Rating: 
Summary: A slow move in the right direction
Review: Let me say first, I am honored to own all 30 Spenser novels. I consider myself a collector to be sure but a consumer first and foremost. For those new to Robert B. Parker (RBP) and Spenser, Spenser is "Shakespeare meets Mike Hammer (and then some)." What's not to like? Well, with the last few offerings, RBP has, in my opinion, slipped a bit. In his last Spenser offering, WIDOW'S WALK, I was thoroughly disappointed in the uncharacteristically slow pace and lack of Spenserisms; not to mention the total lack of identification of the killer. In BACK STORY, RBP makes a partial comeback to the wit all Spenser fans have come to love, but it is still substandard. And, call me sadistic, but where the heck is Hawk? Yes, he's still in the storyline but his role is somewhat geriatric. I enjoyed the brash, somewhat dark side of Hawk. A bit more mystery and a lot less familiarity.To the story...Spenser's "surrogate" son, Paul Giacomin, turns up in Boston with a bag of Krispy Kremes and introduces Spenser to a young woman friend, Daryl Silver (nee' Gordon). Daryl asks Spenser to solve a 28-year-old murder (remember, 28, not 30-year old!!). The victim was Daryl's mother, shot to death in a Boston bank when a radical group calling itself the Dread Scott Brigade staged an armed robbery in 1974. The crime was never solved, and now Daryl has come to Spenser for closure, though his fee will have to be the price of a bag of donuts. With true Spenser brio, he readily accepts.
Spenser immediately begins to see the facts of the old case don't add up. For one thing, the Dread Scott Brigade allegedly took responsibility for the robbery, and there are photos of the perps. However, strangely enough, no one was ever caught. As Spenser dives deeper into the case files of the authorities, he discovers the FBI knows things it won't share, and Daryl's perpetually-stoned father has sources of income Spenser can't explain. Not only was the case seemingly dropped before it got started, it has been covered up. A key FBI intelligence report is missing from both the Boston Homicide and FBI files. And, in a contrasting twist, Spenser discovers the mob wants the case closed as well. After an author successfully writes 30 novels with the same main character, achievement isn't at issue. And this story is worth the read if for no other reason than the author is RBP and the main character is Spenser. The combination is difficult to resist and I'll continue to read all of RBP's Spenser iterations. However, and this will be unpopular, RBP is not focusing on Spenser and Hawk in the fashion he used to. Pinpointing my issue, Spenser's wit is present but laconic relative to past offerings. Hawk is present but impotent relative to past offerings. The ending, well, let's just say it passed with a wimper. Not the usual RBP blast. All-in-all, BACK STORY is worth the read if one is a Spenser fan. However, in this reviewer's opinion, this book just barely reaches the 4-star level. I'm hoping for more wit and action in the next offering.
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: A compulsive read from the tough guy genre's Mr. Reliable.
Review: Spenser's back -- how many times have we heard that? This is the 30th time he's back, making him an institution several times over. The plot of this (su)spenser dredges up idiocies of the early '70s era that began the series, and that Parker never quite got out of his system. A Patty Heart-like political bank robbery went badly wrong 28 years ago (dating from May 2002), leaving a member of the gang dead at the scene and a coworker of Paul Giacomin's theatrical troupe still angry and upset over the unsolved loss of her mother. Working for six Krisky Kreme donuts as a fee, Spenser takes on one of the most dangerous cases he's faced -- it's also dangerous to his partner Susan, who's threatened by her association with him. Nothing he turns up -- and it's quite a bit -- appears to confirm the assumed facts of the case, and it becomes clear early on the FBI is covering up something it doesn't want known. As in the previous books, good food and lovemaking are close seconds to a solid investigation. We get Spenser's usual acerbic zingers here, and Hawk gets a number in as well, because he's treated as a betrayer to the black cause by radicals and ex-radicals supporting African-American liberation. My only complaint is that Parker lays descriptions of food on a bit heavy before the pace of the book picks up; after that, I was relieved Spenser had a chance to eat between trips to the west coast. As in "Stardust," the woman needing his help is unwilling to help him, so he has to call in most of his favors to unearth the hastily buried family mess that festered over the years. References to "Hamlet" keep us alert to the problem of an unfairly killed parent -- or so it would seem till it's clear who killed who and why. As usual in the Spenser novels, the truth comes twisted enough to undercut our trust in its rectification. Finally, Susan is among the most attractive women ever depicted by an American writer: her strength of character and insight, her constancy and independence make it clear that she (not Spenser) is the real backbone of this series.
