8 books down the road! There are some great creepy ghostly moments and the webbed world is definitely unfolding even more!
I have absolutely no idea where these Parker series will go but thats what I love about them. They are so different from anything Iv read before and by the end of each book Connolly succeeds in surrounding me in Parkers darkness, giving me just enough light to learn a little more of what is to come whilst still managing to leave me completely blank in just where the hell its all going to go next! My favourite kind of ride!
June 26, 2024
"I learned something that day: there may be worse things than arriving somewhere with your dog and leaving without him, but there aren’t many."
Charlie Parker 8. A trip into Charlie's past to find out what really happened before his father took his own life and he is about to find out more than he bargained for.
These books just get better and better. This one perhaps not as violent as the last one but equally as terrifying. Darkness tinged with the paranormal, and don't worry, the dog is fine.
Charlie Parker 8. A trip into Charlie's past to find out what really happened before his father took his own life and he is about to find out more than he bargained for.
These books just get better and better. This one perhaps not as violent as the last one but equally as terrifying. Darkness tinged with the paranormal, and don't worry, the dog is fine.
February 24, 2013
John Connolly es un escritor de novela negra atípico. Se atrevió a hacer algo que a otros escritores dentro del género consideran un sacrilegio: mezclar novela negra con fenómenos paranormales. Personalmente, creo que ha revolucionado el género. Su personaje, Charlie "Bird" Parker, es un detective que quedó marcado tras un hecho atroz: la tortura y asesinato de su mujer y su hija. Estaba tan unido a ellas y su afán de venganza era tan grande, que al no querer abandonar su recuerdo, sus espíritus han seguido junto a él. No es que sea médium ni nada parecido, pero es capaz de sentir la oscuridad que rodea las muertes violentas. Y es que parece que el mal persigue a Parker, que los casos más escalofriantes le estén predestinados. Pero Parker no está solo en esta cruzada contra el mal. Le acompañan Louis, asesino profesional, y Ángel, ladrón, dos de los personajes más atípicos que uno se pueda encontrar en la novela negra. Connolly se atrevió también a introducir la homosexualidad en un género típicamente masculino. Y es que Ángel y Louis son gays, pero nadie lo diría porque, aparentemente, no tienen nada en común.
Con estos antecedentes, vayamos con 'Los amantes', octava entrega de Charlie Parker. En ella nos encontramos con un Parker al que se le ha retirado provisionalmente la licencia de detective. Ahora trabaja de encargado en un bar y ha decidido dedicar un tiempo a investigar su pasado. Cuando tenía 16 años, su padre, policía de Nueva York, mató sin motivo aparente a dos jóvenes, una chica y un chico, y posteriormente se suicidó. Parker quiere saber la verdad, aunque venga acompañada de algo que no le guste. Al mismo tiempo, están apareciendo cuerpos con unas extrañas marcas en la piel.
Connolly escribe como los ángeles. Su prosa es tan rica y descriptiva que disfruto enormemente. Es capaz de describir las escenas más truculentas de la manera más lírica. El punto fuerte de Connolly es la atmósfera de misterio y oscuridad que logra crear, sin abandonar las claves del género negro.
Sus libros son maravillosos. Tal vez no sea muy objetivo, ya que soy un fan de Connolly, pero ahí están sus libros para corroborarlo.
Con estos antecedentes, vayamos con 'Los amantes', octava entrega de Charlie Parker. En ella nos encontramos con un Parker al que se le ha retirado provisionalmente la licencia de detective. Ahora trabaja de encargado en un bar y ha decidido dedicar un tiempo a investigar su pasado. Cuando tenía 16 años, su padre, policía de Nueva York, mató sin motivo aparente a dos jóvenes, una chica y un chico, y posteriormente se suicidó. Parker quiere saber la verdad, aunque venga acompañada de algo que no le guste. Al mismo tiempo, están apareciendo cuerpos con unas extrañas marcas en la piel.
