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Spenser #9
Ceremony
Pretty teenager April Kyle is in grown-up-trouble, involved with people who'd beat her up for a dollar and kill her for five. Now she's disappeared, last seen in the Combat Zone, that side of Boston where nothing's proper, especially the sex for sale. With Hawk, his sidekick, Spenser takes on the whole X-rated industry. From a specialty whorehouse in Providence to stylish Back Bay bordellos, he pits muscle and wit against bullets and brawn until he finds what he's looking April Kyle, little girl lost.
"Nowhere is Spenser's vitality clearer than in CEREMONY...Spenser probably had more to do with changing the private eye from coffin-chaser to a full-bodied human being than any other detective hero." (Sun-Times, Chicago)
"Nowhere is Spenser's vitality clearer than in CEREMONY...Spenser probably had more to do with changing the private eye from coffin-chaser to a full-bodied human being than any other detective hero." (Sun-Times, Chicago)
219 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1982
About the author
Robert B. Parker
496 books2,335 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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October 13, 2017
Because they’re quick reads between more serious books — even more serious detectives, such as Ross Macdonald’s Lew Archer — I thought I’d revisit Ceremony, the beginning of the April Kyle saga from the Spenser series. It is interesting for not only its moral dilemma, but for a bridge between the early Spenser novels and later Spenser entries. Ceremony is where Spenser first meets teenager April Kyle, and her plight will resonate throughout the series.
This book came after Rachel Wallace, but before Valediction, where Parker turned away from an avenue which might have progressed the series into a higher echelon. In A Catskill Eagle, Parker decided to make this series more about the snobbish, cloying, and unhealthy — not to mention unrealistic — relationship between Spenser and Susan, and it became less than it could have been. It was still great as entertainment, but had to be enjoyed — and rated — on that level after Catskill Eagle.
Returning to Ceremony after reading some post-Valediction entries, the differences are striking. Hawk is edgier, yet more human, maybe even with a soft spot. This is the Hawk of Promised Land, starting to be fleshed out. There is a scene where he and Susan get the giggles at a bar which feels real, yet there are no thoughts in Spenser’s head of inviting him to Thanksgiving dinner. A greater distance between who Hawk is, and who Spenser is, still exists in Ceremony. Spenser stands aside when violent actions are called for, albeit kicking in a door or kicking in a head. While they’re together, it is Hawk who does most of the rough stuff. Only when pulling April out of a brothel, and in a brief exchange of blows with Tony Marcus, who is introduced in this entry, does Spenser become the instrument of violence. A later scene of a melee at an orgy is there more for entertainment sake and is not real violence, therefore doesn’t count.
Susan remains unchanged, but at this point in the series Parker paints her vanity and pretension in soft pastels, rather than bright bold acrylics that hurt the eyes. There’s still some of the psychobabble but it’s more generalized, and she’s less annoying in her certainties. This becomes ever more clear as the dilemma of what to do with April Kyle when Spenser finds her reaches an impasse. This is where Ceremony’s strong ties to Mortal Stakes, a very early entry in the series, come into play. It is, in fact, probably Spenser’s experience with Linda Rabb, a former prostitue able to leave that life behind when she married a Red Sox pitcher, Marty Rabb, which leads Spenser to a morally ambiguous solution. Out of options, Spenser sets April Kyle on the same course as Linda Rabb. Over time in the April Kyle saga, however, Parker came to terms with Spenser’s mistake, realizing April Kyle was not Linda Rabb. If the April Kyle saga had a theme song, it might be Dionne Warwick’s theme from Valley of the Dolls…
Parker allows us to sympathize early on with April Kyle as we meet her parents. The mother wants her back, the father doesn’t, because he’s seen her hooking in the Combat Zone — think the seedy part of Time’s Square — and is an obvious jerk. Susan has moved up from middle-school kids to high school counsellor in this one, and Spenser is only beginning to make her the center of both their worlds. He’s there talking with the parents to help Susan, and notes that if he were April Kyle, he’d want to run away too. It doesn’t take Spenser long to annoy a pimp, and need Hawk to watch his back while he searchers for her. It also doesn’t take long to realize there’s something more here than just a kid hooking, because Spenser and Hawk are having difficulty finding her, and that shouldn’t be…
There is more going on, and it involves Tony Marcus, who is introduced in this one. A threat to Susan is an excuse for Spenser to get in on the action, but it’s Hawk who does most of the heavy-lifting here, because this is pre-Catskill Eagle, when Spenser finally crossed those blurry lines, and abandoned moral codes in order to rescue Silverman from her own philandering, an event from which this series would never recover. There are some good post-Catskill Eagle reads, but they’re good as entertainment, and the talent Parker had for dialog and swift pacing. The echelon this series was headed for was one it never reached, as Spenser compromised himself. In doing so, maybe Parker did too.
There’s an unpleasantness here the reader can feel. Spenser feels it too, and all the despair with no solutions bothers him, much more than it does Hawk, who simply accepts it in stride. And yet Parker mitigates what should have been poignant moments, gritty truths, by that Boston-liberal hypocritical snobbishness; sure, he feels awful when Hawk reminds him there’s nowhere for a young black prostitute to go, but later, it doesn’t prevent him from making fun of another who’s just as lost, and been at it longer, because she’s wearing rayon K-Mart erotica. He does so while he’s getting her sloshed so he can find out why April Kyle has dropped off the radar screen. And after Velma has been slapped around by her pimp because of Spenser. Gratitude, kindness, where art thou?
These observations are only for the reader, however, because they cannot be spoken aloud by those whose charity and empathy are for public consumption. This general snobbishness became unbearable at times in the series, and is much worse in scenes where Spenser and Susan interact. If you aren’t all on board with Spenser and Susan’s hoity-toity food choices, and prefer a peanut butter sandwich on white bread to some exotic fruit chutney on Syrian bread, why, you’re just not one of their enlightened kind. It’s one of the things about the later entries especially, which got old in a hurry. The condescension became palpable when Spenser and Susan interacted, and it’s on display here, even if it is in smaller doses.
