Review: Robert B. Parker's LULLABY - A Spenser novel by ACE ATKINS

Now normally (as I like to say) I'm not really happy with the idea of keeping a main series character alive (especially one as well known and liked as Spenser the Boston touch guy, private eye) once the original author has passed away as happened with Robert B. Parker in 2010.

But of course there are always exceptions to any rule. For instance, Sherlock Holmes. I'm currently reading GARMENT OF SHADOWS by Laurie R. King in which Holmes is still going strong these many books along in an excellent series which occasionally borders on genius.

I'd read all of the Spenser books over the years and decided to see what Ace Atkins - another favorite author of mine - would do with the rugged and very individualistic Boston P.I.

I was surprised when Ace was chosen by the Parker estate to continue writing the Spenser books simply because Ace is from the South (currently lives in Mississippi) and the Spenser books are So Boston centered.

But I needn't have worried. Ace has managed to do the practically impossible: he has kept Spenser alive, not to mention Hawk and the rest of Spenser's retinue. It helps enormously that Ace is as good a writer as Robert B. Parker was and while he doesn't copy Parker, Ace still manages the flavor of the first person narrative. (I'd thought he'd have to go to the third person.) Ace 'gets' the flavor of Boston, the tone of Spenser's quips, his byplay with us, with Rita Fiori, with Hawk, with Susan and with the world in general. It's not an easy thing, but Ace Atkins has managed to do the almost impossible. I admit I was taken aback by how good LULLABY is. And no I don't think Ace has sold his soul to the devil.

Ace still continues to write his own wonderful books in his own wonderful voice: thrillers and dark, broody crime fiction. And there might even be a future television series in the works based on Ace's current series of books set in Mississippi and featuring ex-Army Ranger, Quinn Colson.

LULLABY - The Plot:

When a young, street-wise girl asks Spenser to look into her mother's murder - a crime for which a  low-life pal has already been tried and convicted - the private eye isn't sure there's much he can do.  But Mattie Sullivan, fourteen, street-wise, growing up in a 'Southie' project, left in charge of two siblings and an alcoholic grandmother isn't taking 'no' for an answer. She is determined that Spenser find the real killer. Spenser is won over by the wise-cracking Mattie (there's something about her that reminds him of him) and brings Hawk along for the bumpy, murderous ride.

I'll be reading the next Spenser written by Ace Atkins - for sure. WONDERLAND, due out in May of 2013.

This is proof positive why you should never say 'Never' - you're bound to have to eat your words.

5 Best Books: 5 Best Books Based On A True Story

For whatever reason, I don't normally seem to read fiction books that are based on true stories. But checking through my various lists, I've managed to come up with five. To my surprise, there are actually a couple more but I've spoken about those recently under other headings. At the risk of repeating myself, don't wan't to keep repeating myself. You know how it goes.

5 Best Books is a weekly meme hosted by Cassandra at INDIE READER HOUSTON Don't forget to check in this week to see what 5 Bests other bloggers are talking about.

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1) THE FRANCHISE AFFAIR by Josephine Tey

A story by the wonderful Golden Age writer, updated but based on the notorious 18th century case of Elizabeth Canning, a maid who claimed to have been abducted and held against her will by two women. (Read about the Canning case here.)

Robert Blair, a small town English solicitor is called upon to help Marion Sharpe and her mother when a maid, Betty Kane, accuses them of holding her prisoner in their country home known as The Franchise.

Tey's book has been turned into a film and several television adaptations followed. THE FRANCHISE AFFAIR was picked as one of the 100 Best Mysteries by the UK Crime Writers Association.

2) ELEVEN DAYS by Donald Harstad

Author Harstad was once a cop out in the Midwest himself and this story is based on a shocking real event. Written in a taut business-like manner (which I happen to like very much for this sort of story), this is a police procedural set in the fictional town of Maitland, Iowa and featuring a likable cast of characters, most especially the lead cop, Carl Houseman.

A distress call comes into the police station from a local farm. When the police arrive, they find a horrible scene, a dead family and no clues to the whereabouts of the killer or killers. But this is only the beginning of the violence. The laconic sheriff, Carl Houseman is baffled and though the story may at first appear to be a 'Fargo meets Dragnet' sort of thing, be assured the story soon takes off, resulting in a rock 'em sock 'em ending which will leave you breathless.

