Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
G.P. Putnam's Sons (1995), 352 pages
Description
PI Spenser of Boston investigates a stalking, the victim of which is a theatre company director, a probe that leaves him cold until an actor is gunned down. At that he swings into action, clashing with the Chinese Mafia and narrowly missing being killed himself.
User reviews
LibraryThing member MeriJenBen
Spenser is asked to investigate the murder of Craig Sampson, an actor in the Port City Theater Company. Spenser's paramour, Susan Silverman, as a board member of the theater, had originally asked Spenser to investigate a stalking case involving the theater's director. The head of the local Tong
To Parker's credit, he does manage to bring these disparate elements -- Chinese mobster, Dead Actor, Needy Actress - together, with a bit of history and immigrant smuggling thrown in. How believable it all is is another story -- but Parker is always entertaining. This book had a lot of Hawk in it, which I like, and took Spenser out of his normal orbit, which is refreshing.
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(which reads as a kind of Chinese mafia) takes offense to Spenser's investigation, threatening to kill him. Also working into the plot is a troubled young actress who claims that she is also being stalked.To Parker's credit, he does manage to bring these disparate elements -- Chinese mobster, Dead Actor, Needy Actress - together, with a bit of history and immigrant smuggling thrown in. How believable it all is is another story -- but Parker is always entertaining. This book had a lot of Hawk in it, which I like, and took Spenser out of his normal orbit, which is refreshing.
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LibraryThing member Darla
Susan is on the board of directors of a local theater, so when the theater owner says he's being followed, Spenser agrees to investigate as a favor to her. Between Spenser and Hawk, however, they can't find anyone following him.
Then during a performance of an exceedingly long, boring, and pointless
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The mystery was convoluted and complex, yet everything got tied up in the end, and the ending was.... (trying hard to avoid spoilers) .... dark and surprising. I love, love, loved the ending. In a way it was unsatisfying, but that just made me like it more. Gah. I can't explain without giving it away. Suffice to say it's not your usual mystery novel climax.
It was also a relief to read a book from a bit later in the series, with Spenser and Susan more comfortable in their relationship--they've just bought a house in the country, where they live together on weekends, maintaining their separate lives during the week.
By the way--don't be fooled by the relatively low rating on Amazon: most of the lowest ratings were solely for the audiobook's narrator.
Then during a performance of an exceedingly long, boring, and pointless
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play, one of the actors is shot dead with a .22 to the heart, and things start getting more exciting, with the involvement of a Chinese gang and the reappearance (or not) of the stalker.I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The mystery was convoluted and complex, yet everything got tied up in the end, and the ending was.... (trying hard to avoid spoilers) .... dark and surprising. I love, love, loved the ending. In a way it was unsatisfying, but that just made me like it more. Gah. I can't explain without giving it away. Suffice to say it's not your usual mystery novel climax.
It was also a relief to read a book from a bit later in the series, with Spenser and Susan more comfortable in their relationship--they've just bought a house in the country, where they live together on weekends, maintaining their separate lives during the week.
By the way--don't be fooled by the relatively low rating on Amazon: most of the lowest ratings were solely for the audiobook's narrator.
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LibraryThing member raizel
Good, fast read. Typical Spencer book with Susan, Hawk, and Vinnie. Susan is on the board of a theater group in "Port City," a harbor town where it always rains. Chinese tongs figure in the story. [SPOILER: I find it hard to believe that anyone can be so oblivious to the effect of one's actions on
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the lives (and deaths) of other people.] Show Less
LibraryThing member Nodosaurus
Although I enjoyed this book, I'm still trying to sort it all out. There was a lot going on and I felt there should be a little more, yet all the ends seem to be tied up.
This book is one of a series involving a PI by the name of Spencer. He is a hard-boiled detective set in the present, along the
The story is solid, he doesn't make unsubstantiated intuitive leaps, nor lucky guesses. The characters are pretty well developed and are interesting, and the story is well told. The style reminded me of Ramond Chandler, a bit.
This book is one of a series involving a PI by the name of Spencer. He is a hard-boiled detective set in the present, along the
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east coast, but could be set anywhere. In this book, he is investigating the murder of an actor in a very bad play. The killer was present for a half hour, yet is not identified at the shooting. It made for an interesting twist. His investigation takes him into China town, where he runs into Tongs and deals with being an outsider. The story is solid, he doesn't make unsubstantiated intuitive leaps, nor lucky guesses. The characters are pretty well developed and are interesting, and the story is well told. The style reminded me of Ramond Chandler, a bit.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
Walking Shadow is Robert B. Parker’s 21st (out of 40) novel featuring the Boston P.I. Spenser. In this one, Spenser’s long-time unmarried (and darn well going to stay that way) girlfriend, Susan Silverman, dragoons him into attending a production of a theater company on whose board she serves
During his investigation, Spenser runs afoul of the local Chinese gang (tong), which would be extremely dangerous for any normal person, and even Spenser deems the peril sufficient to enlist the aid of two of his toughest compatriots, Hawk and Vinnie Morris. With their able assistance, Spenser stays alive and solves not only the original murder but two other murders that his investigation precipitates. In the process, Parker answers one question that his followers have wondered about for many novels, namely: who is the best pistolero of Spenser’s associates? It surprised me to discover that Vinnie is better with a gun than either Spenser or Hawk.
The repartee among the characters is up to Parker’s high standards. For example:
“What are you going to do?” Hawk said.
“Susan and I are going to a reception and board meeting at the theater,” I said.
“What could be better,” Hawk said.
“How about getting whacked in the nose with a brick?” I said.
“Well, yeah,” Hawk said. “That would be better.”
Evaluation: Parker is very good at this genre, and this book is a fine example of his craft, but this genre is so light that I hesitate to give the book a 4 star rating.
(JAB)
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in the not very prosperous port city of Port City (no such real place). When one of the cast is shot on stage, Spenser (with Susan’s prodding) takes it upon himself to assist the local police in solving the murder. During his investigation, Spenser runs afoul of the local Chinese gang (tong), which would be extremely dangerous for any normal person, and even Spenser deems the peril sufficient to enlist the aid of two of his toughest compatriots, Hawk and Vinnie Morris. With their able assistance, Spenser stays alive and solves not only the original murder but two other murders that his investigation precipitates. In the process, Parker answers one question that his followers have wondered about for many novels, namely: who is the best pistolero of Spenser’s associates? It surprised me to discover that Vinnie is better with a gun than either Spenser or Hawk.
The repartee among the characters is up to Parker’s high standards. For example:
“What are you going to do?” Hawk said.
“Susan and I are going to a reception and board meeting at the theater,” I said.
“What could be better,” Hawk said.
“How about getting whacked in the nose with a brick?” I said.
“Well, yeah,” Hawk said. “That would be better.”
Evaluation: Parker is very good at this genre, and this book is a fine example of his craft, but this genre is so light that I hesitate to give the book a 4 star rating.
(JAB)
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LibraryThing member bas615
This is a darker than normal entry into the Spenser series that is still enjoyable. I’m always happiest to see Hawk and Spenser working together. But, you could just feel everyone getting ground down over the course of this addition. It read much more as a noir. This was an interesting
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experiment, but Spenser didn’t really feel at home in this dismal new world. Then again, we all need a reminder of how terrible the world can be at times... Show Less
LibraryThing member LyndaInOregon
Not his best work. While investigating the real-life onstage murder of an actor, Spenser wanders around trying to make connections that don't even begin to make sense until about the last 20 pages. Meanwhile it rains. A lot. Even the irrepressible Hawk is subdued in this one.
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1994
Physical description
7.47 inches
ISBN
9780425147740