Connolly escribe como los ángeles. Su prosa es tan rica y descriptiva que disfruto enormemente. Es capaz de describir las escenas más truculentas de la manera más lírica. El punto fuerte de Connolly es la atmósfera de misterio y oscuridad que logra crear, sin abandonar las claves del género negro.
Sus libros son maravillosos. Tal vez no sea muy objetivo, ya que soy un fan de Connolly, pero ahí están sus libros para corroborarlo.
August 27, 2012
How can you tell a great writer? When he can basically present in book eight of a series 400 plus pages of back story and keep it thrilling.
The top advice given to writers is start with the action; avoid the exposition like the kiss of death. But yet Connolly manages to prove there is always an exception to every rule. His private detective Charlie Parker has always been an interesting character with a much storied past, but there are even parts of if it he was unsure of. With that premise the author threshes out the character of Parker more fully than ever before and we the audience gets to experience it with him. He didn’t even need to resort to using his best supporting characters Louis and Angel except in minor roles.
In all the Charlie Parker books there is a hint of the supernatural, a whisper of something more is going on than just bad luck. Forces that he doesn’t quite understand, and maybe not even fully believe in are at work behind the scenes of his life. With the Lovers we delve into the origin story of these rumors and confirm that there is more to him than what appears. While brilliantly not revealing his whole hand, Connolly manages to whet the appetite of his fans, to leave them begging for more.
When reading these books I am left with the desire to know more about these ancient people and their stories. Who were the Sumerians? What are the lost angels? He tells just enough to start the fire of the reader’s curiosity, all while interlacing it around a solid mystery and a flawed but likable lead character. And what first drew me to Connolly is the skill and time he spends even on the most minor of characters, each one seemingly possessing a personality and story worthy of several books of their own.
Read The Lovers if you want a master class of how to do exposition correctly, and read John Connolly if you want to understand character development. He is one of the best pure writers in the mystery genre today.
The top advice given to writers is start with the action; avoid the exposition like the kiss of death. But yet Connolly manages to prove there is always an exception to every rule. His private detective Charlie Parker has always been an interesting character with a much storied past, but there are even parts of if it he was unsure of. With that premise the author threshes out the character of Parker more fully than ever before and we the audience gets to experience it with him. He didn’t even need to resort to using his best supporting characters Louis and Angel except in minor roles.
In all the Charlie Parker books there is a hint of the supernatural, a whisper of something more is going on than just bad luck. Forces that he doesn’t quite understand, and maybe not even fully believe in are at work behind the scenes of his life. With the Lovers we delve into the origin story of these rumors and confirm that there is more to him than what appears. While brilliantly not revealing his whole hand, Connolly manages to whet the appetite of his fans, to leave them begging for more.
When reading these books I am left with the desire to know more about these ancient people and their stories. Who were the Sumerians? What are the lost angels? He tells just enough to start the fire of the reader’s curiosity, all while interlacing it around a solid mystery and a flawed but likable lead character. And what first drew me to Connolly is the skill and time he spends even on the most minor of characters, each one seemingly possessing a personality and story worthy of several books of their own.
Read The Lovers if you want a master class of how to do exposition correctly, and read John Connolly if you want to understand character development. He is one of the best pure writers in the mystery genre today.
November 19, 2014
It’s been close to five years since I last touched on John Connolly’s Charlie Parker series and now after rereading The Lovers, I am most definitely kicking myself for forgetting, and diversifying from one of my favourite authors and series of books.
The Lovers sees Charlie working in a bar after having his PI license revoked, he decides to investigate the haunting suicide of his father an NYPD cop who shot an unarmed couple and followed it up by killing himself.
He also has a reporter who is determined to write a book about the traumatic events that have occurred during his life and his apparent role as an avenging angel, and also a spate of unexplained killings.
The Lovers is the intensely personnel story of Charlie Parker’s family, demons from the past and hints at what lies behind him, what lies in his future and the unseen network looking out for him from the shadows. One of the stand out moments of this book is the conversation between Charlie and his fathers close friend and ex-partner Jimmy Gallagher, where the staggering truth is laid bare and ghosts from the past return.
