03-07-2022, 08:41 AM
Robert B. Parker's "Bye Bye, Baby" by Ace Atkins
The tenth and final novel of the Spenser series by Atkins. I guess it is an in joke to title it "Bye Bye, Baby" This one deals with racism in America. There is an AOC type congresswoman who is getting death threats from the local khaki clad numbskulls. Spenser is called in to protect the congress woman, who goes by CGR (See? AOC. CGR) and to find out who is behind the attacks. A nice quick read. Brain comfort food. Another trip around Boston and it's environs. It amused me they popped into Malden which is where a lot of my cousins live. The books still feel a bit off. The Spenser/Susan relationship was never this crude, but some of the other relationships are done better. Or maybe I'm just forgetting.
But the biggest crime Atkins committed is to reveal the truth about Spenser's name. For the fifty books in the series, we have never known whether Spenser is a first or last name. Just one of those little oddities to keep people guessing. Atkins decided he would tell whether it was a first or last name. He gives up the game on page 3. There was an easy work around on how not to reveal it, which Parker did a million times before, but I guess Atkins needed a parting shot on his way out.
I'll be curious to see how the next person tells a Parker story.
The tenth and final novel of the Spenser series by Atkins. I guess it is an in joke to title it "Bye Bye, Baby" This one deals with racism in America. There is an AOC type congresswoman who is getting death threats from the local khaki clad numbskulls. Spenser is called in to protect the congress woman, who goes by CGR (See? AOC. CGR) and to find out who is behind the attacks. A nice quick read. Brain comfort food. Another trip around Boston and it's environs. It amused me they popped into Malden which is where a lot of my cousins live. The books still feel a bit off. The Spenser/Susan relationship was never this crude, but some of the other relationships are done better. Or maybe I'm just forgetting.
But the biggest crime Atkins committed is to reveal the truth about Spenser's name. For the fifty books in the series, we have never known whether Spenser is a first or last name. Just one of those little oddities to keep people guessing. Atkins decided he would tell whether it was a first or last name. He gives up the game on page 3. There was an easy work around on how not to reveal it, which Parker did a million times before, but I guess Atkins needed a parting shot on his way out.
I'll be curious to see how the next person tells a Parker story.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm