Rating: 
Summary: Great story, great setting, so-so characters
Review: Let me state it clearly upfront -- I love Spenser. I also hold Hawk in high esteem. And Pearl never fails to charm me. I always consider time spent with these characters time well spent. I enjoyed the twists this plot took me on and appreciated that Spenser and Parker both respected the Asian/American community depicted here. HOWEVER, most of the female characters in this book were more than a little hard to like. Susan seems almost oblivious to the danger she perpetually puts her lover in. And, while I don't want to give too much of the plot away, let's just say that a lot of the story hinges on the selfish, shallow motives of women, as well. The misogyny of this work almost gave me the creeps. Of the new characters, DeSpain is the most intriguing.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Great One!!
Review: Parker is back and Spenser and company are kicking ass!! Love it! Great story, great ending!! Highly recommended!!
Rating: 
Summary: The audio book reader
Review: Port City must be the most dreary place on planet Earth. I've never been there, but I feel like I have. Spenser somehow escaped pneumonia in this twisted thriller, not too mention being the #1 target of the Chinese mafia. This unusual story starts with a Greek theater director, who thinks he's being stalked. Then it takes off with murder, illegal immigration, and some whacky women. Spenser needs more help than Hawk can give him, so he finds a thug named Vinnie and a Chinese grad student to help him navigate through the streets of Port City in this curious adventure. The book reads well, and the plot twists keep you entertained. Robert Parker knows how to write a book that reads fast.
Rating: 
Summary: Spenser cleans up Port City
Review: Port City must be the most dreary place on planet Earth. I've never been there, but I feel like I have. Spenser somehow escaped pneumonia in this twisted thriller, not too mention being the #1 target of the Chinese mafia. This unusual story starts with a Greek theater director, who thinks he's being stalked. Then it takes off with murder, illegal immigration, and some whacky women. Spenser needs more help than Hawk can give him, so he finds a thug named Vinnie and a Chinese grad student to help him navigate through the streets of Port City in this curious adventure. The book reads well, and the plot twists keep you entertained. Robert Parker knows how to write a book that reads fast.
Rating:
Summary: You can't go wrong
Review: Spenser is the greatest literary character in modern fiction. Robert B. Parker's brilliant dialogue and intriguing characters never disapoint. Do yourself a favor and get hooked on Spenser!!!
Rating:
Summary: One we reread often!
Review: Susan's on the board of the Port City Theater Company, and asks Spenser to help one of it's employees with a stalking problem. Spenser does, but finds no stalker. Then, during a show, one of the actors is shot. While questioning people, Spenser talks to a board member, which upsets her husband, who controls the Chinese gang in the area. So Spenser has no clues and the Chinese "Death Dragons" after him. To complicate matters (if you believe they aren't already), another woman claims to be stalked, and then is kidnapped. The local police chief is no help, as he's in the "employ" of the Chinese. Things wrap up in the end, but not after some unexpected plot twists and character development that is really stellar. Usually Spenser is just about fantastic writing and environments. This time Parker also put some solid work into developing the characters you meet, and the cultures involved. On the downside, I think Parker was on an "annoying women" kick. This woman was TRULY annoying, although to make up for her, the Chinese translator they use is smart, resourceful, and brave. Port City is very well described - you get a very good sense both of how it feels to wander its streets, and also of its history and people. An interesting sideline, which provides nice counterpoint to the story, has the pair working on a house in Concord - pruning and ripping out the innards. In addition to Susan and Hawk, Spenser calls on the help of Vinnie - a mob friend (ex-main-man of Joe Broz) with amazingly fast gun draw. He has Farrel, the gay police officer help him out, too. All in all, one of the greats in the Spenser lineup.
Rating:
Summary: The Audio Book reader is terrible
Review: The narrator for the audio book, Dan Parker, is torture on the ears. He has a very distracting lisp. The plot is fine, but read the book, don't get the audiotape!
Rating:
Summary: The audio book reader
Review: The reader for this audio book was terrible, Stefan Rudnicki. He read either too loud or in a whisper where you couldn't hear at all. You could not tell who was talking half the time, whether it be female or male. The story was good I enjoyed it, so don't get an audio read the book, I think you will enjoy it more.
Rating:
Summary: Good book, terrible reader
Review: This Spenser novel is just enough of a puzzler to exercise your mind. Former stories in the series have looked at the mindset of the ghetto gangs along with the more organized crime sydicates. This one takes a hard look at the Chinese connection. Parker as always successfully stays clear of stereotyped characters. And as always, there's always a bit of sympathy...maybe empathy is a better word...for even the least likeable characters. Also, there is always the look at ethics and morality. At the end of the book, you might well be asking yourself which character was the true villain or villainess of the piece.
Rating:
Summary: Uses a few grey cells...
Review: This Spenser novel is just enough of a puzzler to exercise your mind. Former stories in the series have looked at the mindset of the ghetto gangs along with the more organized crime sydicates. This one takes a hard look at the Chinese connection. Parker as always successfully stays clear of stereotyped characters. And as always, there's always a bit of sympathy...maybe empathy is a better word...for even the least likeable characters. Also, there is always the look at ethics and morality. At the end of the book, you might well be asking yourself which character was the true villain or villainess of the piece.
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