The supernatural elements and the darkness contained in these stories are what first attracted me to the darker side of fiction and I have John Connolly to thank for that and some of the outstanding reading experiences to date.
Highly Recommended.
The Lovers sees Charlie working in a bar after having his PI license revoked, he decides to investigate the haunting suicide of his father an NYPD cop who shot an unarmed couple and followed it up by killing himself.
He also has a reporter who is determined to write a book about the traumatic events that have occurred during his life and his apparent role as an avenging angel, and also a spate of unexplained killings.
The Lovers is the intensely personnel story of Charlie Parker’s family, demons from the past and hints at what lies behind him, what lies in his future and the unseen network looking out for him from the shadows. One of the stand out moments of this book is the conversation between Charlie and his fathers close friend and ex-partner Jimmy Gallagher, where the staggering truth is laid bare and ghosts from the past return.
The supernatural elements and the darkness contained in these stories are what first attracted me to the darker side of fiction and I have John Connolly to thank for that and some of the outstanding reading experiences to date.
Highly Recommended.
August 13, 2021
This is now the fifth straight book I've read in the Parker series and I'm enjoying these books immensely. I'll probably take a break from the series now (since I don't have book 9) but I'm sure I will continue with them in the near future.
This one has Charlie working in a bar in Maine after losing his PI license. He then decides to try to find out what really happened when his father, who was a police officer, seemed to have killed two young teenagers, a boy and a girl, who were unarmed. His father then killed himself shortly thereafter leaving young Charlie with his mother who decides to move them to Maine to live with Charlie's grandfather. The trail to finding out what exactly happened leads Charlie to his father's former partner and another former police officer. It appears that some unknown entities are after Charlie but for what reason and will they be able to be stopped?
This was really another suspenseful outing in the series which delved deep into Charlie's background and some of the reasons for the supernatural encounters that he has had along the way. Charlie's protectors Angel and Louis only make a brief appearance in this one but the storyline was still very compelling and I'll be looking forward to reading the rest of the series...I think I have 12 more to go. Should keep me occupied for some time!
This one has Charlie working in a bar in Maine after losing his PI license. He then decides to try to find out what really happened when his father, who was a police officer, seemed to have killed two young teenagers, a boy and a girl, who were unarmed. His father then killed himself shortly thereafter leaving young Charlie with his mother who decides to move them to Maine to live with Charlie's grandfather. The trail to finding out what exactly happened leads Charlie to his father's former partner and another former police officer. It appears that some unknown entities are after Charlie but for what reason and will they be able to be stopped?
This was really another suspenseful outing in the series which delved deep into Charlie's background and some of the reasons for the supernatural encounters that he has had along the way. Charlie's protectors Angel and Louis only make a brief appearance in this one but the storyline was still very compelling and I'll be looking forward to reading the rest of the series...I think I have 12 more to go. Should keep me occupied for some time!
December 8, 2016
Gostei muito deste detetive.
Soou-me a pessoa real, com todos os seus defeitos e tragédias pessoais.
Ao longo do livro foi por demais evidente que devia ter iniciado pelo primeiro volume da série. As referências a outros livros/ casos / acontecimentos anteriores foram muitos e frequentes, existindo vários spoilers.
É uma pena que as editoras portuguesas continuem a não entenderem isto e não publicam as séries desde o primeiro volume.
Este livro foca-se mais na descoberta de mais um pedaço do passado de Charlie Parker, o nosso protagonista. Estava tão interessante e envolvente, mas a inclusão de elementos sobrenaturais soaram-me a "solução forçada" por parte do autor para resolver este imbróglio.
Às vezes resulta. Outras vezes não.
Para mim, os elementos sobrenaturais estragaram-me o prazer que estava a ter com esta leitura.
E um livro que parecia ser excecional tornou-se mediano.