If you thought a sheep ranch was like a cattle ranch, but with sheep, you’ll discover it isn’t in this one. You’ll also learn that Spenser served in Korea, which is why he understands what it means when he finds a photo of April Kyle’s house on a wall. You’ll see a grittier but more human Hawk, before Spenser missed one opportunity after another to make him more. Once Parker turned the series into the Susan Silverman show, it was impossible to give anyone depth or real backstory because it would have detracted from Parker’s transparent snow job in regard to Susan Silverman.
This one boasts a less annoying Susan, an edgier Hawk, a plot — a loose definition — about those in positions of authority exploiting children, and the introduction of Tony Marcus, an interesting character in the series. It’s a good, quick read, and has its merits, like most Spenser entries. The results of Spenser’s ambiguous solution will play out in other books as the April Kyle saga, obviously a character about whom Parker cared a great deal, plays out over time.
On a technical note, this one had four or five obvious typos in the print edition, even after all these years. It doesn’t affect the reading in any way. A good, solid, early Spenser, and a glimmer of what might have been eventually, had the series not been derailed. Once it got back on the tracks, its literary destination had changed, and you can clearly see that by the contrast in this book, and much later entries.
This book came after Rachel Wallace, but before Valediction, where Parker turned away from an avenue which might have progressed the series into a higher echelon. In A Catskill Eagle, Parker decided to make this series more about the snobbish, cloying, and unhealthy — not to mention unrealistic — relationship between Spenser and Susan, and it became less than it could have been. It was still great as entertainment, but had to be enjoyed — and rated — on that level after Catskill Eagle.
Returning to Ceremony after reading some post-Valediction entries, the differences are striking. Hawk is edgier, yet more human, maybe even with a soft spot. This is the Hawk of Promised Land, starting to be fleshed out. There is a scene where he and Susan get the giggles at a bar which feels real, yet there are no thoughts in Spenser’s head of inviting him to Thanksgiving dinner. A greater distance between who Hawk is, and who Spenser is, still exists in Ceremony. Spenser stands aside when violent actions are called for, albeit kicking in a door or kicking in a head. While they’re together, it is Hawk who does most of the rough stuff. Only when pulling April out of a brothel, and in a brief exchange of blows with Tony Marcus, who is introduced in this entry, does Spenser become the instrument of violence. A later scene of a melee at an orgy is there more for entertainment sake and is not real violence, therefore doesn’t count.
Susan remains unchanged, but at this point in the series Parker paints her vanity and pretension in soft pastels, rather than bright bold acrylics that hurt the eyes. There’s still some of the psychobabble but it’s more generalized, and she’s less annoying in her certainties. This becomes ever more clear as the dilemma of what to do with April Kyle when Spenser finds her reaches an impasse. This is where Ceremony’s strong ties to Mortal Stakes, a very early entry in the series, come into play. It is, in fact, probably Spenser’s experience with Linda Rabb, a former prostitue able to leave that life behind when she married a Red Sox pitcher, Marty Rabb, which leads Spenser to a morally ambiguous solution. Out of options, Spenser sets April Kyle on the same course as Linda Rabb. Over time in the April Kyle saga, however, Parker came to terms with Spenser’s mistake, realizing April Kyle was not Linda Rabb. If the April Kyle saga had a theme song, it might be Dionne Warwick’s theme from Valley of the Dolls…
Parker allows us to sympathize early on with April Kyle as we meet her parents. The mother wants her back, the father doesn’t, because he’s seen her hooking in the Combat Zone — think the seedy part of Time’s Square — and is an obvious jerk. Susan has moved up from middle-school kids to high school counsellor in this one, and Spenser is only beginning to make her the center of both their worlds. He’s there talking with the parents to help Susan, and notes that if he were April Kyle, he’d want to run away too. It doesn’t take Spenser long to annoy a pimp, and need Hawk to watch his back while he searchers for her. It also doesn’t take long to realize there’s something more here than just a kid hooking, because Spenser and Hawk are having difficulty finding her, and that shouldn’t be…
There is more going on, and it involves Tony Marcus, who is introduced in this one. A threat to Susan is an excuse for Spenser to get in on the action, but it’s Hawk who does most of the heavy-lifting here, because this is pre-Catskill Eagle, when Spenser finally crossed those blurry lines, and abandoned moral codes in order to rescue Silverman from her own philandering, an event from which this series would never recover. There are some good post-Catskill Eagle reads, but they’re good as entertainment, and the talent Parker had for dialog and swift pacing. The echelon this series was headed for was one it never reached, as Spenser compromised himself. In doing so, maybe Parker did too.
There’s an unpleasantness here the reader can feel. Spenser feels it too, and all the despair with no solutions bothers him, much more than it does Hawk, who simply accepts it in stride. And yet Parker mitigates what should have been poignant moments, gritty truths, by that Boston-liberal hypocritical snobbishness; sure, he feels awful when Hawk reminds him there’s nowhere for a young black prostitute to go, but later, it doesn’t prevent him from making fun of another who’s just as lost, and been at it longer, because she’s wearing rayon K-Mart erotica. He does so while he’s getting her sloshed so he can find out why April Kyle has dropped off the radar screen. And after Velma has been slapped around by her pimp because of Spenser. Gratitude, kindness, where art thou?
These observations are only for the reader, however, because they cannot be spoken aloud by those whose charity and empathy are for public consumption. This general snobbishness became unbearable at times in the series, and is much worse in scenes where Spenser and Susan interact. If you aren’t all on board with Spenser and Susan’s hoity-toity food choices, and prefer a peanut butter sandwich on white bread to some exotic fruit chutney on Syrian bread, why, you’re just not one of their enlightened kind. It’s one of the things about the later entries especially, which got old in a hurry. The condescension became palpable when Spenser and Susan interacted, and it’s on display here, even if it is in smaller doses.
