Rating: 
Summary: A DISAPPOINTMENT!
Review: Having enjoyed all the Spenser tales, I have been hoping for something equally entertaining out of Jesse Stone. Not to be! This third novel is the worst yet. Short on mysytery and action and long on maudlin accounts of the hero's alcoholism and dysfunctional relationships. Pretty painful stuff.
Rating: 
Summary: Leave No Stone Unturned
Review: Jesse Stone that is. Robert Parker's latest hero, Jesse Stone, is a human being first and Sherrif second. With all his faults you have to love him...or at least admire him. The human qualities that Parker imbues his characters with are what makes his books so great. And Paradise, Massachusetts sounds like an interesting place to get to know! I will always love Spenser first but, Jesse Stone is great.
Rating:
Summary: Rock solid Parker
Review: As disappointed as I was with Parker's GUNMAN'S RHAPSODY, I'm as equally happy with this well-done entry in the Jesse Stone series. All of the familiar Parker trademarks are here: baseball, beer, surly kids with good hearts, shrinks galore. Most important, though, is the melodic, flowing prose that Parker does so well, through so many novels.If you're a fan of his work, you should certainly enjoy this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Winner By Robert Parker!
Review: Death In Paradise is another winner for this talented writer. The third novel in the Jesse Stone series is another real page turner with its many surprising twists and turns-- when the body of a young girl is found in a lake police chief Jesse Stone goes in search of a killer-- A Book That Will Demand Attention AND Get It!
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad!
Review: A very young girl is discovered floating in a pond shot in the head, wearing only one shoe. Good beginning to a mystery. This is my first Parker read outside of Spenser. Jesse was likable. An ageing boy of summer with a good heart. Parker's compact dialogue between cops was very amusing. Jesse's relationship with his ex-wife was exasperating but, tied with his alcoholic baggage, it was understandable. Jesse did not have a Hawk or a Joe Pike to lean on. Too bad. I read this in one long afternoon watching football. Mr Parker can always be counted on for a decent read.
Rating:
Summary: A Nice Mystery by Robert Parker (the third in this series)
Review: Death In Paradise-- when the body of a young girl suddenly pops up in a lake, police chief Jesse Stone goes in search of the killer.
Rating:
Summary: Love Parker but.......
Review: Robert Parker is one of my very favorite authors. He's a fun read and great storyteller. And, while I'm partial to Spenser and Hawk, Jesse Stone (the hero of "Death in Paradise" and the other "Paradise" novels) is a hero you can love. On to the story.... In typical Parker fashion, the story begins with a dead body. A young teenage girl has turned up in a lake in Paradise. She's been shot and Jesse smells a skunk. Jesse begins his investigation which actually takes many twists and turns. This was quite enjoyable and worthy of Parker's storytelling lore. (Parker does however continue the yarn regarding Jesse's dysfunctional relationship with Jenn. This is old but certainly makes Jesse seem human (as opposed to superhuman).) However, Jesse does strike up an interesting relationship with a high school principal after meeting her during his investigation. The story is fluid and vintage Parker....right up to the last 50 pages. Had this book been longer by 100 - 125 pages, I think it would have had the ending it deserved. In its current form, it appears that Parker got tired of the story and cut it short. It was anything but fluid. A disappointment for a true Parker fan. Long story short....Parker has seen much better efforts.
Rating: 
Summary: Parker's losing it!
Review: The terse, unrealistic dialog is becoming Parker's trademark...both in the Jesse Stone AND Spencer books. It was entertaining the first few books...now it's disconcerting and just plain annoying, and makes for a poor reading experience. Parker needs to stop stroking himself through his writing!
Rating:
Summary: Mediocre, but readable
Review: The problem with the Jesse Stone series is there isn't enough character development to compensate for the lack of action. In the Spenser series, the interesting characters of Spenser, Hawk, and others are really what drive the story. Stone has some potential, but Parker seems compelled to spend much of his time having Stone and his ex-wife discuss their various therapy sessions. Indeed, the most exciting parts of this book were the lilnk to the Spenser series developed by a mobster's "shooter", Vinnie Morris (who appears in several Spenser books), that figures tangentially in the investigation. I found myself wishing for more Vinnie and less therapy. As for Stone, he has potential, but Parker seems to be moving toward taking the edge away. In this novel, Stone begins alcohol counseling for his tendency toward scotch and soda (or five). Eliminate the vices and I'm not sure there's enough left to carry this series much longer. Whatever it's faults, however, Parker's characteristic dialogue and the familiar Boston settings make this an okay read, which you should be able to polish off over the weekend.
Rating:
Summary: Exceptional Book
Review: I absolutely love this book. It's was compelling and exciting. I like the fact that Jesse Stone come to terms with problems between and his ex-wife. But he needs to move on. This is the best of Jesse Stone series.
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