Até qualquer dia Charlie Parker. Charlie e a sua frase de eleição: "Com amigos destes... serão necessários uns inimigos a condizer."
Soou-me a pessoa real, com todos os seus defeitos e tragédias pessoais.
Ao longo do livro foi por demais evidente que devia ter iniciado pelo primeiro volume da série. As referências a outros livros/ casos / acontecimentos anteriores foram muitos e frequentes, existindo vários spoilers.
É uma pena que as editoras portuguesas continuem a não entenderem isto e não publicam as séries desde o primeiro volume.
Este livro foca-se mais na descoberta de mais um pedaço do passado de Charlie Parker, o nosso protagonista. Estava tão interessante e envolvente, mas a inclusão de elementos sobrenaturais soaram-me a "solução forçada" por parte do autor para resolver este imbróglio.
Às vezes resulta. Outras vezes não.
Para mim, os elementos sobrenaturais estragaram-me o prazer que estava a ter com esta leitura.
E um livro que parecia ser excecional tornou-se mediano.
Até qualquer dia Charlie Parker. Charlie e a sua frase de eleição: "Com amigos destes... serão necessários uns inimigos a condizer."
July 16, 2018
Δεν ξέρω πότε θα σταματήσει ��α με εκπλήσσει το γεγονός ότι ο John Connolly γράφει εξαιρετικά βιβλία! Το όγδοο βιβλίο της σειράς με ήρωα τον Τσάρλι Πάρκερ, είναι μία βουτιά στο παρελθόν της οικογένειάς του, απαραίτητη για τον ίδιο, ώστε να καταφέρει να κατανοήσει το παρόν αλλά και για να ξέρει τι του επιφυλάσσει το μέλλον.
Σκοτεινό και ατμοσφαιρικό, είναι ένα από τα πιο έντονα βιβλία της σειράς, αφού δίνει πολλές απαντήσεις. Το ταλέντο του συγγραφέα φαίνεται από το ότι έχει δέσει με αριστοτεχνικό τρόπο την ιστορία και κρατάει αμείωτο το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη.
Οφείλω όμως να παραδεχτώ, πως μου έλειψε ο Λούις και ο Έιντζελ, αφού εμφανίζονται για πολύ λίγο, καθώς και οι αδελφοί Φούλτσι. Ελπίζω σε συχνότερη παρουσία στη συνέχεια!
Σκοτεινό και ατμοσφαιρικό, είναι ένα από τα πιο έντονα βιβλία της σειράς, αφού δίνει πολλές απαντήσεις. Το ταλέντο του συγγραφέα φαίνεται από το ότι έχει δέσει με αριστοτεχνικό τρόπο την ιστορία και κρατάει αμείωτο το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη.
Οφείλω όμως να παραδεχτώ, πως μου έλειψε ο Λούις και ο Έιντζελ, αφού εμφανίζονται για πολύ λίγο, καθώς και οι αδελφοί Φούλτσι. Ελπίζω σε συχνότερη παρουσία στη συνέχεια!
January 7, 2016
‘The Lovers’, book 8 about the violent life and spooky times of Charlie Parker, ex-detective, continues with several ongoing series-specific cosmological mysteries. This novel is not a stand-alone read, which is true of all of the books I have read in the series so far in my opinion. The previous book and this one are driven by main-character backstory flashbacks and narrative histories filling in blanks from the previous novels.
I found ‘The Lovers’ satisfying because it explains a little bit why Parker is at the center of a variety of dark murderous conspiracies, most of them peripherally paranormal. However, John Connolly, the author, has cleverly designed the progressive unfolding of events, particularly the tale of Parker’s birth in this novel, to entice Parker, and me too, gentle reader, into demanding we must have more! When I finished ‘The Lovers’, I immediately asked my library to reserve a copy of book 9, ‘The Whisperers’.