If you thought a sheep ranch was like a cattle ranch, but with sheep, you’ll discover it isn’t in this one. You’ll also learn that Spenser served in Korea, which is why he understands what it means when he finds a photo of April Kyle’s house on a wall. You’ll see a grittier but more human Hawk, before Spenser missed one opportunity after another to make him more. Once Parker turned the series into the Susan Silverman show, it was impossible to give anyone depth or real backstory because it would have detracted from Parker’s transparent snow job in regard to Susan Silverman.
This one boasts a less annoying Susan, an edgier Hawk, a plot — a loose definition — about those in positions of authority exploiting children, and the introduction of Tony Marcus, an interesting character in the series. It’s a good, quick read, and has its merits, like most Spenser entries. The results of Spenser’s ambiguous solution will play out in other books as the April Kyle saga, obviously a character about whom Parker cared a great deal, plays out over time.
On a technical note, this one had four or five obvious typos in the print edition, even after all these years. It doesn’t affect the reading in any way. A good, solid, early Spenser, and a glimmer of what might have been eventually, had the series not been derailed. Once it got back on the tracks, its literary destination had changed, and you can clearly see that by the contrast in this book, and much later entries.
November 27, 2019
This is one of my favorite Spenser novels, because in it the detective accomplishes two things which Parker writes about with an extraordinary combination of sympathy and cleverness: Spencer saves a troubled young person trapped in a world of vicious adults, and he does so by devising an unorthodox solution to an otherwise unsolvable moral dilemma. Early Autumn was such a book, and may be Parker’s masterpiece; Ceremony is very much like it and almost as good.
Teenager April Kyle has left home, and is turning tricks on the street. Spenser locates the girl eventually, but not before angering crime lord Tony Marcus (requiring our hero to summon his friend Hawk as backup) and uncovering a web of corruption stretching into the heart of the Boston schools. Spenser’s real problem, though, is April, who prefers hooking to living with her parents. And from what Spenser has seen of her parents, April has a point.
The novel has many vivid scenes of the corrupt underbelly of Boston: a tour of the Combat Zone, a sad glimpse of a rundown apartment building filled with hookers, a visit to a “sheep ranch” (a bordello specializing in extraordinary perversions), and an amusing account of an orgy of underage girls and Boston bigwigs that metamorphoses into a donnybrook before descending into a free-for-all.
This is an entertaining novel, and its ending will leave you with something to think about too.
May 26, 2014
When a troubled teenager named April Kyle is seen hooking in Boston, her parents want her brought back. While Spenser won't work for the father at any price, he takes the case for the princely sum of one dollar from April's mother. Spenser, Hawk, and Susan soon find themselves caught in a web of underage prostitution and pornography. But what do you do when a runaway prostitute doesn't want to come back home?
After reading the most recent Ace Atkins Spenser book, I decided it was time to fill in more of the gaps of the series.
Ceremony is the darkest Spenser I've yet read but things can't be rosey when a teen prostitute is the focus of Spenser's case. As per usual, Spenser, sometimes with Hawk in tow, walks around, pissing people off and stirring up shit, until the pot bubbles over.
One thing that I thought was really cool about this book was that Spenser toned down the wisecracks for this outing. One thing that sometimes bugs me about crime books is the smart ass that doesn't know when to shut up and Spenser blessedly knew when not to make jokes.
Spenser and Hawk were in fine form, going up against pimps, a crime boss, a pornographer, and an entire house party that was one big orgy. I question the logic of bringing Susan along to the final showdown, however.
There were a few things I didn't like about this book, however. As with a lot of Spenser books, there was a lot of talk of Spenser's code and how Hawk fits into things. Also, there was way too much Susan Silverman for my liking. The thing I really thought was strange was Spenser's logic that if April wanted to be a whore, he should put her to work for a madam he knew. I thought that came out of left field.
Fun fact: The pornographer's name in this book is Mitchell Poitras. Robert Crais' Elvis Cole's friend on the police force is named Lou Poitras. Since Robert Crais' Elvis Cole started as a Spenser ripoff (even though Crais claims Ernest Hemingway is his biggest influnece), I'd say that's where Lou's name comes from.
It may be tantamount to blasphemy but I might actually prefer Ace Atkin's version of Spenser to the original. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
After reading the most recent Ace Atkins Spenser book, I decided it was time to fill in more of the gaps of the series.
Ceremony is the darkest Spenser I've yet read but things can't be rosey when a teen prostitute is the focus of Spenser's case. As per usual, Spenser, sometimes with Hawk in tow, walks around, pissing people off and stirring up shit, until the pot bubbles over.
One thing that I thought was really cool about this book was that Spenser toned down the wisecracks for this outing. One thing that sometimes bugs me about crime books is the smart ass that doesn't know when to shut up and Spenser blessedly knew when not to make jokes.
Spenser and Hawk were in fine form, going up against pimps, a crime boss, a pornographer, and an entire house party that was one big orgy. I question the logic of bringing Susan along to the final showdown, however.
There were a few things I didn't like about this book, however. As with a lot of Spenser books, there was a lot of talk of Spenser's code and how Hawk fits into things. Also, there was way too much Susan Silverman for my liking. The thing I really thought was strange was Spenser's logic that if April wanted to be a whore, he should put her to work for a madam he knew. I thought that came out of left field.
Fun fact: The pornographer's name in this book is Mitchell Poitras. Robert Crais' Elvis Cole's friend on the police force is named Lou Poitras. Since Robert Crais' Elvis Cole started as a Spenser ripoff (even though Crais claims Ernest Hemingway is his biggest influnece), I'd say that's where Lou's name comes from.
It may be tantamount to blasphemy but I might actually prefer Ace Atkin's version of Spenser to the original. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
May 17, 2010
Spenser, Hawk and Susan get to crash a house party in this one. Hilarity ensues.
High school guidance counselor Susan is worried about April Kyle, a troubled drop-out type of kid who has run off from her parents. She asks Spenser to talk to them about finding her, but April’s dad has seen his daughter hooking in Boston’s infamous Combat Zone. Now he’s pulling a my-daughter-is-a-whore-and-not welcome-in-my-house routine. Spenser refuses to work for him but takes a dollar from his wife to find April.
