BORELLI CONSULTING: Recreational Equipment Reviews

"Hundred Dollar Baby" by Robert B. Parker
23 July 2007

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I have been a fan of the writing of Robert B. Parker for a long time. His series of books about the character Spenser (used for a television show back in the day) is an excellent resource for honorable behavior and for entertainment. Parker's latest Spenser novel, "Hundred Dollar Baby" is typical Spenser, but may be showing a reduced lack of enthusiasm on Parker's part for this veteran character. After all, now he has Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall to write about as well.

For many authors a great deal of time has to be spent on character development and setting a plot. One of the greatest strengths of Parker's Spenser character is that he's been built of the course of decades - literally. His strength, fighting skills, intelligence and self-education serve as the basic foundation for nearly every book. But in every one there is some value challenge that Spenser must face and he depends on his friends to give him input about what he should - or shouldn't - do. Ultimaely he does what he knew he must do all along. Spenser is good at facing ugly truths and taking them in stride. He recognizes that there's little else he can do.

As in the large majority of Spenser novels the support characters are almost like old friends for the reader as much as for Spenser. His girlfriend, Susan, plays a minimal role in this one, but Hawk is there throughout. When Spenser finds out that he needs a few more hands he seeks out Chollo, Teddy Sapp and Vinny. One of them shows up to help, but I won't give away which one. Another old character shows up...

April Kyle - who has been in two previous Spenser novels - returns to ask Spenser for help. Having been a prostitute for a number of years she's now progressed into management and finds herself having to fight off some men who want to muscle into her business and profits. She calls on some muscle of her own in the form of Spenser who brings Hawk along for the party.

Of course, nothing is really as it seems and much of what Spenser gets told as he investigates turns out not to be true. Thanks to the problems he's helping April Kyle solve, Spenser once again travels to New York to enjoy the company of Patricia Utley. Once again true to form Spenser discovers that he's in a mess and has to keep slogging through until he finds the truth. Ultimately it's a truth he really doesn't want to face - but he doesn't have a choice and deals with it in classic Spenser form.

Understand that if you're a Spenser fan you may be left feeling unfulfilled at the end. There just isn't as much classic Spenser fighting and shooting in this book as there has been. Of course, you also have to understand that Parker has aged Spenser throughout the series of books almost parallel to the actual passage of time. Remembering that Spenser served in Uncle Sam's Army in the Korean War, Spenser has to be pushing seventy years of age. Hawk is a similar age and I'm impressed that he still maintains his appetite for young women.

"Hundred Dollar Baby" is a good read, but it only took me about six hours. Unless all of your Parker books are in hard back, you may want to wait for this one in paperback. Then again, I'm sharing it with others who I know to be Spenser fans, and I'm sure between us we'll get the $24.95 price out of it in entertainment value.

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Don't forget to check out our Tactical Equipment Review reporting on how the DuraCoat finish is holding up 3.5 years later.

This week's Training Article about how the newest generation of Americans, more than ever, needs to grow up willing to fight for what they believe in.

For a listing of all reviews in chronological order, GO HERE.

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