If you wish to discover a different kind of mystery series which bends the usual accepted boundaries for the writing of a classic mystery novel, the Parker books will serve. The series crosses over into other types of genres (thriller, occult, horror) and it is hardcore dark and depressing despite the small wins that Parker and his friends, Louis the assassin and Angel the thief, manage to pry out of their various cases. The reading could induce actual vomiting from sensitive souls because of frequent descriptions of nasty torture and killing, although such scenes are brief. Obviously, this is a terrific selling point for many of us, despite whatever shaming the advocates for an elevated society may do.
At this point, gentle reader, if you still are interested, I must make two small suggestions: begin reading with book one Every Dead Thing; and pick up a cheap copy of The Book of Enoch.
I found ‘The Lovers’ satisfying because it explains a little bit why Parker is at the center of a variety of dark murderous conspiracies, most of them peripherally paranormal. However, John Connolly, the author, has cleverly designed the progressive unfolding of events, particularly the tale of Parker’s birth in this novel, to entice Parker, and me too, gentle reader, into demanding we must have more! When I finished ‘The Lovers’, I immediately asked my library to reserve a copy of book 9, ‘The Whisperers’.
If you wish to discover a different kind of mystery series which bends the usual accepted boundaries for the writing of a classic mystery novel, the Parker books will serve. The series crosses over into other types of genres (thriller, occult, horror) and it is hardcore dark and depressing despite the small wins that Parker and his friends, Louis the assassin and Angel the thief, manage to pry out of their various cases. The reading could induce actual vomiting from sensitive souls because of frequent descriptions of nasty torture and killing, although such scenes are brief. Obviously, this is a terrific selling point for many of us, despite whatever shaming the advocates for an elevated society may do.
At this point, gentle reader, if you still are interested, I must make two small suggestions: begin reading with book one Every Dead Thing; and pick up a cheap copy of The Book of Enoch.
September 15, 2009
I did something last night that I haven't done in a long time on a work night - stayed up until I finished my book even though I knew I would hate life in the morning on the way to work. In fact, I pretty much read this book all day once I took care of the unimportant stuff like pancakes, groceries, & procrastinating doing the laundry. This isn't a surprise, though. John Connolly's books are just that good.
This is the latest in his Charlie Parker series wherein Charlie learns some truths about his father's suicide & his own parentage. As always, Charlie is violence haunted & cursed, fumbling in the darkness for something that remains as unknown to himself as it is to his readers. This was a wonderful book with the tight plotting, great characterization, & beautiful writing that you expect from a Connolly book.
I especially appreciate how well he fleshes out even minor characters, like the Fulci brothers. Angel & Louis, his two closest friends, make a brief appearance here - I find I miss them terribly & hope they'll be back in the next book.
People frequently comment on the paranormal happenings in these books & I always have to pause & think about that ("Are there paranormal things in this book?"). The pause is because Connolly makes these happenings a normal part of life - the only person other than Neil Gaiman who manages that as well as he does. These are also among the only books that have given me nightmares as an adult (in company with Alan Moore's Watchmen - good company, indeed).
Connolly also happens to put words together beautifully. There are parts of Dark Hollow that are so achingly beautiful you want to cry from reading them.
If you haven't read these books, what are you waiting for? Get going!
This is the latest in his Charlie Parker series wherein Charlie learns some truths about his father's suicide & his own parentage. As always, Charlie is violence haunted & cursed, fumbling in the darkness for something that remains as unknown to himself as it is to his readers. This was a wonderful book with the tight plotting, great characterization, & beautiful writing that you expect from a Connolly book.
I especially appreciate how well he fleshes out even minor characters, like the Fulci brothers. Angel & Louis, his two closest friends, make a brief appearance here - I find I miss them terribly & hope they'll be back in the next book.
People frequently comment on the paranormal happenings in these books & I always have to pause & think about that ("Are there paranormal things in this book?"). The pause is because Connolly makes these happenings a normal part of life - the only person other than Neil Gaiman who manages that as well as he does. These are also among the only books that have given me nightmares as an adult (in company with Alan Moore's Watchmen - good company, indeed).
