Rating: 
Summary: Parker's Back
Review: Parker has really made an effort here, and it shows. Recent books were getting thinner and more off-hand, and the last in the Spenser series, "Widow's Walk" read like Parker wrote it while he was watching a ball game. But in "Back Story," Parker has done it for us again. It's not the "Godwulf Manuscript" and it's certainly not "Looking for Rachel Wallace," but it has depth and heft, and a fresh plot that involves us in some very satisfying intricacy as it works itself out. Spenser shows more of himself, and our understanding of him deepens. Here it isn't an appealing client needing real help that is the reason he keeps going; it is his own choice to finish what he started, even at considerable cost. He is "peerless," as Susan Silverman says, a man of integrity, humanity and power, whose choices, like this one, come always from a place of honor. And he still is as funny as he always was, with the same discerning eye, seeing everyone, from aging hippies to aging mobsters, right through any pretension or fascade, seeing the good in the bad guys and the bad in the good guys, seeing things as they are. There are signs here that Parker is making some acknowledgement to the fact that if Spenser fought in Korea, he can't really be 42 years old anymore. Now he does weightlifting for repetition, rather than for weight, he does measured runs, with walk breaks, on Harvard's track, rather than pounding for miles along the Charles River. He decides to have one English muffin because the second one he wants isn't good for him. The women he says look pretty good are in their fifties, and both he and Hawk say sadly "Too young" when teenagers walk by in bikinis. But may I suggest here that a "willing suspension of disbelief" is more than appropriate. We may all be aging, but Spenser doesn't really have to, unless we insist on it. Rex Stout's Archie Goodwin would have been in a wheelchair in real time during many of his most useful flirtations. Nero Wolfe himself would have been about 112 years old when he solved his last cases. Sherlock Holmes could not actually have dealt both with Victorian hounds and the Norden Bombsite in the same adult lifetime. I think that, along with Parker, we should make no more than a gentle reference to Spenser's age, and then leave it alone. If we lean on it too much, Spenser may retire, and I, for one, am not ready. In "Back Story" Parker brings down barriers between story lines, and even across series. It is very appealing to have two heavy-weight thugs who tried to kill Spenser in "Pastime" sitting on the steps of Susan's classy house to guard her. And Parker has Spenser work with Jesse Stone in this one, so we get to see Jesse through Spenser's eyes. I'd very much like to know how Spenser looks to Jesse. And, hey, Sunny works in Boston. There are all sorts of possibilities.
Rating:
Summary: Only buy if if you are collecting a complete set.
Review: Parker is a much better writer than this book reveals. It is a poor value for the price. I read it in an evening. Big type, lots of white space. Not much plot or character development.
All the usual buttons are pushed in all the usual ways. No real surprises. Even the new dog is bored. I think Parker is getting weary of this series. It reads as if he produced this one in his sleep after much nagging from his editor or agent for just one more Spencer. If you must read it, get it at the library before spending your money. It is certainly better than much in this genre.
Rating: 
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: Pure Parker...but so much less of it! Talk about churning out a novel for money!
Rating:
Summary: Summertime Read
Review: Remember, summertime is coming and this is a good pool or beach book in the classic Robert Parker style. Easy to pick up and put down - it is a relaxing, non-stressful read.
Rating: 
Summary: Consistency
Review: Robert B. Parker does what he always does, and what long time fans of his know he can do everytime one of his new releases hits the shelves, he delivers the goods.
Backstory isn't the most fantastic of books from a standalone perspective, but from character development, sense of intimacy, and consistent delivery of the goods in the area of craftsmanship, it is a model to all aspiring writers that would one day like to have, and deserve, a loyal following.
Rating:
Summary: What's not to like!!!
Review: Robert Parker continues to keep Spenser fresh, energetic and fun to read. Thirtysome novels into the series, "Back Story" finds Spenser and Hawk looking into a twenty-eight year old murder for a friend of a friend---the victim's daughter. As they attempt to connect whatever dots they can assemble, the first missing link is the FBI report on the case. Next thing you know, "government men" try to persuade Spenser to take a powder. Hmmm??? Shortly thereafter some not-so-friendly mobster types pass a similar message Spenser's way. These "suggestions" merely strengthen Spenser's resolve and makes him dig deeper. Current members of the Boston PD and the FBI's Boston office are more than interested and do not inhibit the intrepid Spenser. The usual crisp repartee between Spenser and Hawk, lively dialogue, a colorful supporting cast and a cameo appearance by Jesse Stone highlight the story. Another highly entertaining, most enjoyable weekend diversion.
