Thursday, December 22, 2011

A review of Robert B. Parker's last Spenser novel, Sixkill.

Sixkill, the last Spenser novel by Robert B. Parker, was published back in May of 2011. I’ve wanted to read it for months, but I’ve held off because it’s Mr. Parker’s last novel. Though I still have some of his stand-alone books to read, this is the very last Spenser novel written by the author who entertained me and millions of others for nearly forty years. Wow, that’s a long time.

That I miss Robert B. Parker is an understatement. I feel a strong loss for him that is just now beginning to catch up with me. I remember feeling the same way about Ross Thomas and Adam Hall when they passed away. When you read a particular writer for decades, they inadvertently become a part of your life. Robert Parker certainly did with his Spenser series, then the Jesse Stone novels, and finally the Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch western series. Mr. Parker was such a consummate writer that I can’t honestly think of anyone capable of replacing him. He made his craft look so easy, yet it took a great deal of talent to create the characters, the dialogue, the storyline, and the large accumulation of published novels.

There’s a definite hole in the universe with Mr. Parker gone, and it can’t be filled no matter how hard other authors try. That doesn’t take away the talent of these writers. It simply means that Mr. Parker was an original and there will never be another writer like him. Still, I look forward to the continuation of the Spenser series by Ace Atkins. His first Spenser novel will be out in May of 2012, and it will be titled, Robert B. Parker’s Lullaby (Spenser). It’s actually good that both Spenser and Jesse Stone are being continued by other authors appointed by the Parker estate. This keeps the characters alive, which I believe would have brought a smile to Robert Parker’s face.

Well, what about Sixkill?

I planned on making this book last me for a week, but ended up reading it in two short days. I’m always bad like that with Parker’s novel. Once you start one, you can’t stop. It’s like cold water for a thirsty man. It’s like spending time with your closest friend.

In Sixkill a young lady (Dawn Lopata) is found dead in an obnoxious movie star’s hotel suite. It’s believed that the loudmouth actor (Jumbo Nelson) raped and strangled her. Captain Quirk of the Boston PD, however, feels something isn’t right and doesn’t want to arrest Jumbo if the actor didn’t do it. Quirk talks Spenser into the taking the case, which is going to be handled by Rita Fiore and the law firm she works for.

Spenser later meets with Jumbo Nelson and dislikes him the moment the guy opens his big mouth to speak. The question, however, is whether or not he killed the girl. Jumbo doesn’t care much for Spenser, either. He thinks the private investigator is a smartass. When Jumbo tells his personal bodyguard (Zebulon Sixkill—a tall, well built Native American, who reminded me of the actor, Sonny Latham) to kick Spenser off the movie set, our favorite detective puts the Indian down with a few fast moves and then takes up for him when the Jumbo fires Sixkill for not doing his job.

With Jumbo Nelson being such a low life, it isn’t long before Rita Fiore grows tired of his loud mouth and quits as his attorney. Spenser, however, continues with the case. He’s like a dog with a bone once he gets going. He’s determined to find out if Jumbo Nelson actually killed the girl, or if it was simply an accident. The more Spenser discovers, the more confused he is by the whole mess.

While our gumshoe detective plows along, Sixkill approaches him, wanting to learn how to fight and to be a better man. Spenser quickly decides to take him under his wing and to teach him the intricacies of being a private detective. They work out at Henry Cimoli’s gym, exercise, box, run sprints, and shoot handguns. Sixkill sees in Spenser a mentor, and the PI sees himself in the young Native American. It isn’t long before Sixkill starts picking up Spenser’s sarcastic wit. I can just see Hawk, who isn’t in this novel, rolling his eyes at two smartasses.

As Spenser shakes the tree a little harder, the L.A. mob finally drops out. They seem to own Jumbo Nelson. They’ve financed all of his movies and made a ton of money from it. They’re not going to allow some second detective ruin their money-making machine. A warning is given to Spenser, but has he ever paid attention to those? All a warning does is make him more persistent in his investigation. The mob doesn’t take no for an answer, so they send a number of tough guys to beat some sense into the private investigator. With Sixkill by his side, Spenser sends the guys back with their tails between their legs. The mob tries again with a couple of shooters, but no go. Now, the mob sends their best enforcer—a sadist names Stephano DeLauria. He’s no pushover and when he arrives in Boston, it’s his intent to kill Spenser either slowly or quickly. It doesn’t make any difference to him.

I’ve never read a bad Spenser novel. For me Sixkill was top of the line, especially knowing this was the final book by Mr. Parker. I believe the author was setting up Zebulon Sixkill as either the lead in his own series of books or as a regular in the Spenser novels. The Native American is a good character, and it would’ve been fun to see him interacting will all the regulars in the Spenser series.

As I mentioned earlier, Robert Parker has his own style of writing that looks simple but isn’t. The author was definitely a gifted storyteller who knew his craft inside and out. There was only one Bob Parker, who in many ways was the real Spenser. No one else will be able to emulate him, but it’s still worth a try. I don’t want to see the Spenser or Jesse Stone series end. These characters are great and deserve a life of their own for at least a little while.

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