Connolly also happens to put words together beautifully. There are parts of Dark Hollow that are so achingly beautiful you want to cry from reading them.
If you haven't read these books, what are you waiting for? Get going!
August 24, 2011
I have come to expect high quality mystery/thrillers from John Connolly, heavy on police procedure and the inner workings of the newsroom from a man with vast experience with both. What I didn't expect was a paranormal thriller, and that's what Connolly deftly delivers in "The Lovers."
Charlie Parker is a private investigator with a suspended license working as a bartender in Maine. He comes from a perfectly normal background and an ordinary family. His parents loved each other and Charlie's adolescence was uneventful. Except that it's all a lie. Charlie's mother barely seemed to tolerate him growing up, and one night, Charlie's father, a cop, shot and killed two unarmed teenagers for no discernible reason. Before the night was done, Charlie's dad had committed suicide in the family garage. And now, decades later, Charlie wants answers. Why did his father gun down a pair of teenagers? As he digs into the past, the answers he finds are a total surprise to Charlie and the reader.
Connolly handles the paranormal genre as if he'd been writing it his entire life. And his writing just seems to get better with each book. I would recommend "The Lovers" to anyone - beautiful writing and an excellent read.
Charlie Parker is a private investigator with a suspended license working as a bartender in Maine. He comes from a perfectly normal background and an ordinary family. His parents loved each other and Charlie's adolescence was uneventful. Except that it's all a lie. Charlie's mother barely seemed to tolerate him growing up, and one night, Charlie's father, a cop, shot and killed two unarmed teenagers for no discernible reason. Before the night was done, Charlie's dad had committed suicide in the family garage. And now, decades later, Charlie wants answers. Why did his father gun down a pair of teenagers? As he digs into the past, the answers he finds are a total surprise to Charlie and the reader.
Connolly handles the paranormal genre as if he'd been writing it his entire life. And his writing just seems to get better with each book. I would recommend "The Lovers" to anyone - beautiful writing and an excellent read.
August 21, 2024
YES! The Lovers is a return to the paranormal weirdness I crave from this series. I also enjoy Connolly's straightforward background novels about the chara - woops, I was about to lie. I just want Charlie Parker neck-deep in demon shenanigans.
In this one, Charlie's traded in his lack of a PI license for shucking drinks at the local watering hole. His maudlin mood gets him thinking back to the great mystery of his childhood: why did his father, by all accounts a solid, by-the-book cop, shoot two unarmed teenagers and take his own life just days later? To learn once and for all, he'll have to go back to New York City and shake the trees. Or shake the high rises?
He learns things about his dad he wishes he didn't know and finds out Rabbi Epstein knows a lot more about him than Charlie ever knew. There's a lot of discovery going on. There's also a lot of death as the people who know Parker's history are taken off the board one by one.
This is what I read this series for. I liked The Reapers - I really did, just because I love Louis and Angel. But fact of the matter is, I can get the mundane stuff anywhere. Gimme the supernatural craziness, Connolly! Here's hoping the next book stays in this lane. It'll be #9, The Whisperers.
In this one, Charlie's traded in his lack of a PI license for shucking drinks at the local watering hole. His maudlin mood gets him thinking back to the great mystery of his childhood: why did his father, by all accounts a solid, by-the-book cop, shoot two unarmed teenagers and take his own life just days later? To learn once and for all, he'll have to go back to New York City and shake the trees. Or shake the high rises?
He learns things about his dad he wishes he didn't know and finds out Rabbi Epstein knows a lot more about him than Charlie ever knew. There's a lot of discovery going on. There's also a lot of death as the people who know Parker's history are taken off the board one by one.
This is what I read this series for. I liked The Reapers - I really did, just because I love Louis and Angel. But fact of the matter is, I can get the mundane stuff anywhere. Gimme the supernatural craziness, Connolly! Here's hoping the next book stays in this lane. It'll be #9, The Whisperers.
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