Trolling through the Combat Zone and looking for April, Spenser attracts the attention of a murderous pimp who reports to gangster Tony Marcus, a regular employer of Hawk. When Tony wants Spenser killed, Hawk is offered the contract but instead settles for a half of Spenser’s fee to watch his back.
“If I have to kill anyone,” Hawk said, “I’m going to need the whole dollar.”
Spenser uncovers a link to pornography, under-aged girls and corrupt educators, but his main problem is going to be what to do with April Kyle when he finds her.
Spenser seems more subdued in this one, even a little depressed. Susan remarks on it, and he chalks it up to spending time dealing with the soul-crushing aspects of prostitution, but reading this right after A Savage Place, it almost makes me wonder if Parker wasn’t indicating that Spenser was still bummed after his disastrous trip to L.A.
The dilemma of what to do with April weighs on both him and Susan. A few books back in Early Autumn, Spenser risked a lot to take Paul away from crappy parents. Here, that’s not even an option. April doesn’t have the discipline that Paul showed to turn herself into another person. Taking her back to her parents means that she’ll just run off and start tricking again. Institutional solutions like social services are anathema to Spenser. The resolution that he comes up with makes sense, but it’s still pretty shocking.
My favorite part occurs when Spenser, Hawk and Susan go to a house to get April and find a party worthy of Sodom & Gomorrah going. When they try to remove April, it turns into a giant brawl. Spenser and Hawk end up making a stand in a living room and proceed to whip ass. Parker had a knack for describing the chaos of fights and this one is huge. Good times. Good times.
One of the more depressing books in the Spenser series, but it continues the trend of the golden age Spenser of being presented with off-beat challenges and situations with no good solutions.
Next up: Spenser goes to work for a right-wing born-again Christian politician in The Widening Gyre. It’s not as fun as it sounds.
High school guidance counselor Susan is worried about April Kyle, a troubled drop-out type of kid who has run off from her parents. She asks Spenser to talk to them about finding her, but April’s dad has seen his daughter hooking in Boston’s infamous Combat Zone. Now he’s pulling a my-daughter-is-a-whore-and-not welcome-in-my-house routine. Spenser refuses to work for him but takes a dollar from his wife to find April.
Trolling through the Combat Zone and looking for April, Spenser attracts the attention of a murderous pimp who reports to gangster Tony Marcus, a regular employer of Hawk. When Tony wants Spenser killed, Hawk is offered the contract but instead settles for a half of Spenser’s fee to watch his back.
“If I have to kill anyone,” Hawk said, “I’m going to need the whole dollar.”
Spenser uncovers a link to pornography, under-aged girls and corrupt educators, but his main problem is going to be what to do with April Kyle when he finds her.
Spenser seems more subdued in this one, even a little depressed. Susan remarks on it, and he chalks it up to spending time dealing with the soul-crushing aspects of prostitution, but reading this right after A Savage Place, it almost makes me wonder if Parker wasn’t indicating that Spenser was still bummed after his disastrous trip to L.A.
The dilemma of what to do with April weighs on both him and Susan. A few books back in Early Autumn, Spenser risked a lot to take Paul away from crappy parents. Here, that’s not even an option. April doesn’t have the discipline that Paul showed to turn herself into another person. Taking her back to her parents means that she’ll just run off and start tricking again. Institutional solutions like social services are anathema to Spenser. The resolution that he comes up with makes sense, but it’s still pretty shocking.
My favorite part occurs when Spenser, Hawk and Susan go to a house to get April and find a party worthy of Sodom & Gomorrah going. When they try to remove April, it turns into a giant brawl. Spenser and Hawk end up making a stand in a living room and proceed to whip ass. Parker had a knack for describing the chaos of fights and this one is huge. Good times. Good times.
One of the more depressing books in the Spenser series, but it continues the trend of the golden age Spenser of being presented with off-beat challenges and situations with no good solutions.
Next up: Spenser goes to work for a right-wing born-again Christian politician in The Widening Gyre. It’s not as fun as it sounds.
October 8, 2024
Предисторията на Ейприл Кайл от "Момиче з�� сто долара".
Става да се прочете, но не очаквайте много. Преводът е много деветдесетатски…
Става да се прочете, но не очаквайте много. Преводът е много деветдесетатски…
July 11, 2019
Nine books in and I still haven't tired of reading about Boston-area spots named-dropped in Parker's long-running Spenser series. Maybe it's a low-fever homesickness, a nostalgia for the 70s/80s era Massachusetts I was born and raised in, which is where and when this series got its start.
March 19, 2024
The early novels in Robert B. Parker's Spenser series continue to remain the best of the lot, and Ceremony is no exception. Spenser, of course, is the irreverent Boston P.I. who at this point is in the earlier stages of his relationship with the execrable Susan Silverman. At this point in the series, Silverman is still a high school guidance counselor and she asks Spenser to assist in the case of a student named April Kyle. April has run away from home and her father has seen her working as a prostitute in Boston's infamous Combat Zone.
April's mother would like the girl returned home, but her father thinks that his daughter is irrevocably soiled and lost and wants nothing more to to with her. Spenser thinks that the father is a butthead, but he agrees to work for the mother. For a fee of one dollar, he promises to bring April home.
It won't be easy.
April has managed to antagonize a whole bunch of people in her new calling, including a major mob boss. She has been sent "down the line" to the work in the lowest levels of her profession, which will make it that much harder and that much more dangerous to find her and bring her back. Spenser is forced to recruit his buddy Hawk to help deal with the bad guys, and the story descends into some pretty dark places.
All in all, it's a very good read and a thought-provoking one as well. Spenser is forced to make a moral choice that not every reader will agree with but which will certainly cause most readers to puzzle over the question long after they have finished the novel. If only the latter books in this series had been this good...
April's mother would like the girl returned home, but her father thinks that his daughter is irrevocably soiled and lost and wants nothing more to to with her. Spenser thinks that the father is a butthead, but he agrees to work for the mother. For a fee of one dollar, he promises to bring April home.
It won't be easy.
