FFB: EARLY AUTUMN (1980) by Robert B. Parker

This is a readjustment of a post from November, 2010. I thought it was time to talk about my favorite Robert Parker book once again. 

EARLY AUTUMN is an early Spenser book by Parker (the seventh in the series), published in 1980. It is also my favorite. Though I've enjoyed most of the Spenser books, this one remains at the top of the heap for me. I'm also extremely fond of its sequel PAST TIME, written several years and many other Spenser adventures later. But that's a talk for another day. Today I'm, once again, sharing my enthusiasm for EARLY AUTUMN and hoping to get you to read it if you haven't.

The urban renewers had struck again. They'd evicted me, a fortune teller, and a bookie from the corner of Mass. Ave. and Boylston, moved in with sandblasters and bleached oak and plant hangers, and last I looked appeared to be turning the place into a Marin County whorehouse. I moved down Boylston Street to the corner of Berkeley, second floor. I was half a block from Brooks Brothers and right over a bank. I felt at home. In the bank they did the same kind of stuff the fortune-teller and the bookie had done. But they dressed better.

From this beginning, you know what you're in for. The kind of hip, wise-ass detective story where a client sashays into Spenser's office, they trade a few quips and within a few pages you're off and running on another tale of Boston murder and tough guy aphorisms - and you'd be right.

Except it turns out that, as the paperback blurb for Early Autumn says, "Spenser's most personal case begins here..." Oh, the case starts out with a dishy blonde hiring Spenser to do a job - no problem, but then the job turns into something Spenser and possibly, the reader, could never have anticipated.

I like this summary from my Dell paperback: A bitter divorce is only the beginning. First the father hires thugs to kidnap his son. Then the mother hires Spenser to get the boy back. But as soon as Spenser senses the lay of the land, he decides to do some kidnapping of his own. With a contract out on his life, he heads for the Maine woods, determined to give a puny fifteen-year-old a crash course in survival and to beat his dangerous opponents at their own brutal game.

The lay of the land is this: Neither the mother nor the father have any time or affection for this unhappy kid. He is merely a pawn in their divorce battles. The boy, Paul Giacomin, is withdrawn and uncommunicative, a geek in the worse sense of the word - a boy who, at fifteen, seems destined to be cast aside by life.

Against his self-centered girlfriend (and you know how we don't like her even one little bit) Susan Silverman's wishes, Spenser decides to do something about Paul before it's too late. (And by the way, this is one of the Spenser books which shows us why very few people like the character of Susan Silverman and only put up with her because Spenser, for whatever reason, loves her.) Her behavior is kind of odd really because Susan is a psychologist, you'd think someone in that profession would be eager to help a kid in obvious trouble. But I digress...

The point is: Spenser steps in and saves the day. But it's how he actually goes about it that makes this book so damned entertaining, enlightening and even moving. In a way that's hard to define, EARLY AUTUMN is more than a mere detective story, it's a primer on how to turn a troubled teenager into a good and reasonable young man.

Of course, there's violence and brutality and a murder or two, but this is to be expected in a Spenser tale. It's the other story going on, the saving of Paul Giacomin that makes this book so special. This is a book to be read in one evening if you like since it's the sort of thing that's hard to put down until the finale which is both satisfying and brilliantly realized.

In certain ways, (I'm sure you'll recognize what I mean) it wouldn't hurt for any adult with a teenage boy in his or her life, to read Early Autumn and perhaps learn a thing or two from, yes, an action-filled private eye book in a genre not known for its child-rearing wisdom.

It's hard not to love this book (and Spenser) and I recommend it even if you are still not a serious fan of the mystery/thriller persuasion.

Robert B. Parker's Fantastic Fiction page has all the titles of all the books in all the series.

And since it's Friday, don't forget to check in at Patti Abbott's blog, Pattinase, to see what other Forgotten (or Overlooked) Books other bloggers are talking about today.

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.

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?

My Favorite Reads: EARLY AUTUMN by Robert B. Parker

Early Autumn is an early Spenser book by Parker, written in 1981. It is also my favorite. Though I've loved many of the Spenser books, this one remains at the top of the heap for me. I'm also extremely fond of its sequel Past Time, written several years and many other adventures later. But that's a talk for another day. Let's concentrate today on the task at hand: sharing my enthusiasm for Early Autumn and getting you to read it if you haven't.

The urban renewers had struck again. They'd evicted me, a fortune teller, and a bookie from the corner of Mass. Ave. and Boylston, moved in with sandblasters and bleached oak and plant hangers, and last I looked appeared to be turning the place into a Marin County whorehouse. I moved down Boylston Street to the corner of Berkeley, second floor. I was half a block from Brooks Brothers and right over a bank. I felt at home. In the bank they did the same kind of stuff the fortune-teller and the bookie had done. But they dressed better.

From this beginning, you know what you're in for. A kind of hip, wise-ass detective story where a client sashays into Spenser's office, they trade a few quips and within a few pages you're off and running on another tale of Boston murder and tough guy aphorisms - and you'd be right.

Except it turns out that, as the paperback blurb for Early Autumn says, "Spenser's most personal case begins here..." You'd be right and wrong. Oh, the case starts out with a dishy blonde hiring Spenser to do a job - no problem, but then the job turns into something Spenser and possibly, the reader, could never have anticipated.

It's been a while since I read Early Autumn (I've read it several times over the years.) so I think I'll use the summary from the Dell paperback - it's a good one: A bitter divorce is only the beginning. First the father hires thugs to kidnap his son. Then the mother hires Spenser to get the boy back. But as soon as Spenser senses the lay of the land, he decides to do some kidnapping of his own. With a contract out on his life, he heads for the Maine woods, determined to give a puny fifteen-year-old a crash course in survival and to beat his dangerous opponents at their own brutal game.

The lay of the land is this: Neither the mother nor the father have any time or affection for this kid. He is merely a pawn in their divorce wars. The boy, Paul Giacomin, is withdrawn and uncommunicative, a geek in the worse sense of the word - a boy who, at fifteen, seems destined to be cast aside by life.

Spenser, against his self-centered girlfriend Susan Silverman's wishes, decides to do something about Paul before it's too late. (And by the way, this is one of the books that shows us why very few people like the character of Susan Silverman and only put up with her because Spenser, for whatever reason, loves her.) It's kind of odd really because Susan is a psychologist, you'd think someone in that profession would be eager to help a kid in obvious trouble. But I digress...

The point is: Spenser steps in and saves the day. But it's how he actually goes about it that makes this book so damned entertaining and enlightening. In a way that's hard to define, this is more than a mere detective story, it's a primer on how to turn a troubled teenager into a good and reasonable young man.

Of course, there's violence and brutality and a murder or two, but this is to be expected in a Spenser tale. It's the other story going on, the saving of Paul Giacomin that really holds your interest until it winds its way to a finale that is both satisfying and brilliantly realized.

In certain ways, (I'm sure you'll recognize what I mean) it wouldn't hurt for any adult with a teenage boy in his or her life, to read Early Autumn and perhaps learn a thing or two from, yes, an action-filled private eye book in a genre not known for its child-rearing capabilities.

It's hard not to love this book (and Spenser) and I recommend it even if you are not a serious fan of the mystery/thriller persuasion.

Writing I Like

Thursday. A good day to talk about good writing. (When is it not?) Or, at least, what I consider to be good writing. As we all know I am a very opinionated old codger, so the samples I put forth can be viewed askance if you so wish. I don't ask that you agree, but if you disagree, give me good reasons why. I probably won't change my mind, but it will make for lively discussion.

Of course, it's difficult to judge writing out of context, but I think the following excerpts give us the flavor of style of three very different authors - Martha Grimes, Robert B. Parker and Jasper Fforde - writing three very different sorts of books.

