Happoshu For Hire


Happoshu For Hire

I remember reading Robert B. Parker’s Godwulf Manuscript, the debut novel of his long running series of Spenser (with an s, like the poet) crime novels. I’m not sure you could call them detective stories, although Spenser did have a P.I. license. Spenser’s M.O. was mostly to position himself as a tough guy in the way of trouble, and see what shook itself out in the resultant melées. Kind of similar to John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee, who still had a few stories to tell, at that time. I was favorably impressed by the new guy.

Wasn’t as impressed by the television show, but it had its moments. Avery Brooks did a fine turn as Hawk, I thought.

Spenser aged pretty gracefully over the years, and I guess I assumed that Parker would keep cranking out adventures indefinitely. I was disappointed when he left us in 2010, and resigned myself to maybe seeing a few more works in progress get finished, and then going without.

When I was browsing at the library the other day, I saw Kickback on the shelf, with an Ace Atkins byline. Was a little confused, because Ace was also Parker’s nickname. Decided to take a chance and read it. It ain’t great, but it ain’t bad.

This particular one, not the first of Atkin's efforts, had a deft inclusion of Iris Milford, a character from the Godwulf Manuscript.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2013/05/11/how-robert-parker-family-has-ensured-that-spenser-adventures-continue/Ae3xng4kdtXGUi1lawut3L/story.html

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