April has managed to antagonize a whole bunch of people in her new calling, including a major mob boss. She has been sent "down the line" to the work in the lowest levels of her profession, which will make it that much harder and that much more dangerous to find her and bring her back. Spenser is forced to recruit his buddy Hawk to help deal with the bad guys, and the story descends into some pretty dark places.
All in all, it's a very good read and a thought-provoking one as well. Spenser is forced to make a moral choice that not every reader will agree with but which will certainly cause most readers to puzzle over the question long after they have finished the novel. If only the latter books in this series had been this good...
March 24, 2020
So I found some older Spenser story that is certainly darker than most of the books I have read about Spenser & Hawk.
Spenser is due to the insistence of his girlfriend Susan Silverman involved in a case of a missing sixteen year old girl. The parents of the girl were certainly not the reason he took on the case, only the woman in his life could manage that.
Spenser finds himself in the world of prostitution were young girls are certainly a pricey commodity and the attitude of the average working girl leaves a lot to be required.
When Spenser runs into dangerous waters he always has his friend Hawk to help him out when there is trouble.
A very good an yet dark story about prostitution and those involved in that world. The smart talk of Spenser, Susan & Hawk keep you from fully being immersed in this dark and scary world that revolves around the selling of human flesh for pleasure of the customer.
Kudos for Parker in writing a story that involves these subjects and yet makes it readable for us average folks. This is certainly one of the better books written about the activities of a certain private investigator by the name of Spenser. Even if his attitude does seem to match that of Jesse Stone a character that had yet to be written at this time.
Welll worth the few hours it takes to read this book.
Spenser is due to the insistence of his girlfriend Susan Silverman involved in a case of a missing sixteen year old girl. The parents of the girl were certainly not the reason he took on the case, only the woman in his life could manage that.
Spenser finds himself in the world of prostitution were young girls are certainly a pricey commodity and the attitude of the average working girl leaves a lot to be required.
When Spenser runs into dangerous waters he always has his friend Hawk to help him out when there is trouble.
A very good an yet dark story about prostitution and those involved in that world. The smart talk of Spenser, Susan & Hawk keep you from fully being immersed in this dark and scary world that revolves around the selling of human flesh for pleasure of the customer.
Kudos for Parker in writing a story that involves these subjects and yet makes it readable for us average folks. This is certainly one of the better books written about the activities of a certain private investigator by the name of Spenser. Even if his attitude does seem to match that of Jesse Stone a character that had yet to be written at this time.
Welll worth the few hours it takes to read this book.
May 30, 2017
(The word "maroon" appears 7 times in this novel)
3.5 stars
A trip into Boston's "Combat Zone" red-light district is disturbing and agonising, but Parker pulls his punches mostly here, understandably.
Spenser's reaction to them is muted, not poignant. The hero inside him does want to help all these unfortunate victims, and he needs Susan to be his anchor again, to good effect.
The final fight scene is chaotic, hard to follow, and rather unsatisfying. Hawk does his stuff again, and again without much character.
The moments in the book where Susan and Spenser explore deeper issues, and their feelings and fears for themselves and the girls are the best parts of the book.
Not a great Spenser, merely adequate. No quotes that stand out, either.
See my review of Crimson Joy for more Spenser Series opinion...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3.5 stars
A trip into Boston's "Combat Zone" red-light district is disturbing and agonising, but Parker pulls his punches mostly here, understandably.
Spenser's reaction to them is muted, not poignant. The hero inside him does want to help all these unfortunate victims, and he needs Susan to be his anchor again, to good effect.
The final fight scene is chaotic, hard to follow, and rather unsatisfying. Hawk does his stuff again, and again without much character.
The moments in the book where Susan and Spenser explore deeper issues, and their feelings and fears for themselves and the girls are the best parts of the book.
Not a great Spenser, merely adequate. No quotes that stand out, either.
See my review of Crimson Joy for more Spenser Series opinion...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
December 2, 2025
Spenser #9 is hired to find a 16 year old runaway who has turned to prostitution. She believes it’s a better life than what she had at home. Spenser finds her but she runs away from him and back to prostitution. Spenser gets her out again and they talk, but ultimately it’s her choice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2025
tough subject, child prostitution to write about. so for this i give hime 4*. but some times the action abd dialoges are forced and the plot is very narrow. still worth the read.
June 25, 2017
Ceremony, hailing from the early ‘80s, was one of the more morally murky entries in Robert B. Parker’s long Spenser series.
At the behest of girlfriend Susan Silverman, Spenser undertakes to find runaway teen April Kyle, a student from the high school where Susan works. April’s fled her cushy suburban existence for a life of inner city prostitution. Spenser’s pursuit of April puts him, Susan and their formidable ally Hawk into the path of a much larger, and deadlier, network of sex crimes. And as Spenser digs in to attempt to save April, he has to face the ugly truth that April may not want to be saved.
After A Savage Place had taken place mostly in LA, with Spenser’s usual supporting cast sitting out the installment, Ceremony returned the P.I. to his Boston environs for a gritty adventure. Parker set a lot of the action in Boston’s infamous Combat Zone, the one-time red light district that’s long since been flushed out of the city by urban redevelopment. That kind of moment of the city captured in amber is always one of the chief pleasures of the Spenser series. The late Parker had a true gift for giving readers a palpable sense of the city at the moment each adventure was composed, shining a light on the town’s steady evolution. Fans familiar with the city will recognize many other now-gone touchstones from earlier eras.
But Ceremony was more than a time capsule for enthusiasts of urban history. It’s one of the most morally complicated entries in the Spenser series. Parker captured the dehumanizing exploitation and violence of the street-level sex trade in a brace of powerfully-crafted scenes. But he also dared to play with the notion that Spenser and Susan’s instinctive morality about many of the circumstances they encountered in the case weren’t as black-and-white as they assumed. Spenser’s ultimate solution to “save” April is one of the bleakest resolutions in a series not exactly known for happy endings.
Ceremony was a strong character outing. After Spenser’s left coast sojourn, seeing him interact with his usual supporting cast again was rewarding. Spenser and Susan’s relationship remained the saga’s secret weapon, while the duo’s deepening bond with the fascinating Hawk continued to add texture and depth. April was a deliberate frustration for readers, calculated to push a variety of buttons, which she did quite effectively. Parker crafted a few nifty one-off characters that surrounded the action with welcome color and vibrancy.