Rating:
Summary: Spenser Rides Again!
Review: Die-hard Spenser fans will immediately begin to cry their eyes out on the first page when it is discovered that a long time character has passed on.
But, you'll quickly get over it when you realize that you're finally holding the next spenser novel! Paul Giacomin is finally back with Spenser, helping him investigate an old bank robbery related to his current girlfriend. If you're a fan, then pick it up, and if you're not but it anyway - you'll love it!
Rating: 
Summary: Tired setup, but still some sparks
Review: You know a series is in a rut when the author can't even introduce a new dog into the mix! The trio of Spenser, Hawk and Susan is so overly familar at this point that a different kind of mutt would have been most welcome. And sad to say, Parker can't be bothered to pause in his encomiums to Susan's perfection and Lucky Magazine-like riffs on Hawk's natty duds to make any attempt to develop the characters in this outing. Credulity is a bit strained as well--five bloody shooting deaths in a week and no heat on Spenser? Come on.
Dialogue is still crisp and settings are vivid, however, so even second-rate Parker is a cut above most of the stuff out there.
Rating:
Summary: Investigating the Past
Review: The time setting is 2002. Spenser takes on a case to solve a murder that occurred 28 years earlier during a bank robbery.
He finds that there are dangerous people who do not want the case reopened. The trail leads back through the hippie generation of 30 years ago. He uncovers information that the client did not want to bring to the surface, and discovers a complex Web involving the family of a mob boss.
A few people get shot along the way, but the ending is a little disappointing. I would have hoped that he would take out some of the really bad guys, perhaps dropping some information about how one of them had been an informer. Instead he seems to maintain a live and let live attitude with the main criminals.
Rating:
Summary: Better than expected
Review: Half way through, I was ready to cream this 30th Spenser offering, but by the time I finished (i.e., about an hour later), I softened. It's definitely a step above the recent written-by-rote stuff Parker's been dishing out. He didn't dig in much deeper, but it's a shade better. On the other hand, I found the dialogue between Spenser and Hawk and Susan so repetitive and, well, barfy, that it almost ruined it for me. I'll keep buying and reading the Spenser books and Parker will keep writing them and making money hand over fist (so who's the fool here?), but I wish he'd do something original, for a change - kill someone off, maybe. But I'm not holding my breath - like a previous reviewer said - he couldn't even kill off the dog without resurrecting him.
Rating: 
Summary: Should Spenser retire?
Review: If you're from the Boston area, and you haven't read at least a couple of Spencer novels, you're missing a cultural icon. Boston and environs are as much a star as the erudite ex-boxer turned detective, Spencer.
This is the 30th book of the Spencer series, and it's tired and formulaic. There's no real tension, the ending isn't particularly surprising (or interesting). It's not clear to me if the characterizations would hold at all if you hadn't read some of the other Spencer books.
Maybe it's time for Spencer to retire.
Rating:
Summary: A Little Farfetched
Review: This was farfetched but still an enjoyable read. Paul Giacomin is back, but just doesn't have enough role in the story for full enjoyment. It's also missing the delectable Hawk. And, thank goodness, Susan Silverman's role is small too. I would recommend this to the diehard Spenser fan.
Rating:
Summary: Like all Spensers - it is formulaic but still good.
Review: This is the 30th(?) Spenser novel, and I've probably read all of them. I've only been disappointed by one of them, and this one was a decent return to the form and content of the original dozen or so.
The storyline goes like most of them - Spenser takes a hardluck case, finds very few clues but continues to poke around until someone reacts. He is a smart Private Investigator, but mostly he is very persistant and willing to stir up trouble. Lots of good one liners.
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