This is one of my all time favorite books, a debut by a guy who knew what he was doing and went on to write several more highly recommended books featuring Houseman and his stalwart cop crew.

An aside: This would make a great movie. It surprises me that no one's thought of it.

3) WHITE SHADOW by Ace Atkins

A gritty and violent re-telling/re-imagining of the famous Florida murder of mob boss Charlie Wall. The author is a former award winning reporter turned writer of extraordinary crime books. (As well as the brilliant Nick Travers series.) He takes great care to create fictional characters who will integrate smoothly with his meticulously researched facts. Few writers do this as well as Atkins.

Tampa, Florida in the 1950's was a hotbed of criminal activity -  Sicilian and Cuban mobsters had a strangle-hold on the town. It was an unseemly mix of smoky nightclubs, cigar factories , brothels and gangsters left to practice their various nefarious trades unchecked. So, when a mob boss is bludgeoned to death, the truth is the least of anyone's worries.

4) THE DAUGHTER OF TIME by Josephine Tey

Another Tey book which would easily go on my  own list of 100 Best Books. When Scotland Yard Inspector Alan Grant is hospitalized with a broken leg, he has enough time on his hands to seek out the truth behind the assumed guilt of Richard the III, the hunch-backed monster of a king who supposedly murdered his two nephews to usurp the British throne. The two young boys were tucked up in the Tower (for their protection) and never seen again.

While lying in his hospital bed, Grant solves 'the case' to Tey's satisfaction (and mine). This is a brilliant story told in 'modern day' detective fashion as Grant uses reason and research material brought to him by a friend, to ferret out the historical truth.

If you haven't read this, I urge you to do so, especially if you have any interest whatsoever in English history and vintage mysteries.

5) THE TOMB OF THE GOLDEN BIRD by Elizabeth Peters

Fictional characters Amelia Peabody and her irascible husband, Radcliffe (known simply as Emerson) and their intrepid family, are back in Egypt and on the verge of making the greatest archaeological discovery in history - the tomb of Tutankhamun. Unfortunately their reputation for trouble precedes them and they have been forbidden from digging anywhere in The Valley of the Kings.

Convinced the discovery of the tomb is imminent, the Emersons try to get Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter (the real-life discoverers of King Tut's tomb in 1922) to relinquish their digging rights but to no avail.

Forced to watch on the sidelines as the greatest archaeological treasure in history is uncovered, the Emersons still manage to find themselves embroiled in another mystery - "...every summer another murder." Eventually they have the satisfaction of knowing they were right in originally figuring that Tut's tomb lay waiting in The Valley of the Kings.

Read about the real life discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb here.

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Couple of other books I've recently recommended that were based on true stories:

THE PERSIAN BOY by Mary Renault

DEVIL'S GARDEN by Ace Atkins

Spenser: To Be Continued by Ace Atkins...

Robert B. Parker

Well, as usual, I'm late to the show but what the heck. I've just learned that one of my favorite writers, Mississippian Ace Atkins, has not only signed on to continue writing the Spenser novels of the late Robert B. Parker but he has the first novel already written. How did I find out? By reading this post at The Rap Sheet which includes an interview with Ace.

I've read all of the Spenser novels except the last one - SIXKILL - the 39th, written by Parker who passed away early last year at the age of 77. I think of myself as a self-styled expert on Parker's novels. Not at all sure if I like the idea of the continuation of any author's work. i.e. never did like the Nero Wolfe novels written after the death of Rex Stout. But I do like some of the Sherlock Holmes books written (and continuing to be written) after Conan Doyle's death.

From the example of the Holmes books alone, I'm convinced it IS possible to do this sort of thing well. Anything's possible. I think the trick is not to try and copy completely the writing style of the deceased author. Nobody likes an imitation. As long as we, long time readers of the Spenser books, can pick up with Spenser where Bob Parker left off, that will be good enough. I hope that Ace will continue with Spenser in his own way and not try too hard to duplicate the Parker style. First of all, it can't be done - well, yeah, it could be done, just not well. Bob was an original. Bob is gone. He is not alive and writing. (Much as it saddens us.) Spenser is so much larger than life that I'm quite willing to go along with his adventures told from a slightly different point of view. From Ace's p.o.v.

Ace Atkins

All I can definitely say is that Ace is a helluva writer - I've read almost all the books he's ever written as well so I know whereof I speak. If anyone can keep the Spenser stories alive and kicking, it's Ace.

What do you think of all this?