Jack McGee is a Boston firefighter.
He is sure the fire in an Old Catholic church a year ago that killed three firefighters
was arson, but they can’t prove it wasn’t either. McGee is sure that the church
fire was arson. He is also sure the recent fires around town are the work of
the same arsonist.
While McGee wants Spenser to
investigate and is willing to pay for the work, he wants and needs Spenser to
do so quietly. Stepping outside of the Boston Fire Department could cost him
everything including his job and his pension. In the twilight of his career, McGee
can’t afford to make a wave with so much at stake. He just wants answers.
Spenser agrees to take the case. But, keeping the investigation quiet soon
proves impossible in Robert B. Parker’s Slow Burn: A Spenser Novel
by Ace Atkins.
This fifth book in the Spenser
series since Ace Atkins took over is not a mystery at all. Readers know from
the start the identities of the arsonists and their motivation. While Spenser
has a mystery on his hands, readers do not.
What readers have is a basic
thriller style novel as Spenser chases arsonists. It isn’t surprising the
arsonists get wind of Spenser’s involvement and retaliate. That isn’t the only
predictable thing that happens in this fairly predictable thriller.
While Robert B. Parker’s Slow Burn: A
Spenser Novel is not a mystery at all and has very little suspense, it is a fairly enjoyable albeit
predictable thriller style novel from start to finish. The days pass, Spenser
investigates a bit /cooks a bit /seduces the lovely Susan a bit (not always in
that order), Pearl hangs out, as does Hawk and Sixkill, as well as many of the
other usual regulars. Violence occasionally ensues and there is often snarky
dialogue between various characters. In short, a typical Spenser novel in a
thriller read. All in all, a pleasant read that breaks no new ground and allows
one to escape reality for as long as your reading speed dictates.
Robert B. Parker’s Slow Burn: A Spenser Novel
Ace Atkins
G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Random
House)
2016
ISBN# 978-0-399-17085-0
Hardback (also available in eBook
and audio formats)
310 Pages
$27.00
Material supplied by the good folks
of the Plano Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2016
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