In the first sample from Martha Grimes, I love how she lingers and gives us specific word pictures of the slightly peculiar little storybook English country town which shows up in most of her books. You might almost think you were reading a cozy from this example, but let me assure you, you are not. It's just Grimes being quirky. I love it when she goes off on one of her rambles and lulls you into thinking the world of her books is not as dark as it really is. This is also her way of draping one of her protagonists, Melrose Plant, in the raiment of surroundings which seem so out of time, so different from Richard Jury's, the Scotland Yard cop who lives in a flat in London.

THE FIVE BELLS AND BLADEBONE by Martha Grimes

They were enjoying the sublimity of a fine spring morning, drenched in the scent of hundreds of roses - tea, musk, perpetual; bedding, climbing, hedging; claret, crimson, lavender, coral, yellow; climbers cascading down brick walls and climbing up them; floribunda hedging the walk...

The dogs and cats they had passed were all sprawled in various states of drunken delight, the effect of roses, the sun, the glittering air, as if Melrose's old dog Mindy were back there at Ardry End beaming out signals to sleep, sleep, sleep.

Miss Crisp's Jack Russell, which usually took its naps on a weathered chair outside her second hand shop, had struck out on its own from the High Street, looking for action round the duck pond. But it was now collapsed by the small stone pillar atop which sat Miss Broadstairs' oafish gray cat, itself too lazy to do anything other than lie with its face against the warm stone, its paws dropped down the pillar. All dreaming of roses...

JERUSALEM INN by Martha Grimes

The dining room had mullioned windows of rose and amethyst glass, was oak-paneled and candlelit and in its mingling of tones, seemed to throw over the diners a fine patina of burnished copper. Thus the voice of Susan Assington was like a scratch upon this lovely surface. "I think," said Lady Assington, "we should have a murder."

She looked up and down the dinner table, crowded with polished plate and polished crystal and tarnished conversation. "I mean," said Lady Assington, tapping a silvery nail against her wine glass, "it's just too perfect."

Having captured the the entire table for the first time - and they were already on dessert - she was breathless for a response. Melrose, seated to her right asked politely, (when no one else took her up), "Why is that?"

"Why, here we are, snowed in! Just the sort of thing to bring one's nerves to the boiling point - "

Lady Assington was not one to worry over her metaphors, thought Melrose.

The following sample by the late Robert B. Parker is from an early Spenser book. The scene is one in which Spenser faces down the dangerous Boston crime boss Joe Broz.

THE GODWULF MANUSCRIPT by Robert B. Parker

Broz sipped a little of his drink, put it down on the bar, and swung fully around towards me, both elbows resting on the bar.

"I have been told," he said in a deep voice that had the phony quality you hear in an announcer's voice when he's not on the air, "that you are a wise-ass punk. Apparently my information was correct. So let's get some ground rules. You are here because I sent for you. You will leave when I tell you to. You are of no consequence. You have no class. If you annoy me I will have someone sprinkle roach powder on you. Do you understand that?"

"Yeah," I said. "I think so, but you better give me a drink I feel faint."

This last sample is from the second book in Jasper Fforde's Nursery Crime Unit series. It is the opening paragraph.

THE FOURTH BEAR - Jack Spratt Investigates by Jasper Fforde

The little village of Obscurity is remarkable only for its unremarkableness. Passed over for inclusion into almost every publication from The Domesday Book to Thirty Places Not Worth Visiting in Berkshire, the hamlet is also a cartographic omission, an honor it shares with the neighboring villages of Hiding and Cognito. Indeed, the status of Obscurity was once thought so tenuous that some of the more philosophically inclined residents considered the possibility that since their village didn't exist, they might not exist either, and hurriedly placed "existential question of being" on the parish council agenda, where it still resides, after much unresolved discussion, between "church roof fund" and "any other business."

Opinons? Or how about some examples of your own favorites?