Pale Kings and Princes
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Description
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Published Reviews
Publisher's Weekly Review
The TV series Spenser: For Hire is based on Parker's bestselling series of mysteries starring a Boston private detective, and this taut thriller will no doubt match its predecessors' success. The murder of newspaper reporter Eric Valdez takes Spenser to Wheaton, Mass., where Valdez was investigating a Colombian cocaine operation. After a meeting with the police chief, Bailey Rogers, the detective is waylaid by thugs whom he beats handily. Spenser confirms his suspicions that a grocery wholesaler, Felipe Esteva, is dealing the drug and paying off the police. The next murder victim, however, is Rogers, whose young son drives a truck for Esteva. Spenser daringly hijacks a fortune in cocaine and offers to sell it to Esteva, as dangerous a ploy as the macho detective has ever attempted. When his only ally, a state trooper, is ``reassigned,'' Spenser brings his lover Susan to help with psychological warfare and his sidekick Hawk to face Esteva's mob. Parker keeps the reader's adrenalin pumping overtime until Spenser and company claim the victory. Mystery Guild dual main selection; Literary Guild/Doubleday Book Club alternate. (June 5) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
School Library Journal Review
YA Parker's story has a timely plot revolving around cocaine smuggling through a Massachusettes town from a syndicate in South America. Spenser comes to town to probe the death of a newspaper reporter who knew too much. It soon becomes apparent that the chief of police is involved in the drug operation. After a second murder, Susan, his psychologist girlfriend; Hawk, a man of special skills; and Lindquist, the cooperative state trooper, join forces against the drug kingpin. Lots of action, some violence, and a little romance keep the plot moving right along. Easy, fast-paced reading that should appeal to teen mystery fans. Anne Paget, Episcopal High School, Bellaire (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Book Review
Spenser vs. drug-smugglers and corrupt cops in a small Massachusetts town: a fast, straightforward, unpretentious addition to one of mystery fiction's most uneven series. Central Argus reporter Eric Valdez went to Wheaton, Mass., to investigate rumors of massive cocaine-distribution there. . .and wound up murdered. So the Argus' publisher now sends Spenser to Wheaton--where the food is awful, the cops are hostile, and the townsfolk (one-third of them Colombian) are taciturn. Eventually, however, Spenser zeroes in on a local Colombian produce-tycoon, his sexy wife, and the town's non-Colombian police chief--who then becomes murder victim #2. And it soon turns out that the easy part is fingering the bad guys. The hard part is protecting the innocent from self-destruction (psychologist-girlfriend Susan zips in for a consultation) and staying alive (tough-guy Hawk offers help in that area). Parker hasn't come up with a strong or original plot since Promised Land over 10 years ago--and the storyline this time is paper-thin. But, unlike many recent Parker efforts, it's crisply paced, divertingly peopled, quietly amusing, and occasionally touching--with only a few eruptions of the maudlin staginess and preachy self-congratulation that have made the 1980's Spenser so trying. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Publishers Weekly Reviews
The TV series Spenser: For Hire is based on Parker's bestselling series of mysteries starring a Boston private detective, and this taut thriller will no doubt match its predecessors' success. The murder of newspaper reporter Eric Valdez takes Spenser to Wheaton, Mass., where Valdez was investigating a Colombian cocaine operation. After a meeting with the police chief, Bailey Rogers, the detective is waylaid by thugs whom he beats handily. Spenser confirms his suspicions that a grocery wholesaler, Felipe Esteva, is dealing the drug and paying off the police. The next murder victim, however, is Rogers, whose young son drives a truck for Esteva. Spenser daringly hijacks a fortune in cocaine and offers to sell it to Esteva, as dangerous a ploy as the macho detective has ever attempted. When his only ally, a state trooper, is ``reassigned,'' Spenser brings his lover Susan to help with psychological warfare and his sidekick Hawk to face Esteva's mob. Parker keeps the reader's adrenalin pumping overtime until Spenser and company claim the victory. Mystery Guild dual main selection; Literary Guild/Doubleday Book Club alternate. (June 5) Copyright 1987 Cahners Business Information.
School Library Journal Reviews
YA Parker's story has a timely plot revolving around cocaine smuggling through a Massachusettes town from a syndicate in South America. Spenser comes to town to probe the death of a newspaper reporter who knew too much. It soon becomes apparent that the chief of police is involved in the drug operation. After a second murder, Susan, his psychologist girlfriend; Hawk, a man of special skills; and Lindquist, the cooperative state trooper, join forces against the drug kingpin. Lots of action, some violence, and a little romance keep the plot moving right along. Easy, fast-paced reading that should appeal to teen mystery fans. Anne Paget, Episcopal High School, Bellaire Copyright 1987 Cahners Business Information.
Reviews from GoodReads
Citations
Parker, R. B. (2009). Pale Kings and Princes . Random House Publishing Group.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Parker, Robert B. 2009. Pale Kings and Princes. Random House Publishing Group.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Parker, Robert B. Pale Kings and Princes Random House Publishing Group, 2009.
Harvard Citation (style guide)Parker, R. B. (2009). Pale kings and princes. Random House Publishing Group.
MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)Parker, Robert B. Pale Kings and Princes Random House Publishing Group, 2009.
Copy Details
Collection | Owned | Available | Number of Holds |
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Libby | 1 | 1 | 0 |