If you’re looking for an uplifting detective caper, Ceremony is really not the place to go. But its provocative premise and ambivalent ending will linger for most readers far longer than its more disposable competitors.
At the behest of girlfriend Susan Silverman, Spenser undertakes to find runaway teen April Kyle, a student from the high school where Susan works. April’s fled her cushy suburban existence for a life of inner city prostitution. Spenser’s pursuit of April puts him, Susan and their formidable ally Hawk into the path of a much larger, and deadlier, network of sex crimes. And as Spenser digs in to attempt to save April, he has to face the ugly truth that April may not want to be saved.
After A Savage Place had taken place mostly in LA, with Spenser’s usual supporting cast sitting out the installment, Ceremony returned the P.I. to his Boston environs for a gritty adventure. Parker set a lot of the action in Boston’s infamous Combat Zone, the one-time red light district that’s long since been flushed out of the city by urban redevelopment. That kind of moment of the city captured in amber is always one of the chief pleasures of the Spenser series. The late Parker had a true gift for giving readers a palpable sense of the city at the moment each adventure was composed, shining a light on the town’s steady evolution. Fans familiar with the city will recognize many other now-gone touchstones from earlier eras.
But Ceremony was more than a time capsule for enthusiasts of urban history. It’s one of the most morally complicated entries in the Spenser series. Parker captured the dehumanizing exploitation and violence of the street-level sex trade in a brace of powerfully-crafted scenes. But he also dared to play with the notion that Spenser and Susan’s instinctive morality about many of the circumstances they encountered in the case weren’t as black-and-white as they assumed. Spenser’s ultimate solution to “save” April is one of the bleakest resolutions in a series not exactly known for happy endings.
Ceremony was a strong character outing. After Spenser’s left coast sojourn, seeing him interact with his usual supporting cast again was rewarding. Spenser and Susan’s relationship remained the saga’s secret weapon, while the duo’s deepening bond with the fascinating Hawk continued to add texture and depth. April was a deliberate frustration for readers, calculated to push a variety of buttons, which she did quite effectively. Parker crafted a few nifty one-off characters that surrounded the action with welcome color and vibrancy.
If you’re looking for an uplifting detective caper, Ceremony is really not the place to go. But its provocative premise and ambivalent ending will linger for most readers far longer than its more disposable competitors.
October 22, 2024
I'm in agreement with others who hold that the early editions of the Spencer series were the best. The wise-cracking PI is in good form in this one and, as is always welcome, calls on Hawk for backup as he attempts to find a teen aged girl who is prostituting herself with some very depraved and evil people.
Along the way, Spencer discovers that said bad guys don't want him finding this girl, whom they attempt to hide while still forcing her to turn tricks. Of course, this just makes him more determined than before, and find her he shall. In so doing, Spencer explores an individual's right to decide his or her own fate, even if he or she is just seventeen. It's an interesting twist on the well trod theme of runaway girl who has fallen into the hands of some nefarious pimp.
I'd have been inclined towards a slightly higher rating save for the fact that Susan Silverman features large in this early book. I'm just unable to understand why Parker needed to write this saccharine sweet relationship between Spencer and Silverman into these otherwise cracking good stories. The near obsessive, syrupy exchanges between them serve only to sidetrack the plot, which is already accomplished by the inevitable writing describing food or clothing in each novel. I know that I'm in good company when I say I wish Parker hadn't ever invented this character and left Spencer to his more primitive instincts. But as they say, "If wishes were horses.."
Along the way, Spencer discovers that said bad guys don't want him finding this girl, whom they attempt to hide while still forcing her to turn tricks. Of course, this just makes him more determined than before, and find her he shall. In so doing, Spencer explores an individual's right to decide his or her own fate, even if he or she is just seventeen. It's an interesting twist on the well trod theme of runaway girl who has fallen into the hands of some nefarious pimp.
I'd have been inclined towards a slightly higher rating save for the fact that Susan Silverman features large in this early book. I'm just unable to understand why Parker needed to write this saccharine sweet relationship between Spencer and Silverman into these otherwise cracking good stories. The near obsessive, syrupy exchanges between them serve only to sidetrack the plot, which is already accomplished by the inevitable writing describing food or clothing in each novel. I know that I'm in good company when I say I wish Parker hadn't ever invented this character and left Spencer to his more primitive instincts. But as they say, "If wishes were horses.."
December 6, 2018
It is early Spenser. Susan is still teaching school. Spenser has an MG. There is no dog. It is a wild finish with a lot of hit, punching, kneeing, biting and kicking at the end. It is teenage prostitution and missing girls. It was a quick and fun read after a more gross book I had just finished. Hawk is still there and his FBI and Boston cops are still with him
April 2, 2020
I love Spenser. Recently watched the new Spenser Netflix movie (Marky Mark plays Spenser). It was good. I didn’t think Warburg played Spenser with enough quiet intelligence, fashion, or cooking. I miss Robert B Parker actively. I missed real-Spenser. So now, quarentinees, I will read them all.
July 22, 2019
This one is terrific with Robert B. Parker and Spenser at their best. A quick and extremely enjoyable read...too bad it had to end so soon! Spenser is asked to meet with the parents of a runaway teenage girl and finds the father couldn't care less what happens and the mother is just trying to keep everyone happy. Spenser takes this case for one dollar. Find April Kyle...find her fast. His search leads him to the Combat Zone...Boston's other side. Prostitutes, pimps, drugs, lost teenage girls and boys who have fallen through the cracks of society...well, some jumped in willingly. And what happens when it is one of the people the children should trust the most that betrays them? Spenser, Hawk and Susan Silverman at their best.
December 18, 2011
Yipee!!! Both Hawk and Susan are back and I hope don't leave anytime soon in upcoming books. For me, they both just make Spenser more interesting and I love their banter, all of it. Gives Spenser come challenges in how he looks at life.
