matt4hire's review against another edition
4.0
A fun, solid Parker book. Seeing the heist go off is great, and the way Parker gets involved with everything is fantastic. Great, great stuff.
bundy23's review
3.0
The worst Parker yet, but that’s probably because it only contains 30% Parker. I’ll admit I was very worried at how racist this was going to be seeing as Parker aligns himself with some African rebels but incredibly there wasn’t an n-word to be seen/heard anywhere. !phew!
imzadirose's review against another edition
1.0
Absolutely my least favorite, by far. Will go as far as to say I hated it. No real reason, just didn't like the characters, didn't like the story, it was all a jumbled mess and way too much going on for such a short book. Hopefully this was just a one time fluke or my time with this series would come to an end.
ryno23's review
5.0
The guy who writes these previews for the Parker book is really good and spot on. Nearly perfect. 4.5
colophonphile's review
Definitely my least favorite of the Stark/Parker books thus far, as I make my way through them sequentially.
It's definitely the case that the arrival of Claire means less of the Parker we've known -- his ritual is different, and for all her toughness, she ends up causing trouble. This many years after The Thin Man, I would have hoped he'd have more of an equal as a partner.
Anyhow, the book's about a diamond heist related to an African nation that uses a Manhattan museum as a hideaway. Parker has a new role, in that he's pretty much teaching all the African soldiers how to do and to deal with crime in the U.S. -- how to do a heist.
There's a chapter toward the end of the book which is, aside from an opening sentence, entirely a monologue by Parker -- easily he says more words in that chapter than in all the preceding Parker books combined. What he says is believable. That he says as much as he does is less so.
It's definitely the case that the arrival of Claire means less of the Parker we've known -- his ritual is different, and for all her toughness, she ends up causing trouble. This many years after The Thin Man, I would have hoped he'd have more of an equal as a partner.
Anyhow, the book's about a diamond heist related to an African nation that uses a Manhattan museum as a hideaway. Parker has a new role, in that he's pretty much teaching all the African soldiers how to do and to deal with crime in the U.S. -- how to do a heist.
There's a chapter toward the end of the book which is, aside from an opening sentence, entirely a monologue by Parker -- easily he says more words in that chapter than in all the preceding Parker books combined. What he says is believable. That he says as much as he does is less so.
jeremyhornik's review against another edition
3.0
Parker. Took about an hour to read. Less satisfying, as he doesn't go along on the robbery itself, and the inevitable double crossers really don't have their shit together. Still. Short, sharp, nasty, and tidy.
msand3's review against another edition
3.0
Returning to the Parker novels after a three-year break (has it really been that long?) is like slipping into a comfortable pair of shoes. The novel begins right in the middle of action, which is exactly how it should. The pace is brisk; the writing is punchy (in more ways than one). But it also felt like this novel was a quick interlude between more well-defined stories. The plot can be summarized in one sentence: Parker is recruited by some foreign nationals to plan (but not take part in) a heist of diamonds that will help them to take back political power in their home country.
As has been so often the case in the last few novels in the series, Parker breaks his own rules: he goes in with amateurs, he joins with people he doesn’t know, and he brings along a girl (Claire, who at least lends a little bit more to the plot than her previous appearances). When it goes wrong (which we expect) Parker has to put it right (which we also expect). And here’s the biggest problem I had with this novel: it was a little predictable. That isn’t the case with some of the earlier Parker novels. I’m hoping that this was just a one-off issue, and not indicative of the remaining novels in the series. The last thing I want is for Stark’s novels to become predictable.
As has been so often the case in the last few novels in the series, Parker breaks his own rules: he goes in with amateurs, he joins with people he doesn’t know, and he brings along a girl (Claire, who at least lends a little bit more to the plot than her previous appearances). When it goes wrong (which we expect) Parker has to put it right (which we also expect). And here’s the biggest problem I had with this novel: it was a little predictable. That isn’t the case with some of the earlier Parker novels. I’m hoping that this was just a one-off issue, and not indicative of the remaining novels in the series. The last thing I want is for Stark’s novels to become predictable.
vailynst's review against another edition
3.0
Notes:
Currently on Audible Plus
One of the grittier stories in the series. I like how Stark doesn't make Parker into an omnipotent character. There are plenty of moments where it's pure luck + guts that saves Parker from death or worse. A lot of it has to do with intention. Parker is not the kind of man to give up and it shows in each of the books.
The ending? Ha! It was perfect for the story.
Currently on Audible Plus
One of the grittier stories in the series. I like how Stark doesn't make Parker into an omnipotent character. There are plenty of moments where it's pure luck + guts that saves Parker from death or worse. A lot of it has to do with intention. Parker is not the kind of man to give up and it shows in each of the books.
The ending? Ha! It was perfect for the story.
imzadirose's review
1.0
Absolutely my least favorite, by far. Will go as far as to say I hated it. No real reason, just didn't like the characters, didn't like the story, it was all a jumbled mess and way too much going on for such a short book. Hopefully this was just a one time fluke or my time with this series would come to an end.
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