Rating: 
Summary: Intriguing, funny.................never predictable!!!
Review: Robert Parker has yet another great Spenser novel to add to his success list. In Back Story, Spenser agrees to investigate a 28 year old unsolved murder. As he begins to investigate the murder, many unexpected facets appear. The FBI, an aging but very dangerous mobster, a hitman, college radicals and several ex-cons appear and disappear, putting Spenser and the love of his life in extreme danger. Hawk, his friend and most reliable co-conspirator, steps in to act as a bodyguard and to help him unravel the threads of this case. The characters are all there from previous books, even one from another series by Parker and as always they all mesh perfectly to create a novel that is both intriguing and funny. The lines of dialogue are great, the reactions so honest and dealing with unexpected answers only heightens the tension of this novel. Robert Parker is a reliable author, but he is never predictable!
Rating:
Summary: "My God, you people passed each other around like Fritos!"
Review: Solid entry in the long-running series delivers a pretty good mystery story, a few tense moments of danger, and some really funny banter between Spenser and Hawk. Readers also get to see Parker's other hero, police chief Jesse Stone, entertainingly interact with Spenser and Hawk for about twenty pages. As an added bonus, the novel is refreshingly free of Mr. Parker's usual endorsements for psychiatrists, therapists, etc., the bane of many of his thrillers. I'm glad he's been lightening up on that stuff lately, as it was getting a bit tiresome. Not EVERYONE needs to rush out to a psychiatrist to solve their problems, after all. Finally, also interesting is that "Back Story" delivers quite an indictment on many aspects of the hippie generation (see the quote at the top of this review), an indictment that comes off as credible even if you admire a lot of what that generation was trying to do. All in all, an entertaining and thoughtful read.
Rating:
Summary: A Formidable Duo
Review: Sometimes it's lucky to be a "Johnny-Come-Lately." My reason for saying this is that I am not encumbered by the history of something like 30 previous Spenser novels. I have read 3 of them, just enough to become familiar with Spenser, Hawk, and Susan, but not so many that they have become stale characters, or that Parker's plots have become repetitive. Any number of previous reviews have discussed the plot in great detail. In order not to be repetitious, my review will just discuss the plot in barest outline form and then will talk about the main protagonists, their interactions and characteristics. The plot: Spenser takes on a case for a young actress who wants to find out who killed her mother in a bank hold-up some 28 years earlier. In spite of a cold trail, missing documents,and threats on his life, Spenser, with the physical support of his friend, Hawk, and the emotional and analytical support of his lover, Susan, soon finds out enough to make his investigation dangerous to both the FBI, and the most powerful mob figure in Boston, thus making it dangerous to Spenser. It also turns out that what he is uncovering is NOT what his client wants to hear. For the final outcome of this case, I guess that you'll just have to read the book. Now for the promised character studies: Spenser and his ally, Hawk, form quite a duo. They are both in superb physical condition and can handle anyone who tries to intimidate them. Spenser, alone can handle (read manhandle) at least two or three assailants by himself. So, for that matter, can Hawk. Together they can out think, out strategize, and out shoot just about anyone. In at least one case, where Spenser is caught off guard, he also proves that he can outrun just about anyone before turning the tables on them. Hawk and Spenser are not just dumb mugs, between them they can quote from Shakespeare, are students of ancient and modern history, and have a philosophical bent. Susan provides a softer side, but only when softness is appropriate. She is supportive even when Spenser and Hawk need to kill, as long as the killing is necessary to save their own lives. To give Spenser and Hawk credit, they'd rather work out an amicable settlement than to resort to violence, if, of course, their adversaries are amenable to a peaceful settlement. If you like your Private Investigators to be men of terse dialog (a la Hemingway), with a touch of introspection thrown in, I think that you'll really enjoy this novel.
Rating:
Summary: Not even close.
Review: Spenser needs to retire. For those who haven't bothered to notice: it you would compare the physical descriptions of Spenser with the pictures of Parker on the back of the dust jacket you will get the distinct impression Parker is basing Spenser to a great degree on himself. Spenser, as he has said himself, was with MacArthur at Inchon. This makes him at least 70. This latest entry is a bit of a letdown. No mention is made of Spenser's cooking abilities. And absolutely nothing is said about the details of the deal Spenser made with the aging crime boss at the end of the novel. This novel is a pleasant, but like another reviewer has said already: if you really want to read it borrow it from the local library or get it in paperback when it comes out.
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