Should have know it was about children some how, some way, due to the cover; a Teddy bear with money stuffed in shirt. The subject, child prostitution, was a new and different subject for Parker and certainly a hot topic even today, almost 30 years since first publication of this book.
While reading I wrote myself a note reminding myself that I liked Spenser's one-liners which I do.
Spenser definately has a moral code and it is very similar to Hawk's although previous novels have suggested that Hawk has leaned toward the dark side. I have a gut feeling that as time goes on there will be fewer references to Hawk's relationship with criminals; however, his past involvement sure comes in handy because he's on a first name basis with them and can call upon them without problems.
Susan plays an important part om Ceremony (eighth in the Spenser series) since she's the reason Spenser's looking for the runaway, April, in the first place. Susan's involvement is as a high school guidance counselor, moving up from the 8th grade, I recall from previous books.
So the moral dilemma; should a 16 year old be allowed to determine her (or his) own future? Taken one step further, what if the decision entails something illegal?
Read the book; it's a fast read and really good with more in depth information on Spenser, Hawk and Susan.
Should have know it was about children some how, some way, due to the cover; a Teddy bear with money stuffed in shirt. The subject, child prostitution, was a new and different subject for Parker and certainly a hot topic even today, almost 30 years since first publication of this book.
While reading I wrote myself a note reminding myself that I liked Spenser's one-liners which I do.
Spenser definately has a moral code and it is very similar to Hawk's although previous novels have suggested that Hawk has leaned toward the dark side. I have a gut feeling that as time goes on there will be fewer references to Hawk's relationship with criminals; however, his past involvement sure comes in handy because he's on a first name basis with them and can call upon them without problems.
Susan plays an important part om Ceremony (eighth in the Spenser series) since she's the reason Spenser's looking for the runaway, April, in the first place. Susan's involvement is as a high school guidance counselor, moving up from the 8th grade, I recall from previous books.
So the moral dilemma; should a 16 year old be allowed to determine her (or his) own future? Taken one step further, what if the decision entails something illegal?
Read the book; it's a fast read and really good with more in depth information on Spenser, Hawk and Susan.
November 20, 2017
I finished this book in two afternoons. I really enjoy books by Rober B. Parker. His writing style is simliar to Dashiell Hammet and Raymod Chandler. They all include the hard-boiled detective trying to solve a case. The stories are easy to follow plots but it is driven by great dialogue - smart, humourous and lots of attitude. A great way to spend a couple afternoons.
September 10, 2018
Number 9 in the series (which I am reading in order) if you like good old fashion detective PI stories, you will like this series very much... Robert B. Parker is one of a kind and very much missed. So far, all of the Spenser series books are very fun, and fast reads....... and I just love when Hawk is in the stories!
March 6, 2014
Another fine tale from Parker about the philosophic, hard-fisted Spenser, pal Hawk, and love interest Susan. He's coerced into looking for a problem teen in Boston and the unsavory people taking advantage of her.
April 29, 2015
Amazing. Spenser is looking for a 15-year-old who ran away and became a prostitute.
April 17, 2024
This book was pretty insane. Susan asks Spenser to find a runaway 16 year old named April and it doesn’t go very well.
Hawk is asked to help as too. More mob but it’s all in Boston this time. We get a little update on Paul who is doing great at his art school. There’s even a Thanksgiving celebration in this installment. What does Spenser cook… why nothing as pedantic as turkey… no.. no way… it’s pheasant 🫣🫣
There’s some truly heinous people in this book. The educator that abuses at risk youth, the pimps that abuse their prostitutes and city council members that attend porn parties. Lots of underbelly in this one.
Everyone pretty much gets what they deserve. April will be in future books I’m told. That should be interesting. IMO. She was a complete p.i.t.a during this book maybe she will improve 🤔🤔🤔
Hawk is asked to help as too. More mob but it’s all in Boston this time. We get a little update on Paul who is doing great at his art school. There’s even a Thanksgiving celebration in this installment. What does Spenser cook… why nothing as pedantic as turkey… no.. no way… it’s pheasant 🫣🫣
There’s some truly heinous people in this book. The educator that abuses at risk youth, the pimps that abuse their prostitutes and city council members that attend porn parties. Lots of underbelly in this one.
Everyone pretty much gets what they deserve. April will be in future books I’m told. That should be interesting. IMO. She was a complete p.i.t.a during this book maybe she will improve 🤔🤔🤔
February 5, 2024
ocr:
p30: The inside door opened and a women looked at me through the glass of the outer doors.
p104: "Darth Vadar," I said.
p156: I would have bet against a Phi Bete key, but little is sure in life.
Here I was thinking it couldn't get any more hardcore than the last book. Of course Susan has more weight than Candy!
p30: The inside door opened and a women looked at me through the glass of the outer doors.
p104: "Darth Vadar," I said.
p156: I would have bet against a Phi Bete key, but little is sure in life.
Here I was thinking it couldn't get any more hardcore than the last book. Of course Susan has more weight than Candy!
May 18, 2018
I loved the Spenser TV series. Incredibly glad that it's finally out on DVD. I thought I'd give the books a try. I had read the first in the series, "The Godwulf Manuscript" some time ago and, although I enjoyed it, it wasn't what I thought.
This one, however, was right on the money. Great Spenser story.
A real hard-boiled detective story. As a fan of Dashiell Hammet and Raymond Chandler, I certainly but this in the same category as Sam Spade and Phillip Marlow.
I'll certainly be reading more.
I will not reveal spoilers but the "solution" to the problem left me thinking for quite a while. You'll know when you finish the book.
This one, however, was right on the money. Great Spenser story.
A real hard-boiled detective story. As a fan of Dashiell Hammet and Raymond Chandler, I certainly but this in the same category as Sam Spade and Phillip Marlow.
I'll certainly be reading more.
I will not reveal spoilers but the "solution" to the problem left me thinking for quite a while. You'll know when you finish the book.
September 21, 2020
Spenser takes a job for a dollar: to find a teen runaway in Boston. It's not going to end well. He knows it. But that doesn't mean he can walk away.
