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From: moriarty@fluke.UUCP (Jeff Meyer)
Newsgroups: net.books
Subject: Mystery Recommendation: Robert B. Parker's Spenser
Message-ID: <488@vax2.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 1-Apr-85 01:11:50 EST
Article-I.D.: vax2.488
Posted: Mon Apr  1 01:11:50 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 2-Apr-85 05:48:50 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 34

While I tend to base which mystery series I read less on the detective genre
(e.g. British sitting room sleuth, Tough private eye, cynical police
detective, etc.) than on the author, I admit I have shyed away from American
private eye novels, in preference to Sayers, Stout (I have never really
thought of Archie Goodwin as the "lone wolf" type), and Lawrence Block's
Bernie Rhodenbarr books.  So it was with great suprise that I found myself
enjoying Robert Parker's "The Godwulf Manuscript", his first novel featuring
his Boston PI Spenser (I don't know if we ever find out if he has a first
name).  Even though the plot is somewhat dated, Parker's extremely witty and
fast-pased dialogue has captured my interest.  Now, with about four Spenser
books behind me (and 5 to go -- hurrah!), I really must recommend these to
you.  The current one I'm reading, "Looking for Rachael Wallace", is far and
away the best one so far; his regular characters are all here, the dialogue
has never been funnier, and the situation is suprisingly suspenseful.  The
characters are drawn in such a way that you really feel for them, and
Spenser, who seems to feel that protecting every person in the world who has
gotten a raw deal, seems justifiable in his actions -- you really end up
rooting for him.

Anyway, a very good (and surprisingly thought-provoking) series.  I
recommend it to you highly.

		"Machismo," Rachael said.  "The machismo code.  He's locked
	into it, and he can't explain himself, or apologize, or cry
	probably, or show emotion."
		"I throw up good, though. And I will in a minute."

					Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
					John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
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