Rating: 
Summary: Spenser's at odds.
Review: And with a lesbian feminist, no less. In no other novel does Spencer's code of ethics get tested than it does here. This was one of the first Spenser novels I ever read and it remains one of my favorites. It goes a long way towards explaining who Spenser is and his relationship with Hawk. Although it's one of Parker's shortest novels, it's also one of his best.
Rating:
Summary: SPENSERS BEST
Review: Aside from EARLY AUTUMN, there is no question that this is Parkers best novel. It's funny, fast, lots of action, and a big ending. I read all of Parkers Spenser novels in a row, twice, about six years ago, and I've gone back and re-read this one a few more times.
Parkers short 200 page books are like movies, as you can have a bad day, come home, have a few beers and plow through a book in one evening. This is the one that always lifts my spirits.
Rating: 
Summary: such a boring book!
Review: I don't understand why Robert Parker spent 200 pages for this book, you can guess who kidnapped Rachel right from the middle of the book at least! Plot is horrible, book consists of nothing but sexist dialogues between Spenser and Rachel. This book is one of the most terrible in Spenser series
Rating: 
Summary: The best Spenser yet!
Review: I think Robert B Parker is a genius! I really liked this book. I felt he chose a very controversial topic for the time and weaved it into a Spencer story very nicely. He also showed his talent in character development, exposing Spenser's vulnerability and showing him as a sensitive, emotional guy. Parker is also a master at humorous dialect.
Spenser is asked to protect a lesbian who is touring around Boston giving speaches and making appearances after publishing a book that exposes discrimination of women (specifically gay) by organizations in the Boston area. She has had threats against her life. Rachel and Spenser do not always agree on how to handle situations which leads to her firing him. And just after his termination of employment, she disappears. Even though he did not see eye to eye with Rachel, I think he admired her and saw the emotion and sensitivity behind her abrasive front. Therefore, he is determined to find her with the emotional support of Susan, his girlfriend.
For those Spenser fans, I think this is one of his best and I am totally devoted to the series.
Rating: 
Summary: true blue
Review: In LOOKING FOR RACHEL WALLACE, Spenser is hired to bodyguard the title character, an outspoken lesbian author. Ms. Wallace and Spenser don't see eye to eye, and after she fires him, she gets kidnapped. Spenser spends the rest of the book looking for her.
I've read almost all of these books, and this one contains I think the best description of Spenser's personality,when Susan compares him to Sir Gawain. There's some comedy in the early scenes with the juxtaposition of Spenser and Rachel, but Rachel is characterized a little broadly, humorless and cranky. Spenser figures out the mystery pretty early on and spends the rest of the book trying to find Rachel. This is worth a couple of hours of your time on a Saturday afternoon.
Rating:
Summary: He's better when he's less than perfect
Review: In this book, Spenser gets distracted, overlooks clues, even loses a fistfight. And I enjoyed it. Seldom in the series does our hero behave less than heroically (Spenser even makes reference to his outfit with the cape and the "S" on his chest). I liked this more humble, more human, more fallible Spenser. The character of Rachel is hard to warm up to at first (and I consider myself a feminist), yet I like that, too. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, even humorless feminist authors. And Susan actually adds something to this story. Her insights are valuable and move the action along. It helps to remind us every now and again why Spenser puts up with the often exasperating Dr. Silverman. In all, a wonderful read.
Rating:
Summary: A Spenser tale where things do not go well for our hero
Review: It is always interesting to begin one of Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels and find out what sort of case it is going to be this time around, keeping in mind that the absence of a pattern is still a pattern. In this sixth book in the series, our hero is hired to protect the title character, a radical lesbian feminist who has been receiving death threats because of her latest book "Tyranny," which is about people in high places who discriminate against gay women. To no one's surprise Rachel Wallace does not take well to Spenser's sense of humor, the way he dresses, his chosen avocation--okay, she does not like ANYTHING about him. But she needs protection and he can carry on an intelligent argument, so there is some level of respect. Everybody is worried or at least wondering what Spenser thinks about lesbians and radical feminists, and there are several feisty conversations along such lines between the pair, but the actual subject under examination in this book turns out to be Spenser himself, although most of the insights come from Susan Silverman instead of the Rachel Wallace. There is a point where Spenser explains if anything happens to him, Hawk should take up the case. Susan points out she does not know how to contact him and Spenser assures her that if anything happens Hawk will show up and ask if she needs anything. Susan talks about the implicit code that binds Spenser, Hawk, Quirk, Healy, etc., and I suddenly realize that Spenser has been NETWORKING! The first half of "Looking for Rachel Wallace" deals Spenser trying to do his job until he offends the writer's political sensibilities and is dismissed. As you can tell from the title, the second half of the novel brings changes the nature of the case and even though he is no longer employed to care, of course he takes responsibility for everything that has happened. The most unique part of this novel is that Spenser makes some serious mistakes (I even spotted a key clue way before he did), so he is not as on top of his game as usual. You especially know this is true when Spenser gets beaten up in a fight and apologizes several times for what he says. More than any other novel to this point in the series, "Looking for Rachel Wallace" gets to the heart of the character, understandably knocking him off stride to reveal the true nature of the man.
Rating:
Summary: What a read!!
Review: LOOKING FOR RACHEL WALLACE is a fantastic book, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a fan of the series. Spenser is his usual funny, witty, tough self, but here, more than any other book before this, his sensitive side is exposed. The book is basically broken into two parts. Part one is Spenser being hired to protect Rachel Wallace, a feminist lesbian author. The two clash beautifuly and the pages are full of humorous dialogue between Spenser and Rachel. The two are like oil and water; Spenser standing for everything that Rachel speaks out against. Basically, he's not PC enough for her. Although there is mutual respect there, Rachel eventually fires Spenser.Part two is the "looking" part. Spenser finds out that Rachel has been kidnapped and he is rehired by the publisher to find her. Without Rachel there, Spenser is able to do his job his way. The Of course our hero finds her in the end. The poignant part of the story is that they both learn from each other. Spenser realizes that his machismo isn't always the answer, and Rachel learns that without a little muscle, she would've probably died. It's a quick, fun read. Like always, Parker writes with a poetic beauty, realistic dialogue and action-packed adventure. I not only recommend this as a fan of mystery novels, but as someone who loves to read and can appreciate good writing. If you hven't read Spenser, pick up this book. Or better yet, start from the beginning and start the adventure.
Rating:
Summary: What a read!!
Review: LOOKING FOR RACHEL WALLACE is a fantastic book, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a fan of the series. Spenser is his usual funny, witty, tough self, but here, more than any other book before this, his sensitive side is exposed. The book is basically broken into two parts. Part one is Spenser being hired to protect Rachel Wallace, a feminist lesbian author. The two clash beautifuly and the pages are full of humorous dialogue between Spenser and Rachel. The two are like oil and water; Spenser standing for everything that Rachel speaks out against. Basically, he's not PC enough for her. Although there is mutual respect there, Rachel eventually fires Spenser. Part two is the "looking" part. Spenser finds out that Rachel has been kidnapped and he is rehired by the publisher to find her. Without Rachel there, Spenser is able to do his job his way. The Of course our hero finds her in the end. The poignant part of the story is that they both learn from each other. Spenser realizes that his machismo isn't always the answer, and Rachel learns that without a little muscle, she would've probably died. It's a quick, fun read. Like always, Parker writes with a poetic beauty, realistic dialogue and action-packed adventure. I not only recommend this as a fan of mystery novels, but as someone who loves to read and can appreciate good writing. If you hven't read Spenser, pick up this book. Or better yet, start from the beginning and start the adventure.
Rating: 
Summary: Dead Boring
Review: Looking for Rachel Wallace is more Boston street guide than anything else. Spencer does almost nothing in this book except eating and drinking with Susan, eating and drinking with Rachel at the Ritz bar. This is the worst Spencer book I've ever read. Thank god it was short. Rachel doesn't say anything worthwhile.
Rachel was obnoxious.... which in my 15yrs. (1974-'89) experience of living/working in San Francisco and working along side or in the homes of lesbians is their typical behavior....... so Parker did get that right.
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