03-11-2007, 08:16 PM
Robert Parker and Harlan Coben were no match for my super reading prowess. It's a good thing they were library books. Although, I haven't bought a Parker in years. I usually just camp out in the bookstore and read them there. No refrigerator for refreshment in the Bookstore, though.
Robert B. Parker takes a break from Spenser and concentrates instead on his two other characters with series, Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall. It's ostensibly a Stone book but Randall shows up to continue the Stone-Randall loveline.
Bad things are happening in Paradise, MA. Mr. Weeks, a popular radio talk show host is found dead. A day later his girlfriend is also found dead. Let the hunt begin. It does amidst the wisecrack between the members of the Paradise Police force and the Stones remorse about his ex-wife and new lover. It moves from Paradise to New York and Baltimore as clues are turned up and leads tracked down. Mr. Parker has his formula and there is no swaying him from it. Most chapters are long dialogue sequences with a dash of action thrown in every now and then. There is a bit of mystery, but not much. You just don't really care. I think I read them for the banter which is entertaining. Along the way, you have to deal with ruminations about love and it's complications.
Harlan Coben's big hero is Myron Bolitar. It's been six years since the last adventure for Bolitar and "Promise Me" is cut from the same cloth as the previous six. Bolitar is a sports agent who trouble finds. He is surrounded by a supporting cast of odd ducks who all have super talents, for instance the stock broker/billionaire who is also the best martial artist in the world.
Bolitar gets involved with the runaway of one his neighbors. He gets involved because he asks the girl to call him if she ever feels unsafe. He has overheard the girl talking about going home with a drunk driver. His aim is to avert the tragedy. Sure enough two nights later she calls and he goes out to get her. But rather than taking the girl home, Bolitar drops the girl at a friends house. The girl goes missing.
Bolitar gets to talk tough with the cops, have fisticuffs with local mob boss who's daughter is also missing and get into gunfights. It's just your usual time for your average sports agents. I'm guessing there is a template out there for mysteries with wise cracking P.I's and when I find it, I'm writing my own. Although I'm pretty close to what the template is right now.
More fluff, but not horrible fluff. Both writers know what they know how to write best and do it. Maybe it's time to upgrade to Stephen King?
Robert B. Parker takes a break from Spenser and concentrates instead on his two other characters with series, Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall. It's ostensibly a Stone book but Randall shows up to continue the Stone-Randall loveline.
Bad things are happening in Paradise, MA. Mr. Weeks, a popular radio talk show host is found dead. A day later his girlfriend is also found dead. Let the hunt begin. It does amidst the wisecrack between the members of the Paradise Police force and the Stones remorse about his ex-wife and new lover. It moves from Paradise to New York and Baltimore as clues are turned up and leads tracked down. Mr. Parker has his formula and there is no swaying him from it. Most chapters are long dialogue sequences with a dash of action thrown in every now and then. There is a bit of mystery, but not much. You just don't really care. I think I read them for the banter which is entertaining. Along the way, you have to deal with ruminations about love and it's complications.
Harlan Coben's big hero is Myron Bolitar. It's been six years since the last adventure for Bolitar and "Promise Me" is cut from the same cloth as the previous six. Bolitar is a sports agent who trouble finds. He is surrounded by a supporting cast of odd ducks who all have super talents, for instance the stock broker/billionaire who is also the best martial artist in the world.
Bolitar gets involved with the runaway of one his neighbors. He gets involved because he asks the girl to call him if she ever feels unsafe. He has overheard the girl talking about going home with a drunk driver. His aim is to avert the tragedy. Sure enough two nights later she calls and he goes out to get her. But rather than taking the girl home, Bolitar drops the girl at a friends house. The girl goes missing.
Bolitar gets to talk tough with the cops, have fisticuffs with local mob boss who's daughter is also missing and get into gunfights. It's just your usual time for your average sports agents. I'm guessing there is a template out there for mysteries with wise cracking P.I's and when I find it, I'm writing my own. Although I'm pretty close to what the template is right now.
More fluff, but not horrible fluff. Both writers know what they know how to write best and do it. Maybe it's time to upgrade to Stephen King?
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit