Robert B Parker's Cheap Shot by Ace Atkins

Robert B Parker's Cheap Shot by Ace Atkins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Publisher - No Exit Press

Pages - 223

Blurb from Goodreads

The iconic, tough-but-tender Boston PI Spenser returns in an outstanding new addition to the New York Times bestselling series from Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Ace Atkins. Kinjo Heywood is one of the New England Patriots’ marquee players — a hard-nosed linebacker who’s earned his reputation as one of the toughest guys in the league. When off-field violence repeatedly lands Heywood in the news, his slick agent hires Spenser to find the men who he says have been harassing his client. Heywood’s troubles seem to be tied to a nightclub shooting from two years earlier. But when Heywood’s nine-year-old son, Akira, is kidnapped, ransom demands are given, and a winding trail through Boston’s underworld begins, Spenser puts together his own all-star team of toughs. It will take both Hawk and Spenser’s protégé, Zebulon Sixkill, to watch Spenser’s back and return the child to the football star’s sprawling Chestnut Hill mansion. A controversial decision from Heywood only ups the ante as the clock winds down on Akira’s future.


My Review

If you haven't read a Spenser novel you don't have to to pick it up and jump right in. I believe this is number 3 in this series, there is 4 so far by this author however the series was started with another author so there are more.

Spenser is a private detective, not too sure if he was a police officer prior t that as he has an extensive list of contacts and a few men who assist him on the team. Kinjo Heywood is a big time star on the New England's Patriots team. He had an incident two years prior where someone lost their life in a night club, now his nine year old son has been kidnapped are the two related? Kinjo is surrounded by a team that don't want Spenser involved however Spenser is on the clock and won't stop till he finds the boy or Kinjo fires him.

The book took a wee it to get going but once it starts it kept my interest. The kidnapping reminded me of a successful movie plot after a while and that sometimes irks me when the rest of the story is original. Otherwise though I did quite like it, I enjoyed the team dynamics and the story got there eventually. 3/5 for me this time and I would read this series again. Thanks to RealReaders for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

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RRR - Robert B Parker's Wonderland by Ace Atkins

Robert B. Parker's Wonderland: The New Spenser Novel by Ace Atkins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Publisher - No Exit Press

Pages - 192

Blurb from Goodreads

Henry Cimoli and Spenser have been friends for years, yet the old boxing trainer has never asked the private eye for a favor. Until now. A heavy-handed developer is trying to buy up Henry's condo on Revere Beach and sends thugs to move the process along. Soon Spenser and his apprentice, Zebulon Sixkill, find a trail leading to a mysterious and beautiful woman, a megalomaniacal Las Vegas kingpin, and plans to turn to a chunk of land north of Boston into a sprawling casino. Bitter rivals emerge, alliances turn, and the uglier pieces of the Boston political machine look to put an end to Spenser's investigation.
Aspiration, greed, and twisted dreams all focus on the old Wonderland dog track where the famous amusement park once fronted the ocean. For Spenser and Z, this simple favor to Henry will become the fight of their lives.


My review

Spenser is out main character and a private eye. His friend Henry is an old man who trains boxers and is getting pressure to sell up his condo. He enlists the help of his old friend to find out who is behind it and why. Before long things get violent and out of hand, Vegas big wigs are involved and murder is a foot. Will Spenser get to the bottom of it before he and his friends end up in peril danger?

So this is the first I have ever read this author. The series has over 40 books however this author has only been in place for two (the third is now available), taking over the series after the last author died. This is my first introduction to the series and I did enjoy the banter between the characters however I felt there were a lot of people introduced. Not all had massive parts however it was a lot to take in and try to keep up with what was happening. The story starts up about Henry being forced into giving up his condo however things take a deadly turn and the story becomes much more complex with lots of twists and turns.

Spenser has a sidekick who is referred to a lot but is not in this story and Z aka Zebulon Sixkill is seemingly new to the team or at least still training. He is a troubled character, nothing outrightly obvious but a few things hinted at. I think I need to go back and find out more about these characters in order to fully appreciate these books and the characters relationships with each other.

That said I did get into the story quickly, it has lots of twists and turns and your not too sure what is coming next. It goes a long at a good pace and by the end your questions are answered which I always like in a crime story. 3/5 for me this time, thanks to Realreaders for introducing me to a new author and sending me a copy to review in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely seek out the earlier books in this series and see the difference between the authors and learn more about the characters.

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