This is a good entry into the Spenser series. The characters work, and the description of the Combat Zone and its denizens depressing.
I am reading all the Parker novels over the next couple years. Looking forward to his westerns, too.
This is a good entry into the Spenser series. The characters work, and the description of the Combat Zone and its denizens depressing.
I am reading all the Parker novels over the next couple years. Looking forward to his westerns, too.
June 12, 2022
Семпла история, която дори свежият стил на Робърт Паркър, водещ действието от първо лице на героя си Спенсър, не може да спаси.
April 2, 2026
It is a solid book in the series with the normal small problems I have with most of these. There is too much talk about food, it gets ridiculous. Parker can't go more than a couple of pages without mentioning some kind of gourmet food. One thing that is different is that this book basically ends 40 or so pages before Parker decides to stop writing. It's basically settled what will happen, the one shock that is thrown out doesn't really matter all that much. The tale is basically Spenser helping out Susan with one of her runaways. He and Hawk have some good scenes going through the rougher elements of Boston to find the teenager.
Closer to a 3.5, I can recommend if you enjoy reading in the series. It's fine, better than some since Hawk is in it. Though it does seem overwritten.
Closer to a 3.5, I can recommend if you enjoy reading in the series. It's fine, better than some since Hawk is in it. Though it does seem overwritten.
October 24, 2017
Most of the time, these books are cozies, and just a few pages of violence and sex keep them from being cozies all the time. A soft-boiled detective? No, sunny side up.
November 9, 2021
"My jaw was very sore where Marcus had hit me. It had stiffened overnight, and I had to talk through my teeth. I sounded as if I'd just graduated from Harvard."
The minimal amount of humor does not save Robert B. Parker's Ceremony (1982), the ninth installment in the Spenser series, from a below average rating. The setup sounds promising, yet the novel does not quite deliver.
Susan Silverman, Spenser's girlfriend and a high-school guidance counselor, asks him to find one of her charges, April Kyle, who dropped out of school. The meeting between Spenser and the girl's parents gives us an opportunity to meet the world's worst father. Spenser uses his police contacts to learn that they know the girl as the 'queen of gangbangs,' as she often goes with several men, while drunk or stoned.
It does not take Spenser long to discover April's involvement with the prostitution business in the local red-light district. The story grows darker when Spenser's search takes him to a kinky brothel and the connections with a local crime boss are discovered. This being the early 1980s, we have an extended scene of an orgy
As it often happens in Spenser novels, the ease with which Spenser gets police's approval of and collaboration in his activities, is grossly implausible. He is able to arrange police intervention to come at the right place and time.
Ceremony is an unremarkable episode in Spenser's saga. I can't quite recommend the novel. I will continue reading the books in their chronological order because I am interested in the development of the author's style, and the evolution of the social and cultural background of the stories.
Two stars.
The minimal amount of humor does not save Robert B. Parker's Ceremony (1982), the ninth installment in the Spenser series, from a below average rating. The setup sounds promising, yet the novel does not quite deliver.
Susan Silverman, Spenser's girlfriend and a high-school guidance counselor, asks him to find one of her charges, April Kyle, who dropped out of school. The meeting between Spenser and the girl's parents gives us an opportunity to meet the world's worst father. Spenser uses his police contacts to learn that they know the girl as the 'queen of gangbangs,' as she often goes with several men, while drunk or stoned.
It does not take Spenser long to discover April's involvement with the prostitution business in the local red-light district. The story grows darker when Spenser's search takes him to a kinky brothel and the connections with a local crime boss are discovered. This being the early 1980s, we have an extended scene of an orgy
"The room was a swarm of debauchery, a maelstrom of naked and part-naked limbs and torsos. It looked like a feverish animation of one of those Gustave Doré illustrations for The Inferno."This being a Spenser novel, we also have an extended scene of mayhem; even the readers who are not connoisseurs of violence will have to admit that it is written well. I am unable to describe the denouement without spoiling the plot, so let me just mention that some readers may find one of the aspects of the conclusion ethically dubious.
As it often happens in Spenser novels, the ease with which Spenser gets police's approval of and collaboration in his activities, is grossly implausible. He is able to arrange police intervention to come at the right place and time.
Ceremony is an unremarkable episode in Spenser's saga. I can't quite recommend the novel. I will continue reading the books in their chronological order because I am interested in the development of the author's style, and the evolution of the social and cultural background of the stories.
Two stars.
February 7, 2017
This book is part of a series but each book can be read as a stand alone novel. In this book, Spenser delves into a seedy side of Boston as he looks into prostitution an other sex related crimes. Along for the ride are Susan and Hawk.
I really enjoy this series. Out of the first nine books this one was probably the darkest one as we really dive into the sex crimes and teenagers. A personal highlight for me with these books is it brings back memories of how Boston was and how much it has changed in thirty years. Boston is as much of a character in these books as much as Spenser, Susan, and Hawk. Those three characters were terrific in this book and their dialogue was on point too. It is easy to see the respect and admiration between these characters. The aspect I will remember from this particular novel is the ending did not end with "happily ever after". It ended with a pragmatic solution to a lousy situation and I applaud the author for this ending.
The only reason I didn't give this five stars was its length as this was slightly over two hundred pages. Why does it seems novels from this age are so short and quick? It did not take away from my enjoyment but I would have liked a little more to this story.
I really enjoy this series. Out of the first nine books this one was probably the darkest one as we really dive into the sex crimes and teenagers. A personal highlight for me with these books is it brings back memories of how Boston was and how much it has changed in thirty years. Boston is as much of a character in these books as much as Spenser, Susan, and Hawk. Those three characters were terrific in this book and their dialogue was on point too. It is easy to see the respect and admiration between these characters. The aspect I will remember from this particular novel is the ending did not end with "happily ever after". It ended with a pragmatic solution to a lousy situation and I applaud the author for this ending.
The only reason I didn't give this five stars was its length as this was slightly over two hundred pages. Why does it seems novels from this age are so short and quick? It did not take away from my enjoyment but I would have liked a little more to this story.
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